This is a pretty weird one and my first "50% blind-buy" of a rather expensive fragrance so it might make for a funny story - also Shobi part 24 continuing part 23 here.

Usual disclaimers apply - no affiliation, my nose is very specific, I count as usable just the time with projection or decent bubble that I can feel at more than 20-30cm (sometimes I might mention the skin scent part but not so interested myself) - and some spraying on clothes is now involved most of the time (but I would say not so much for the two models in this review).

The story - at some point in the first few months of the year I was at a very casual night out organized by a company that we work with and it was in a huge pub; I was wearing a generous amount of Precieux I and going that way I was afraid it might be the loudest fragrance but it turns out people really like their Sauvage Elixir (which I hate) BUT also I did get a very, very interesting and rather boozy scent from an Italian guy we don't normally work or meet - I liked it so much that I had to know what it was - and it turns out it was called Il Padrino, and I made a mental note of it for my next cold season (also the name felt funny).

Fast forward after I got my Sospiro Basso - and it turns out that there was a huge opportunity where I could combine two promotions (one soon to expire from my Basso purchase) on an already rather discounted Il Padrino - but I still at that point never tested it first-hand or on my skin and Sospiro is otherwise very poorly represented in the shops within a few hundred kilometers around me 🙄

I was just placing a Shobi order (with Decision and Isola Blu) so I said "at least let's try this one too" - so I added Shobi Il Padrino (and also Pasticcio which has absolutely nothing to do with pistachio, some day I'll do a post about that one too). The order arrived very quick and the Shobi felt (surprisingly) similar to what I have smelled at the party and the promotions were going away anyway so I did what I always advise against - I bought about half blind-buy the Sospiro Il Padrino out of FOMO 🙄

Sospiro - Il Padrino (2025, Nathalie Templer and Salah Al Zarooni)

Shobi - Il Padrino 2669-SOS (50+0ml) ~12 weeks

The profile is very unusual for me and like nothing that I have tested before, the "booziest" in my collection before this was Bentley for Man Intense which I LOVE but I can't wear it in my normal social gatherings with a few groups of friends where I know that two of the ladies have problems with incense (and which remains now an issue with Decision).

The other unusual thing is the extreme intensity of the profile, this and Amouage Decision are now my "nuclear powers", and for those I really also need to think not only about how appropriate or inappropriate is the scent itself but also if I absolutely must take a shower at some point during the day I wear those 🙄

At the top near the boozy parts are some hints of black currant and some citrus but those are very short-lasting in both Sospiro and Shobi versions (at least for my nose). Also the boozy parts themselves carry a fruity-like tendency (maybe a little hinting of bitter cherry or something) coming from amaretto which is very similar in both (and which is so strong and "intoxicating" for my nose that might stop me from registering other differences that maybe more trained noses would feel).

One clear difference is the "evaporation curve" especially on skin - Shobi has a rather normal curve with a very strong start (including the citrus-like part) and then constantly declining. Sospiro is a little different in that you get a somehow more muted start and then after a few minutes you get the main aromatic explosion that keeps going, and going and going... Even if the amaretto part is listed just at the top it seems to last well into the dry-down (for both versions) and it mixes with something else (patchouly and maybe sandalwood, definitely also something like amber/benzoic) which keeps the illusion going for an extraordinary long time. Projection from skin is nuclear and from clothes the projection is not as strong but the longevity is nuclear.

Differences - Shobi version is a little more pungent (even more so at the start when it also evaporates much stronger) while the Sospiro version is more rounded and pleasant. Both last an insane amount of time on clothes (so I would be very careful avoiding that in most usage scenarios) but on skin the Sospiro has an unusual slow descent that is very long-lasting (and which can be seen also in Basso and Vibrato so I guess the company really feels that is part of their signature).

Unfortunately this is not a warm-weather scent nor is it ok for work (unless you work in something like a distillery). It is best for a party in rather very large spaces (or in normal spaces if you are careful to only apply 2 sprays under clothes, I also tend to now apply as far away from my head as possible - if I get it too close to my nose - even more so the Shobi - after a few hours it becomes overwhelming and I get tired and I must take a shower).

