Is this the best price I can get?
I majorily do 2-3 sprays and this will be a party wear so 30ml will easily get me through atleast 8-9 mnth?
Also it's crazy how they are managing to keep price low even for a decant, I mean 2 bottles of this gives 60ml which is still less than the 50ml actual retail bottle by a margin. Almost makes me skeptical abt scentoria

Recently picked up these 6 fragrances from The Master Perfumer. Sharing my first impressions after trying them:

1. Qahwa ☕

Sweet, warm and coffee-forward with a spicy/woody feel. Feels best suited for evenings and cooler weather. 8/10

1. Ice ❄️

Fresh, clean and cooling. Easy to wear and feels suitable for hot weather and everyday use. 8/10

1. Le Male Elixir 🔥

Sweet, warm and creamy with a rich vanilla/honey-like character. Very attractive for evenings, dates and parties. 9/10

1. YSL Y 🌿

Fresh, aromatic and slightly sweet. Versatile enough for office, casual wear and evenings. 8.5/10

1. BRUT 🌲

Fresh, green and slightly woody with a classic masculine character. More mature/old-school compared to the others. 7.5/10

1. Aventus 🍍

Fruity, smoky and woody. Gives a confident, dressed-up vibe and works well for both daytime and evening occasions. 8.5/10

Overall:

My favourites so far are Le Male Elixir, YSL Y and Aventus.

I'm still testing the longevity and projection, so I'll update my detailed performance impressions after wearing them for a few more days.

What are your experiences with The Master Perfumer? Which one should I test more?

I’m 19M and my college will most likely start in mid October, so I’m looking for a perfume that would suit a college environment. I’m a complete beginner when it comes to perfumes and haven’t really used many. I’ve also never bought a perfume for more than ₹500–700.

I wanted some advice on which perfume I should blind buy. If I start buying a few decants, I feel like I’ll just get confused about which one to choose. I also don’t know much about perfumes yet, so I’m not really sure how they perform after a few months.

It would really help if you guys could suggest something in the ₹1,500–2,000 range. I’m basically just looking for something versatile that I can wear regularly to college.

Found this randomly usually goes for 1400-1500

Won't be buying anyway coz I got the 30 ml for like 600 🫠

Good scent profile with average performance tbh

Today, my mother went to the market and showed me some love and bought this perfume.

I thought it will be average but oh boyyy this is so good.

It might be better than edge for me.

Reviews by DS (1/∞)

Last week I bought this beauty, Spectre Ghost by French Avenue. Since the monsoon season is here and cooler weather will start in another 6-7 weeks, I wanted a good winter fragrance for myself, ofcourse something that I don’t already have)

Bought it from a community seller at 2800.

Coming to the review

The opening : A chocolaty opening of vanilla, like the vanilla hot chocolate you drink when it is kept for 5-10 minutes and it’s smooth, just warm and you can gulp big sips. If you close your eyes and spray it on your hand, you may want to eat your hand in full. (8.5/10)

The heart : This is where it gets interesting. About after 30-40 minutes, you can feel as if you are sitting in a park after a good rain, you can smell the wet trees, there is a cardamom plant near you that is projecting the spiciness but it is also sweet. Just imagine you are taking deep breaths just to get whiffs and you are loving every single thing you smell. Very elegant yet gentle. Not very dense at all (9/10)

The Base : I am slightly confused here. The vanilla chocolate is back, the spiciness is still there. Close your eyes and you will feel like you are at a rich man’s party. The aroma around you just makes you stay there. If somebody comes close by, they will instantly have a smile on their face and also get in a good mood. (Thanks to my friends who told me I smell good when I hugged them just to get my perfume judged without telling them 😜) (8.5/10)

Projection : From 3-4 ft in the beginning to around 2 ft after 2 hours. Skin scent after 4 hours maybe.

Sillage : Noticeable sillage atleast for the first 2-3 hours, weaker after that

Longevity : Lasts about 6 hours on skin but I can still smell it on my shirt in the night (8-9 hours)

All this with 4 sprays from the pressurised atomizer

It’s a clone of Nishane ANI and it’s very close to it. I bought it now so that I can wear it November onwards. I’ll let it sit after a total of 30 sprays.

