Rare Carbon

"How Much Can You REALLY KNOW About 'Rare Carbon' By Reading Its Reviews??" I've read ALL of the Rare Carbon reviews here so you don't have to. Several express that it's a close clone of Ombre Leather. Many sincerely say not really. Some think it's closer to Tuscan Leather.....Or a combination of respected leather fragrances. While still others feel it quite deservedly stands on its own. It's all fairly confusing especially for anyone ultimately attempting to make a potential purchase decision.....But in this very particular case the good news is NONE of that really matters! Because based on its lowly average of (115) 'votes' per year since being released in 2020, one thing is obvious: RC is presently one of THE MOST under-rated, overlooked and truly exceptional hidden gems on ALL of Fragrantica! Bar none. No question. (With upcoming proof revealed here). I've been seriously into men's fragrance for 35+ years. And regardless of how one might personally think this compares 'in scent' to Ombre Leather, Tuscan Leather, Godolphin, or the rest of the extremely high-profile leathers that reviewers are comparing it to, ultimately what "actually" matters is that Rare Carbon is simply an OUTSTANDING men's leather fragrance for its $29/100ml. online price---or even if its price were $95! One of the TOP long-time men's fragrance reviewers on YouTube, Ashton of "Gents Scents", just recently released a video entitled "12 CLONES THAT ARE BETTER THAN THE ORIGINALS" where he states that RC is the very best clone of OL, and then follows that up revealing that he believes it is the #1 "lower-priced men's leather fragrance" on the entire international market today! For added perspective, I essentially "dreamed up" this composition shortly after decant-sampling Ombre Leather (2018) in 2019---Of course never really thinking anything would come of it, I imagined/ hoped for an 'ombre leather-type' fragrance, having even more of its attractively light sweetness, revealing a marginally lighter-shade of leather, possessing some equally beautiful florals, while still very masculine; all to specifically be more wearable down to dressy-casual if you will (since at the time I had recently transitioned from a job regularly wearing business suits to one which was less dressy; being totally taken with the aura of OL edp)..... And RC delivers on each of those particular attributes---with an INCREDIBLY impressive OL-based fragrance---sharing aspects of BOTH Ombre Leather edp (2018) and Ombre Leather parfum (2021)!! (ie. generally reflective of the sweetness and density of the edp, combined with the freshness, woodiness and floral direction of the parfum). An added 'raspberry' note lends a truly inviting nature, while the quality, composition and blend are nothing short of exceptional for a low-priced clone fragrance. Based on various related comments on this post, the following is well worth mentioning (and remembering): The 100% KEY to RC's "overall experience" lies in its initial application: Spray too little and you might not get the full effect of the delightful berry essence throughout, over-spray and the leather, violet leaf and ozonic notes can become unbalanced or too strong. So definitely experiment with how much you apply and be sure to spray it a fair distance AWAY from your skin (for the mistiest and most balanced scent dispersion), using "a smooth and enjoyable 30-minute open" as your target goal.....and the rest will most beautifully take care of itself. RC provides solid overall performance with most here "averaging" about 8 hours longevity based on its performance results above. And great versatility from dressy-casual apparel to business suits, for daytime or nighttime. It's simply a sensational 3-season fragrance! Indeed, lifetime I've never loved a leather fragrance more. The light powdery-smooth sweetness gives it a notable touch of charm, while the fragrance itself is both compositionally and captivatingly divine!! .....along with being a surprisingly comfortable wearing leather scent. So if you're a mature 27 or older and enjoy quality men's LEATHER fragrances, do yourself a HUGE favor and don't miss this easy-on-the-budget beauty! 10/10 overall (for the price).

