Modern oriental Chypre that unites traditional Arabic perfumery with modernity! I Flowers at the edge of the forest on a rainy summer day
Spirit of Dubai has quickly become one of my favorite houses; a brand that wonderfully combines this oriental twist with modernity. "Dubai - Roeya | Nabeel" follows the idea of "Sand of Time"; connecting the rich past with the modernity of the future. Has this fragrance succeeded? Let's see!
Let’s take a detailed look at "Dubai - Roeya | Nabeel":
- "Dubai - Roeya | Nabeel" is one of the few fragrances missing from my Spirit of Dubai collection; for good reason, as I still find it difficult to commit to a full bottle, because something simply feels missing; what? We will see at the end of the review!
- The fragrance starts spicy-fresh, almost herbaceous-green and peppery. A very special and unique opening, because it smells "simple" overall, yet somehow complex. Typical for Spirit of Dubai, as individual notes are very hard to differentiate because the fragrance is so well blended. You can perceive individual themes like neroli, mandarin, petitgrain, and a light rose, but for untrained noses, they are practically indistinguishable. The opening truly smells like a rainy forest.
- Afterwards, the fragrance transitions into a floral heart note, characterized by a light leather accord in the background. From the flowers, you can perceive the rose, but also jasmine; and thanks to the thyme, there’s a slightly green-earthy accent that makes the perfect transition to the drydown, which is marked by creamy woods, oud, and earthy-green, mossy oakmoss. Ambrette seeds are also noticeable and contribute to this beautiful drydown.
- The longevity is in the upper third, and the projection is also very good in the first hours! Here, one cannot complain about anything typical of Spirit of Dubai.
It is a great, beautiful oriental-inspired Chypre fragrance that has a complex development and is extremely well blended; but somehow this green-earthy aspect doesn’t resonate with me; even in combination with this floral side. Don’t get me wrong, the fragrance is top-notch and unique, but it somehow doesn’t match my current preferences. However, if you are looking for an oriental, special daily wear, you are exactly right here.