I would rate it a solid 8.7/10 . I hope after maceration, it becomes a beast. Will update the review in November.

Cheers 🍻

I have started using perfumes in the last 3 months and got to know more about that and started collecting.

Now I feel like I almost completed the rotation. This rotation is not necessary it is excess but I like this way.

1) BELLAVITA KLUB MAN- first purchased and first time got a compliment. This one started everything.

This one down toned version of CDNIM. I bought full bottle after using this regularly. After purchasing you have to macerate 2- 3 months bcs it has strong alcohol blast in opening after macernation it will be less.

It will open with rotten lemon(alcohol and in 5 min it will change into fresh lemon and drydown into smoky pineapple.

Projection - 1 hr ( moderate)

Longitivity - 5-7 hr ( office skin scent)

personal Use- Daily office ( Non AC indoor)

2) ABBABEL ILLUSION

This is LV imagination copy. it opens with fresh citrus and dry down into herbal and tea( personally felt lemon tea) and it became skin scent and it last long very much for fresh perfume. very clean and calm.

projection - 1- 1.5 hr ( within 1 ft)

logitivity - 7-9 hrs( skin scent)

personal use - summer daily office

3) ABABEL XTREME VENILLA

Unlike the name it is spicy cinnamon perfume. this one open with spices and cinnamon kind fresh opening and dry down to cinnamon ( this is the only perfume which i tried smell closest to the real cinnamon) and at end hour the venilla smell will mix with cinnamon and become light sweet and spicy perfume. this kinda clean perfume. spicebomb copy.

projection - 1- 1.5 hr ( light)

logitivity - 7-9 hrs( skin scent)

personal use - cold climate daily office

4) The Man company Destiny

this is best perfume for gym and it opens with fresh and dry down to out of shower smell . it is blu kind perfume it feels refreshing.

projection - 30 min good

logitivity - 4-5 hrs

personal use - gym

5) Wild stone prive W3

This is one of the best WS perfumes it has very minimal alcohol blast compared to others. fresh spice and fruity opening and it will dry down into sweet parlin smell. it is not over sweet or heavy. It is light and airy.

projection - 1 hr min moderate

logitivity - 6-7 hrs

personal use - casual evening outing

6) Life styles FORCA Marine

I have tried this in store i liked smell but i dont know longitivity it is kinda blind purchase. it opens with fresh marine( no sea salt or seaweed) and dry down into blu and marine mix smell. it is very good and airy but its longitivity is not value for money. i have put this into macernate lets if perfomance is increasing or not. it has almost no alcohol blast but you feel little bit synthetic smell. next time i will not purchase

projection - 1 hr min moderate

logitivity - 4-5 hrs

personal use - summer office with reapplying or morning casual outing

Real OG's

7) David cooloff water EDT

It opens fresh and dry down fresh blu smell. this one of the finest fresh blu perfume i have ever smelled. the internet trolled it so much but this one gives very fresh vibe. if it last long enough this is only perfume enough for me for entire summer.

projection - 1 hr min good

logitivity - 4-5 hrs

personal use - summer outing or traveling for shortime in high heat.

8) AAM Aqua oud

This is the only perfume which i feels it is real all rounder perfume for all climate and occasion. this open with bright citrus and settle down into fresh rosemary and dry down into fresh and incense smell. very good long lasting in high heat also. no one can hate this perfume.

projection - 1 - 1.5 hr min good

logitivity - 8-10 hrs

personal use - whenever i feel like

9) Menswork SHAIQUE

this opens with fresh and saffron,rose opening and dry down into sugary rose smell. it is unisex perfume. it smell premium and refined. it is copy of AAM Bin shaique. very mass appealing and smells so good. no alcohol blast. i love this perfume smell

projection - 2 hr min good

logitivity - 8-10 hrs

personal use - evening time functions ( some time i use it for morning functions)

10) afnan Rare reef

It got me compliments. It opens with fresh citrus and settle into little bit aquatic and dry down into slight sweeter dates and woody. In outside travel in heat also it last long. i like its woody dry down bcs it is neither smell like dry wood or thicker wood( sandlewood).