(3) Things to Know About Rare Carbon BEFORE Buying It: 1. Rare Carbon is generally "assumed" to be the #1 clone of Tom Ford's very popular Ombre Leather 2018 (edp). This is NOT EXACTLY TRUE......instead, being a truly outstanding composition combining the OL edp AND some of the fresher, woodier and more floral elements of Ombre Leather Parfum. (as noted by Fragrantica voters in the "This perfume reminds me of....." section above, and also recognized by the more experienced YouTube men's fragrance reviewers). Still, considered the most exceptional alternative (or clone) of OL on the market today. Additionally, RC's composition has a bit more prominent smell of leather, exhibits a slightly "lighter shade" of leather, and is also sweeter than OL edp. Lastly, and per the voting above, this fragrance also has a raspberry note "similar to" that in La Yuqawam by Rasasi. 2. Leather fragrances---and the appreciation of them---are usually an "acquired taste", smell somewhat unique, and are not for everyone....RC is no exception, and generally for a mature 27+ year-old audience. Sample/test first if you're not typically a leather fragrance wearer. 3. Like many low-cost middle eastern fragrances, "maceration" of RC after the initial purchase will garner BEST results (ie. spray out 4-6 sprays and then store for at least 3-4 months before use). What you will end up with is a truly superb leather fragrance notably in the vein of OL. (Without enough maceration, this fragrance may lack scent, depth and/or performance) P.S. I've worn this fragrance for years and it's my very favorite leather fragrance in 30 years. I wrote this post specifically because I truly believe RC would be rated even higher than it already is here, if buyers were aware of these points BEFORE buying Rare Carbon. (Rather than being disappointed by "what they anticipated but didn't get" in RC).

Recommendations: FOR PURCHASING Rare Carbon (Having worn 2 bottles and read various responses): 1) DO NOT "Blind Buy" this fragrance if you are new to men's fragrances, mainly prefer "mainstream" designer fragrances, are under the age of about 27, or if you aren't familiar with LEATHER fragrances. Decant/sample test first. (Leather fragrances are an "acquired taste"--much like niche fragrances--and are not for everyone). That said, this is the most exceptional men's leather fragrance I've ever owned in 30+ years in men's fragrance, and I actually prefer it to Tom Ford's Ombre Leather because it's even more versatile due to its sweetness and being composed of a somewhat lighter-shade of leather. 2) For BEST RESULTS you should "macerate" this fragrance first. (ie. when brand new, spray out about 5-6 sprays, leave the cap off and store in a cool dry dark place for about 1-2 months before wearing. Otherwise, the leather scent can seem sharp and the composition not properly balanced, relative to what it actually should smell like--which is an absolutely AMAZING leather fragrance! For decades I've never needed to macerate my fragrances, but it's recently coming out that more than a few highly regarded inexpensive/ clone fragrances indeed require macerating to dramatically improve the overall impression of the composition/ fragrance, while sometimes also improving the performance. (If you happen to be interested in a detailed and top-rated full review of Rare Carbon, mine is posted here on 3/17/24).

FOOD FOR THOUGHT--- Rare Carbon. Out of the 343 fragrances in Fragrantica's historical database specifically classified as "Men's Leather" fragrances (by their respective designers), Afnan's Rare Carbon is presently ranked 19th best for its scent/composition--- That's truly impressive considering MOST of the other men's leather fragrances ahead of RC have from 1,000 to over 7,000 'votes', while it currently has just 534 !! Translation? Little ol' Afnan is quietly "nailing it" with RC, an amazing HIDDEN GEM sitting at the TOP 5% of all men's leather fragrances EVER created---yet having taken almost FIVE YEARS to get there!! Why that long? EVERY fragrance brand ranked above it is either designer or niche. So just imagine where RC would rank if it were marketed and sold by a major fragrance house!! .....The "benefit" of it's slow and low trajectory of success? RC has plenty of room to grow in popularity for years to come as word gets out about how amazing a leather fragrance it is. Of course the comments here nit-picking or critically intended to deter one from purchasing RC obviously don't help. They're akin to "the tail 'attempting' to wag the dog", when the fact is nearly 90% of regular wearers either Like or MOSTLY Love RC based on its ratings above. Again, remarkably distinguished numbers for a leather fragrance! (If you're interested in knowing exactly "what makes this fragrance exceptional", check out my extensive top-rated review posted here on 3/17/24).

Agree w @chocovanillemark23 re this being a safe blind buy if you like TFTL and/or OL. I own both OL EDP and OL Parfum. I have twice worn samples of TL and have the Alexandria clone of TL. I enjoy OL much more than TL. I feel that Rare Carbon does sit between TL and OL EDP, actually leaning a bit more toward TL at times, esp during drydown, and OL early and mid. It is similar, but not the same. I think it's quite good for its own reasons. The greenness at open is sort of similar to TL, but it is not nearly as raspberry-centric. I feel RC has a more herbaceous quality than TL. But also present, and separating this from OL and TL are the "ozonic toasty" spices. Someone said it smells like popcorn. I understand what they mean but I don't think it smells like popcorn. It's a unique fresh toasty spice to my nose. If I smelled this blind, I would know instantly that it's not OL or TL, but I would also say it reminds me of them. I feel it's actually even more unique than either. The leather is less pronounced than the round slightly sweet one in OL EDP and definitely not as pronounced as the much dryer leather in OL Parfum. Also, the very deep drydown (6+ hrs after application) of OL Parfum is essentially white musk, there is significantly less of it in RC. Imo this cannot replace OL EDP or Parfum or TL, but it certainly lives in the same apartment building. I also feel this can be worn on warmer (not hot) days because of how the violet lifts it. Peace 2u.

