Malik Al Oudh Dhahab is ineffable, too extreme to be expressed or described in words. If someone challenges me to wear Malik Al Oudh Dhahab in a Truth or Dare game, I should think twice. I’m not saying avoid it like the plague; I think it’s pretty good but unconventional. It is a very controversial fragrance because the composition resembles the scent of hashish. Rich and hypnotic, with dark and dangerous vibes like coffee, oud, tobacco and hash, this is a beautiful and enveloping scent. Malik Al Oudh Dhahab is a scent of incense and intense smoke that is never overwhelming. I can honestly say that this fragrance is a drug.
Simply put, the scent is a beautiful amber oriental dominated by medicinal oud, frankincense, patchouli and vanilla—powerful and super-rich, oriental, completely bold. It strongly reminded me of another much more pioneering and genuinely innovative oud perfume: YSL’s famous
M7 (2002) Eau de Toilette in vintage form.
First, I’m not sure I hear the notes listed here, at least not in that order. As soon as sprayed, it greets you with a dense chemical aroma composed of synthetic oud, coupled with a more woody cedar effect. Malik Al Oudh Dhahab penetrates the air with a very herbaceous, alcoholic, dry and smoky explosion that immediately takes me back to my trip to Amsterdam, where thick clouds of marijuana envelop entire streets outside the coffee shops. This dark, herbaceous quality is probably hashish or cannabis, which Orientica describes as herbaceous notes. While I wait for the blissful moments of euphoria, I am instead hit by an opening of smoke and incense, but never overwhelming! I don’t know what I expected when I first tried this perfume, but not the balance in this dark magic. The initial stage is syrupy.
The journey to the inky heart of Malik Al Oudh Dhahab is an olfactory journey only for the daring among you. If you are a lover of light and airy fragrances, then you will want to stop reading about now. The heart, rich in woods, hints of roasted coffee and burnt tobacco, transforms the scent into more pipe tobacco than burning hashish. But alas, there is a good dose of vanilla to sweeten the bitterness of the drug. The oud and incense envelop you with their spiritual qualities and would make you dream of fairyland - or the land of demons, whatever floats your boat - after that. The mid-stage develops into smelling like marijuana with a dry, herbal-leafy accord tinged with a sweet, sweaty note.
In the dry down, Malik Al Oudh Dhahab becomes a vanillic amber with a touch of patchouli. It is something altogether extraordinary! The notes turn hazy, overlapping each other and creating a soft bouquet. The smoke and oud are still there, but pleasant and well-balanced. They combine with an earthy, woody incense that is just heaven. The patchouli becomes much more noticeable, and a chocolate note creeps into the mix. A slightly leathery characteristic has combined with the patchouli to create a definite but subtle chocolate undertone to
Black Afgano Extrait de Parfum. Later, a quiet hint of vanilla pops up in the base, and it eventually becomes much more prominent. Often patchouli is associated with a dirty hippie smell. The patchouli in the bottom is more of what a motorcyclist or a leather-man would wear, mixed with amber and dirty vanilla. It’s dark, very nutty, just barely animalic and musky, with a tinge of dark leatheriness underlying its glowing, golden heart.
This cologne is bold and edgy, not for the faint of the heart. It is the closest that I’ve come to a holy grail fragrance as it is dark, evil, and resinous with enough sweetness to contrast. It’s a fragrance that everyone should experience firsthand, but it isn’t right for everyone. It is an ideal scent for me. It turns into a lovely dark oud and tobacco concoction that remains within a few inches of the skin and lasts all day long. It’s an exciting and deviant fragrance that might not be appropriate for many situations, even in the cold weather, for which it is certainly suited. It’s formal enough to wear mainly at night or when longevity is needed.
This review bases upon a 100ml (3.4 fl. oz) I own since November 2020.
-Elysium
Top Notes 
Heart Notes 
Base Notes 
Elysium