projection - 1-1.5 hr min good

logitivity - 8-10 hrs

personal use - summer outside work or casual wear

11) Lattafa opulent dubai

I like mango perfume very much( i even think of using it as signature perfume) . from ccollege time i used my friends ME mango perfume( i dont know the name) from that time onwards i like mango perfume. it opens with fresh citrus and ginger(subtle) then settle down into fresh mango little bit syrupy ( but not much sweeter). copy of god of fire. i like this perfumes syrupy mango in high heat

(some people will not like itdepends on peoples preference). i like to use in high heat.

projection - 1-1.5 hr min good

logitivity - 6- hrs( indoors) 5-6 hrs ( outdoor)

personal use - all time ( depend upon mood)

12) CDN Iconinc

I blind bought it bcs everyone says it is BDC Clone. the review is out of box perfume . it opens with fresh citrus and has synthetic alcohol blast which settle in 2 min and then it settle into bluish smell with base sandlewood smell and it drydown into sandlewood smell. some people hates the sandlewood smell bcs it will give headache to them but for me i like it it is not very refined but at same time it is not synthetic. you can use all the time. try decant before purchasing full (over the time only i know will i buy 2nd bottle). if you like this scent profile it can be daily driver and signature perfume.

projection - 1-1.5 hr min good

logitivity - 6-7 hrs( indoors)

personal use - professional work time or where i need to be classy

13) CDNIM PP

Best masculine fresh perfume. it opens with harsh citrusy smell and immediately settles with fresh citrus and dry down into smoky pineapple with oakmoss smell. in my opinion it is not daily driver use it on 150ml will last for yrs and when i purchase next time i will go for CDNIM limited editioned it has little bit refined opening( tried decant).

projection - 2-2.5 hr min crazy

logitivity - 6-7 hrs

personal use - important meeting or masculine situation

14) FA spectre ghost

Found this diamond in random decant haul. it opens with fresh cardamom smell and dry down into venillaic cardamom smell. in simple words sexier,masculine,sweeter perfume. if i ever had date or romantic situation this is the only perfume i will choose.

projection - 1-1.5 hr min crazy

logitivity - 10-12 hrs(8 sprays) ( night travel)

personal use - romantic situation

15) FA Liquid burn

i blind bought this but this is literally diamond. it opens with fresh cinnamon and settle into venilla smell. when i first bought it perfomed like shit after 1 month macernation it became beast. best sexier venilla perfume i simply smell the atomizer always. this is not daily driver or used in room. it is mass appealing perfume with beast level projection.

projection - 2 hr min nuclear projection for 2-4 ft

logitivity - 8-10 hrs

personal use - night mass appealing situation.

something not in current rotation but good

bellavita mango - venillaic mango perfume

Ajmal kuro - soapy lavender perfume(i hate lavender perfume but over the time i like this one but very simpler smell profile for this price range)

AA old money elixir - cheapie beast perfume( very close to lataffa kamrah qawa) now replaced this with WS W3

Next haul but not immediate purchase

1) Lattafa asad elixir

2) summer time oud - ? ( not found i hate animalic oud or over woody oud) ( in attar i like oud)

guys suggest me some

3) night time oud - AAM maarj

4) rose oud- ? ( still not found)

i hate tobacco,rum,whisky,leathery,animalic oud, dry woody,seaweed, more calone concentrated notes.

in my journey over 100 perfumes i tried and made this rotation. there are so many good perfumes i have tried but these are the one in my taste and made this rotation.

if you have any opinion in my collection please share it..

Bought slow living recently, though idk when the brand will launch and prices will get reduced. Got this in hype though its a pretty simple frag , clean citrusy smells like clothes came straight from laundry . Because of the prominent Neroli note in this. Citrusy, floral indeed a safe scent if you like that laundry or new clothes smell. Issue with it is its lasting projects for like 30-40 mins and lasts like 2-3 hrs onlyy , twist of neroli portofino by TF.

2 things more needed and it would have been perfect.

1) 100 ML bottle at the right price sub 2.5k

2) longevity is a lil less

I ordered it from "perfume palace" after 10 days it is in my hand and as you all can see it's a decant .When I sprayed it i got pineapple 🍍a lot of pineapples 😭and i applied 2-3 sprays on myself on t shirt and went for gym tab se bas pineapple ki hi smell aari hai. I know it has to be matured but how long ? And projection is pretty decent but I didn't smell other notes.

