Lak

This review focuses on the 55 ml EDP edition. Lak is an unexpected gem from the very first moment, bursting onto the scene with an extremely dense and striking intensity, overwhelming your senses with all of its notes at once. The initial impact is deep and radiant — right from the first spray, you're enveloped in a bold mix of pitch black rose, musk, and dried fruits, exuding an almost leathery sweetness. The introduction combines dark incense with a rich floral character that carries a faint hint of oud. After some time, a nutty walnut or chestnut accord emerges, though the composition isn't too complex — it simply arrives unexpectedly. The nutty notes vaguely remind me of dirty, earthy, oily bushes of an indeterminate plant, like wandering through a grove of untamed flora. A subtle, dusty, tobacco-like spice emerges, bringing a smoky and slightly woody edge, reminiscent of dark clouds before a storm. These layers create a deep, almost mysterious atmosphere. As the fragrance moves into its final phase, it dries down into a softer, powdery finish, rounding out the earlier intensity with a creamy, nutty warmth. The longevity is excellent, with the fragrance maintaining a steady, bold projection that hits a dirty nutty note as it settles — almost like the quiet calm of a library. Entirely unisex, I can't determine if it leans more towards masculine or feminine — it walks a fine line, remaining completely unisex. Its balance of musky, floral, and woody elements makes it a versatile option for both genders. I don't believe the fragrance pyramid displayed on Fragrantica is accurate. It shares similarities with the Rasasi Shuhrah profile (I'm honestly surprised no one has made that comparison), but I can confidently say I've never smelled anything quite like it before. It is remarkably unique. The bottle itself is beautiful, reminiscent of an Arabian market. It feels like a rare find, something you'd be lucky to stumble across, which is, in fact, the truth. I'm not sure how I managed to get it for less than €11 — it was listed as the only available piece. There's no mention of it on Al Haramain's website, and their subpage for it has even been removed. Anyone who owns this can consider themselves lucky because it's unlikely to be found again, unless you're desperate enough to import it, since, from what I've seen, it's only available for purchase in India. This fragrance represents a rare, nostalgic touch of brilliance that's unlikely to ever be found again. Opening note: 8 Sillage/Projection: 8+ Dry down: 9- Longevity: 9- Blend/Composition: 9 Versatility: 6- Uniqueness: 10- Value for money: unavailable Bottle design/Aesthetics: 8- Overall experience: 9- Blind-buy rating: 2

Update: I’ve got the 55ml Lak spray on one wrist and the 15ml Lak oil on the other - so let’s finally get to the bottom of this comparison. When I asked the seller if the spray and the oil were similar, the reply was quite simply; “I think same”. So let’s start by stating that the spray is NOTHING like the oil. They are not even remotely related. The Bottles: The oil comes in a cheap silver bottle that falls apart (the lid and the base have now fallen off, the seller advised me to just glue it back together). The spray (on the other hand) comes in an impressively heavy and beautiful gold metal bottle. The Smell: The oil is sweet ‘n’ juicy Heaven in a bottle (full review for the oil on my blog), but the spray isn’t anything special. The spray starts like a transparent hairspray with a medicinal oud note. I couldn’t believe the vast difference between the two - I’ve got bandaid oud hairspray with dry walnut husk on one wrist and rich, sweet-opulence on the other. I waited for the spray to develop, or at least warm to become less parched and dry. 1 hour in and I suddenly think it’s a clever idea to now blast my neck with 3 generous sprays. I’m instantly reminded of the boozy oud-poop intro and suffer that for the next 10 minutes. In comparison, my wrist now smells a lot more interesting. Maybe there’s a timid musk trying to get through the walnut shell? Still no dried fruits nor sweetness but it’s getting spicier, as I detect saffron. 2 hours in and I smell clean, spicy walnuts - it’s becoming a skin-scent as it’s transparent and not overbearing, plus the longevity is awesome. My mum just smelt both to confirm that they are nothing at all alike and around my next she said “it doesn’t smell like YOU, you smell like someone else” which I interpret negatively. I think it’s clear that I officially don’t like the spray. The heavy gold bottle (and the scent) actually reminds me of ‘Nasmah’ by Al Haramain. So the bottom line is, the spray is a dry walnut, synthetic oud and spicy musk mix - the oil is a beautiful rich blend of sweet dried fruits, walnut, black rose and a little musk. The oil goes into my favourites list and the spray goes into the sin bin.

Purchased this attar in oil, 15 ml sized bottle, - no regrets. Unisex for sure, with woody-spicy edge. Full of sour-sweet juicy-woody yumminess from berries or fruits that make you crave for it over and over again. It has the same vibe that I get in Lolita Lempicka Illusions Noir SI Lolita Eau Minuit. Same spiced amber with peppery kick. Another similarity is Under My Spell Noelle of Benefit. Lak for sure has more smokiness in it and if you go deeper you can reach that delicious baklava sort of trace from melted nuts. The most impressive lasting power as well, 24 hours and more if on the clothes. Need to buy spray version in EDP now to compare!

Oil version (silver bottle) review: Damn. At first you think this is really gonna suck and be a scrubber, then you put it on and feel like its gonna be a barbershop mess, then after 10 minutes you go insane. The most delectable incensy rose, coming and going in wafts, swapping places with some nuts. I dont get much dried fruits. Now the way this thing works is pretty mysterious to me: sillage is minimum but you keep on being able to smell it! Each time you move, it’s there! How? Thats crazy for a 10€ oil. If you catch it for less than 10€ do yourself a favor and blind it, at least for educational purposes.

Cedar/date/rose spice fest, gentler than Shefon.