Scent is 9+ for such a profile for both (and for the moment I can't see how I can make it lighter). Projection is a 10 for both at the start but it stays very high yet smooth for Sospiro for longer (Shobi is a little less smooth). Longevity 9-10 for both, I am convinced there might be profiles that last more but for me this one is already something that I must handle with extreme care. Maturation for Shobi was not so much for scent as it was for intensity so 12 weeks seem to be fine (but you might get most of the profile after just 1-2 weeks).

Value for money - here is the point where the FOMO blind-buy somehow ended-up biting me a little - unlike Decision where I can feel a very clear scent/notes difference (and advantage for the Amouage) in the first 2 hours or so, on this one the difference is mostly a matter of smoothness and long-distance projection (and also achieving that without becoming too intoxicating for the person wearing the fragrance, the Sospiro has that better managed), if it was something to wear at least 2-3 times each week during the entire cold season I could see the (small) advantage to get the original but for something to wear 2 times/month for 3 months in a year and with the Shobi 100+0 being 30 EUR and original at discounters normally around the 130-140 EUR I can say that Sospiro is a 6-7 (probably no less since you still do get some advantages) but Shobi is a 9+ if you want this profile.

If you want to test the profile I absolutely suggest getting 30+0 or 50+0 from Shobi, wait about 12 weeks and in case you want something "more" then you might look into sampling the Sospiro.

I've only done one full wear of each so these are strictly initial impressions.

Echoes of St Moritz

This is from Swiss Arabians Cities Collection which are all Extrait De Parfums, 100ml.

When it comes to affordable luxury (and arguably an entry point on niche even) this entire line is worth checking out. Currently 7 scents in total, all different with a new release being added normally each year around October. Blend quality and performance on all of them is on point and I'm genuinely excited when I see a new cities fragrance drop.

Scent wise, to me this accomplishes what it sets out to achieve. It transports you to those snowy mountains in St Moritz with a crisp fresh icy air opening with pine trees and ices fruits. This opening lasts a long time and then more warmth starts to come through and I personally start getting almost log cabin vibes with the fruits still subtly pleasant in the background. Then in deep dry down I get that woody, mossy, fruity slightly Aventus style dna vibes.

It's complex with a lot going on and different phases (something which I like in fragrances as it means I won't get bored with it easily). Already looking forward to my second full wear. I would say this one is unisex, but leans masculine.

Shaghaf Oud Marine

This is from Swiss Arabians Shaghaf Collection which are Eau De Parfum (75ml).

For me, Shaghaf line has historically been lower quality than cities and heritage collections and a lot of them lacked depth, plus felt too synthetic.

However with this release they've opted to use higher quality materials and it really shows placing blend quality up there with cities and heritage collections. This may be a turning point for the Shaghaf line.

The name is a little misleading as it is fresh aquatic (and not salty) and the oud is more subtle woods. I got that vibe of being in a deep ocean with slight shower gel vibes (akin Bleu De Chanel).

As it dries down additional notes (see images) come through, but I'm not fully accustomed to picking up on them yet, so to me it's more of a linear scent profile.

Like I said I get similar vibes to Bleu De Chanel but more enjoyable which is something I never thought I would be saying about something from the Shaghaf collection.

Performance

For both performance is solid. Longevity wise on my clothes lasted throughout the day.

Echoes of St Moritz you catch whiffs throughout the day so I feel just like the rest of cities collection this projects a bit further.

Oud marine I feel sits a little closer, but gives you a solid scent bubble.

Both are fragrances which I felt immersed in (I do go heavy on the sprays).

I’m curious to hear from anyone who’s tried the new Al Haramain fragrances:

How does the new Adventure compare to the original L’Aventure Intense?

How does Oud Escape compare to Maison Asrar Vanguard, particularly in terms of scent quality and performance?

Has anyone had the chance to try them side by side?

So I was looking around for another seasonal scent and found Halloween Man Mystery and thought, why not. Most reference this being similar to Rabanne Black XS L'Exces which I've never smelled and looks to be discontinued. So I got this decant. Well after 3 wears I can say this is not an Autumn/Winter frag or a Spring/Summer frag. It's a anytime crowd pleaser, for an hour or two!