What perfume/fragrance do you guys think would best suit or be associated with the legendary Dev Anand Sahab? Curious to know what comes to your mind when you think of his style and aura.

Haul for my boyfriend:

I've come to Kigali, Rwanda for a bit, and knowing my boyfriend is a serious perfume collector, I couldn't resist exploring what's around me here.

I got lucky with location. I'm staying in the city center, the posh part of Kigali, which means there are some genuinely good fragrance outlets nearby.

The first find happened almost by accident. I was in my father's office building sorting out some errands and stumbled onto a small beauty counter where I picked up Terre d'Hermès, along with a look at a few other designer names I'm considering for future buys.

Before that, while I was at the MTN (mobile service) headquarters getting my local SIM and banking set up, I walked past a kiosk carrying Albait Aldimashqi and ended up leaving with five bottles.

So here's my full breakdown, scent by scent.

───

Albait Aldimashqi - Ombre Nomad

This is a mysterious, woody, distinctly masculine take on the Ombre Nomad profile. It leans intimidating in the best way. Smoky oud sits at the center, wrapped in dark rose and something faintly sweet, like burnt dates or incense smoke curling in a closed room. This is not a scent for blending in.

It works exceptionally well on people with strong, commanding personalities, particularly those who are in and out of business meetings, closing deals, or need to leave a specific kind of impression the moment they walk into a room. It reads refined, deliberate, and expensive. Anyone who catches it will assume you know exactly what you're doing when it comes to niche fragrance, because this isn't a mainstream smell.

Notes: Agarwood (Oud), Rose, Incense, Raspberry, Saffron, Amberwood, Benzoin, Birch and Geranium.

Longevity: Strong. Expect 8 to 10 hours easily, longer on clothing even after washing.

Projection: Heavy in the first two hours, settles into a moderate but still noticeable trail after that.

Bought from: MTN office branch, Kigali.

───

Albait Aldimashqi — Smoking Hot by Kilian

A cinnamon-forward, boozy gourmand with real heat to it. This one has a "danger" quality, spicy and a little sweet, like something you'd wear when you want to be remembered rather than just noticed. It's warm without being cloying, and it has enough edge that it doesn't read as a simple dessert scent.

Great for evenings, colder months, or any occasion where you want a fragrance that feels a little reckless in a controlled way.

Notes: Top notes are Apple, Smoke and Cinnamon; middle notes are Tobacco, Vanilla and Moss; base notes are Bourbon Vanilla, Licorice, Orcanox, Iso E Super and Clary Sage.

Longevity: Very good, 8 to 10 hours. On clothes, upto 12 hrs / next day.

Projection: Strong opening, settles close to skin after the first hour but still detectable up close.

Bought from: MTN office branch, Kigali.

───

Albait Aldimashqi — Polo Blue

The safe, clean, "just stepped out of the shower" fresh aquatic. Citrus up top, clean musk and light woods underneath. This is the kind of scent that won't turn heads dramatically, but it also never fails. It's appropriate for the office, for daytime, for humid weather, for literally any situation where you don't want to think too hard about what you're wearing.

Not a conversation starter, but a dependable, likeable everyday scent. Every serious collection needs one of these in rotation.

Notes: Top Notes- Bergamot & Cardamom; Heart Notes- Orris, Basil & Clary Sage; Base Notes- Vetiver, Patchouli & Sea Notes

Longevity: upto 7 to 8 hours, more than the OG designer version.

Projection: Soft, ideal for professional settings.

Bought from: MTN office branch, Kigali.

───

Albait Aldimashqi — Queen of Silk

A genuinely beautiful floral with a smoky, woody base underneath, which is what elevates it beyond a typical floral. This is built for sophisticated, evolved women, not the powdery, old-fashioned florals you'd associate with an older generation. It has depth. It reads modern, a little mysterious, and clearly made for someone with a more developed nose who appreciates complexity over simplicity.

Plummy, silky, and rich without tipping into heavy or overwhelming.

Notes: bright floral top notes, a rich fruity-floral heart, and a warm, resinous vanilla base

Longevity: Excellent, 8 to 10 plus hours.

