Resala

What an absolute monster from Arabian Oud. even with a traditional somewhat simplistic scent profile such as this one, I still feel not everyone could wear this. its a type of scent to be tamed and owned before presenting it out to public, especially when talking about powerhouses like Resala. I usually dont start my review with performance because scent>>>performance, but here i needed to point out the elephant in the room The scent itself is masterfully blended, none of the notes wrestle with one another but work together to create a scent no cheap clone middle eastern house could even imagine cloning, let alone creating. Rose and chocolate are the main players here, at least on my skin. The rose isnt your classical grandma oily house mist rose and the chocolate isnt screechy, but rather smooth, creamy and edible as i like it most. Vanilla and saffron are present throughout, they contribute to the sweetness and depth but are less detectable. As this fragrance slowly starts to fade the woodyness emerges, every bit as smooth as everything else. Now onto the performance once again. My skin sadly has a bad tendency of eating and absorbing every fragrance i apply super fast. No showering and lotion can help it, but I've come to terms with it long ago. This is one of the rare fragrances i actually get constant whiffs of, and they are STRONG. I can put this on my wrist and it'll feel like i have it on my neck type of strong. 14 long long hours with diabolic projection. I have never experienced a fragrance being able to linger and overpower a room for an hour just by removing the cap and waving the bottle around with zero (0) sprays. This one can do that. I either got a good batch or a sensitive nose. My backup bottle is on the way because i fear this being watered down or, God forbid, discontinued. This is NOT to be oversprayed. Do i need to say it? keep this one under the rug from designer snobs. Successful blind buy. Smell: 9.5/10 Projection: 10.5/10 Longevity: 10/10 Bottle: 9.5/10 Packaging: 9/10

Haha....sometimes my blind-buys go so wrong. 🙂🙂🙂🙂 I only started taking an interest in fragrances about a year ago. I dabbled in a few beautiful middle-eastern attars and then, from there, one of the first few fragrances I bought was Lattafa Oud Mood. Soon enough, I discovered Swiss Arabian and their Shaghaf Oud (original). I purchased multiple "back ups" and tucked them away for future gifts. Somehow when I blind bought Resala I thought it would be different enough to justify the purchase and despite the "reminds-me" section here - I just assumed everyone's noses were broke 😊 and went ahead with the purchase. But, Resala is actually just a much better blended, better quality, less brash/loud and less sweet version of the two fragrances I just mentioned. And while I appreciate it for what it is - it is very redundant to what I already own. It arrived beautifully packaged and sealed - but when I opened it, there was the "infamous" feather lying (broken) behind the bottle. Apparently, this is a common occurance. I'll be getting some Gorilla Glue and will attempt a repair- and I'll update later on how that works out. Arts&Crafts time. :D Aaaaah but I really hate when I mistakenly buy the same DNA again and again. 😣😐 That $200 plus could have gone towards something else - something new and more exciting. As usual, I'll keep the bottle and use it with abandon....fragrances are meant to be enjoyed. I really wish someone would come up with an APP where we could enter our favourite fragrances and cross reference with potential buys so that we don't accidentally repurchase the same basic DNA. I tried to use Google's AI Mode to do this - but as we all know ...the capacity is limited...it can't retain information for longer than a few days and it makes "mucho" mistakes. 😊

Ok so day 2 of finding a frag that’s unique to my collection. Yesterday I tried Guerlain Tobacco Honey and today is Resala by Arabian Oud. Saffron and Oud are definitely the main players upon the initial spray. Went to the Arabian Oud store and sprayed 3 neck and back of each hand. When I test frags I try not to over spray to give frags a chance to truly shine. I wouldn't call this beast mode but first hr or so it’s pretty strong. By hr 3-4 it mellows out into consistent projection not room feeling but I’d say elbows length. I sprayed on at 11 and at 430 it’s still pushing. This is similar to scents like Oud satin mood but does its own thing with the chocolate. I see they have it for $120-180 on discounters and I think it’s worth that but not the $280 in store. I will give a more in depth update on full performance once day is over. Update. So my wife just said it strong so I guess it is pretty beast mode. So I just got back from playing basketball and showering and it’s still a pretty strong skin scent. I’d say performance is above average to borderline beast mode. It’s a pretty easy frag to wear and smells amazing. That saffron, rose, Oud, and chocolate is a nice combo. You will definitely standout from the crowd as most people only wear designers. Final Verdict This is beast mode in longevity. Literally smelled it on me after 20hrs. Beast mode projection from 3-4 sprays. Beautiful rose and oud combo

