Samaha Anfas 2017

This fragrance was my first contact with this brand, whose Arabic name means "to immerse" or "to inhale." The 13 fragrances created so far were developed by the founder of the label, Asim Al Qassim (What a name! :)), who, according to online sources, was the first certified perfumer in the United Arab Emirates.

In the Arab world, it is customary for a good host to provide the guest with as comfortable a stay as possible. This includes not only culinary delights but also olfactory satisfaction. For example, the rooms in a house are often infused with scents to set the guest in a certain mood. This often happens differently in each room.

Samaha translates to "goodness." This fragrance feels very natural and pure-blooming, so I can well imagine that it can bring out the goodness in a person. Well, that might be a bit far-fetched :) At least it left me in absolute awe at the beginning, due to its natural, fine, and encompassing floral quality, which is not disturbed by any other notes.

**Fragrance development:**
From the very start, the floral bouquet unfolds in all its splendor, yet it is never overwhelming. Initially, it is distinctly sweet, dominated by jasmine and leaning towards a more modern direction without becoming too flashy, gradually becoming more classically floral as the lovely, slightly bitter rose comes forward. Both floral notes blend beautifully together after a short time. However, I have the feeling that even more floral varieties are intertwined. At least, that’s how it seems to me. This is probably due to the marine notes (I wouldn’t have thought of that on my own - but knowing about it makes it easy to identify), which provide a slightly bitter freshness, giving me the impression of violets. Throughout its development, the fragrance impression remains like this for a while - a fresh, natural, classically tinged floral scent. Towards the base, it becomes sweeter and softer again, resembling the jasmine note at the beginning, though not quite as intense. Thus, the circle is, so to speak, closed. This soft-sweet tone is subtly underlined by a woody note.

**Longevity and sillage:**
On me, the fragrance lasted about 7-8 hours, clearly perceptible on the skin. The sillage was very noticeable in the first hour, then it slowly receded, but remained well perceivable at a slight distance for the first 2-3 hours.

**Conclusion:**
Samaha is a high-quality, noble, yet not pretentious, pure floral fragrance equipped with both modern and classic character, which should be worth testing for all lovers of natural floral scents! Whether it leads to a purchase is rather questionable given the price of €220 for 75 ml. From my perspective, despite its success, it is not worth that price and is clearly a women's fragrance for me.