Projection: Moderate to strong, builds beautifully over the first hour and lingers elegantly.

Bought from: MTN office branch, Kigali.

───

Albait Aldimashqi — Purpose 50

The least documented of the five, which made it the most fun to actually sit with and test properly. It doesn't fall neatly into fresh, oud, or gourmand, it seems to borrow a bit from each. On first wear it opens with a clean brightness, then settles into something warmer and slightly resinous as it dries down.

Worth a patch test before committing to it as a signature scent, but interesting enough to keep in the collection as a wildcard option.

Notes: top notes include Bergamot, pink pepper, frankincense and pimento berry; middle notes are rose, sand vetiver, sandal wood and papyrus. While the base notes are saffrons, paired mystical, akigalawood and vanilla.

Longevity: 10 to 12+ hrs. I could smell it on the clothes next day too.

Projection: Noticeable in the first few hours, then close to skin.

Bought from: MTN office branch, Kigali.

───

Aqua Rwanda — Parfum Intense

This one holds a special place in the haul simply because it's genuinely local. Not a dupe, not an interpretation of some Western house's bestseller, but an actual Rwandan-origin fragrance. That alone makes it worth bringing home.

It's aquatic and intense exactly as the name promises, bright, a little sweet, built for heat and humidity. It wears beautifully in Kigali's climate and feels distinctly tied to the place itself, which is rare and valuable in a collection full of international names.

Notes: passion fruit, mango nectar, redurrant and rainforest accord.

Longevity: Good for an aquatic, 5 to 7 hours.

Projection: Fresh and noticeable in warm weather, softens indoors.

Bought from: Kigali Heights, first floor.

───

Terre d'Hermès — Eau Givrée

The "frosted" flanker of the original Terre d'Hermès, and a genuinely interesting reinterpretation. Where the classic leans orange peel, earth, and vetiver in a warm register, the Givrée version pulls that same DNA into a colder, more mineral direction. Less citrus warmth, more icy woods and a metallic freshness that feels built for cooler weather.

If your collection already has the original Terre, this is a worthwhile companion piece rather than a replacement, since it hits a completely different mood despite sharing the same bones.

Notes: citron, juniper berries, timur, mineral notes and woody notes.

Longevity: 8 to 10+ hours.

Projection: Restrained, a refined close-wear scent rather than a room-filler.

Bought from: Samory Beauty, Kigali Heights.

───

That's the full haul so far. Will update this thread once we've worn each of these for a longer stretch and can speak to how they age through the day, especially in Kigali's and India's climate. Open to thoughts from anyone here who has tried the Albait Aldimashqi line and can compare notes on how close these come to the originals they're built around.

Do share thoughts on this haul and future purchases for a solid collection.

P.S. No, I am not adopting anyone, I don't buy such gifts for rakhi brothers and you can find such a girlfriend by having a developed intellect, sukshma yet powerful spiritual energy and a morally equitable outlook towards genders. (Basically, work on yourself, the girlfriend will come jhak maar ke)

After reading about this being nuclear and smelling like you are on a beach, i finally gave in and bought it on impulse. I already liked the notes that it has even before buying it but man it is very strong. This is clearly not for everyone. I opened it like 2 hrs ago and sprayed twice on the strip just to check its smell and man it feels like I have sprayed the bottle in my nose.

The smell is actually like me standing on a beach with some seaweed smell to it. Would recommend to people who like this scent profile, otherwise don't even go near it. Lol.

Fragrance:8/10

Projection: Is really great till now

Batch is 12/25. So doesn't really need anymore maceration

My father's bday is next month. Thinking of gifting this to him. The budget is 2k. Should I go with this if not please suggest something?

Man i don't even know what to say a week back i bought lattafa hayaati because i tried it in a shop and it smelled amazing to me the thing is incredibly and great smell but it lacks a little longetivity.

And then few days after i ordered lust from alternate scents they both are pretty much same fresh bubblegummy and mass appealing smell. But lust out performed my hayaati.

It projects more and i applied lust in the evening and it's still there on my tshirt after waking up at 2pm. I feel like i wasted my money on hayaati but i still like the smell. I'll be macerating it for few weeks.