When I got it fresh from the mail it was repulsive and extremely harsh for the first 2-3 months. All I got was an enormous blast of saffron that gave a strong balsamic and metallic vibe, what smelled like a very sharp and synthetic musk, no rose at all, and only the slightest hint of something vaguely chocolate or vanilla in the drydown. After it matured it became significantly better. It's been like a year now and I'm just starting to pick up a slight red wine accord as the balsamic saffron dies down. Maybe it's still maturing? The chocolate is very smooth, like a dark chocolate powder that isn't too powdery. The rose is now definitely perceivable. The oud is blending extremely well into the chocolate and rose to where I barely recognize it except for a darkness added to the composition. Nuclear and headache inducing. Beast mode. ONE spray MAX. Any more sprays is headache-inducing, even if sprayed on legs. I used to spray on leg once, but then I decided to spray on my chest underneath shirt and this smells WAY BETTER on skin than on clothes. On skin the saffron and sharpness doesn't come out as much, and I get a lot more of the rose and sweetness. Easily one of the best rose/ouds out there.

This is mentioned 2018 but it came out at least a year before that if not more. I bought it before 2018 just a few weeks or couple of months after their shop opened in Times Square. It’s a beautiful oud base with very warm saffron, powdery rose but still dry, vanilla and cream. Persistent like a comfortable and elegant cloud. Not something you see around easily and not the usual and everywhere oud. I remembered about it immediately when I smelled today Oud Bouquet from Lancome, only that one seems even sweeter and more powdery than Resala. But they have the same DNA to the point of confusion. I smelled Oud Bouquet in Selfriges in London and if I had more time today I would have run across the street to Arabian Oud to compare on spot with Resala. But did not have the time. Resala has a more pronounced oud than Oud Bouquet but nothing that should worry those afraid of oud. The mix is the most intriguing of the oud compositions and not harsh by any means. Although the bottle is nice I wish it was smaller and simpler and lighter and easier to handle. But this is Arabian Oud, it would not have been them if this was just a simple bottle.

Beautiful fragrance. Starts off with bittersweet-ish chocolate with hints of rose and vanilla but then the magic happens about an hour later during the mid when it completely smoothes out and the chocolate, rose and vanilla are all in perfect harmony. Yes it’s linear but it is smooth and regale. Very versatile as it can be light with less sprays and with more sprays it can be powerful enough to take over a room. I wore it to the cigar bar with maybe 10 sprays in winter and completely took it over I’d say at least 10 people in the bar said they noticed me but said It was not offensive so it definitely not for shy people as it’s capable of getting you noticed for sure. I think it’s hard for it to be offensive because its not dense like say portrait of a lady but its still last like portrait. I wear it to the beach because it last on skin while cooking, walking in the water or playing with the kids etc. This would be great for vacations and nights out on the town. Very very versatile and a lot people are sleep on this one. Year round scent with all day longevity.

This is God tier fragrance. I have been wearing Black Afghano all winter and switched to this one day and have been wearing it ever since. It smells rich and sensual, the oud is classy and there are days when I wake up and catch the scent of oud in my bedroom and wonder which of my oud collection could have possibly been knocked over during the night and then I remember Resala. Performance on me is nuclear, I can spray on each wrist and my throat and I can still smell it when I go to bed. The saffron and rose are IMHO better blended than any of the other rose/oud combos I have in my collection. The dry down is a gorgeous layer of vanilla and dark, raw cacao carried by the oud in the base. I hope they remember to tell the undertaker to spray this in my coffin so I can take it with me into the afterlife! I have tried Shaghaf Oud and yes, it bears a resemblance, but you can definitely tell them apart because the ingredients in Resala smell much higher quality. I hope that I never run out of Resala - it's one of the loves of my life.

I went into an AO Shop for Asalat Al Oudh (discontinued, not listed on Fragrantica, bottle only written in Arabic, but I got the last two bottles!) and the assistant gave me a decent spraying of this before I left the shop. I wasn't in the market for another perfume, but after walking in the Sharjah streets for an hour and keeping on noticing "something smells good", I realised it was me. It lept above AAO in my favourites list, so I bought a bottle. Back at the hotel I met a colleague who was so taken with it, I went back to get him a bottle the next night before he flew home. Others here describe the scent better than I can, but it's masterfully blended and is just knockout in warmer weather. Now that's a winter night in the Middle East but a summer one in the UK. I like knowing I'm the best smelling person in the room, and it's common to get compliments on it. Maybe a little more on the female side of unisex, but that's only if you're constrained by the imagination of the packaging, it's very wearable as a man.

