King

I'll give my honest opinion: I'm extremely critical when it comes to perfumes, especially when the concept revolves around sweet, intense fragrances. King from Armaf's Check Mate line is a fragrance that clearly embraces the aesthetic of European clubbing scents, drawing heavy inspiration from Scandal Pour Homme Absolu. It's an exceptionally seductive, warm, attention-grabbing fragrance, made for those who enjoy sweet, enveloping perfumes with a commanding presence. It perfectly captures the atmosphere of a European nightlife fragrance: opulent, provocative, and unapologetically gourmand. In the opening, I can detect the Mirabelle plum, but it ends up being partially overshadowed by the more dominant fruity accord that quickly follows. Even so, it remains one of the composition's highlights, helping to create a richer, more liqueur-like and sophisticated fruity character. To my nose, this is an incredibly powdery fragrance—remarkably so. It also has a distinctly spicy, warm, and creamy profile, largely thanks to the sandalwood, which gives the composition a velvety texture and greater depth. The chestnut adds a subtly dry facet that contrasts beautifully with the fragrance's intense sweetness. The gourmand accord is present from beginning to end, serving as the driving force behind the fragrance's sweet, creamy, and almost "chewable" quality. Among all the spices in the composition, cinnamon is undoubtedly the one that stands out the most to me. It practically "ties" the entire fragrance together, bringing warmth and depth to every stage of its evolution. The balsamic notes also play an interesting role, introducing a subtle salty, oily, and resinous nuance that helps distinguish the fragrance from more conventional sweet perfumes. The presentation deserves tremendous praise. Honestly, it's one of the most distinctive presentations I've ever seen from an Arabic fragrance house. Even the way the box opens immediately conveys an incredibly premium and sophisticated experience. The bottle itself is equally impressive: large, heavy, and imposing, fully living up to the name "King," resembling a king chess piece. When it comes to compliments, it wasn't one of the fragrances that attracted the most attention compared to others I've worn. Even so, I still received compliments—especially from women—thanks to the sweet, warm, and seductive profile it delivers. Overall, this is an extremely sweet, fruity, warm, and intensely powdery fragrance. Depending on the number of sprays, it can easily become overwhelming. I wouldn't consider it a versatile scent, but rather something best suited for evenings, colder weather, or festive occasions. Its price also sits above what is typical for most Arabic fragrances, placing it in a noticeably higher price range. And although I fully recognize the fragrance's quality, presentation, and overall concept, I honestly wouldn't buy it again once I finish the bottle. Not because I think it's a bad fragrance—quite the opposite—but because it simply doesn't align completely with my personal olfactory preferences. These days, I only repurchase fragrances that truly win me over, and while I certainly enjoy King, it never quite reached that level for me. It deserves a solid 8.7/10.

* Excellent gourmand/spicy/woody hybrid fragrance * Complex blend of sweet, fruity, spicy, woody and powdery aromas * Good performer * Great for social occasions and date nights * Works for all ages * Great for cooler weather * Neat chess piece presentation * Niche quality * Strong performer * Not unisex * Not good for those who dislike sweet fragrances * Not good for hot weather * Not good for serious occasions or professional environments Armaf Checkmate King is a take on the Jean-Paul Gaultier Scandal formula, an instantly recognizable formula and an aroma guaranteed to attract attention. This is an excellent hybrid fragrance, combining elements of the gourmand, spicy and woody fragrance families. You'll find a complex blend of sweet, fruity, spicy, woody and powdery aromas blasting out of a very neat presentation that resembles a giant chess piece. Quality is niche level right off the bat, a strong performer that lasts and projects. This is great for men of all ages and will work wonders during social occasions and date nights. I would avoid for more serious occasions and environments. This is quite sweet so consider yourself warned if that's not your cup of tea. This is great for cooler seasons but be wary of using it in high heat. It's also quite masculine so female users should consider before trying. For men though, this is highly recommended.

I have the original Scandal by JPG but I don't have Absolu. To me this fragrance projects just a tad less than the original I have but it's equal in performance. The scent profile is definitely different though and even though I can't comment on the accuracy to Absolu, as a fragrance on its own this stuff is freaking awesome! And just going by the scent structure I think this one will appeal more to people like me who love a powdery masculine scent. It's not the same, but in the same category as Armani's Eau de Nuit which is one of my favorite fragrances. But I love the fruity opening here and the not overly done chestnut accord in the base. So I think this is easily blind but safe if you like those things I mentioned. Given it's price, under $35 on Amazon right now, it's great performance and unbelievably appealing scent profile I can't recommend this highly enough. 9.25 out of 10 for designer quality juice for sure.

