Hafez Gold

Very nice warm, rich and gentlemanly DNA. No doubt opens with the olibanum and incense. The vanilla and sandalwood combo are peaking around the corner. As it dries down, these two notes begin to come to the forefront creating a smooth luxurious men’s fragrance. Longevity and projection are above average. More suitable for cold weather. Best for formal occasions but could be rocked any time. Pleasant original fragrance from AF. Pick up a sample and try it out for yourself.

Absolutely amazing! Received this as a sample. Two days later I purchased a full bottle. It's that good (to me). As with most AF frags, you'll legitimately get 8+ hours of performance.

30DEC22 Ooooookay....it's here!!! WOOHOO!!!! Just got it outta the mailbox and I'm wearing it out tonight! (4x sprays to chest) AAaaaaaahhhhhhh.....This takes me back...back to the initial release of "Lattafa - Raghba Wood Intense". Back when there was more vanilla in it than incense and smoke. That is what "Hafez Gold" reminds me of....But "Hafez Gold" is sooooo much BETTER!!! There's this fruity sweetness in "Hafez Gold"...something that "RWI" never had. It's also got the perfect amount of smooth vanilla and amber (Vanillamber?), and just the right amount of Incense! After a few hours the fragrance starts to dry down and the Sandalwood and Cinnamon REALLY make an appearance alongside the Vanilla and Incense and really smooth out the fragrance. The sweetness remains and it's not smoky incense...but more of a spicy incense...and THAT I absolutely LOVE!!! I just received my bottle tonight so I can't comment on performance yet...just put it on. However, the wife LOVES it...I can't say that about "RWI" as she never liked that one on me. That in and of itself makes "Hafez Gold" my #1 choice for "Incense-Vanilla". I'll be picking up a 100ml bottle of this when my 30ml starts getting low. This is going to be a mainstay base-layer from now on! 01DEC22 Wearing it again today. Base layered with "Alex Frags - Law of Attraction" in a 40/60 ratio. This...is just heavenly! 05DEC22 Wearing this as a base layer with "Qaed Al Fursan" on top...smells like a better version of "Aventus"!! 09DEC22 This is the most perfect base-layer for a Spicy-Incensy-Vanilla that there ever was!! I ordered a backup 60ml bottle, but I think I'm going to add a second 60ml as well at the end of the month since they don't make this in 100ml. This layers so perfectly with other fragrances on top...constantly peeking it's scent-profile above the other to let you know it's still there holding down the fort and giving a strong foundation to anything you choose to layer on-top. The incense never takes over the sweet and vanillic tone of the fragrance...just gives it a zing, pop and kick that I've not found with ANY OTHER incense-vanilla fragrance! Perfection...utter perfection. This is a fragrance that I CANNOT be without!

Given that this is from AF, you have to take for granted that this fragrance will need to age for a while before it reaches its full potential. With that said, this is my first impression, before the aging process... This stuff is POTENT. As in do NOT over spray. Fortunately, I tend to go light, especially when just getting to know a new fragrance. What I immediately got out of this on first sniff was a good balance of really all the listed notes, with cinnamon and sandalwood most prominent, and with frankincense and incense being more or less imperceptible to my nose. There is also that ever so slight musty note I find common with the use of javanol, but that passes within 5-10 minutes. What's left reminds me very much of a spicier, richer version of Al Rehab's Sultan -- and that's a good thing. Dry down evolves into more of a vanilla sandalwood with a delicate accent of incense. Niiiice. Hafez Gold speaks to a middle eastern sensibility, but tempered to more western tastes. I like it, but I'm not yet sure it lives up to its promise. Time will tell -- but at the very least, Hafez Gold is certainly wearable enough.

Picked up samples of "Mancera - Aoud Vanille" and this fragrance is in the same ballpark. "Aoud Vanille" and "Hafez Gold" both have that same OUD+VANILLA formula but I think Aoud Vanille has florals added to theirs...