Saffron Whisper Novellista for women and men

Notino seem to be pushing this brand a lot so I got two samples, this and Rose Chant. The brand seems to me too overpriced, considering how many cheapies doing dopes there are out there. Anyway, this one is super oriental and has amazing longevity, sadly it is a bit too much for me. One spray on each wrist made me smell it constantly for over four hours, which is not something that I usually look for in a perfume. It's pretty linear, the rose makes a brief appearance in the middle, luckily I didn't get any fruits in it because I'm not a big fan. What you get is mostly oud, incense and saffron. Definitely a night fragrance, wouldn't mind smelling it on someone but not on myself, and hopefully not in the heat.

I was so prepared to love this scent, with all its ingredients, but I can't stand it.

The opening is so sharp, sauer and syntetic! Very masculine-fresh and too much minty. Then rose, which is migraine trigger. I don't enjoy the raspberries either: just some sweet syrupy aroma of it, contrasting with strong incense. Saffron adds very unpleasant, bitter odor.

Sorry for too much criticism (usually I am diplomatic, when I can't say something nice), but this is just a missed opportunity.

Really quite close to ombre Nomade, not sure why there's down votes for it, it is very close

oh...wow. I do agree with all the comments saying this is interesting, but it's hard to be liked.
This is the smell I remember from my childhood. I remember when I was about 5-8 years old and we had some family gatherings where there were friends of my grandparents and those men used to smell like this. Nostalgia.
But honesty now I do not want to smell like a man born in the 50th in the USSR, I am sorry.
It was nice to try it on a blotter and observe its development (to practice) But I do not like it.

As for the pyramid: I can clearly feel the saffron, incense vibe, rose is there for me too, wood (maybe agarwood as it's said or maybe birch) and like a black current vibe, BUT saffron occupies 90% of the scent. It's a very strong note at the beginning, in the middle and at the end. All the other ingredients are back singers somewhere in the furthest and darkest corner of the stage. I would not even noticed them if I weren't told.

The perfume development is pretty flat. The way it starts, the same way it runs.

I bought a 'best of Novellista' sample set. This is the second sample I have tried.

Saffron Whisper starts promising. I clearly smell the black current and oud. A bit masculine to my taste, but still pleasant.

Unfortunately this fades away rather quickly.

What remains on my skin is a smoky distant smell with something sweet underneath.

Like a campfire that has gone out the next morning and old plates with stale fruits and honey laying around. I can see how this fits the original story.

For that matter I find it interesting. But I don't like this smell at all.

I am testing this sample for weeks, and I can't manage to like it.
My description will be a bit ridiculous, I am aware of it, but what I smell is:

At the opening almost identical to Byredo Oud Immortelle. Then I feel sweet-sour flower honey note, like honey made from meadow flowers. Or common dandelion has this grassy honey note.
All this mixed with a cold metallic note, which is so notable and evolving, almost punching and sharp, that it smells to me like a gas.
Yes, I know🤷♀️. But if you have a gas cooker, you can imagine 🤢
And lastly, I definitely smell something aquatic. And leather.

For me this mixture does not smell appealing.

If Ombre Nomade and Salim Bagh had a baby...

Way too masculine for my taste - something rubbed me the wrong way so I had to scrub it off. I don’t like the smell of roses, maybe that’s why I didn’t like it.. Very long lasting and strong though

I got a sample from this and from memory it seems nearly identical to Louis Vuitton's Ombre Nomade, and after comparing the notes it becomes even clearer. I'm not really into these Oriental Rose/Oud combos but if you are, you might want to check this out.
These types of scents last forever on me.

My review based of a sample
It's a no for me
I can smell the incense or smokiness and it's just not my vibe

Just initial thoughts so far, but trying to add something that’s actually useful…

Yes, this is another rose-oud fragrance, and to me saffron is not even a whisper, it’s just not there.

BUT, I kind of like it.

Oud is strong only for the first half minute or so, after that it mellows out and I get a dry suede note, reminiscent of Atelier Cologne Oud Saphir, except Saffron Whisper is more floral/fruity. Perhaps if AC Gold Leather and Oud Saphir hade a baby, this is what it would smell like.
Silage and longevity are quite good.

Will need to wear it some more to expand my review.