Baz Cuir The Spirit of Dubai 2024

It was a Monday morning, yet somehow everything smelled of adventure. I reached for the bottle of BAZ CUIR, pressed lightly on the pump, and suddenly the office was no longer just an office.

The first note hit me like a gentle breeze from distant bazaars: warm spices, a hint of smoke, leather, deep and sensual. For a moment, I was not standing between desks, but on a cobblestone square somewhere in Marrakech. Merchants called out their goods, spices swirled in the air, and somewhere a small fire burned, turning the leather of bags a golden brown.

But then I remembered that the scent was tamed for everyday life - the EU-compliant version of an exotic adventure. So I smiled, straightened my shirt, and stepped onto the subway. The opulence of the Orient was now a quiet companion, noticed only by those who truly looked. A colleague next to me raised an eyebrow, as if to say, "You smell... interesting." I smiled mysteriously.

All day long, the scent stayed with me warm, spicy, a hint of leather, but never intrusive. In the evening, when I got home, I closed the door, sniffed once more at my wrist, and felt like a traveler who had just returned from a distant land. Only tomorrow I would take the train again with BAZ CUIR as my silent accomplice.

The Baz Cuir was the one I personally anticipated the most from the new SoD Attar Collection. Now, anyone who knows the Baz understands what a masterpiece served as the template. However, I also knew that the fragrances from the Attar Collection should be more accessible; not only financially but also for EU noses.

So how is the "Baz Cuir | The Spirit of Dubai," and has it managed to surprise me?

- Yes, definitely! The Baz Cuir is truly an opulent oriental fragrance that exhibits a beautiful complexity. It starts with an opening that is both "fresh" and spicy. Apple and bergamot provide a slight freshness in the opening, which is balanced by coriander and cinnamon, adding corresponding spice and greenery.

- Very quickly, this opening is overtaken by a bright-floral combination of jasmine and lily of the valley - I know, it sounds harsh, but to me, it smells great - along with a lovely frankincense-myrrh combination. It doesn't smell too floral or too dark, but is very well balanced. The cedarwood brings in a nice dry-woody accord, accompanied by the balsamic character of labdanum; overall floral-spicy-woody in this phase with a bitter character. I can already perceive the leather well here.

- In the drydown, the leather becomes more prominent and dominates alongside the saffron; a good portion of spice is definitely noticeable here. Slightly animalic musk and smoky guaiac wood enhance this darker undertone, and the earthy character of patchouli reinforces this dark, smoky bitterness. Sandalwood is listed but is practically imperceptible and has little influence; I would have perhaps wished for more of it to lighten the fragrance a bit and prevent it from sliding too much into this "dark" territory. For me, the fragrance is simply beautifully composed.

- The longevity is definitely in the upper third and above average; it lasts a long time. The projection is also in the upper third and becomes stronger over time due to the dark character, but it doesn't project like the OG "Baz | The Spirit of Dubai."

Overall, for me, it's a beautiful, oriental-European approach to a leathery-dark fragrance. Yes, for many, the fragrance will still be too oriental, for many it may also seem too complicated and too dark, too bitter, too aromatic; but one must understand and appreciate this genre.

I sit in the desert, dust-dry air, 40°C, breathing is difficult.
I am sitting on a dirty animal hide, remnants of dried feces around me.
The air is incredibly heavy, there is no escape. When I close my eyes and focus on my sense of smell, I sense a market with exquisite spices and a field of flowers in the distance. The hot wind allows me to catch a tiny breeze of it.

These thoughts went through my mind as I extensively tested BAZ Cuir. I ordered the fragrance sample from Gebauer, so it should be the original. I always give fragrances a fair chance, no matter how I initially perceive them. So I bravely wore BAZ Cuir on my skin for a full three days. I have read so much about the incredible transformation the scent undergoes, what great facets it can offer.

And yes, when I sniff my arm for so long that I fry all my receptors, I do actually perceive a very nice note that is truly masterfully good. But this indescribably heavy, dried, almost fecal main accord suffocates any beauty that may be hiding beneath it. And I notice no transformation; it is there and it stays, dominating everything even many hours later.

On the evening of the third day, I had to scrub it off in the shower because it actually made me feel sick.

Even though I am no longer the youngest and have tested quite a few heavy fragrances, it may be that my nose is simply not ready for the caliber that TSOD presents. Almost everyone found black coffee terrible at first, and now I can hardly do without it. I do not want to rule out that such a fragrance might be perceived very differently by me one day, but at this point in time, it is the worst scent I have ever had among my approximately 150 samples.

Actually, I would give it one star, but I think no fragrance deserves that, and it may be that I am just not ready for what it has to offer.

The scent is actually not at all what I expected. I also have the regular baz and thought this one would simply be similar, just a bit weaker. However, the scent is perhaps only 30% the same. Of course, leather is present in both. But the baz cuir is clearly designed for a broader audience. Initially leathery with a bit of sweetness that fades over time. People around me said it smells like burnt rubber, but I find the scent very good. It makes a statement and stands out among other fragrances with its masculine, somewhat dirty leather, and in the dry down, the amber really comes through. For me, a masterpiece just like its big brother...

Compared to its origin, Baz, this fragrance is much more pleasant to wear.

Fragrance: 7/10
The opening starts directly with an acrid dryness.
A subtle spiciness of cardamom and juniper nestles onto your skin.
It briefly flashes up and is then underlaid by a subtle yet direct smoky note.
The whole thing feels very authentic, masculine and not sweet at all.
As it develops, the fragrance gains significantly more depth.
A woody bitterness creeps in, reminiscent of dry cedarwood.
You will look in vain for floral and creamy notes here.
Although musk is noticeable after the drydown, it is by no means creamy as usual.

Longevity: 8/10
The performance is very strong, although also somewhat weaker than its predecessor.

Conclusion:
This fragrance has definitely become much more wearable and pleasant.
Unfortunately, instead of reducing the oud notes, they were omitted completely.
That would have given the fragrance that certain something extra.
All in all, a successful fragrance.