#582 in my "Tour de Fragrance" I've wanted to try this for a while as it gets mentioned a lot, and this is one of my favorite scent profiles: amber, leather, sandalwood, oud, a floral touch. One of the few scent combinations where I don't mind some Damascus or Turkish Rose. This reminds me of Afnan "Highness III", but the leather is better. Also reminds me of Versace "Pour Homme Oud Noir", Dunhill's great new EDPs "Moroccan Amber", "British Leather", "Agar Wood", Tom Ford's "Oud Wood", Al Haramain's Oud Wood clone "Woody Oud", but smoother than the "Woody Oud." There's probably a couple hundred scents with similar profiles. Seems every fragrance house does some version of this, though so many are much more expensive and none are this good for under $40. Some nice opening notes like the violet always disappear quickly in these scents of course, not just a characteristic of the inexpensive Afnan scents. What's left here is the kind of scent I associate with old wood-paneled men's clubs, and also with older men. If you added a tobacco scent it would be exactly that. Personally I really like smelling this a lot and would wear it for that reason alone. And I really like the price. So I'll call this a safe blind buy for the over forty guys, but if you're a younger guy looking for a club scent, this ain't that. Good Luck and Good Hunting!

EDIT: I have to eat my words. My previous review below was based on a first impression, but man, was I wrong. After sitting in the cabinet for a few weeks, this fragrance has completely transformed. What I initially perceived as "musty" or "chemical" has turned into pure luxury. The harsh edges are gone, replaced by an incredibly smooth yet powerful leather note with a touch of violet that actually reminds me of the sophisticated vibe of Lattafa Ta'weel. This bottle simply needed oxygen and a bit of time. If you just got this and you hate it: put it away, wait for a bit, and thank me later. This went from a 1-star fail to a 5-star powerhouse in my collection. --------- FIRST IMPRESSION: A hard pass for me. The opening instantly hit me with the scent of cheap rubber car mats, and that sharp, synthetic rubber vibe just refuses to fade. I own and love Dior Fahrenheit (the ultimate polarizing fragrance), so I'm definitely not afraid of bold scents, but this is just off-putting. I haven't smelled Tom Ford's Ombré Leather yet, but I refuse to believe it smells this industrial. I'll let it macerate in a dark closet for a few months to see if it evolves. Right now? It's just a very cool-looking paperweight for my desk.

Do you want to "fully understand" Rare Carbon BEFORE you buy it? A. I've been into men's fragrance for nearly 40 years and have the #1 FULL REVIEW of Rare Carbon. (Select "positive reviews" immediately above these posts to view it). If you don't like to read much, just read the 2nd paragraph of the review (which explains EXACTLY what this fragrance is a composition of and what it smells similar to). B. Also READ my shorter post on 12/08/25 (about 15 posts below) which indicates what to know before buying it. C. I've worn almost 3 bottles of this fragrance for going on 6 years---and it's my favorite LEATHER fragrance EVER in 30+ years. (If you have any questions FEEL FREE to message me). D. SPOILER ALERT!.....This fragrance is NOT a 1 to 1 clone of Ombre Leather EDP (2018).....and explains "why" more than a few here are disappointed when they finally get this fragrance. Teaser: This fragrance IS essentially an "OL clone", but includes more than just the OL (2018) "edp" (qualities) within the composition. And for me, that's what makes Rare Carbon a truly exceptional fragrance!

