Autumn's Breeze & Your Scent's Silage.

We are in the middle of fall and it is definitely time to rotate the fragrance department, perhaps lean towards more of the woody , boozy and warm scents. This is a time where we relate warmth to scenarios that keep us warm. Whether it be by a fireplace, the smell of hot chocolate or the smell of burning tobacco.

The fragrances I have chosen to review are personal favorites, tried and tested on myself. The approach i take to fall is more of an oriental feel. I like elements that represent my childhood, invoke a certain memory and represent a culture.

It is therefore with great pleasure i start with a fragrance that has Oud (Agarwood). I grew up with the smell of Oud in Saudi Arabia, I still remember when babies were born this mysterious wood would be burned and the child would be engulfed in this scent as it was said to remove impurities. It has a spiritual connection, it is also the scent of the holy house (Kaaba) in Makkah.

Montale is a french perfumery that prides itself as being the french ambassador of Oud. It maintains a western take on Oud that can seem strong, animalic and difficult to wear in certain settings. This perfume house like many others, pair it with known Western ingredients, a common one being leather or rose. My personal favorite from the house is Aoud Lime, strangely enough it has nothing to do with lime, this fragrance is not for the faint hearted , it is very polarizing, a love it or hate it scent. It starts off with an indian rose, then patchouli which eventually blends in with a sharp herbaceous Oud, unapologetic, raw. It is one that will keep you warm and best worn outside an office setting.

The next one I want to talk about comes more from where Oud is popular in every corner of every street, yes Dubai. Rasasi is a U.A.E based perfumer that makes very oriental fragrances and somewhat puts a twist on existing western perfumes. In my opinion i think they make them better, last longer and the packaging is always gorgeous. La Yuqawam pour homme comes in a wooden magnetic box with a brass leaf and is often compared to Tom Ford's Tuscan leather, although it has smoky elements to it, La Yuqawam offers a little bit more fun to its repertoire with the inclusion of raspberry it really blends well to give a smokey woody, leathery and slight fruity undertone. I really cant put a finger on what this reminds me of but i'd imagine a hand crafted Rolls Royce probably smells like this. It smells rich, it smells expensive and masculine.

Finally a scent I would describe as what Christmas would smell like in the Middle East, Raghba by Lattafa is a perfume that is unisex and made in the U.A.E , this is by far a sweet powerhouse. Imagine a pot stirring vanilla, musk, burnt sugar and a hint of oud. That is what Raghba is, it leans more to the feminine side and is wearable by anyone. Just do not spray generously , it really is something that will stay on your skin for days.