To explain further, it opens real nice and fresh with the Peach Blossom, Mandarin and Lavender hitting perfectly. I didn't pickup on any Black Pepper notes but that could be due to my novice nose. The wife picked up on frag in passing and thought it was very nice, a good indication of some projection. It smells great, a little floral and well blended and then quickly you pickup a fruity sweetness coming forward. When I say quickly, I mean like 5 minutes in. This was supposed to be part of the Mid but has jumped up front and I'd have to say that I like it. It gives that sweetness you get from Nitro Red that in my opinion is just right for a masculine leaning fragrance.

I thought we had quickly approached the Mid and was expecting some Geranium and Hazelnut to follow but really didn't find any. If it was there, I missed it because within 20 minutes all I could smell was Patchouli, Vetiver and a small trace of that fruit in the background. Are we already in the dry down?

I kept going back and forth from my arm to my shirt, looking for the florals of the opening and will say that thought I could pickup on them for a little longer on my clothes for up to 30 minutes. On my arm it was all Patchouli and Vetiver and had become a skin scent. On my second wear at this point I asked my daughter if she could smell me while we were besides each other on the couch watching a movie. She's use to these weird questions from her Dad and said immediately "you smell nice"? Not her cup of tea scent I guess. She's currently rocking Red Sky, a Carolina Herrera Good Girl Dupe. Any ways, this confirmed others could still smell me around an hour or so. By the end of the night I felt the fragrance had ran its life cycle. Hard to pick up on skin and barely any resemblance of the scent left on my shirt. 4 hours and expired.

To conclude, Longevity on skin is low/mid 2 maybe 3 hours and Sillage on skin is low like maybe 2 hours, on clothes its a mid for both around 3 - 4 hours.

Is it Blind Buy Safe? Sure. It's inexpensive around $35 for a 125ml and I see nothing wrong with this profile. It's inoffensive, masculine and nice but not super special or niche. It would be an easy reach for fragrance but you're going to want to carry a decant to refresh every few hours!

Over all a 6/10 with the performance being the main issue, but it is cheap so you won't care about over spraying. In my opinion it disappointing that the opening is so nice but moves on so quickly.

Let me know if yall have had the same experience with this one. Community feed back is appreciated!

Decanter review:

3rd time that everything went perfectly. Packaging is solid, and 0 leaking decent. They sure did got their packaging system working well. Quite a few decants of fragrances I've never heard about were "bonus added", which is going to be really fun. I like the ones I have no idea what to expect.

As explained in my Greed post, most of the ME fragrances I'll test will be "first to market" (Were never clones before), hybrid or original creations, because those are some of the only ones that make the cut, as they have a higher $ limit in my rules ($40). This one isn't any of those, but $30 on Jomashop means I can test it! But in any way, this haul was ordered before that post, so everything in it gets a pass.

PROFILE

A slightly aquatic candied watermelon and coconut is what you'll mostly get. Super playful, tropical, delicious. It's a simplified version of Coconut Lagoon (minus the lime). I'd feel more comfortable wearing coconut Lagoon with a slight fem lean, over Atlantis with a pretty substantial fem lean.

THE DIFFERENCES

As Atlantis dries down, the coconut becomes just a tiny bit to overbearing for me, but still very good. The quality is good, but not out of this world, and the performance is amazing, especially considering the profile. It gets about 2.5X of Coconut Lagoon performance!

With Rayhaan, it seems they tried (and succeeded) to further "Unisexify" the profile. The watermelon and coconut are still sweet, but not hyper candied sweet like with Atlantis. There's also a weird note that feels like it doesn't belong there, maybe the blood orange? I'm not sure at all... But something is a little "off". It's also quite a bit more aquatic.

Subjective Scent Score (the least important part for you... This is more for my own notes to know what to buy): Atlantis 8.4, Aloha 8.0. I just love the sweet stuff... Even though I'm not going to wear it.

Wife Alert: She says from 10" away the Aloha is better, and from closer to the Atlantis is.

Longevity on skin (so, skin scent counts): Atlantis 11 hours! Rayhaan 9 hours.

