Hawas Viper

هوس Viper

Rasasi 2025

…but I like it…

Granted when I first sprayed it, I was “startled” to say the least…

If you’re a Hawas fan BECAUSE of its trademark sweetness, or are expecting ANYTHING along that vein…. You’re in for a rude awakening…

That first spritz is a semi-medicinal, semi-smokey, incense-heavy shockwave…

I heard comparisons to Black Afgano, and later saw people mentioning Amouage Interlude. As a huge interlude fan, I was cautious about those comparisons. I haven’t smelled the original Black Afgano, but I do enjoy the Majesty Fragrances dupe, Dark Depth.

That initial blast is very disorienting. You’re not quite sure what it’s going to be, and it WILL scare some people away from giving it a full ride. It’s one of those that you’re either in or out on. People who care about what other people think should stay away. This is for the ones who are looking to stand out, and stand out you will.

That incense blast will turn heads in your direction, and it may be discomforting, especially on the first “dry run”.

The “medicinal” vibe it gives is from the incense, and my son said it reminded him of his deceased grandfather. That is because it has a similar feel to “tiger balm”. Now not verbatim, but some people will perceive it as incense, some will get that Tiger Balm/Ben-Gay muscle rub feeling. This is the opening, and this is where it sits, as it organizes itself for the adventure it is going to take you on.

-Final Warning- This is point of no return. Red pill or Blue pill.

If you chose the red pill, and make it to the 1 hour mark, a cannabis note DOES appear. Now again, I haven’t smelled the authentic Black Afgano, but Dark Depth does NOT do a cannabis note to the level that Viper does. If you’ve ever ridden on the Mary Jane train, and you’ve smelled real buds, you will recognize it. It is NOT the scent of it burning, or the smoke in the air. It’s the scent of a middle tier, decent bud. Slightly crystallized, red-brown hairs, and a dense structure.. It’s not fresh, and it’s not homegrown. The Bud isn’t the big, 3-5inch long, THICK bad boy. It’s the smaller, almost smashed looking one. THAT is the scent that emerges here. If you know, you will KNOW. It is an indistinguishable note. It is well done, and it is there. It’s realistic enough to make you wonder what others might think.

As it develops, the cannabis and incense blend together, surprisingly becoming more wearable. It adds a rugged, rough edged masculinity; a clear “I dont f*ck around” wavelength.

I picture a dry, canyon-like landscape: pale sand, harsh ground, wind-worn cow skulls. Spiders scurrying like crabs and tumble weeds turning. That biker that rides solo. Unkept full beard. Messy, hair. Heavily built, but not muscular.

That is this scent for the next 3-4 hours, but the transformation never stops. The cannabis and incense eventually fuse into a musky sweetness, and when it hits this point, it has a more “mainstream” or “wearable” familiarity to it.

It stays loud, but it smooths out significantly. It’s as if you fell asleep in that desert terrain, and you awaken in an unfamiliar house. Someone found you, and took you in. She’s still a stranger, doesn’t say a word to you, but she cleaned you up, and gave you some comfort. The sweetness here is still rough edged, but much closer (I did NOT say “CLOSE”) to what you might be expecting. An ambery, resinous, yellow-orange-brown feel. Still that sandy, burnt in the sun, powder on the jeans vibe, but sweeter, and more tolerable. This is the outro. It holds on this lined sweetening all the way through, for the rest of the 12 hour ride.

Projection is HUGE. 5ft+ radius. Sillage sits there, and it points everyone directly to you. Longevity is easily 12+ hours.

An adventure for sure. But I’ll be wearing this, as not many others will.