The notes don't "pop" over others, they all play the same tune in a harmonious unison. The blend is extremely smooth and because (I think) it doesn't feature too many ingredients cluttering the olfactory space, the individuals components are relatively easy to pick up. To my nose, rose, musk and oud are equally present right from the start, but towards the drydown as the rose burns off, the musk and then the oud slowly reveal themselves, with the soft patchouli acting as a perfect bridge between the two. I am sure there are other things in there and probably synthetics too, but the blend is so masterfully executed I can't ID any, which of course could just be my relative inexperience and undeveloped perception. The oil is not super-dark and not overly thick, it flows quite easily.