Next to Me

Dubai Next to Me

Ramón Monegal 2014

I can't say for sure whether Dubai Next to Me is a true oriental fragrance, as I haven't delved deeply enough into the prevailing scent preferences there. The few excursions I've made into original oriental perfumery have been, with a few exceptions, rather unsatisfactory for my taste. Moreover, I simply don't like fragrance oils, as I don't enjoy the consistency on my skin and find the application rather cumbersome.

Based on these limited experiences, I find Dubai Next to Me to be less authentically oriental than Florblanca; rather, I think many influences have found their way into the composition by Ramón Monegal.

Like the city, the scent also strikes me as quite modern, as it contains many currently popular fragrance notes.

The top note is quite European, in my opinion. A peppery fruit mix on a spicy coconut base dominates the scent for the first 30 minutes. Normally, I don't like such fragrances, but here the right blend has been achieved for my taste.

The heart is then more dominated by smoke. The floral accord remains more in the background but is strong enough to take away the sacred effect of the incense.

In the base, I can't perceive any oud, but rather a lot of leather, creamy sandalwood, and a slightly sweet note that I would attribute to tonka bean.

The projection of Dubai Next to Me can easily compete with any 80s fragrance. One spray is enough to fill our entire apartment with the scent, and if you take two, you leave a monster trail behind you. As for longevity, I think everyone can imagine how that turns out. I just say: "Like crazy!"

Although I really like this Monegal, I must say that I wouldn't want to smell like this permanently, although I can't say why.

Dear Flor, thank you very much for the opportunity to get to know this Monegal.