Montale: 7 perfumes to discover the house

Montale is the kind of house you smell before you know it. A woody trail in the street, a sweet rose in a lift. The problem is choice: our catalogue has more than forty Montale perfumes, all eau de parfum. Where do you start?

We kept it simple. Seven perfumes, seven styles, from the darkest to the brightest. The notes we mention are the ones on our product pages, nothing more.

The classic: Black Aoud

Released in 2006, Black Aoud pairs rose and oud with patchouli, labdanum, a touch of mandarin and musk. It's dense, resinous and impossible to miss. If you only smell one Montale to understand the house, start here. See Black Aoud.

The softer oud: Arabians Tonka

Arabians Tonka (2017) keeps the oud and rose but adds saffron and tonka bean. The tonka rounds everything off and the saffron brings warmth. It's a cosier, almost gourmand oud, and it often wins over people who find Black Aoud a bit much. See Arabians Tonka.

The spiced tobacco: Oud Tabacco

Oud Tabacco opens on an unusual spice mix: sumac, lemon, black pepper, clove and cumin. In the heart, tobacco, incense, orange blossom and patchouli leaf. At the base, oud, ambergris, sandalwood, musk and tonka bean. The warmest of the selection, made for autumn and winter. See Oud Tabacco.

The gourmand rose: Rose Elixir

Rose Elixir starts on mandarin, orange, bergamot, coconut and peach. The heart blends rose, orange blossom, jasmine, violet and patchouli leaf. The base brings musk, oakmoss, brown sugar and amber. A fruity, sweet rose that is very easy to love. See Rose Elixir.

The amber floral: Starry Nights

Starry Nights (2014) opens on bergamot and lemon, moves through rose, jasmine and patchouli leaf, then finishes on amber, vanilla and white musk. It's round and bright, and works day or night. A good pick if you want a Montale without oud. See Starry Nights.

Summer in a bottle: Soleil de Capri

Lemon, lime, apple and pear at the top, then jasmine, violet, cinnamon and peach, on a base of amber, cedar and musk. Soleil de Capri is the Montale for sunny days, fresh and fruity, with just enough warmth to last. See Soleil de Capri.

The woody sunshine: Aqua Palma

Aqua Palma starts on mandarin, bergamot, cardamom, pepper and peach. In the heart, tuberose, rose, ginger, sandalwood, cedar and iris. At the base, teak wood, amber, vanilla and tonka bean. More floral and woodier than Soleil de Capri, it bridges summer and the in-between seasons. See Aqua Palma.

How to choose your first Montale

• You want the signature oud: Black Aoud.
• You want a softer oud: Arabians Tonka.
• You love warm, spicy perfumes: Oud Tabacco.
• You love rose: Rose Elixir.
• You want an all-rounder without oud: Starry Nights.
• You want freshness: Soleil de Capri or Aqua Palma.

Always test on skin before you buy, especially the ouds: they change a lot over the first few hours. On every product page you can see the shops that sell the perfume and set a price alert to hear when it drops.