A clean rose-oud: earthy woods with a hint of spice and a slightly medicinal lift, plus rose, with the saffron sharpening that spicy edge. The famed chocolate note is really just a dusting of cocoa powder on top, adding a delectable sweet touch that is unmistakably chocolate but merely accents an otherwise basic rose-oud scent profile. A warm, creamy vanilla smooths everything out in the base without imparting much of its own flavor. Nuclear initial blast, and very strong for the first hour, but settles to something more moderate and steadily fades over 3-4hr. Longevity 10-12hr. Make no mistake, this is not the delicious gourmand that many claim. It is ultimately one of a million rose-oud fragrances. However, the cocoa adds just enough of a unique twist to really differentiate Resala from the pack. It's like a combo of Oud for Greatness + Oud Satin Mood Extrait. Replace the latter's cinnamon with cocoa powder, evenly balance the rose and oud notes, and add in the former's saffron: that's Resala!

I’ve been eyeing this bottle for about a year now and I happened to ‘stumble’ upon Arabian oud’s store in Istanbul where this was selling at approximately $110 so I picked it up. Here we go. Packaging- Looking at the bottle previously only through pictures I thought it was beautiful but I was sure it would be light and flimsy in real life. Boy was I wrong! This is perfect packaging! Heavy, sturdy and even the box is beautiful. Smell- As for the scent, the reviews left here made me think that this was a SUPER heavy frag but to my nose this is...smooth, just smooth. Smells like chocolate, saffron and roses. I don’t know, it’s very well blended. I don’t smell any tobacco here. Longevity- It lasts on your clothes for days, perhaps until you put them in the wash. Perhaps that’s what those reviewers meant by heavy? Sillage- Unsure, will update later I’ve only tried this in fall weather so far and it’s intoxicating. I will soon try this in hot and humid island weather.

I bought a 5ml decant of this. It is a straight up rose and chocolate BOMB. The longevity and sillage are like... Nuclear. This stuff lasts 24h on my skin. I'd say it's 100% unisex because while it's suuuuper rich, it has a very fine edge of sweetness but it isn't sweet. In fact tbh I think a guy could pull this off better than a girl, but this is not office appropriate and not a daily driver. This is night out or weekend stuff. Personally, I don't like rose. Because when they use rose in perfume, it smells fake. I grew up with rose bushes. Dior cosmetics, particularly one of their blushes, smells like a real rose petal. This does that typical Arabian Oud loud fake rose, the same that's in Madawi and Sehr Al Kalemat. But seriously if I could handle rose without being nauseated, this perfume. This stuff is BOMB. I rated this as ok for price because it's just so strong it's worth the price.

Bought it on discount for $75, best decision ever. I'd go as far as paying $175 purely based on the performance. Super warm and cozy scent, the mix of rose, vanilla, chocolate, and oud creates this sweet and dark blend. Been using this fragrance for around a month now, everyone around me loves it. Some say it smells like "caramel" while others can't hold themselves from complementing the scent. Although beware, from experience, this perfume does stain white clothing if sprayed from up close, but after one wash the color is gone. Packaging: 9.5/10, love the wax seal and premium feel to the packaging. Bottle: 9.5/10, amazing build, cap is made of metal and has a heavy feel to it. Longevity: 10/10, 16+ hours of performance Sillage: 10/10, i've let some of my close one borrow the perfume and I can smell it from a mileeeeee Scent: 9/10, beautiful scent, very cozy, super middle eastern

This scent demands the wearer to be noticed, it isn't for the faint of heart. If you exude the right amount of confidence and wear a dark attire, this will escalate your look even further. If you're concerned of what people might think of you, or show any insecurity, then this scent might just swallow you up. It's a dark chocolate and oud combination with 0% sweetness and a 100% attitude and character. It's very polarizing and extremely potent (beastly sillage + longevity). Oud wearers can pull this off, however, it may overwhelm those who don't know/like oud. This is no way comparable to Oud Bouquet by Lancôme, they are on opposite sides of the spectrum. One being sweet and delectable, the other, Resala, exuding that middle eastern oriental vibe. Although I like this scent, it's very hard for me personally to pull off. So for now, I'm passing my bottle along to a girlfriend.

