Cimi

I've been testing "Zenne | Nishane" over the last few weeks and I have to say that the fragrance is another Nishane that is unfairly flying under the radar. The trend of "clean girl vibes" includes many mainstream fragrances, but the "Zenne | Nishane" doesn't appear anywhere, or only very rarely... and yes, I implied a bit that the fragrance is very feminine, but from my point of view it is rather feminine (even if everyone can wear any fragrance these days).

Now a short version of "Zenne | Nishane"

- The opening is characterized by a fruity currant paired with a slight sweetness and acidity at the same time, which comes from the rhubarb. The opening is really great and energetic

- This is followed by a beautiful rose note, which is also clearly perceptible; it is a rather light, slightly watery rose that blends with the creamy sandalwood note - before moving into an ambery musk base. The base is then "unfortunately" already very boring, but still smells high-quality and good.

- H/S is really in the upper mid-range and the fragrance is easily perceptible. In my opinion, a fragrance that you could wear almost all year round

All in all, a great fragrance that at least deserves to get more attention, as it already smells rather high quality compared to other similar fragrances such as Armani Si.

I was able to test the fragrance extensively and I have to say that the scent catapulted me back to times that were simpler. Times when we simply went out with friends without cell phones, without Tiktok, with the football and the only orientation was the position of the sun or whether it was light or dark.

Well, the scent is absolutely not old-fashioned, don't take it from the title wrong, it just takes me back to the time when people met up to play football, the grass was still a bit damp from the night and you just lay down and breathed in the freshness of the grass.

"Sur la Route | Louis Vuitton" is the only fragrance that automatically gave me this feeling the first time I sprayed it on. An extremely fresh opening, paired with citrus and a beautiful note derived from grass. The opening is so fresh and citrusy that I would have liked it to last longer, but unfortunately this opening wears off quite quickly.

Of course, the fragrance does not become "worse" because of this, but develops into a spicy-fresh base that still carries this light grassy note, but is complemented by musk, nutmeg and a light, really marginal cinnamon note that comes from Peru balsam.

The longevity is - hmm... - rather lower mid-range and the projection unfortunately wears off extremely quickly; the common problem of fresh LV fragrances with the exception of "Imagination | Louis Vuitton". Nevertheless, this fragrance is very special, and really beautifully designed, and yes... for some, it brings back memories of fresh meadows and carefree childhood...

The "United Arab Emirates | Roja Parfums" was brought to my attention by a colleague; it was said to be the best of the line and unique in its fragrance DNA. No sooner said than done - bottle arrived, fragrance intensively tested.

What is my personal impression of "United Arab Emirates | Roja Parfums"?

- The opening is surprisingly refreshing, the first few seconds are characterized by a citrusy floral bouquet; the bergamot together with the May rose, jasmine and rose geranium characterize the first few minutes from my point of view; yes, ylang-ylang can also be easily perceived, but for inexperienced noses the opening is simply citrus-floral.

- However, the oriental spice seeps through very quickly and, yes, very slightly, and if you are pointed to it, you could get the impression of a petrol note. In my opinion, however, it is a wonderful combination of oud-rose together with other spicy ingredients (cumin, clove, etc.). After that, the rose-oud combination develops into a more smoky-balsamic composition; smoky probably because of the incense and cypriol, with the balsamic coming more from the labdanum, guaiac wood, benzoin.

- As you can see, the fragrance is really complex in nature and goes through different phases. Really insanely beautiful!

- The H/S can be ranked in the top third even with newer batches, although I have heard that old batches are even more intense and have that "gasoline smell" even more pronounced.

For fans of oriental fragrances, this scent is a must-have, but definitely requires a practiced nose to really understand and appreciate the art behind this fragrance. Definitely not a blind buy recommendation.

The "Amber Aoud (Parfum) | Roja Parfums" set the course towards Roja for me; after the "Sweetie Aoud | Roja Parfums", the "Elysium Parfum Cologne (Eau de Parfum) | Roja Parfums" and other Rojas initially inspired me, my love for many Roja fragrances unfortunately faded quite quickly. Somehow they were either too underperforming for me and/or not wearable in so many situations.

With "Amber Aoud (Parfum) | Roja Parfums", however, things are a little different, and I will now explain why:

- Of course, the "Amber Aoud (Parfum) | Roja Parfums" is not as versatile as other Rojas, but it shines in many other areas, such as fragrance DNA, performance, etc.

- The opening of "Amber Aoud (Parfum) | Roja Parfums" is special; although you would actually expect a dark rose-oud fragrance, the opening is already quite "sparkling", which is unfolded by the citrus. Accordingly, the first seconds and minutes are surprisingly fresh; don't get me wrong, no "Afternoon Swim | Louis Vuitton" - fresh, but fresh in the sense of an oud fragrance. So quite a successful twist at the beginning.

- In the drydown, the fragrance takes on a light fig note, ylang ylang and then descends into the ambery rose oud base, for which the fragrance is rightly named. The fragrance becomes thinner, the rose-oud combo makes the scent sweet together with the saffron and the intensity increases. It is a truly beautifully crafted rose oud fragrance that clearly stands out despite the numerous rose oud fragrances on the market. The oud is neither animalic nor sultry; but really perfectly balanced... perhaps the ambergris plays an important role here along with the rest of the ingredients.

- H/S technically, the fragrance is in the upper midfield and really plays in the Champions League. The fragrance projects very well and also lasts a very long time!

Overall, the "Amber Aoud (Parfum) | Roja Parfums" is a really recommendable fragrance, which fortunately has managed to stay in my collection due to its uniqueness.

The "Dubai - Meydan (Eau de Parfum) | Nabeel" is unfairly overshadowed; clearly, the inspiration from Arabian equestrianism naturally brings with it very rough, dark accords, but these are so well blended, typical of the brand, that the fragrance is a true olfactory masterpiece in its class. It's a shame that there are so few reviews of this fragrance, but I hope that I can give you a better impression of the scent with this review.

How is the "Dubai - Meydan (Eau de Parfum) | Nabeel" and why do I like this fragrance?

- First of all, I buy all my fragrances myself and am not subject to any "sponsorship" to have to push a "Dubai - Turath | Nabeel" or "Dubai - Rimal (Eau de Parfum) | Nabeel".

- The "Dubai - Meydan (Eau de Parfum) | Nabeel" is inspired by equestrian sports, so this fragrance has a rather dark, spicy and above all leathery character. The opening is spicy with a slight freshness that probably comes from the grapefruit and bergamot. In my opinion, the spiciness also comes from cardamom and nutmeg. The opening is very challenging for inexperienced noses, so be careful and give the fragrance time; or ideally don't choose it as a beginner's fragrance.

- The fragrance then moves in a truly oriental direction; the frankincense and myrrh come in together with cashmeran; the leather builds up very quickly here as the main protagonist. The fragrance becomes darker again before it goes into the drydown, where tobacco, labdanum and a greenish note await us, which comes from vetiver and is surrounded by a slightly ambery base.

It is almost impossible to smell every note, and whoever says that must have a nose that can split molecules. Overall, the fragrance and its progression is very harmonious, even if the fragrance itself is really "harsh" and performant, but what else would you expect in Arabian equestrian sport, where the sun is blazing and the noble horses have to perform under this heat. In this respect; idea perfectly met and beautifully implemented!

Although I really appreciate the fragrance, it is definitely not a blind buy recommendation and is definitely suitable for experienced noses.