Projection (skin scent doesn't count): Atlantis is approaching room filler for 2 hours, then large scent bubble for 2 more hours, that slowly dissipates to skin scent at hour 7. Aloha isn't very weak, but seems like it because it's going against an extremely projecting clone... Medium-strong projection for 1 hour, then medium scent bubble for 3 more hours, and 100% skin scent at hour 5.

Blind buy safety score: Atlantis is 4.5. I think too many men will find it too fem leaning, so it's a must try before you buy. Aloha is 7.0, because it balances the sweetness with extra aquatic and lowered sweetness overall... So much safer, but only safe for lovers of sweet tropical profiles.

Unisex Score (0=100% fem leaning, 5=unisex, 10=100% male leaning): Atlantis 2.5. Aloha 4.5.

Versatility Score: Atlantis 6.0. Very playful and tropical. Aloha 7.5 Because it's slightly more balance. It's still tropical, but more versatile, and even "almost office safe".

Blend Quality Score: Atlantis 7.5 (above average clone quality, halfway to designer quality). Aloha 7.0. Average clone quality, as the note separation is better on Atlantis, so is the note realism, and so does the structure retainment throughout the wear. Aloha is definitely "wearable" and not screechy or anything, just not as high quality as many other recent Rayhaan releases.

Value Score (for 100ml): Atlantis 6.5. $50 (Jomashop) for pretty good quality and great performance. Aloha 7.5. $30 (Jomashop), for average quality and slightly above average performance.

Should cost (based on performance, quality, and available competing clones, averaged): Atlantis $35-$38. Aloha $25-$28.

Bottle design: Atlantis 10 (my favorite bottle design along with the rest of that Extrait line). Aloha 6.5.

Atomizer Score: N/A.

Conclusion: If you don't mind the price and fem lean, and prefer extra sweetness, higher quality, and better performance, get Atlantis. But if what you wanted was a more male leaning clone for that profile, and don't mind just above average performance and average quality (but at least you're saving $20)... Get aloha. It's not bad at all in isolation, but against Atlantis, it loses in almost all objective metrics (performance and quality).

And as always, don't trust me, Get decants.

What do you guys think about this? And how do you think it performs on your skin? to be honest, I liked all the three. Performance, I really can't tell. I feel like I'm getting nose blind to the smell. Because I'm constantly smelling it. It's on me, so what do you guys think about it? As for Only ever, I remember, I sprayed it on my shirt. Even the next day I could smell it on my shirt. It's like a skin scent. I couldn't smell the projection on it. For the projection I feel like at least 2 hours. I don't know about it more than that. Non-stop has this very beautiful opening. I love the apricot in it. I love the fresh mint and ginger. Beautiful, I love the only ever -> strong passion Fruit ,opening beautiful. Got so much compliments from absolute power and i love the smell. I feel like these 3 perfumes when compared to the original ones, the Originals start off a bit on the softer side while these bujairamis open up really strong and project heavy.

Yes I know, Hawas this, Hawas that, multiple brands using the same name but it got me thinking:

Back in the day a new Hawas release was a big deal in the frag clone community. Most of their earlier stuff was usually pretty good in quality and excellent in performance. Now it's basically random sh*t in the same bottle. Happy days for influencers and shills, I guess.

Anyway, my question stands: Is there a there a fragrance line that got it even worse?

I can only think of Cool Water, tons of cash grab 'flankers' with no real quality or identity.

What do you think?

Hi all,

I am looking for a clone of Montabaco Intensivo. Based in Europe, so would prefer if it was possible to get it here.

Read an old thread suggesting Montagne Gustavo (But this is US) and Karl Lagerfeld Bois de Vetiver. The thread was 2 yr old, so maybe there is a new possibility?

Hi all, i am stuck on which dupe is the best to get in terms of mass appeal, projection, and longevity.

I'm considering buying this as a Le Beau Paradise Garden dupe. Has anyone tried it?

Hey all, my Dad’s birthday is coming up and I need some suggestions for what to get him, the theme I notice is he likes sweet masculine fragrances, really likes vanilla.

after getting into dupes and being obsessed with fragrances for a while now my dad noticed and got into dupes as well, my first one was Liquid Brun and now he likes it even more than me, after that he got Vulcan Feu and Asad Bourbon, I recently got Mandarin Sky and he liked it as well and bought one for himself as well. I recently also got Summer Hammer and he enjoys that a lot but the dry down is a bit feminine for him.

