Hello everyone, today I would like to tell you about my experience with oriental perfumes, the Arab ones, to be exact. In Arab communities, perfumery is an ancient cultural tradition. Ain't a secret that this population is quite demanding; therefore, their perfumes must influence, prevail, and make it clear who the person wearing it is. The potency of scent is used to describe luxury and wealth. We are therefore talking about concentrated, opulent and often non-alcoholic perfumes such as perfume oils or attars. These elixirs are based on some primary ingredients, such as ambergris, saffron, musk, incense, sandalwood, and oud. The floral component almost always comes from jasmine and, above all, from the Taif rose. There is talk of a restricted range, but all components are of the highest quality.

Since I favour genres with stronger characters like woody, smoky and leathery, I wanted to buy a haul of Arabian perfumes from the Lattafa house. I did research, read many reviews and watched many videos. All opinions praise these perfumes' phenomenal performance; on average, both sillage and longevity are around 8 points out of 10. To avoid counterfeit perfumes, I relied on the Notino website and ordered the bouquets I listed in the sequel. Once I received the package, I went through them one by one. The boxes are accurate; all bear the production and expiry dates and the lot number and have a hologram with the Lattafa symbol that guarantees originality. Some packages are in velvet, others in imitation leather, and the bottles inside are true masterpieces in solid glass, as if to recall bottles of spirits. Last but not least, the price is almost always between €15 and €30. A bargain considering they are all EDP.
So far, so good. So why would I choose a title that speaks of myth, legend, or reality? If you've already read the reviews I've left for some of these perfumes, it shouldn't be hard to guess what I'm referring to. The Lattafa perfumes have a mediocre yield on my skin, much lower than the scores on this and other sites. Assuming that I follow the application rituals, the skin is clean and hydrated, and the points are the ones recommended. Some write that two sprays are enough for the whole day. This morning I got to ten, and after a couple of hours, I felt nothing and even on the skin, there's only a hint. If I leave the room where I sprayed it and return after a while, I don't feel it in the air. And until now, no one has stopped me, asked or complimented me on the perfume.

Given that I am not the type of person who judges a perfume based on its performance and that all the Lattafa perfumes I have tried so far release a very pleasant aroma, I wonder what is not working among the essences I have in my hands, my skin chemistry, and my sense of smell. Perhaps with age, the perception of aromas and perfumes has become weaker (hyposmia), or my brain becomes habituated quickly and smells around me become less noticeable or even undetectable (nose blindness). The fact is that even today, December 10, 2022, the outside temperature is around 5°C; after having sprayed Oud For Glory at least ten times on the wrists, under the earlobes, chest, and back neck, after about a couple of hours the perfume it is no longer heard. My nose detects no trace on my skin, sweater, or scarf.

Sheikh Shuyukh Luxe Edition

Sheikh Al Shuyukh Luxe is the typical Middle Eastern style fragrance, solid and smooth, well rounded, and never pungent. intoxicating, like a boozy drink, a flavoured Armagnac with creamy amber and spicy nuances. smoky and incensed caramel, toasty and not to be confused with burnt sugar. I rated 7 for longevity and 5 for the sillage (rating 8.6 and 8.4).

Read more A Superstar's Lingering Scent Trail

Bade’e Al Oud - Oud for Glory

Cologne Bade’e Al Oud has a peculiar smell far from ordinary design fragrances because it focuses on a solid spicy, and smoky aroma. The smokiness immediately pops off my skin. I imagine a bonfire where agarwood and lavender spikes burn together and produce a cloud of thick, aromatic smoke. I rated 5 for longevity and 4 for the sillage (ratings 8.4 and 7.9).

Read more An Initio For Absolute Beginners 

Rehlat Lattafa

While smelling Rehlat, my mind experienced the same feeling I had when I smelled Lancetti IL, for the first time. Rehlat presents a more modern formula and unfurls with tons of aromatic, balmy, and spicy facets. The bluish lavender shows everything: the flower, the leaves, and the stem. White flowers, roses, and green foliage grow in the central accord. The oud is smooth and soft, as I’ve checked many other Lattafa colognes. I rated 7 for longevity and 6 for the sillage (ratings 7.8 and 7.2).

Read more A Furious Rush Of Déjà Vu 

Ameer Al Oudh Intense Oud

Ameer Al Oudh Intense Oud perfume is an online blind buy, and it opens with a warm alcoholic explosion of sweet spiced rum, which is not mentioned but results from the mix of its ingredients. I get a rosy, powdery, and soapy tinge in the heart. The intoxicating and incensed vanilla grows during the dry-down, and with the moderate sweetish oud, they are the key players of the last phase. I rated 7 for longevity and 5 for the sillage (ratings 8.5 and 8.0).

Read more A Step Into The Darkness

Velvet Oud

This is a beautiful leather scent with a tinge of oud that is not too intense. It’s smokey, woody and musky, with gloomy tones of leather coming through. The leather is the crucial actor, and I would describe this as a subtle oud. It is not original or unique, as it smells like many other leather things I have, but I love it. I rated 7 for longevity and 5 for the sillage (ratings 7.9 and 7.2).

Read more The Divine Smell After A Revelry Night 

Qaa'ed al Shabaab

Compared to other Lattafa leather scents I own, Velvet Oud, to name one, Qaa'ed Al Shabaab feels softer, creamier, floral, less harsh and cheeky, with a touch of gentleness and superiority.  In the title, I said it's good for the faint of heart. But the more I spray it to capture all the nuances and colours, the more I think it's a complex, robust, strong, virile, leathery cologne that could be less suitable for newbies. This cologne is full of contrasts, symbolizing strength, delicacy, and sensuality. I rated 7 for longevity and 5 for the sillage (ratings 8.4 and 8.0).

Read more Creamy Leather For The Fainthearted

Bottom line

Hell! From an EDP rated 8 out of 10 for performance, I expect to spray a few in the morning, feel it throughout the day, and find it on my clothes again in the evening. And yet it is not so. Am I asking too much? Is it only me who finds these discrepancies between subjective evaluations and aim perceptions? Or are the Lattafa perfumes I received not original? Definitely, Lattafa is entry-level in the world of the oriental perfumery, but how come I don't get performances similar to those declared by the voting people? Please, help me understand what is going on. I’d appreciate it.

-Elysium

P.S. Do you know of any alternative Middle Eastern houses to Lattafa that offer perfumes that can be purchased in Italy at low prices and superior performance? Any proposal is welcome.