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Ex Nihilo Midnight Special
Ex Nihilo

Midnight Special

Citrus
Fresh
Floral
Rose
Woody
Patchouli
Oud
2017 · unisex

Ex Nihilo is a niche fragrance house founded by Dominique Ropion, one of the industry's most respected perfumers. Known for their artisanal approach and focus on raw material quality, the brand creates unisex and gender-neutral compositions that prioritize olfactory sophistication.

Midnight Special opens with black pepper, cinnamon, and saffron, creating an immediate warm spice profile that feels both sharp and slightly sweet. The heart softens into grapefruit and Turkish rose, which adds a florid quality without becoming powdery. The base is where the fragrance's richness emerges, anchored by agarwood (oud) and patchouli with vanilla threading through to add softness and staying power. The overall composition balances woody-oud character with spiced florals and vanilla sweetness, avoiding the heavy orientalism some oud fragrances lean into.

This works best for someone seeking a sophisticated oud fragrance with unexpected brightness from the grapefruit heart. It's versatile enough for evening wear but equally compelling during cooler months. Midnight Special suits those drawn to The Mystic, The Reverie, and The Seducer.

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Size
Updated 21210m ago
RetailerSize Price $/ml ↑
ScentSplitBest1ml$12.99$12.99Buy

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Main Accordsreported by community
Citrus
29%
Fresh
29%
Floral
59%
Rose
100%
Woody
100%
Patchouli
41%
Oud
90%
Earthy
59%
Warm Spicy
80%
Spicy
53%
Vanilla
70%
Sweet
50%
Gourmand
41%
Smoky
41%
Fragrance Notesbrand verified
Top · 0–30 min
Black Pepper
Black Pepper
Sharp, dry, and immediately present, black pepper in perfumery is spice without sweetness, heat without heaviness. It adds edge to citrus openings and warmth to woody bases, creating contrast that keeps a fragrance interesting. One of the most versatile spice notes, comfortable in everything from fresh colognes to deep orientals.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon
Sweet, warm, and instantly comforting, cinnamon bark has a familiar warmth that slides easily into oriental and gourmand fragrances. Used sparingly it adds a pleasant warmth; used heavily it can dominate. It has a slightly sharp, peppery facet alongside its sweetness that keeps it from being purely foodie.
Saffron
Saffron
The most expensive spice in the world has a leathery, honeyed, slightly metallic quality that is immediately recognizable. In perfumery, saffron adds a dark, animalic richness, it's the note that gives oud-rose fragrances their distinctive regal depth. A little goes a long way; too much reads as medicinal.
Heart · 30 min – 3 hrs
Grapefruit
Grapefruit
Bittersweet and juicy with a faintly metallic zing that sets it apart from sweeter citrus notes. Grapefruit is uniquely energising, it reads as clean and modern rather than traditionally 'citrusy.' It pairs effortlessly with musks, making it a staple of office-safe, all-day fragrances.
Rose
Rose
The queen of floral notes and the most-used ingredient in fine perfumery. Real rose is simultaneously velvety, honeyed, and slightly spicy, nothing like the synthetic candy version. Depending on the variety used, it can anchor a composition or drift through it like a ghost, adding warmth without dominating.
Turkish Rose
Turkish Rose
Rosa damascena grown in the Isparta region of Turkey, one of the world's major sources of rose oil alongside Bulgaria. Turkish rose has a slightly more spiced, cinnamon-adjacent quality than Bulgarian rose, with a rich, full-bodied sweetness and good lasting power. Essential to Middle Eastern-inspired and classical oriental rose fragrances.
Base · 3–12 hrs
Agarwood (Oud)
Agarwood (Oud)
Patchouli
Patchouli
Dense, earthy, and darkly sweet, patchouli is the scent of damp soil and dried herbs with an almost chocolatey richness. It polarizes people because in high concentrations it's overwhelming, but as a supporting note it adds depth and longevity that almost nothing else can match. The backbone of countless oriental and chypre fragrances.
Vanilla
Vanilla
Warm, sweet, and universally appealing, vanilla is to fragrance what salt is to cooking. Real vanilla is complex and slightly smoky, though most perfumery vanilla is synthetic and reads as clean, sweet, and creamy. It slows the evaporation of other notes and is the reason certain fragrances feel like a second skin.
Who Wears ThisScent DNA matches
🌙
The MysticBest match84% match
You wear what others can't place — and that's exactly the point.

