Spice Merchant

(This review is for the attar which is not listed.) The Desi Fraghead's journey starts in the kitchen. Spice Merchant recalls our memory, taking us back to the developing stages of our olfactory journey. Where our mother's voice would echo throughout the house, calling us for food amidst the glorious cloud of masalas and when our honey- lined parathas would glisten in the morning sun for breakfast. This follows a typical mukhallat structure of rose, saffron, spices but with added resins and honey. It's reasonably priced (5k for 1/4 tola) but that's also because the ingredients aren't as exclusive as other Gaia attars such as Aurang e Noor, which utilizes high quality oud. Also, Gaia is discontinuing Spice Merchant attar after the current, third batch finishes. ✅Scent. The opening is governed by a photo realistic note of thick, decant honey. It's not airy or synthetic. Imagine drops of organic honey falling on your neck as you sit beneath a tree upon which a honey bee nest is clinging for it's life. A light, airy rose emerges, it's subdued by the egotistic honey note that's too proud to leave. It's more honey than rose. This has perhaps become my second favorite honey note scent. The first being Guerĺàìn's Tobacco Hòney. I've never smelled a more realistic honey except there. Moreover, my most favorite attar, Sheikh al Faransi, also has a honey note. However, it's more of a dirty amber honey and not a raw representation as it is in Spice Merchant. After a few minutes there's a chalky masala, that's not powdery but more like a paste with smokey, tobaccoish undertones. The dry down has a leathery feel to it, not animalic per se, but it's dark, and more prominent if you sniff it up close. It's sneaking it's way out of the depths and will develop in the late dry down. ✅Performance/Longevity. Projects moderately, especially in heat, despite being more of a winters scent due to it's heaviness. Longevity is about 3/4 hours on skin. On shirt it's 12 + hours. ✅End. This trully is without exaggeration, the stuff qaseedas are written about. A marvellously blended attar. I've previously tried Aurang e Noor for which I had my reservations due to the vetiver being a tad bit too much but this is an equilibrium. A perfect scent for formal events, even the most jaded of gourmand enjoyers will appreciate. The opening is to die for. You would just do اش اش واه واه on first sniff.

Unique, truly a piece of art. Not for blind buy but still a must try. Very much wearable but not for every occasion. Better suited for winter, nights and spiritual gatherings. It is addictive and you might want to sniff it again and again even if you don’t want to wear it.