Aswan Widian 2021

I want to mention at the outset that I own both fragrances - the "Sapphire Collection - London | Widian / AJ Arabia" and the "Sapphire Collection - Aswan | Widian / AJ Arabia." IMPORTANT: I pay for my fragrances myself, so I am very objective and neutral. I have been able to test both fragrances extensively over the past few weeks, and I must admit; Aswan and London are top fragrances from Widian. Since the fragrances are very distinct but still share a great common base, I would like to focus more on the differences between the two in this article. I don’t need to say much about the brand itself; anyone who knows Widian is aware of the high quality; the DNA is unmistakable!

So, where exactly do the parallels and differences between Aswan and London lie?

- The parallels are explained very quickly; namely in the drydown! While London starts with the spicy-sweet raspberry-leather combo and fades away in a very similar/linear manner, Aswan develops into the exact same base from my perspective. Subtle differences, but not noticeable for the "average person." The tobacco that is additionally present in Aswan is perceptible, but not significantly impactful in the overall perception.

- The differences between these two fragrances mainly lie in the opening; Aswan has a distinctly noticeable freshness added by the bergamot, which makes this beautiful raspberry-leather combo feel really special and gives the fragrance a certain depth and complexity. Right from the first spray, you are greeted not by the "heavy" London DNA, but by an extremely pleasant freshness that makes the fragrance much more suitable for everyday wear, yet somehow also very special, because there are very few fresh leather-raspberry fragrances. A truly creative composition, and I must say that Aswan is unfortunately given far too little attention considering how brilliant the fragrance actually is.

- The H/S in Aswan is of course not as strong as in London due to the added freshness, but one has to reckon with that when adding citrus fragrance components; even if the drydown smells very similar. Is that bad? No, absolutely not! That’s exactly what makes Aswan a great alternative for everyday use or for work, office, etc.

Overall, it must be emphasized that Aswan is unfortunately given far too little attention. It is truly creative and builds on the successful elements of Widian London, but that’s precisely why the fragrance might unfortunately stand in the shadow of its big brother!