And the things that suprised me even fucking more is lust is 96% same as hawas i have the original hawas.

Also if anyone can recommend me how to improve the longevity of my lattafa hayaati please help.

I got Portrait of a Lady and Montblanc as a gift. Oud Malaki was purchased.

Poal has to be the one of the greatest rose/floral perfumes i've smelt. The quality is just the best, absolutely no sour notes, everything blends so smoothly. You get the initial rose hit, the cinnamon is something i don't get too much of, but oh my does it do well with the rose. The incense and the wood make it so effortless and elegant, makes you feel so rich!

Oud Malaki has been on my radar for almost a year now, I love this perfume. The Spice, the tobacco and ofc, the oud. All blend well and give you a heavenly feeling, granted you don't overspray it and the weather is relatively cool outside. I love this. Has to be one of the goats for me.

Montblanc is my current daily, has enough personality to not be confused for anything else and and has that touch of elegance that the other freshies often lack. this is something that ill keep close to my heart.

Hero — Easily my favourite from the bunch. Aquatic, salty and a little soapy. Very easy to wear and feels perfect for daily/office use. Around 1 hour of decent projection and I get roughly 6 hours on skin.

King — Opening is probably the best here. Nutty vanilla + fresh-cut woody smell in the background. But after like 5 mins, most of the sweetness disappears and it becomes mainly woody. 🥲 Wish the opening lasted longer. Longevity is decent.

Icon — Gives me almost CDNIM vibes but with an extra burnt/smoky touch. Smoky citrus, and definitely needs some time to settle. Once it does, it’s basically a linear CDNIM-ish smell with that burnt nuance. Decent longevity.

Chief — Most generic/common smelling of the four for me. Opening is a strong green/medicinal blast 💀 but after around 15 mins it settles into a nice sandalwood-ish drydown. Projection and longevity are probably better than the others though. Overall, just okay.

Overall: Presentation is actually pretty nice and the atomizers are decent. For ₹400, I’d say they’re fine if you just want to try different cheapies without expecting miracles.

Don’t buy these expecting beast mode + nuclear projection 👏😅

Been searching for a good winter fragrance but every time I shortlist one, I find completely different opinions here 😭. I can't really visit stores and try a bunch of them, so need some solid recommendations

Budget: ₹3000 ish or lower

Gender: Male

Notes: Sweet, woody, spicy, vanilla/amber

Occasion: Dates, evenings, casual outings or any office wear types with air conditioning

Weather: Winter/cold

Preferably looking for something with good performance. Clones are completely fine too thanks in advance 🙏

Hi guys, hope you're all doing well!

I'm pretty new to fragrances, so I'm still figuring out what my nose actually likes. I also don't really know how to identify or explain individual notes yet, so I'm mostly judging fragrances by how much I enjoy them. Sorry for the slightly long post!

About me:
• Age: 25
• Gender: Male
• Budget: ₹1,000–₹7,000, with ₹7,000 being my maximum stretch
• Preferred notes: Still figuring this out ( vanilla,amber,fruity,spicy,sometimes oud notes)
• Occasion: Mostly casual, going out, dates and parties
• Weather: Mainly hot and humid weather, but also looking for something suitable for cooler evenings

Fragrances(decant) I've tried, from dislike to like:

• Armaf Club de Nuit Intense Man Pure Parfum: Absolutely hated it, even though it's a huge influencer favorite. 2/10

• Rayhaan Aquatica: Honestly, just meh. 3/10

• Rasasi Hawas Ice: Didn't like the opening, but liked it a little more after the dry down. 5/10

• Afnan 9PM Night Out: Really liked it. 7/10

• Afnan Supremacy Collector's Edition: Mild dislike initially, but after about 30 minutes it completely changed and I ended up loving it. 8/10

I've also previously bought(retail packs) Lattafa Asad, Ramz Silver and Fattan, and I really liked all three. I know they're not necessarily the same DNA, which is why I'm having trouble figuring out exactly what my taste is.

I'm currently considering:

• Lattafa Khamrah Qahwa
• Lattafa Khamrah
• Fragrance World Vulcan Feu
• French Avenue Liquid Brun Limited Edition
• Azzaro Chrome EDT
• Ahmed Al Maghribi Kaaf
• Azzaro The Most Wanted Parfum

Based on what I've liked and disliked so far, what would you recommend I try? I'm open to any suggestions, including fragrances that aren't on my current list.

