Acquired as a sample and tested in direct comparison to "Victoria / فيكتوريا | Lattafa / لطافة" and Delicious Bouquet.
Shouq starts lemony, sweet, creamy. More lemony and fresh than Delicious Bouquet, but it doesn't quite reach the level of Victoria in this regard. However, it is creamier, lighter, initially without a floral note. Slowly, the orange blossom and rum come through, becoming more floral and spicy. Not as spicy as Delicious Bouquet, less citrusy than Victoria, but creamier. In the drydown, almost exclusively vanilla remains, while Delicious Bouquet retains its spiciness. Here, Shouq aligns itself with Victoria, although Victoria still appears fresher in the drydown and the citrus notes are still detectable.
Overall, Shouq strikes me as the small, shy daughter of Victoria and Delicious Bouquet. Creamier, lighter than both mentioned, with a hint of spice and at the same time less depth (although I wouldn't necessarily describe Victoria as having depth, it does seem a bit more complex to me). Nevertheless, a lovely scent that could be the right mix for some.
Longevity and sillage feel lower to me than those of the parent fragrances, but still not bad. Unfortunately, Shouq quickly becomes close to the skin.
A pleasant fragrance, but it probably won't make it into my collection, as Victoria and Delicious Bouquet make it feel "redundant" to me, even though they are not identical.