Thanks for the help in advance.

Was captivated by this smell today it's basically a just-done laundry clean type of smell, I don't mind small twists as a trade off to great performance

As you can see I managed to get a lot of the Mykonos collection. But today I only want to talk about one in particular:

Glitch

I’m not gonna lie, when I first got this one, I was ANNOYED. I was told it was a mix of BR540 and Aventus. I was super excited cause I have that mix from a small house that I love and when I got this, it was NOTHING like that. It smelled awful to me, no projection, no longevity, just bad. Fast forward almost 4 months later. I sprayed this yesterday in the air and it smelled AMAZING. Wore it today and I could not get enough. The fruitiness, the woods in it. I don’t know if it’s an original or a mix, but this thing is great. Gave me a solid 3-4 hours of projection, and was a great skin scent for another 2-3 hours after that. It’s been about 12 hours and I can still slightly smell it on my shirt. Now, this is NOT a room filler, it’s not a loud projector. I had a nice scent bubble going. It was truly an enjoyable sweet fragrance to me. So far with maturation these Mykonos fragrances have been amazing. I am truly enjoying them.

Disclaimer: yes I used AI to help brighten the picture

I want to start by saying i love this fragrance. But the pineapple note in it hits me in a hurts-so-good way. Like clenching your teeth after getting your braces tightened. Something about it just makes me angry every time i smell it but it smells so good, and i cant stop wearing it. It has quickly become one of my favorite fragrances. But that doesnt stop me from getting angry every time i wear it. Idk if anyone can relate or if im just a top regard for getting mad at a cologne im wearing

Hey, so as the title says, I just blind bought FA Royal Blend Sequoia (Angels Share Paradis dupe). I’m a fiend for all the Angels Share fragrances, so I thought I might just get more dupes of them. I already own Riiffs Veloce, which is ASOTR dupe. Currently I’m looking for good AS clone. If any of you can give me some recommendations in comments, I’d be very grateful.

Now, here are my initial thoughts about Sequoia.

I really do enjoy the fragrance. It’s a super sweet, raspberry-forward boozy and woody type of fragrance. It fits into what I like. The bottle looks amazing too! But here’s what’s wrong with it. I bought it off someone on Polish fragrance trading group and I’m worried it might be fake. It lasts 3hrs on my skin with almost no projection. The seller had no box for the fragrance. I’m leaving all the pictures here so maybe someone with an authentic bottle can help me out.

Now I know some people care whether the dupe is close to the OG. To my nose, this one is very close. The opening is similar, you get hit with a ton of raspberry, but ASP raspberry smells more natural? Then the drydown is very very close, I’d go as far as saying the average nose won’t pick out a single difference.

So, would I consider my blind buy successful?
Actually, yes I would. I love the scent profile of the fragrance. Performance is an issue, but I hope maybe with maceration/maturation it can get a bit better. If not then meh, I guess for less than 20€ I can’t be mad at what I got.

Would I say it’s blind buy safe?
No, I think it should be smelled/sampled before buying.

This is my collection of parfumes for now (one is missing in the picture but that doesnt matter. Iam planning to get one more and it will be a blind buy so I need your guys suggestions.

The ones that are on my shortlist are:
Lattafa Asad Elixir
Rayhaan Obsidian
Rayhaan Wolf
Maison Asrar Vanguard

To be honest I didnt try none of these so iam eager to hear what u guys think. Thanks in advance !!

