Byron75
Reviews
Byron75
A rather different oud!
I received this perfume from a friend that visited Dubai last year. Research on the brand or the perfume itself didn't give any results but that is something quite usual I guess for that market. The only info I have on it, is that it's supposed to be a muattaq (oud and other ingredients perfume) of a 55 years old oud oil (salesman words).
Initially I wasn't quite sure if I liked it or not but it's growing in me a lot lately. With no reference regarding the notes I'll just have to rely on my own nose. Forget about the usual oud-rose combo note. It starts with a boozy medicinal note quite similar to the one I recall from the original M7, something like a cherry syrup which lasts for the first 20 minutes more or less. Then starts a very smooth transition to a loud patchouly and musk combined with what I presume to be castoreum, a dry woody leather. As is almost the rule for most middle oriental perfumes, it seems to be a linear perfume without lots of other ingredients but nonetheless quite interesting. Very masculine, not floral at all, the leather note is very dominant.
Also the bottle is very beautiful but not extravagant. Heavy and almost rectangular glass with a leather dressed cap.
It might seem a close to the skin perfume but lately I've noticed people commenting it very often so it must have a good projection. Very pleasant for a daily oriental perfume.
Initially I wasn't quite sure if I liked it or not but it's growing in me a lot lately. With no reference regarding the notes I'll just have to rely on my own nose. Forget about the usual oud-rose combo note. It starts with a boozy medicinal note quite similar to the one I recall from the original M7, something like a cherry syrup which lasts for the first 20 minutes more or less. Then starts a very smooth transition to a loud patchouly and musk combined with what I presume to be castoreum, a dry woody leather. As is almost the rule for most middle oriental perfumes, it seems to be a linear perfume without lots of other ingredients but nonetheless quite interesting. Very masculine, not floral at all, the leather note is very dominant.
Also the bottle is very beautiful but not extravagant. Heavy and almost rectangular glass with a leather dressed cap.
It might seem a close to the skin perfume but lately I've noticed people commenting it very often so it must have a good projection. Very pleasant for a daily oriental perfume.
Beautiful perfume, major disappointment
I've been looking for "Arabian Nights" for ages so when I finally managed to get it thanks to a lovely parfumo.com member, you can imagine my excitement. The package arrived, beautiful box and then this wonderful bottle that reminds me of the Alhambra...so far so good! Since I had never sampled it before (yes, a blind buy), I was so curious and anxious to smell it. I sniffed the atomiser and this gorgeous scent overwhelmed me! Oh yes, this must be even better than what I was hoping for...it turned out that it was much less.
Let me explain it better: Owning already a bespoke perfume with oud as a base and burning regularly the wood chips in the house, I reckon that I'm able to recognize a true oud from an accord and I strongly believe that "Arabian Nights" contains a very descent amount of it.
After application, the famous by now rose-oud combination with a light herby (must be the thyme) note takes you by the hand, promising a dreamy journey into what "Arabian Nights" should be. Later, the rose subsides without ever disappearing completely and no more thyme. Patchouli with saffron are the co-protagonists along with the oud now and it's delicious. It's strange though that both these phases last less than half an hour before you get to experience a blast of cedar and sandalwood, making "Arabian Nights" more of a "Forest Nights". So woody but still very good. The wood experience lasts for quite some time before it settles close to the skin into something warm and comfortable. The oud is still detectable as well as a hint of rose (at least on my skin) along with the labdanum, that probably gives us the amber/musk note in the end. Unfortunately, all this beauty reveals itself for an hour and then you remain with a skin scent. Longevity is very mediocre while sillage is ridiculously weak. I feel exactly like fellow @Scarletting...heartbroken. How can anyone create such a perfume, with what appears to be high quality ingredients and deliver nothing more than a light skin scent that you can barely smell on your own wrist after a couple of hours?
I still love it, it's opulent, wonderfully mixed but it promises you the world and delivers just a glimpse of what could have been an unforgettable perfume!
