Actually, I didn't want to write a review for this fragrance, as I bought it primarily for the bottle, which complements Muharib nicely as an additional decorative piece in my collection. Furthermore, I do not own the mentioned original, so I cannot compare the two. However, the stated fragrance pyramid appeals to my taste, and I was sure that it wouldn't just remain a decorative bottle.
And then I sprayed it on and ... WOW. Right from the start, a rich, fruity, liqueur-like embrace that draws the nose closer to the skin for more sniffing. A light, pleasant, and by no means cheap sweetness is also present right from the beginning and remains on my skin throughout the entire dry down. In this dry down, ambered, resinous notes slowly come to the forefront, and yes, I also perceive some tobacco and woods, all beautifully enveloped in creaminess. Even though I've read that it is supposed to be heavy, round, and smoky, it develops on my skin without any noticeable smoky note and remains creamy, resinous, and woody with a light sweetness until the end. It's interesting that the notes seem to slightly alternate in their perceptibility. Overall, it's simply a WOW fragrance for me. It lasted on my skin for over 10 hours and gave me a fantastic day.
So if the great original smells even better and more refined, I can completely understand the enthusiasm for this one.
Just to conclude: Faris Al Arab should be tested directly on the skin; the scent strip develops completely differently.
