The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
The Ottoman Empire line represents a sustained engagement with a single olfactory idea. Ottoman Empire IV arrives as the fourth chapter in a series that began with the house's earliest work, and each installment has built on the one before. The 2023 release doesn't break from that lineage. It deepens it. Turkish rose and Indian oud have always been natural partners, and this is the version that fully commits to the pairing and lets it be enormous. The fragrance opens with a bold declaration of rose, the petals bright and unapologetic, before the oud arrives to anchor the composition in something darker and more resinous. There's a warmth here that feels deliberate, a commitment to richness that doesn't retreat into subtlety.
What makes this composition unusual is the tropical heart sitting against the woody depth. Frangipani brings a lush, floral sweetness that intertwines with the oud's resinous character. The saffron and cinnamon raise the temperature immediately, and the vetiver adds an earthy counterweight that prevents the florals from floating away entirely. The result is a heart that feels both lush and grounded, which is harder to achieve than it sounds. The oakmoss in the base does what oakmoss does best: it pulls the whole thing down into something mossy, quiet, and long-lasting.
The evolution
The opening arrives as a sharp, bright burst of cardamom and Turkish rose oil that announces itself before you've finished applying. The chili pepper is present but not aggressive; it's more of a prickle than a burn, a heat that keeps the rose from going sweet. The Indian oud arrives to join the composition, dense and resinous, with a depth that reads as leather and smoke rather than fresh wood. The frangipani doesn't disappear, it blooms underneath, adding a tropical sweetness that makes the oud feel less austere. The drydown settles into cedarwood and oakmoss, the amber accord settling into a warm base that lingers. It doesn't evolve much in the final stages, it simply stays. The next morning, there's a faint trace of cedar and moss on the wrist. Still there.
Cultural impact
Ottoman Empire IV sits in a specific corner of niche perfumery where collector interest concentrates. It's a fragrance designed to be extraordinary rather than merely pleasant. The 2023 release draws attention for its longevity and the density of the oud, qualities that distinguish it from the broader oriental category. For those who want something that demands attention, this is the kind of release that sparks conversation. The house's approach to aged materials and minimal intervention shows in the result, a fragrance that feels considered rather than thrown together.
The House
Areej Le DoréAreej Le Doré is an artisanal perfume house that concentrates on pure oud and sandalwood essences. Founded by the distiller known as Russian Adam, the brand offers a line of attars that emphasize natural raw materials and meticulous extraction. Its catalogue includes limited‑edition releases such as War and Peace III Attar (2025) and Ottoman Empire III (2021), each presented in a restrained bottle that lets the scent speak for itself. The house operates out of Indonesia but sources ingredients from across Southeast Asia and the Russian taiga, positioning the brand as a bridge between traditional raw‑material craftsmanship and contemporary niche fragrance culture.
The Creator
Russian AdamAdam favors raw, unrefined materials. He often starts with a base of hand‑distilled oud, then layers spices such as black pepper, saffron, or cardamom to add heat.