P.S. After more than six months and a new bottle that still awaits for me in the drawer, I can say that my opinion is starting to change. This perfume is transforming itself depending on a variety of factors. Actually, during summer nights the heat amplifies the scent and its staying power. During the winter, when entering a heated room or in case of heated skin you get the same effect. So, what this perfume needs is heat and humidity in order to unravel its beauty and projection. I'm completely in love with it!
Let me explain it better: Owning already a bespoke perfume with oud as a base and burning regularly the wood chips in the house, I reckon that I'm able to recognize a true oud from an accord and I strongly believe that "Arabian Nights" contains a very descent amount of it.
After application, the famous by now rose-oud combination with a light herby (must be the thyme) note takes you by the hand, promising a dreamy journey into what "Arabian Nights" should be. Later, the rose subsides without ever disappearing completely and no more thyme. Patchouli with saffron are the co-protagonists along with the oud now and it's delicious. It's strange though that both these phases last less than half an hour before you get to experience a blast of cedar and sandalwood, making "Arabian Nights" more of a "Forest Nights". So woody but still very good. The wood experience lasts for quite some time before it settles close to the skin into something warm and comfortable. The oud is still detectable as well as a hint of rose (at least on my skin) along with the labdanum, that probably gives us the amber/musk note in the end. Unfortunately, all this beauty reveals itself for an hour and then you remain with a skin scent. Longevity is very mediocre while sillage is ridiculously weak. I feel exactly like fellow @Scarletting...heartbroken. How can anyone create such a perfume, with what appears to be high quality ingredients and deliver nothing more than a light skin scent that you can barely smell on your own wrist after a couple of hours?
I still love it, it's opulent, wonderfully mixed but it promises you the world and delivers just a glimpse of what could have been an unforgettable perfume!
P.S. After more than six months and a new bottle that still awaits for me in the drawer, I can say that my opinion is starting to change. This perfume is transforming itself depending on a variety of factors. Actually, during summer nights the heat amplifies the scent and its staying power. During the winter, when entering a heated room or in case of heated skin you get the same effect. So, what this perfume needs is heat and humidity in order to unravel its beauty and projection. I'm completely in love with it!
2 Comments
Woody incense
This is an eau de parfum from an artisanal perfumery in Florence, called Aqua Flor. Fragrance notes are not available (at least in detail) so bear with me if I'm mistaken.
As the name indicates, this is a fragrance based on frankincense. But this is not exactly the usual church incense recreation, nor the kind of heavy bakhoor that Arabs use in their house, which I both love by the way! What you'll get instead is a clean mineral frankincense with a strong woody smell, something like fir balsam and cedar probably. Longevity is quite good, 7 hours on my skin, while its sillage will definitely get you noticed in a room.
Bakhur is rather linear as a perfume but that's part of its beauty since it doesn't change to something that you might not like. I find it more suitable for a man than a woman because of its dryness mostly but that's up to your own taste.
Highly recommended to any frankincense lover as well as to anyone who might enjoy a different take on frankincense. For what it concerns me, it has become one of my favourite fragrances for its beauty and uniqueness!
As the name indicates, this is a fragrance based on frankincense. But this is not exactly the usual church incense recreation, nor the kind of heavy bakhoor that Arabs use in their house, which I both love by the way! What you'll get instead is a clean mineral frankincense with a strong woody smell, something like fir balsam and cedar probably. Longevity is quite good, 7 hours on my skin, while its sillage will definitely get you noticed in a room.
Bakhur is rather linear as a perfume but that's part of its beauty since it doesn't change to something that you might not like. I find it more suitable for a man than a woman because of its dryness mostly but that's up to your own taste.
Highly recommended to any frankincense lover as well as to anyone who might enjoy a different take on frankincense. For what it concerns me, it has become one of my favourite fragrances for its beauty and uniqueness!