I’ve actually smelled TF Ombre Leather and I found it too floral for my taste. I think Rare Carbon is better. The leather here is black motorcycle jacket type enveloped by a new bespoke suit. There’s a new cloth smell that smells very natural. The leather is not a premium leather like Tuscan leather but it’s there. To be exact, imagine a suit that is made of both leather & cloth. The combination of leather and fabric is how the leather smell. It is NOT like Tuscan Leather where you dive your face and nose to the actual black leather seats of a BMW. I think this is a well crafted fragrance as I can see some of juice turning amber on the nozzle which indicates natural ingredients. I can see the comparison between TF Tuscan Leather because of the raspberry. There is slight difference. The raspberry in TF TL is fresh and tart whereas in Rare Carbon the raspberry is jammed and cooked like toppings for pie. The performance is great as it can fill the room in just 3 sprays. All in all for the price it’s a winner! I think this is even better than Ombré Leather.

I've just taken the plunge with Rare Carbon after having it on my wish list for a very long time. Reviews seem to pitch between Tuscan Leather, Ombre Leather EDT and Ombre Leather Parfum. I would agree with that having given Rare Carbon a full wearing. I have a Tuscan Leather inspired scent called Imperial Oud by Junaid Jamshed which swaps the Raspberry of TL for a richer Amber-Vanilla accord on top of that recognizable dirty, spicy leather albeit dialled down for smoothness. Really good if you can get your hands on a bottle btw. That said, I'm not the world's biggest fan of the true Raspberry-forward Tuscan Leather DNA as I find it too bitter, harsh and aggressive - an over assertive statement fragrance, if you will. I bought Rare Carbon hoping to get a solid alternative to Ombre Leather and I have to say it is definitely the same....but enjoyably different. Credit, where credit is due, Rare Carbon is a high quality, well blended scent and the bottle is really impressive, bordering on opulent in some respects. Very happy with my purchase.

What an amazing fragrance. For day like today, late wintery weather with sunshine with wind, Rare Carbon wears so well. It's certainly "similar" but definitely "different" than OL. TFOL shines when the weather is colder, sky is darker/overcast, and layers of clothes are required. Compared to that, Rare Carbon is a bit livelier, softer leathery, and a bit sweeter. Not quite full spring type of fragrance but not as deep nor dark as OL. It has great longevity and arms length projection, great for windy day. Only EDP that does this well would be Oud for greatness, Ombre Leather Parfum or Ebene Fume. Most of fragrances on my skin dies off after 4-6 hrs but surprisingly Rare Carbon kept up for a good 8 hrs with only 2 sprays on chest and one reach wrist. People say this is a clone but you will be disappointed if you buy this thinking its 90+% same to OL. Nope. It's not. But if you separately enjoy OL from TL, you will enjoy this ad its own entity. This is a fabulous fragrance, lighter and sweeter brother of OL. Highly recommend it.

I have been searching for an Ombre leather clone for a long time and finally I’ve managed to get ahold of this bottle after knowing about it for ages. The question you’re all wanting to know the answer to, does it smell like Ombre leather? Short answer - yes I’m very picky with clones and this is my favourite clone of any perfume if found so far. Smells very very deep and rich much like OL, but also a lot brighter. The violet and florals are a lot louder than OL but this is not a bad thing. Think of this like a perfect flanker to OL. The recent parfum release take OL and makes it earthier and a little powdery but has that violet with a musty tobacco. Rare Carbon has a mix of the original and the parfum - it’s bright like the parfum but not earthy or powdery, it has the leather of the EDP but not as dark or bold. Honestly guys, it would take quite a nose to tell you’re not wearing OL. Just get it and buy yourself a back up bottle, it’s 100% worth it to my discerning taste.

I had just smelled Ombre Leather at a retail store. Wasn't sure I wanted to pay full retail for it, but I liked the scent. Picked this one up as a trial balloon, and OMG! I don't have the TFOL to do a side by side comparison, but no need. Regardless of how close to the original this is, for the price I can't say anything but I love Rare Carbon. I may still pick up TF one day, if I have money burning a hole in my pocket. But I will always keep a bottle of Rare Carbon on hand as well. I know it's listed further down on the scent profile, but I'm getting a distinct oud smell in addition to the other components listed. Wore this scent to work today, on a cold day, and I'm loving how I smell! Update: I have since picked up Ombré Leather, and recently sample Nasamatto Duro (a similar scent), but today I decided to wear Rare Carbon to work. Man, I still love this stuff! It’s got to be one of the best bang for your buck scents I own.

