Baghdad

A unisex, very sensual dark rose, full of thorns but impossible to resist, it starts with a bold velvet dark red rose followed by saffron and other oriental spices involved in a very subtle very soft and beautiful indian agarwood which give it that sensual je ne sais quoi. It’s like a love affair, and the drydown, that’s the best part, a smoky velvet rose, very subtle to the skin, this is a very intimate fragrance and like every affair it makes you wanting more, to me the only downside of this fragrance, at least on my skin, it doesn’t last very long (6h more or less), yet I find it beautiful in that way, it leaves me wanting more.

What a beautiful bouquet of red and pink luscious roses. So well blended with the calming spiritual sandalwood in the drydown. There's just a hint of spice and a touch of mellow oud. Reminds me of Homage attar by Amouage in ways but more complex and so well priced. Unbeatable rose scent for the price. True quality. I am raving about this brand. More guys need to try this stuff. Unisex. Long lasting. Soft and gentle. Brilliant.

i don't know how he does it, but abdul karim composes here an oud-rose combo that smells as good as many others that cost 10x as much (and i have those, too.) very good indeed.

A gorgeously grounded, woody, balsamic rose! Suitable for men or women, but dark enough that I can understand the label 'for men'. There is a black tar aura here I sometimes associate with leather that is probably oud. Nice! Saffron and spices come off almost as herbals, and the sweetness is invisible. If you enjoy scents like Aromatics Elixir or dark leather classics, then I think Baghdad is a fine choice. Low sillage and good longevity. Not offensive in small spaces unless over applied, which is very handy for those of us who love fragrance with major personality... but need subtlety! UPDATE - Another day, another experience. Today I am surprised at how much more leather and tobacco *but esp. leather* are taking the upper hand. Rose has nearly disappeared and the overall impression is.... challenging. Fecal, potent, dirty leather sofa, long home to an aging mastiff?! But that is what I smell... To do Baghdad justice, on another person's skin I smelled more of what I previously reviewed combined with this lovely deep, dry leather. Strong, but with low sillage and elegance. NO dirty dog or overpowering animalics, just expensive, deep tarry goodness. And remember, you never have to blind buy with AK Al Faransi. They offer samples to many countries. :)

Although i'm not an "attar guy" but every now and then you need something traditional for special days like Eid or Jummah. I bought Baghdad based on positive review by praises by Nikhkil on his YouTube channel Perfume Guru. Baghdad is a beautiful concoction that starts off with very spicy saffron with Pungent background. This pungency is due to the note of Indian agarwood, which can come up as bit fecal in the start. This beginning may seem very overwhelming and may come as more like a traditional attars but, the transition from saffron to rose is where magic happens. Rose used in baghdad is gorgeous, although i can't identify its kind (dark rose as per official website) but whatever rose it is, its absolutely breathtaking. So much so that i couldn't stop sniffing my wrist after hours of application. I have used attars bought from local market and i can attest that quality of AKAF blend is far more superior than those. Longevity is quite subjective thing but it lasted on my skin for about 8-10 hours. Unlike mainstream perfumes, attar oils are very personal affair hence projection is not that loud. But my friend confirmed that he was getting whiffs of baghdad in masjid, he was two rows back and it was windy. So that's that.