Very powerful opening notes of warm chestnut and hearty, earthy spices. The dry down is even better, exuding tremendously mesmerising warmth and encapsulating leathery and fruity, gourmet, spicy accords that transport you into a world of fragrance bliss. Do I sound over the top? Do I sound too exuberant? Well, I do so on purpose, as this fragrance deserves each merit, that I richly award it. Overall, a superb scent that will leave you wanting more as it fills your room! Great sillage and projection. Longevity 6-8 hrs with this delicious gourmet fragrance too! And the box!! What a box! Its huge! No way can you keep the fragrance in it on your frag shelf. The box is not only MahOOsivE it's also very elegantly designed along with the bottle itself to look and feel more like £800 worth of perfumery! So value for money all around, the box, the bottle, the scent. 1-2-3 BooM!

I bought this yesterday because it was with 50% discount and decided to give it a try :) When I first sprayed it on my forearm the only thing I could detect was a smell like Vaseline or some kind of ointment :) This is probably because of the balsamic notes described in the ingredients, as well as the powdery notes. It seems like it will have to sit like this for a month or maybe more to unleash its potential, as the others say. I sprayed it about a dozen times and left it on the shelf and now I'll wait for the result :) Edit (22.10.2025) : Been almost 3 months since I bough this. It changed significantly and yes it smells like Scandal Absolu now :) I'm considering to buy the Scandal Absolu soon because I've tested it few times at the mall and like it so much. So I would be able to tell more after I buy it and try and wear them side by side...

Man, this is just absolutely incredible, what a stunner. At the start, you get this incredibly sweet fruity note. It's very hard to explain but it is very sweet and very good. I usually dislike sweet gourmand scents especially if it's something like chocolate, cake, or coffee, but this is incredible. Then you get this woody, powdery note mixed with a nice smoky chestnut. Man, the drydown is incredible. The powdery, woody note is definitely my favorite and it blends so well with the chestnut. This is just incredible for the price, and from what I've heard very close to the original with an awesome bottle and beautiful presentation. I think this is very mass appealing especially on the colder, windy days and is a safe blind buy.

I notice a lot of armchair experts rapping on about the "maceration" of the frag in the bottle! Well, if you check the batch-code of your bottle at www.checkfresh.com, it will reveal the exact age of your frag! Most of my new frags reveal 3 to 6+ months old...some even a year old! So, plenty of time for the frag to "macerate" in the bottle! There is a PD (Production Date) inked on the base of the Armaf Checkmate King bottle. Mine states 06/2025 so its already 4 months old! You don't have to let your bottle of fragrance stand for a month or so before you wear it with confidence; it's ready to wear from day one, believe me! (its already a month old or more when you get it)

It’s truly amazing. The only downside is the loud fruity opening, but I’m confident it will smooth out with a bit of maceration. The soft amber base is beautiful and very comforting to the nose both you and those around you will enjoy it. We also can’t ignore the strong performance, which only adds to its appeal. Another great thing is that it’s not very well known and over hyped like the Club de Nuit lines which almost makes you want to gatekeep it🤝 Edit: I was absolutely right after two weeks the louds fruity opening really smooth out and become softer and calm 9/10🔥

I ordered this one as I checked the reminds me of section and saw that 7 people voted this smells like Paco's 1million Lucky. Welll it doesn't come even close to that one! It gets close to Scandal pour homme absolu but this one smells more complicated, but not as deep and punchy. Definitely very interesting due to its complexity. Not sure if this can substitute Scandal for the experienced nose, but it could serve as a very nice alternative. Bottle design and case superb

I have not smelled the JPG og with this one however I’ve smelled Odyssey mandarin sky and this isn’t the same. It’s not in a bad way it’s just not as citrusy in the opening and doesn’t give you the same caramel in the dry down. It’s still a really good fragrance and I can’t wait to wear it and test it out... standby for update. Update: I traded this away with a friend, it’s still a very good fragrance I just wanted something different.

At first spray I was disappointed but after 1-2 weeks it got stronger. It smells incredible. I got compliments from colleagues at work. From the begining to the end all I feel is tuberose like in Lattafa Fakhar Gold Extrait (but without the heavy alcohool) or paco rabanne one million perfume. Projection pretty loud for the first 3 hours, the scent trail lasts about 6-8 hours and longevity about 10-12 hours on skin.

