I am not the biggest fan of
Arabians Tonka and find it hard to understand the hype surrounding it.
But is "Amber Oud Dubai Night | Al Haramain" really a dupe for it? According to some influencers, yes, but I see it a bit differently.
In the opening, I perceive saffron and bergamot very clearly, while the elemi resin remains more in the background.
For a supposed Arabians Tonka dupe, it starts surprisingly fresh, even though a slight sweetness is already present.
In the drydown, the fragrance does come a bit closer to Montale, but the bergamot remains very prominent.
This ensures that the scent retains a pleasant freshness despite its sweetness.
The sweet saffron note is still there, but it seems much more agreeable to me than in the original.
The combination of oud and rose is much more subdued compared to the OG.
A tonka note joins in, which indeed resembles that of Arabians Tonka.
In the end, a very subtle saffron accord remains, paired with fresh bergamot, tonka, and a pleasant sweetness that likely comes from the amber.
Elemi and rose are more in the background, and I no longer perceive the oud towards the end.
The fragrance is only slightly inspired by Arabians Tonka for me and has distant echoes of
Layton and
Tuxedo in its vibe.
If I had to choose, I would definitely opt for the Al Haramain, as it simply smells more pleasant and mass-appealing.
Although it is unisex, I see it leaning a bit more towards a man (M65%/35%W).
In terms of performance, the original wins.
The Al Haramain is also a good performer, with strong longevity and projection, as one would expect from the Amber Oud line, but one should not expect a "beast" like with Montale.
Top Notes 
Elemi resin
Saffron
Bergamot
Heart Notes 
Bulgarian rose
Lily of the valley
Oud
Base Notes 
Oakmoss
Tonka bean
White musk
Amber
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