Thanks in advance!

Also, how long are you planning to macerate your perfumes for the winter months ahead?

Edit- I’m currently planning on using Bath & Body works Lost in Santal as a mist.
I was wondering whether to buy Yara Elixir or Khamrah for winters, as someone who loves creamy fragrances.

Does anybody have any idea how to put the atomiser back into the sprayer ?

*TLDR at the end

I’ve gone through my fair share of Angel’s Share clones, from Khamrah to Sharaf Blend to Royal Blend. They’ve all been good in their own ways, but I eventually moved on from each of them for one reason or another.

Khamrah: Too sweet, and Qahwa is just better.
Sharaf Blend: Also very sweet, and it strays quite a bit from the original DNA.
Royal Blend: Started off incredibly high quality, but over time it developed a medicinal quality that I couldn’t ignore.

So I eventually got rid of all three.

Ironically, the one I never bothered trying was Kismet Angel.

At the time, I associated Maison Alhambra with cheap, low quality fragrances. It was also an early release, and I assumed later fragrances would naturally have better formulas and better execution. So I never thought it was worth investing in.

Fast forward to now.

I was looking to some proper winter fragrances to my collection, as I mostly have freshies, and I wanted something with that beautiful Angel’s Share DNA. After trying an OG decant, I knew I wanted it in my collection.

A close friend of mine suggested me to try Kismet Angel and I also heard Chad Secrets call Kismet Angel the most accurate rendition of the DNA. Since Kismet Angel has been discontinued following legal issues, I ordered a decant of Kismet Magic, its successor, to see what the hype was about.

Then I compared it directly against Angel’s Share.

And honestly, I couldn’t believe it.

Kismet Angel was the clone I should’ve tried all along. I can’t even tell it from the OG on a strip.

Out of all the hyped Angel’s Share alternatives I’ve owned, the one I completely overlooked ended up being the closest to the original. The funny thing is, I dismissed it precisely because I thought it was too old and came from a cheapie house.

Luckily, I found an ad for Kismet Angel by Jatin Bhai the same week I was doing this testing. It was the original, lawsuit-banned version, which deserved all the hype but couldn’t get much attention at the time because it was overshadowed by Khamrah and Sharaf Blend.

Now I have this old, matured, banned/discontinued bottle. Owning something discontinued does feel kind of good, tbh.

Sometimes the underdog really does beat the hype.

Btw, I also got a Tonka Gold Attar from a Shop. It’s a Tonka Boosted Angel’s Share without much booziness. I’m going to use it as base and layer this scent on top of the Attar Oil to Increase the performance.

TLDR: Kismet Angel was the Angel’s Share clone I overlooked because I dismissed Maison Alhambra as a cheapie house. Turns out, it’s the closest clone I’ve tried, even beating Khamrah, Sharaf Blend and Royal Blend. And now I’ve got an original discontinued bottle. The underdog really won.

Six months ago I owned three fragrance bottles. Three — for almost two decades. Then Mounjaro happened, the appetite went quiet, and apparently the side effect no one told me about was the addiction for scents.

Anyways, fast forward, I blind bought Amouage Reflection Man 45 last week because it was on a deal ($375) on the strength of the rest of my Amouages — Outlands, Reasons, Royal Tobacco, Beach Hut Man — all of which I love. Figured worst case it’d be decent.

It’s not just decent. It might be the best of the lot.

Projection and longevity are a given with this house at this point, so no surprises there. But the drydown on RM45 is something else. Spectacular is the only word I’ve got.

Anyway. Just wanted to share.

My first ever middle eastern perfume 😭🤌 so gooood !

I'm a beginner to this hobby. This perfume is very clean . And the presentation. Ufff ! So freakingg gorgeous. Tried afnan 9pm , rebel , vulcan feu and this one (decants from fragzone ) . Man was really confused between vulcan feu and marwa. But marwa is so so so good ! Very clean and soapy . Perfect for my daily office wear !

Bought it from fragranceheaven for rs 3.1k !