A vaguely medicinal oud and thyme that at first spritz could almost be twin to M7 Oud Absolu, but this impression is fleeting. Almost immediately Arabian Nights begins to display all the beloved characters of a Cambodian style oud; woodsy, rich dark earth with an after taste of ripe stone fruit. This is a full-bodied, mouth-filling note that is tamed to recline, exotic yet refined, on a bed of honey-yellow satin. This warm, gold heart is an almost chocolate-gourmand accord based on musk and amber but with a coy spiced edge that is familiar via Bvlgari's original Omnia. Sweet pale woods feature. Saffron adds a dimension of bitterness, yet the bitterness ends almost immediately upon inhalation, blended well into the smooth sandalwood which lingers longer in the nose. Likewise the rose here is en passant only, I would not call Arabian Nights a rose oud at all. Towards the end a nutty note develops, almost that of salted peanuts and caramel popcorn.
I wanted to love this perfume. I coveted it for quite some time, anticipating its dominance in my collection. Indeed the scent is amazing, its longevity commendable. Even the bottle is gorgeous; a polished black monolith, the cap fitting on with satisfying weight.
Unfortunately on me sillage is weak, weak, weak. I just can't qualify spending three digits for juice that fades to a skin-scent within an hour. Others seem quite confident in its power and aura so this seems to be a problem with my lower than average temperature and dry skin. If you're a fellow admirer of Arabian Nights, I hope she is faithful to you. Don't let her break your heart like she has mine.
I'm not accustomed to oud scents, having only sampled 2 Montale lines previously. There is something majestic about this scent, it's a unique scent, but in saying that it isn't 'me'.
I'm keeping my gorgeous bottle for future use when we are on par.
I'm keeping my gorgeous bottle for future use when we are on par.