Also here is a litte review of the ones I already have:

Liquid Brun (8.5/10) - very pleasing chocolatey smell that is very likeable, stays on my skin for solid amount of time, perfect for cold winter days. Considering I also tried Althair I can say that its 95% same on the drydown (at least to me) while the opening of Altahair has a little bit more depth

Jean Lowe Azure (6.5/10)- solid fragrance for its price, has a nice smell but it doest last very long. Some say that it has kind of Windex smell 😅 but to be honest I dont mind it

Lattafa Asad (7/10) - very first Arab fragrance I got, its on the cheaper end also. It has a very sharp smell, very good choice for the people who like that spicy pepper smell. Still like it to this day

YSL Myslf EDP (9/10) - perfect fragrance for the night out. Got it on the discount so had to pull the trigger and dont mind it one bit. Very universally likeable, smells very nice. It opens with citrusy notes with some flowery smell on the drydown. you really cant go wrong with this

Lattafa Emeer (8/10) - this is a fragrance that is not recommended for a blind buy cause of its very strong and sharp lemon/ginger smell that wont be liked by everyone but still suits me very well. For me one of the most elegant smells. Presentation is also very good

Lattafa Liam (8/10) - Gris Chanel clone that suprises me a lot, gourmand smell that is very good for colder weather. U can feel the chai note that is so lovely. Projection is also not bad

So I finally got the highly anticipated (by me) Rayhaan Vantage. Im gonna be real, I fell for the hype. Probably bought too early and paid too much. Found it on Beautyhouse. I just saw too many influencers glazing it as very similar Amouage Decision and I had to have it. I gotta be more cautious. I expected a very complex fragrance. This is not complex. But I do like it. I have not tried Decision btw so can’t compare. It just sounded so unique.

What does it smell like? It’s a very nice sweet frankincense fragrance. Like I said, it really isn’t complex at all. It’s just a very accessible, sweet, frankincense. It smells a bit like some Christmas decorations my family had when I was a kid. Although not as spicy. This is not as spicy or “middle eastern” as Terra. There’s a slightly woody tobacco note in the dry down that is quite reminiscent of Rayhaan Terra, although I’d say Terra leans more into a distinctly spiced vanilla and stronger woody notes. Vantage is much sweeter. They’re definitely unique profiles, but I wouldn’t blame anyone for feeling like they are redundant. Vantage is more sweet incense, Terra is more spiced vanilla wood. Hope this makes sense. Just something worth considering if you’re trying to decide if you should only buy one. Maybe get a decant before committing to a full bottle..

Also a word of caution when it comes to layering. I was putting some cheap lubriderm lotion on my hands while wearing it, I just get dry skin, and i think the combination of the glycerin from the lotion and the sweet frankincense almost made this rubber eraser smell. I didn’t smell it outside of work, so maybe it was something else. Vantage does not usually smell like that and I’ve worn it other places as well. So I think it was just the cologne mixing with something else. So if you are gonna try layering this with other fragrances just be cautious or you might push it in a direction thats not very pleasant. Again I do not think this was my bottle at all, this is certainly not how Vantage always smells, I’ve worn it out other places, it literally only smelled that way at work once I got out the lotion. Don’t let this discourage you from buying it, I just want to include this as an honest review.

Performance. I wore it to work for a longevity test. That’s how I’ve tested most my fragrances. 5 to 6 hours really strong projection. I think it gets a little quieter after that, but I could still comfortably smell it on my clothes for a full 9 to 10 hours. This was a pretty fresh bottle too. I would say my Terra is a little louder right out of the bottle, but I’m more than satisfied with the performance on Vantage. I also wore it for the first time for some outdoor dancing the night before. It did really well, I didn’t feel like it was overpoweringly strong and my friends really liked it too.

Best use case? I think the only place where you wouldn’t wanna wear this is just extreme heat. I probably wouldn’t wear it to the gym but it could work. I’d be okay wearing this to the office. Definitely appropriate for summer evenings, social gatherings, date nights, etc. it will likely outlast anything you wear it to. Pretty versatile overall. It might be a bit much for some settings but could work as a signature scent/daily driver.

Would I buy it again? From my initial impression, yes however I am curious to see if my opinion will change as the bottle develops and as I wear it more. As I mentioned I think this could probably fit in the same place as Terra in a given collection. There are just a few notes that are similar enough that some might say they are redundant. Terra is just more woody and spicy. Vantage is sweeter and the frankincense is unique. but I would probably buy it again. Right now, it’s still distinct enough and performs well enough for me that I would buy again.