This frag needs maceration... These clone companies pump out frags in such quick succession that's there's zero maceration After 2 months this frag matured to one of the sexiest scents I've ever worn... One instance i exited Waitrose & had a woman run out of the store into the street to stop me and ask me what I'm wearing... Crazy And the bottle is beautiful also.. BACK UP WORTHY

Jean Paul Gaultier's Scandal Pour Homme Absolu, but slightly sweeter and mintier with slightly lower longevity and sillage. This is a light, airy, and fruity chestnut. I prefer this one over JPG based on scent alone, not to mention it's less than half the price. Can be worn virtually anywhere, anytime. 9/10

@Darckent I hope that you are right because I have big hopes for this one and really like the notes in this frag. I really love the scent, but right now I am unable to comfortably and with pleasure wear it on myself - still new purchase. I hope after like 1-2 months it will become a real gem!

This scent definitely needs maceration. When I first got it it was much flatter, lighter, and more powdery. After around 3 months this fragrance has deepened significantly and is more sweet and refined. The notes blend soo much better with maceration and I hope it just keeps getting better.

this is good, the opening is more like mandarin sky, very citrusy. After a while, it becomes like absolu, sweet nutty, and fruity. longevity is good I get 8 hours of this and 2 hours of projection. It is very good for the price, spray and just let it sit for a while to get full performance.

This is a great perfume, however, to me this is closer to 1million Lucky. On the dry down it’s exactly the same as 1million lucky but cheaper in price. Longevity is good but projection could be better on the dry down. But this is definitely worth the buy and I’ll be buying again 8/10

King Armaf for Men is a beautifully blended fragrance that delivers luxury at an accessible price. It exudes power, confidence, and charisma — perfect for men who want to smell distinctive and refined. ⭐ Rating: 9/10 — A bold, elegant, long-lasting scent fit for modern royalty.

Good stuff opens alot like mandarin sky about 10 min later starts to change into a sweet chestnut vibe with some fruity nuances my bottle is beast mode and anymore than 6 sprays would certainly become cloying overall if you can get this under $50 its worth it 9/10

Great smelling cologne that the ladies will love. A scandal absolute dupe 😍, 90% to the masterpiece. I get 8hrs Longevity 10 hrs on clothes or till you wash it. Sillage about 2 and half hrs. Recommend 1000%

Not the same as Mandarin Sky and less cloying. Smells higher quality.

Such an wonderful fragrance projecting like beast. Highly Recommend.

Armaf already has Odyseey Mandarin.... what is the point of this?

I absolutely LOVE the OG Scandal Absolu (feel free to read my glaze on that) and this is a pretty good clone of that although not completely identical, it definitely gets close. Gave my bottle of King to my friend after he got me the OG for my birthday but this was definitely still a good placeholder even if doesn’t completely replicate the original. Scent: This opens with more of a jammy plum than the tart smelling one that the original is known for with other additional sweet smelling fruits that isn’t present in the OG. Also comes across just a touch fresher. This also dries down a lot more powdery and slightly less on that roasted chestnut than the original which isn’t a dealbreaker to most that have smelled it but I could definitely smell the difference which was a pretty big deal to me. Performance: Just as strong as the OG. Very good longevity and projection with a beautiful sillage still so Armaf definitely did the performance justice. Versatility: More of a cooler weather scent but not as rigid as the original Scandal Absolu. As I’ve said this opens a little bit fresher so I definitely feel you can rock this in the day and it’s also not AS sweet and creamy as the OG scent. Scent: 7.5/10 Performance: 9/10 Versatility: 8/10 Personal Score: 7/10 Gets very close to the OG in my book, would be identical if not for a powdery note that I can pick up for some reason.

A mi nariz exquisito para climas frescos Y fríos, de día pero sí más para la noche para ocasiones especiales. Una inspiración muy bien lograda, diría yo que un poco más varonil qué la original JPG Scandal Absolu. Menos chispeante y estridente, pero en cambio más sofisticada, seria y cálida. Recomendable por encima de los 25 y si la encuentras por debajo de los $45 dlls. Gracias!.

I love the drydown! More like one million merged with stronger with you intensely!

85% to scandal absolu , long lasting and good projection, good deal

5/10 Gonna let you in on a secret: you can buy Maison Alhambra's Expose Intense and get literally the same scent for under $15. Basically same performance, same linear drydown, same powdery bubblegummy notes.

It's a nice fragrance for the younger crowds, for a great price. Best for the colder days.

