Al Qurashi Blend Abdul Samad Al Qurashi Eau de Parfum

I was first introduced to this perfume in Dubai at an ASAQ store. It was my first introduction to oud, and boy oh boy, I was blown away. I recall spraying it on my wrist and sitting in the store for about 45 minutes to see if it transitions at all.

The first 10 minutes were an explosion of notes, and my nose was a bit overwhelmed. But after a while, the candied lemon, smoky oud, amber, and musk began to take over. It smelled unlike anything I had ever smelled.

It is a luxurious perfume with nuclear projection, a room filler for sure. This fragrance will wear you if you lack confidence. It gives off CEO/power vibes and will have people wondering which million-dollar deal you just closed.

It has been compared to Boadicea's Blue Sapphire, and I can confirm, they share the same DNA, but this is the OG.

What a Masterpiece!!! I get compliments and attention when I walk into a room with this.

I got the buy-one-get-one-free deal in Dubai at the Wafi Mall Complex back in 2021. I paid about US $200 for 2 bottles (Qurashi Blend and the Royal Blend).

Lastly, the packaging and bottle are just beautiful.

The Arabic Perfumery House Abdul Samad Al Qurashi has its roots going back more than 150 years, founded and headquartered in Mecca, Saudi Arabia with a family tradition in 'oud fragrances and incense. Abdul Samad Al Qurashi founded the perfumery that bears his name in 1932, which is now widely recognized as one of the most luxurious perfumeries in the world.
Abdul Samad Al Qurashi is also the only perfumery in the world that has received the honor of perfuming Kiswah, the fabric that covers the Holy Kaaba in()Mecca, Saudi Arabia; the brand was created to meet the needs of the most demanding customers in the Middle East. Since then, the brand has become one of the leaders in the luxury fragrance industry, offering exclusive and refined products to connoisseurs of high-quality arabesque fragrances.

Al Qurashi Blend by Abdul Samad Al Qurashi is a fragrance that opens up nicely acidic citrus effervescent already blending with a real Indian 'oud, lily of the valley, amber and musk. Moody and poetic, this fragrance brings out the scent of historic eras, combining warm animalic 'oud, amber and musk with a healthy dose of fruitiness dominated by juicy apple zest and spicy condiments. The ever-present chord of the duet formed by the rare, ancient and mythical 'Oud Kalakassi with its singular chocolatey character mixed with more 'oud Indian of smoky and slightly animal facet brings the vibe of Middle Eastern warmth. How good it is to find [and wear] a perfume with 'oud real present and striking, even if it doesn't scream in the fragrance but is always in the background blending between the florals.

This sophisticated fragrance is a unique mukhalath(blend) of warm and spicy notes, combining nuances of saffron, sandalwood and musk. It also includes an intoxicating blend of rich florals with emphasis on the sumptuous Rose Of Taif with its fresh citrus facet, while the woody accord is composed mainly of cedar, sandalwood and patchouli. With a delicious indelible amber with a unique quality combined with the animalic musk reinforces the arabesque character of this composition. This fragrance is perfect for special occasions to add a touch of sophistication. After a few good hours it reaches drydown with a background dominated by a slightly chocolatey accord delicious by the junction of 'Oud Kalakassi with Patchouli.
Oriental Woody Floral Amber Musk Perfume!

As for the similarity and controversy with Blue Saphire from Boadicea The Victorious in the community ... Yes, it really does, although here we have a slightly darker footprint and more density with more opulence; as for the controversy of who came first or who inspired whom, the Al Qurashi Blend-Charme D'Orient its launch is prior to 2010 this ends any doubt or discussion about. Between Blue Saphire and Al Qurashi Blend, Christian Provenzano I'm sorry both are very good but I prefer this one by far.
No wonder Al Qurashi Blend has the subtitle of 'CHARME D'ORIENT' couldn't be more appropriate. This bottle of mine is pre-reformulation, it is denser resinous because it is more loaded with 'oud than the current batches. It also has excellent performance! Delicious stunning complex perfume!

Batch: 01/2023 Pre-Reformulation

Top Notes:
Indian Lemon, Bergamot, Star Anise, White Lily, French Orange Blossom, Ylang-Ylang.

Middle Notes:
Cedar, Woody Accord, Taif Rose, Lilac Flower, Apple, Spices.

Base Notes:
Aged Kalakassi 'Oud (India), Indian Sandalwood, Royal Amber, Musk, Indian 'Oud.

It's so difficult for me to pinpoint the precise notes of this fragrance, so how can I possible describe it accurately? The aroma of ASAQ al-Qurashi blend is a beautiful combination of fresh, flowery, and citrus notes with ambery, powdery, musky, and oudhy undertones. There aren't many individuals wearing the same or even a comparable scent on the street because the perfume is distinctive. From start to finish, it has a unique yet alluring presence that surrounds the wearer in a divine perfume. Immediately upon application, the lemon and lily of the valley begin to work their magic, but they soon fade and make way for the sandalwood and agar wood to take centre stage.
With dignity and modesty, these two parts enter the stage and carry on their performance, captivating the audience until the amber note completes the circle and adds the final touch of elegance with perfect haromony. Imagine delicate notes of citrus and flowers whispering in the distance, all without trying to interfere with the grand masters' main performance. The wearer of this beauty is mesmerised for hours on end and the symphony is complete. At their parties, I picture kings, queens, and other royalties donning this scent. A masterpiece that everyone who like fragrances should try at least once in their lifetime. We are really grateful to the perfumers at ASAQ for creating this amazing scent!

This is an absolute masterpiece. It smells royal and something a king would wear. Very up class smooth scent with room filling presence without being in your face. Blue Sapphire pretty much ripped this off and but this one smells much higher quality than Blue Sapphire.

The packaging is absolute top class. Bottle is hand cut glass. This would make Henry Jacques, Roja Parfum De la Nuit package look medicore in front of this.

Apparently this is the scent of King of Brunei

Straight up Arab high quality perfumery. Forward smokey indian oud as the main character. The side show is carried by taif rose, lilly of the valley and amber, with the lemon adding some tart opening.

Masterfully blended and definitely not for beginners, as this is real oud, and the roughest kind, although it's tamed down.