Al Buraq

wow, things i never knew, department. i knew that AMBERGIS was the reason whales get slaughtered so lovelies could smell lovely. but i thought AMBER was sweet resin from trees. you know all those little bugs billions of years old trapped in the "amber" (golden) hardened sap stuff. by accident, i just clicked oh the rock things up there in fragrance notes, and i learned that amber par parfum is short for ambergis (and if i don't wash this test of aqua allegoria pamp blah blah off i'm going to throw up- i know, wrong page.). i have just very recently become acquainted w/middle and far eastern perfume oils. because i'm multiply neurotic, including obsessive, i bought about 30 - maybe a few less. i loathe 2 of them. i can stand 2 of them. the rest, i really, really like, or love to bits. i knew i wouldn't get, and didn't, much sillage, but i did get more than i expected. let me get on topic. al buraq is probably the 15th one i've tried. for a crowd containing many i "love to bits", this is the winner to date, and a winner that could stroll a few miles and stop for a beer without seeing a contender for days. it is absolutely spectacular. the reason i went on the amber rant above is because of east beach in rhode island, and how smelling this transported me there in a new york minute. we have a house on 7 miles of beach. the path to the atlantic ocean is strewn with inelegant, fragrant, wild roses on husky bushes. when the petals go they leave those bulbous things called rose hips. the big flowers have big hips, and loads of 1 of nature's best scents/sillage galore. then you hit the beach, and, well, for those of you who love the beach, you know how wow-ing the salt and...EVERYTHING smells. for those who have not yet experienced an ocean beach, there is nothing i can say that would even begin. the first scent that hit me was that "in your face" salt water, slightly (and how weird will this sound)delightfully "fishy". the roses haven't stayed on the path, they've come w/me down to the water, and their scent is mingling w/the eau de beach with notes of salt water, seaweed, beachwind and sun(oh yes you can smell the sun and there is a smell the wind has on the beach that for all it's huffing and puffing, it can't take anywhere else)the seaweed and the ambergis, the whale oil smell. (sushi on the sand, a plagarized perfume by oopsfauxpas). i have evidence from another particular oil i tried, that not all countries are as wild life conscious as we are. i suspect this is the real deal. (as is the musk, which comes from the musk deer - decency forbids greater detail. ...um, either ajmal, al haramain, or al-rehab have a perfume oil called musk jism. silly me. i thought it was just a titillating name. oops. pervasive sillage, long lasting. what more could you want?) because i'm the kind of nit who rescues drowning worms from puddles, i choose to believe that it was collected from the top of the water. it's possible -sperm whale vomit floats. (just don't think about it.) so why kill the poor things? find a pod, follow them around, and someone's bound to toss their lunch. i bet they eat a big lunch. DEFINITELY MOVING ON, if you are someone who loves the smell of the beach a lot, i'd give this a go. hold on, slight update. 1 hour in, and getting more ambergis. i have got to try describing this w/out using fishy. fishy sends you down a road to a country you'd end up in ONLY if you got lost. definitely stronger, more animalic. the wind, salt and sun seem to be under heavy fog, so the ground smells from the beach are taking over. the roses are right there. not as pretty, or nice. it's just, plain grand. sen-bloody-sational. al buraq by al haramain

Such a lovely dark rose fragrance! Al Buraq is a perfume in the arabic tradition but not too heavy like some can be. This one's very easy to like and a good first step if you'd love to try some arabic perfumes. On me, this is all juicy rose with some oudh and saffron to spice it up. The musk and amber are there to add some vividity and sweetness, but on me it's the rose that shines. Really beautiful!

So beautiful, and a glorious rose! Intoxicating, comforting and deep; it's one of the most beautiful, full-blooming, rich and velvety roses I've ever smelt. It's an amazing perfume. Gorgeously strong, sweet, with the lovely smokiness of the wonderful oud, and a hint of saffron and a lovely deep rich amber as well. It's absolutely terrific. Sensual and embracing, and strong. I love it!

It is very different from any other Arabic oils with similar notes that I have tested. There is a nice smokiness to it. I think it comes from the Oud. The saffron is very much present and brings a nice spiciness to the scent. Not much sweetness. Definitely unisex but more on the masculine side. A beautiful and rare scent. The rose is there but a little shy.

This is warm, sultry, beautiful summer night in India, bathed in the most expensive of roses. I just got it a few days ago, and am so upset that I won't get any more w/o spending a small fortune. This is what a boudoir photo from the 40's would be like if it were a perfume.