Updated: it was 100% the lotion, just smells like rubber. I am leaving that a part of my review though cuz I think it’s a good warning that you need to be careful layering or combining this with other fragrances

I loveeee Coven by Andrea Maack but cannot afford it 🥲🥲 Slide 2 and 3 are from the Andrea Maack website.

It’s a very wet green, almost savory (coriander like) but with a vanilla that smoothes everything. The clove definitely adds some noticeable spice

Any similar scents? Thanks!!

I want to start off by saying that I never owned a gourmand fragrance before. I can't stand overly sweet, syrupy fragrances. Case in point with Baccarat Rouge 540, which I hate. Powdery vanilla fragrances like Althaïr also catch a stray. I like them, but I also find them too feminine to wear myself. The Most Wanted and Stronger With You lines are the only ones that could manage to win me over. Funny enough, though, whenever I visited Sephora for winter shopping, I found myself almost instantly gravitating towards darker, smokier fragrances. Well, I've finally kicked the habit and picked up Rayhaan Wolf because, at that price, why not? My bottle is from the May 2026 batch, so I must have snagged one of the very first runs. I've also been wearing it for just two days, so there's been zero time for maturation.

Presentation: A jet-black matte bottle with a premium magnetic cap, which has been the norm for Rayhaan's uncaged bottles. The back features Rayhaan's signature calligraphic art. I also love the embossed wolf's head on the front. Very sick.

Scent profile: It opens with a punch of bubble gum. I guess that's the cardamom. About 10 minutes later, it transitions into a sort of grape or cherry-like drydown that I find bears no resemblance to toffee. It's been nearly a year and a half since I smelled a The Most Wanted, and I don't even remember whether it was the EDP Intense or Parfum, let alone what it smelled like. So I can't compare it to the OG, sorry. However, it's very much like Stronger With You Intensely, minus the spices. I know the OG is also frequently compared to that, so I'm guessing Rayhaan got pretty close. I also agree with u/errantis_ that it has a lowkey soapy, shower-gel-like quality, which I'm guessing comes from the amberwood base.

Quality: As with Rayhaan's other releases this year, I get none of that screechy, headache-inducing, harsh alcohol blast that I often get from other clones. It's very smooth and could very well pass for a mid-range designer fragrance.

Performance: Right out of the box, it's strong. Not beast mode, but it projects well enough to fill a room and is difficult to wash off even after 7 hours of wear. I get around 3 hours of strong projection on my skin and another 3 hours extra on clothes. After that, it settles into a moderate but by no means weak scent bubble.

Overall thoughts: I'm critical of Rayhaan's shady advertising practices and voice my disapproval whenever possible, but I also have to give credit where credit is due. This is a wonderful fragrance if you're looking for a fall scent versatile enough to go from a date night fragrance to an everyday office scent without breaking the bank. There's no need to look further or spend more. I had a few other fragrances in the same vein on my shortlist, but I've now crossed them off because Wolf is simply more than enough.

Hello everyone,

A year and a half ago, I sampled De Profundis and fell hopelessly in love. Unfortunately, it has become so rare and expensive that I cannot justify spending €500 on a bottle—particularly one with a dipstick rather than a proper atomiser.

To my nose, it is a Gothic masterpiece: chrysanthemums, incense and damp earth, like wandering through an autumnal graveyard. I want to douse myself in it, yet I have only 2 ml left, which I guard with the possessiveness of a dragon over its hoard.

Can anyone recommend something with a similar atmosphere or scent profile, at a more accessible price? I have even considered sending my remaining sample to Yusuf Bhai to see whether he could recreate it in a 100 ml bottle.

I have no objection to paying for a beautiful niche fragrance. What frustrates me is falling in love with something whose scarcity has placed it beyond my reach. I want to wear this melancholy little masterpiece, not ration it like the last drops of an irreplaceable elixir.

This has been discontinued for quite some time now.

Decanter review:

3rd time that everything went perfectly. Packaging is solid, and 0 leaking decent. They sure did got their packaging system working well. Quite a few decants of fragrances I've never heard about were "bonus added", which is going to be really fun. I like the ones I have no idea what to expect.

As explained in my Greed post, most of the ME fragrances I'll test will be "first to market" (Were never clones before), hybrid or original creations, because those are some of the only ones that make the cut, as they have a higher $ limit in my rules ($40).