Resala feels like a love letter written in chocolate saffron ink and sealed in an envelope of rosy agarwood. The initial spray is intense, cursive letters of rose and saffron write across the skin while smooth chocolate adds the punctuation marks. This is a declaration, with oud and spices acting like carefully chosen words. The chocolate is deliciously gourmand, but not cloying, while the oud is sweet or caramelized, not staunch and woody. Embodying the feminine energy, Resala is eternal, lasting on the skin, turning heads and announcing her presence in a room with intent. This is like sitting in an ornate chamber, ink pot intentionally on a rich wooden table, feathered pen in hand, scribbling on fine parchment. A love letter to someone you have never met. A letter of longing. The words may never reach their destination, but the air is filled with their devotion.

It gives you that feeling of being a Prince. Luxury feeling. Woody Oud and Chocolate are dominant in a nice harmony. for my nose the Rose is very weak, which is good for me. Oud dose is very nice .. not strong, not weak. Very nice for Winter. Not the perfect one for the Summer. but you can wear it. Longevity: this scent will not leave your clothes. Projection: for you, you will smell it all the time in a nice way, no headache. it will not fade away. for other people in the room, it will be there. I can't judge whether it will fill the room or not .. but at least anyone will pass by your side will smell it. If you want to be the prestigious man in the room. this is your scent. ---------------------- This is my experience that could be different than anyone else. Kindly, go to the store and try it and leave it on your self for while.

This is my first rose oud fragrance and I loooove it. I'm not sure it is my vibe, maybe for a special occasion, definitely when I'm a little older, but it smells very sweet and pleasant. I prefer it 10,000 times out of 10,000 over something like Dior Homme Parfum, personally, but they are very different fragrances, just filling a similar role. The performance is a little out of control, but don't be afraid of that. Just don't use more than 1 spray, and spray as early in the day as possible. If you're 15 seconds from being in the middle of your office, maybe throw something else on. If you know what rose oud scents are all about, this is a very gourmand take and definitely worth a sample of your looking for the perfect one for you. I blind bought 2 bottles and don't regret it in the slightest lol.

Resala Resala Resala... I blind bought this perfume, thanks to Curly Fragrance (Michella ) on You Tube. This was my first oud based fragrance pourchasse. First spray: Eish too dark, smoky, I was like yhoo I just did throw away 100 dollars by the window ! Was something I was not used to. Then a few hours later, the vanilla, powdery and other notes started to kick. Then I was confused,and started to appreciate those whips. A week later, I was in LOVE with RESALA. Such a beautiful and POWERFUL fragrance ! Performance 10/10.can still smell it after 14hours on my skin, and days on my clothes. I am now a days layering it with Madawi, I feel like a queen, I am in charge. 😀💪💪💪 Hubby use to steal one or two sprays now and then. Arabian oud, thank you for existing...

The scent trail this leaves is f*cking phenomenal. Yk when you wear a fragrance and you could spray it 20 times all over yourself but still cant smell it walking around? This does the opposite of that. Give yourself max 3/4 sprays and it will linger on you for so damn long. I got mine from the Arabian Oud store in Paris and they said it has oud in it even tho it's not listed in the notes here?. Regardless it smell phenomenal, maybe a tad bit feminine but i think it's still wearable as a guy specifically in the right situations you'll definitely be able to pull this off. For me personally tho i think it's just such an addictive fragrance that i can't stop smelling. SOLID 9.3/10

My favourite scent. Only love for this stuff. I’m at my second bottle now and stuff is still insane. Same scent, same performance and same longevity. I have colleagues who are sensitive but like this a lot. They also tested it on their hands and clothes and told me they smelled it for days. On both skin and clothes. I don’t know why but for some reason it also reminds me of ombré nomad. Ombré nomad is less sweet and more smoky and leathery and Resala is sweeter and gourmand. But it’s like ombré nomad is the classy gentleman or lady, serious and sophisticated. And Resala is the alluring player, charismatic but naughty.

I have a humble 35 bottle collection and this is by far the strongest fragrance out of all that i have. 1st one that has made me do a review. Rose and oud combination is head turning, presentation is immaculate. Blind bought this and i don't regret it, some guys may think it leans a bit feminine in the first 45mins - 1 hour of wear BUT thats probably because of the rose note. Get use to it and once it settles some what (the juice just keeps going tbh) i would say perfectly unisex. Wear with confidence ! Beast mode frag 110% i give it a solid 9 / 10 ... top 5 in my small collection.