Very sweet berry, orange-citrus with some light powdery floral notes similar to store brand dryer sheets. It’s is more feminine than masculine. Pairing it with something with tobacco or leather notes might be a good idea. Overall, this reminds me of an old glade plug-in from the 90s. I just got a bottle today, going to let it macerate for a few months. Score: 6/10

To me, this perfume smells extremely boozy and sweet. Everyone seems to praise it, but I just don’t get the hype. I’ve tried letting it macerate — I’ve had it for about a month and a half — but nothing has changed. Still the same harsh, synthetic scent. I’m glad I’m selling it and won’t have to smell it again. Avoid.

Fragrance Journal Entry #42 Quick disclaimer this DOES smell like Odessey Mandarine Sky so it would be pointless to own both. If you like MS but want something a little richer and longer lasting then this is for you, also they are both close to the Scandal fragrances they are cloning so don't bother purchasing any of those. Now as for the scent it's exactly what JPG does best and thats creating mass appealing fragrances that have no soul. This opens up with a rich overly synthetic orange note backed up by the typical designer vanilla smell we are all familiar with. So while i would say it's a nice smell..it gets incredibly boring quickly. If you own less than 20 fragrances then you will likely get some use out of this, as for me i don't care much for it. Rating: 6.6/10 Blind Buy Safe? YES

DO NOT compare this to Mandarin Sky (JPG Scandal clone which is awful imo)!!!! Armaf Checkmate King is a JPG Scandal Absolu. This nails the JPG Scandal Absolu DNA about 90-95%, almost 1:1 with Scandal Absolu, its not as well blended obviously but man is this a steal if you can't fork up the $120 for the OG. I have both and honestly can't say I will buy JPG Scandal Absolu again after mine is empty if the price stays around $40 for Armaf King - Projects like crazy and last 6-8 hours before becoming a skin scent. Opens up with that nice sweet plum.. transitions into a sweet sandalwood scent with very identifiable earthy chestnut accord throughout!!! Honestly such a sleeper from the house of Armaf, needs to be talked about more!

Opens up really fruity and fresh,this is a loud fragrance in my opinion can be cloying with too many sprays, that being said after the dry down you get this creamy powdery scent mixed with that fruitiness of the opening I love this so much I highly recommend this and I would it smells about 92% similar to the OG which is Scandal absolu I was skeptical because I really wanted to buy the OG but I had to get this bc of the presentation of the fragrance I’m glad I did 9.5/10 for me

@otteromkram youre kind of right, fragrance can be bottled before maceration is complete, so even after maturation, it wont smell right. 50/50, and the terms overlap each other. so sometimes some batches are just bad bc , and sometimes, the frag needs time to mature. I got this when it first came out, and my bottle smells incredible since i got it. i think its key to get early batches, no maturation was needed for mine

When I first received this I could barely smell it. I thought it was a hype monster waste of money. I let it sit for just 2 weeks and now this is a beast mode fragrance. I applied just 2 spays on my hoodie and you could smell it throughout the gym, and it was hanging on a coat rack. This smells great. IMO its for the 30+ crowd and blind buy safe. I layered it with Dylan Blue and its a compliment magnet.

Great dupe. Got mine and I was ready to throw it out per it smelling so bad. I thought...people like this? Then I let it macerate for about 2 months because I simply forgot about it. And one morning.....POW. This is 100% disco sh!t in the best way. Not sure if it'll get better but its bangin now. Cant wait till winter.

🤔 I bought it. I like it. You might like it. I almost like it as much as Reflection Man or Gucci Guilty Elixir, but it's a slight bit gourmand. I hope this stays under the radar.. keep buying your Tuxedo and Babycat clones people.. and your Rosendo No.5 clones. Don't try this, it's not niche.

I really dig the scandal absolu profile, and would love to have something similar for a backup to conserve my og bottle. For anyone who has tried both, how close does this get to the og? And is the performance better or around the same?

@crasheq They can't be right since maceration happens before the perfume is bottled. Maturation, however, can occur once a consumer takes possession of the product. Wish y'all would learn these terms vs blindly aping other dodo birds.

it smells great initially but it would get cloying after a while, that's why it's not very popular, from now on I will only buy frag that has 500+ ratings and > 4.3. not blind buy safe though

Just got mine today. Smells incredible and just what I was looking for in terms of a clone of Scandal absolu by jpg

@Ambergriz Yo pimp juice does it work good with the ladies, is it manly or does it give to tight jeans vibes?

I can't stop smelling, it's very addictive, the chestnut makes my mouth water. Very smooth and natural

@Wael'Sniffing, Mandarin Sky is for JPG Scandal EDT; King is for JPG Scandal Absolu

it looks like one of those fancy black pepper grinders