Hamdani Parfums de Marly 2013

This one is such an underrated gem. And I am glad to have found out about it. This one has nothing to do with the aesthetics of the house, it's original, not mass-appealing, very complex, bold, and unapologetic. I find it to be utterly seductive and alluring but I can see why many find this repulsive. First of all, there are no animalic musks or synthetic oud accords in here. However, there are two phases of this perfume that could be challenging for many. This one is a very complex perfume that changes a lot after application, so, do test it on the skin, and do wait for it to transform. The first part, is a weird combination of very dry woods, a powerful clove punch(very mentholated), gummy resins, and a hint of honey. This first part almost has an antiseptic or shoe-polish vibe from the cloves, and it can be offputting. It's not my favorite part, but I find it to be very intriguing. Soon after this assaulting opening, the leather accord and the incense accord start to creep in and slowly assert themselves as the main players. The cloves dial down, and you start to get this beautiful brown leather, quite rugged, almost baked in the sun, that also has a buttery and salty quality to it. It feels alive and does smell of horses and stables. To that, you add a beautiful incense accord, creating this dirty and smoky leather feel. In the base, the styrax adds a hint of dirtiness, sweetness, and oriental mysticism. As I said, very complex perfume. This one does pay tribute to the two beautiful stallions on the front of the bottle, as it does smell like being around these beautiful and majestic creatures. I would say, if you are a fan of the house, stay away from this. If, however, you like to explore and expand your horizons, and you are into smoky-dirty leathers, orientals, and animalic perfumes, and you find the house laughable, boring, and commercial, then this one is not to be missed. It's quite unique, I can't compare it to anything else, but it is in the same league as Tauer's L'Oudh, Afrika Olifant, Tom ford's London, Dior's Leather Oud (OG). A gorgeous perfume.