I own both Tom Ford Ombre Leather and Afnan Rare Carbon. I wore them together, one on each forearm, and these are my thoughts: Rare Carbon is incredible. It smells 98-99% identical to the Tom Ford, and that one percent difference actually favors the Afnan. RC smells ever so slightly more appealing off my skin. The incredibly strong similarities lasted the entire life of the fragrances, not just the opening or dry down like some clones. This is Ombre Leather from beginning to end. The projection and longevity of the two were also nearly identical. The fact that I bought my bottle of Rare Carbon for just $18 is crazy. It's one of the best value propositions in the fragrance industry. Afnan really is a special house. RC makes OL obsolete. Sorry Tom Ford, I'm just calling it how I smell it. As a bonus, RC has a beautiful and heavy bottle. There's literally no downside to this fragrance.

First up, this is a banger. Solid leather fragrance. No messing. I don’t get the comparison to TFOL. Rock76 nails it below. 60%. If that. Now, I don’t own TL, however, I do have a sample of Godolphin and I have a 30ml bottle of Lattafa’s Velvet Oud. I think Rare Carbon possibly sits in between those two. Godolphin is a full on animalic leather frag. Beautiful. Velvet Oud is a sweeter, more citrusy leather scent. Also stunning. I decided to spray RC on one arm and VO on the other as I felt they were the most similar. Still a world of difference. They open quite similar, but veer off in different directions as they dry down. Both have lifted my appreciation for leather scents even further tonight. Rare Carbon is a banging scent on its own accord. Definitely a late autumn/winter vibe. Cannot wait to rock it in a few months.

I found this fragrance to be a beautiful interpretation of TF Ombre Leather/Parfum. It lives somewhere in the space between the 2. It opens with an almost raspberry, leathery, spiciness before the lending its way to the florals in the mid and woodsy base while still being driven down this road with the leather. Not sure what gives the raspberry accord I pick up, maybe the mixture of the violet leaf, violet, rose, oud combo but it is absolutely beautiful. Now, I pick up zero oud, I think it is only there to help give that fruitiness a push. It is close to ombre leather/parfum without being a 1-1 clone. If you don't have the money to shell out for those, this is a phenomenal take on them. If you like leather fragrances, then this would be a great one to add to your collection.

This is a hidden gem. Obviously this fragrance is not safe for a blind buy. When i tried this for the first time I was instantly blown away. Right from the start I got a nice sweet raspberry with a luxurious soft leather. And during the day this fragrance was changing from leather to raspberry to floral to leather again and again. The leather is there all the time through the life cycle of the fragrance and u just get different sides and notes alongside. For me personally this is more close to Tuscan leather. Yet don't get me wrong but i prefer to give my opinion based on this fragrances alone not as a dupe of something else. On it's own this is an outstandingly good parfume. It's unique and u definitely will get noticed.

Get this if you love leather fragrances, this is the best leather cheapie. It is not similar to TF ombre leather, this is a different take on leather. This is 40 % leather and 60 % fruity/floral. It is by no means a fruity fragrance, the proportions are perfect. Leather is quite a domineering note and hence requires a lower proportion in the blend. There is a slight petroleum vibe in the beginning but it fades with time and the dry down has more woody characteristics than leather, but it is still present. The longevity is monstrous, lasts longer than a day when sprayed on clothes and projects for 3 hours. I got this frag for 15 $ in my country (Pakistan), and I think this perfume punches well above its class.

This is my first leather frag since I was a kid, back when my dad would give me whatever scraps he had left from his collection. I hated leather frags, until now. This is a treat to wear, and I don't care to compare it to any other high-end perfume. Lastly, I think we need to be reminded that, for the most part, when we use the word "clone", we shouldn't be looking for an exact replica of an original scent, but rather a resemblance. Afnan for the most part does a fantastic job at this IMO, and I believe during the process have been able to create their own unique products. I am by no means big in the frag game, but I don't see why I need to look much further outside of this company for what I need.

This is only my initial impression as someone who just got this a couple hours ago. I will update with a real review once I have more time with it. I bought this at first as an impulse buy knowing it’s an Ombre Leather dupe. Before opening it, I was having buyers remorse thinking “when would i ever wear a leather perfume??” Glad I decided to open it because now I just wanna bathe myself in it. It’s intoxicating. Also, before I put it on, I was already wearing Aventus, and OHHHH BABY do they layer together perfectly 😮💨 Will report in again after I get a better idea of performance. Could use maceration or might not even need it. We’ll see