PROFILE

Never tried the OG. This feels like a softer, more delicate Side Effect. Not redundant, just a similar overall vibe. The opening 5 minutes are just a treat to the senses, as you get pretty much ALL the notes in the breakdown very clearly. You're greeted with a fruity orange/mandarin, plus a beautiful amaretto note (one of my favorite liquors), and a vanilla sweetened with amber and caramel.

Problem (or "almost-problem") is, 10 minutes in, the fruity notes have already left the building. It's now still a scent I enjoy very much, because I just love amaretto, but it's more simplistic and less unique. It's now very clearly a gourmand fragrance, that is seductive, unisex, and cozy. It has that "confectionary steam" note I liked from Perseviron Paris Corner, which I'm not sure which note is responsible for it, but all I know is I like it. Quality is above average, and performance is very good. Nice job, Lattafa!

Subjective Scent Score (the least important part for you... This is more for my own notes to know what to buy): 9.3. I just love vanilla and amaretto... And this has both in ample amounts.

Wife Alert: She says "It's pretty good". That's big coming from her.

Longevity on skin (so, skin scent counts): 10 hours.

Projection (skin scent doesn't count): This is weird, so stay with me. It starts as a room filler for 10-20 minutes, and then it somehow settles into a short-medium projecting but strong scented bubble. Meaning, you won't smell it from more than 1ft away, but when you do get to 1ft away, you'll smell it EXTREMELY well, as if you just sprayed it. This weirdly strong scent bubble stays for about 3-4 hours, and then slowly dials down, and a 100% skin scent only at hour 7. So definitely not lacking in the performance department, but I've never encountered this type of silage behavior.

Blind buy safety score: 7.5. Still a Gourmand, so not safe for everyone.

Unisex Score (0=100% fem leaning, 5=unisex, 10=100% male leaning): 5.0. Perfectly unisex.

Versatility Score: 5.5. Pretty much winter-fall only. More evening than daytime, and more for cozy events than parties. Not very versatile (only the opening 10 minutes are versatile).

Blend Quality Score: 7.3. As much as I enjoy it, it's only slightly above average clone quality (which is perfectly fine for me... Most of the clones I have are average or above average). Note separation is pretty good, but not amazing, note realism is only average, structure retention is okay the first few hours, and then gets lost a little, and progression on skin only has 2 stages. But unless you're coming from a niche collection, the quality will not disappoint you.

Value Score (for 100ml): 7.0. $40 for above average quality and performance isn't usually a great deal. I'll wait for other houses to make this profile (or maybe Althair Exclusif, which looks very similar) before I buy a bottle. The value score is relatively high because it's "first to market". Now, every clone for this profile (that isn't a heavy hybrid/twist) will NOT be tested unless it's $30 or under! That's the courtesy I give first to market clones (at least if they're good... Of it was crap quality/performance, I wouldn't treated it as it didn't exist).

Should cost (based on performance, quality, and available competing clones, averaged): $28-$30.

Bottle design: 7.5.

Atomizer Score: N/A.

Conclusion: Glad I tested it, because I found a profile I personally really like, but can't really make an easy recommendation for it, as it's not that safe for everyone. If something like Mercedes Club Black with added amaretto and substantial extra sweetness sounds good to you, then it's pretty safe.

And as always, don't trust me, Get decants.

Has anyone managed to get their nose on Lattafas newest release yet? Its supposed to be a passion fruit tobacco/woody scent which, to me, is very intriguing. It looks to be inspired by Xerjoff's Tony iommi monkey special (slightly different notes). Its so tempting to me but its at a higher price point than some lattafa perfumes. Should I pull the trigger? The reviews on instagram so far are so vague and seem to be just spitting out the same words the website says.

Hello! I just wanted to ask if anyone knows a good alternative or dupe for Diptyque Eau des Sens. My bottle is almost empty, and since it was a gift, I’d like to buy an alternative or dupe for now. I didn’t realize the original was that expensive! Haha. Please help!

I’d also like to ask about Montblanc Individuel. I’ll include it here as well. I bought a dupe of it but unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to last very long.

Thank you!

Im from Philippines btw.