Night Akro 2018

Sampling Akro Night, an aptly-named dark fragrance consisting of a lot of bold, daring, dark notes—namely, rose, oud, saffron, and cumin—so it’s spicy, floral, resinous, and slightly fresh and animalic. It has the recognizable rose/oud blend while also being a bit spicier and darker while not leaning too floral or animalic, albeit with some provocative sharpness. Overall, I like this composition and I like how no particular note takes over. Certainly a must-try for fans of rose/oud fragrances, as it’s a fairly reasonably-priced, robust alternative to some other pricier options out there.

Like the rest of the Akro line, Night is priced at $180 for 100ml in EDP concentration, sold via the house site and Luckyscent in the US, and performs very well. I think the pricing is reasonable and the scent is a nice take on the rose/oud formula while still providing something new and high-quality, adding diversity to the Akro catalogue.

7 out of 10

Um, wow! First spray, i was inundated with rose! Then the cumin/saffron! Wow! That is definitely different! This is my first experience with cumin & saffron and i don’t know if it smells like chili or hot, sweaty sex but I like it! I think? Wow! On Drydown, the rose becomes more muted and the cumin/saffron tones down a bit too and it becomes more of a powdery musky sweetness leaving the fragrance surprisingly wearable. Be careful though, this may attract the wrong type of attention or… not! I think i like it but its definitely not going to be for everyone!

Theoretically, I should be all about be all about this, as I do appreciate cumin in fragrance and it doesn't necessarily read as body odor but rather a "skin enhancement." I love its appearance (or seeming appearance) in everything from the legendary Eau d'Hermes to Cartier Declaration to even more cumin-forward fragrances Diptyque L'Autre and Parfum d'Empire Aziyade.

Here in night, it's so literal, so legible, that for once, I am finding that it actually does come off as a sour B.O. It's the kind of B.O. that reminds me of someone taking a whore bath and whom seems to really believe that a sprinkle a day keeps the odor away with a rose-scented 80s Shower to Shower talc (sans shower). Don't get me wrong, I find this fascinating and couldn't stop smelling it, trying to make sense of it. In an editorial sense, it's great, but it falls short of being an experience that I'd want on my skin. I can only imagine what it might smell on others.

I do agree with another reviewer that HdP 1873 (Mata Hari) visits this theme without it growing disconcerting and borderline offensive. That however, has a cumin that is more an undercurrent than a driving force.

Shortly after spraying 'Night', I get the impression of sweet sweat. However, it's not unpleasant. The sweat note fades away after about a quarter of an hour, and 'Night' becomes very spicy (saffron!) and very sweet.

After an hour, the sweetness is not as strong anymore, and the spicy notes also diminish. A floral note, which soon reveals itself as rose, perfectly complements the saffron note.

After about two hours, the sweetness is almost undetectable, the rose is still present in the background, and musk, which is not listed in the fragrance pyramid, combines with the still subtle saffron note to create a lovely skin scent for 'Night'. Unremarkable yet somehow erotic.

'Night' is a good fragrance for any season. I wouldn't use it for work, sports, or going out.

The projection of 'Night' is rather subdued; after three hours, the scent is more intimate. The longevity is a good eight hours.

When I first tested the perfume on my skin, I was very disappointed, as it indeed smelled like sweet sweat. It's not for everyone, but after trying it a few times, I can understand why some people love it. After 10 minutes, the "sweat note" fades away and a dark rose scent remains. It was nice to test this fragrance, but I wouldn't buy it. Still, a very unique and special skin scent.