Warm incense, dry resins, airy woods, smoke with softness. Never obvious.

✨
The Reverie84% match
You live slightly outside the present — and your scent proves it.

Warm, experimental sweetness. Caramelized woods, unusual ambers, avant-garde gourmand.

💋
The Seducer84% match
A warmth others feel before they understand it.

Rich, dark, sweet, and challenging. Opulent orientals, vanillic oud, seductive amber.

Based on this fragrance's accord profile · Find your Scent DNA →
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Rate this fragrance
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Most Popular with this Scent DNA Type?
🌙
The Mystic
You wear what others can't place — and that's exactly the point.
Warm incense, dry resins, airy woods, smoke with softness. Never obvious.
Discover your type →
Scent Profile
Citrus29%Fresh29%Floral59%Rose100%Woody100%
Decants Available
1
listings in stock
1ml$12.99/ml

Ex Nihilo Midnight Special— Prices, Coupons & Buying Guide

Best price today: Midnight Special is $12.99. Without a coupon the lowest price is $12.99. Gush tracks 47+ retailers updated every 2 hours.

Are grey market retailers authentic?

Yes. Jomashop, FragranceNet, and MaxAroma sell 100% authentic Ex Nihilo fragrances through unofficial distribution channels. The fragrance is identical to department store stock. Grey market refers to the supply chain, not product quality. The price difference comes entirely from the distribution channel.

Frequently asked questions

Cheapest price for Ex Nihilo Midnight Special? +
$12.99 at ScentSplit. Gush compares 47+ retailers updated every 2 hours.
What does Ex Nihilo Midnight Special smell like? +
Ex Nihilo is a niche fragrance house founded by Dominique Ropion, one of the industry's most respected perfumers. Known for their artisanal approach and focus on raw material quality, the brand creates unisex and gender-neutral compositions that prioritize olfactory sophistication. Midnight Special opens with black pepper, cinnamon, and saffron, creating an immediate warm spice profile that feels both sharp and slightly sweet. The heart softens into grapefruit and Turkish rose, which adds a florid quality without becoming powdery. The base is where the fragrance's richness emerges, anchored by agarwood (oud) and patchouli with vanilla threading through to add softness and staying power. The overall composition balances woody-oud character with spiced florals and vanilla sweetness, avoiding the heavy orientalism some oud fragrances lean into. This works best for someone seeking a sophisticated oud fragrance with unexpected brightness from the grapefruit heart. It's versatile enough for evening wear but equally compelling during cooler months. Midnight Special suits those drawn to The Mystic, The Reverie, and The Seducer.
What are the notes in Ex Nihilo Midnight Special? +
Top: Black Pepper, Cinnamon, Saffron. Heart: Grapefruit, Rose, Turkish Rose. Base: Agarwood (Oud), Patchouli, Vanilla.
What other fragrances smell like Ex Nihilo Midnight Special? +
Based on shared notes, Salvatore Ferragamo Emozione Rosa Orientale (Agarwood (Oud), Patchouli, Rose, Saffron), Franck Boclet Rebel (Agarwood (Oud), Patchouli, Rose, Saffron), Viktor&Rolf Flowerbomb Rose Explosion for women (Agarwood (Oud), Patchouli, Turkish Rose, Saffron), sospiro Grazioso unisex (Agarwood (Oud), Patchouli, Rose, Black Pepper), Ormonde Jayne Arabesque (Agarwood (Oud), Patchouli, Rose, Black Pepper) may smell similar to Midnight Special.
What is a grey market fragrance retailer? +
Grey market retailers sell authentic fragrances sourced through unofficial distribution -- typically excess inventory from authorized distributors. The product is real and identical to retail. FragranceNet (est. 1997), Jomashop, and MaxAroma are well-established with millions of verified reviews.

Gush earns a commission on purchases at no cost to you · Prices update every 2 hours · Coupon success rates based on affiliate feed data · Grey market = authentic, unofficial supply chain