Ishq Al Shuyukh Gold

Imagine stepping into an artisan's workshop late at night after closing — the air thick with the scent of fresh leather, hints of rubber, and a faint metallic tang. There's a gritty beauty to it, a mix of raw materials and quiet precision. It captures that very essence. Ishq al Shuyukh Gold opens with an intense, sharp medicinal saffron and suede note that verges on a petrol-like quality. Soon, tonka bean emerges, evolving into a subtly gourmand, vanilla-tinged drydown with a touch of velvet. While relatively linear and steady in progression, this elegant simplicity is definitely not a drawback. The scent profile is beautifully accented with a smoky, rubbery note reminiscent of fresh tires — an aroma I adore in perfumes. There's a kind of industrial vibe, as if stepping into a factory, further enhanced by the leathery tones. This fusion creates a slightly animalic experience while remaining incredibly smooth. A metallic hint threads through, adding complexity. This blend strikes a balanced contrast between luxury and grit. After aging for about a year, Ishq has developed even more depth, while the rubbery, industrial elements have retained their character — a feature I greatly appreciate. I've found myself consistently impressed by how it maintains its intrigue and appeal over extended wear. While its industrial-meets-luxury character might not suit everyone's taste, those who think highly of unique, well-crafted fragrances will find something truly special here. It has astounding longevity and substantial projection, ideal for colder weather due to its dense, thick composition. Nevertheless, I love it enough to wear it year-round. Entirely unisex appeal, too. The bottle itself is a hefty matte black block featuring an ornamental motif of a traditional Arabic dagger, the khanjar. This iconic symbol of their culture and heritage is particularly celebrated in regions like Oman and Yemen. It's rare to find a fragrance where the bottle complements the scent so harmoniously, yet here, the two seem inseparable. Ishq bears an uncanny resemblance to Van Cleef & Arpels Midnight in Paris — among all the perfumes I tried, only this one delivers such similarly nuanced impressions. It also vaguely recalls Bvlgari Black, which I owned years ago, as if blending the two scents. Although lacking tea and floral notes, I've recently purchased such herbal oil from Al-Rehab to experiment with layering. Previously, I owned Paris Corner's Rifaaqat but ultimately sold it, as Ishq simply surpasses it. Ishq al Shuyukh Gold epitomizes the pinnacle of Middle Eastern craftsmanship in affordable perfumery. It offers a luxurious, sexy, handcrafted feel, standing out among mass-produced scents from the same factory. An extraordinary experience, it feels opulent and is a must-have for any collector given its value. If Ishq was renamed, 'Emir's Cat Twilight in Oman No 5 Black' could capture its mystique perfectly. Opening note: 10- Sillage/Projection: 8+ Drydown: 9+ Longevity: 10 Blend/Composition: 10+ Versatility: 7+ Uniqueness: 10- Value for money: 10 Bottle design/Aesthetics: 9 Overall experience: 10- Blind-buy rating: 5+

I wish I could explain this without mentioning Prada Luna Rossa Black, Midnight In Paris, Bvlgari Black or Tom of Finland (due to the closeness of a rubbery note they all focus on). So this review hinges upon the reader being at least familiar with one of those. First things first, 10/10, all day, every frickin day! I have owned, sampled, and smelled easily over 500 fragrances (niche, designer, clones, homemade hillbilly shit, you name it), and this is a super easy top 5 for quality/smell/price ratio. At the time of this writing, this fragrance goes for low to mid $20s US. There is almost nothing that can eff with the value proposition here. That all being said, this most closely to me resembles the discontinued (and my beloved) Bvlgari Black. Yes, there is a "car tire" vibe in it. And let me say, before I ever tried Bvlgari Black so many years ago, that sounded off-putting... Until I smelled it, thought "yup, it reminds me of a freshly shined tire" and realized I was 100% here for it! It is MUCH more nuanced than that, and to only compare it to the car tire would be to do it a disservice. There is vanilla here, and though I generally dislike vanilla-centric frags, the vanilla here supports and holds everything together to prevent any one note from running away and potentially ruining the fragrance. It must be mentioned that though leather is a note in here, those seeking dirty or raw leather may be disappointed. When I do catch the leather, it is a supple, well-conditioned leather that is not trying to be the star of the show but rather add a bit of body and occasionally help tone down any notes reaching out for spiciness. For those experienced with Luna Rossa Black, Bvlgari Black, Midnight In Paris, or even Tom of Finland by ELDO, this part may hopefully steer you in the right direction: Ishq Al Shuyukh Gold is most closely (and very) similar to Bvlgari Black in my opinion. Performance is very good, similar to BB. MIP is great, but I find it a little more powdery than I prefer, and though it's great and has one of the best bottles in perfumery, I prefer IASG for not only the scent but performance as well. Compared to Luna Rossa Black, again this is less powdery and "clean" with much better performance. Finally, in comparison with Tom of Finland, IASG and BB both, to my nose, have a more "rubber tire" vibe where ToF has a bit more pleather/latex/dominatrix feel, which I still love and in the lineup of all the aforementioned fragrances, I put behind IASG and BB and above MiP and LRB. Keep in mind I'm a male in my mid 40-s who likes masculine stuff and though they're all unisex to my nose, LRB and MiP are the ever so slightly more feminine-leaning of the group. With Bvlgari Black being long discontinued and this having harnessed the esthetic and met or exceeded its performance, this is 5 backup bottles-worthy. It has no effing business being this good for this cheap. Last note which may be a negative for some, it is pretty linear. I find this great, as that addictive scent never changes and I know what I'm getting from minute 2 to hour 8.

First. A couple of people made mention of Van Cleef & Arpels "Midnight in Paris" in comparison to this fragrance. No ! Not a single note, nuance, or accord in this fragrance is even remotely similar. However, it does share a familiar Saffron note with YSL's "Babycat". That also gives a slight reminder of Bvlgari's "Black". This fragrance is not a Babycat clone, but could be a good substitute for it. For the right person. Ishq Al Shuyukh Gold opens just like the note pyramid suggests. With the note of Saffron as the driving force behind this fragrance. The Saffron opens Rubbery, like the scent of brand new tires. Underneath the Saffron is a note of Caramel. Its neither loud or soft, nor overwhelmingly sweet. And along with this Caramel note, are soft Ambry undertones. The Suede in combination with the Tonka adds this semi-rough powdery texture that plays well with the Vanilla. Making it smell more like an unsweetened Vanilla Powder. All of this along with an under current of Leathery Saffron smells like Nubuck Suede. Performance is Bananas. This fragrance is beast mode right out of the bottle. Two sprays on the back of my hand lasted well over 8 hours & filled the room upon its application. ...with two more sprays on my shirt I ran a few errands & literally filled grocery store isles as I walked down them. So maceration for performance is not needed. Maceration will not take away the Saffrons "Rubbery" nuance. As someone below suggested. However, for some people, their Olfactory System will get used to the Saffron over time. So they may not smell that "Rubbery" nuance at the same intensity as they once did when first smelling this fragrance. But its still there. The Saffron here is a balance between Rubber & Leather, with it showcasing subtle Spice nuances as it lingers in the air. I rather enjoy the brand new "Rubber Tire" accord in this fragrance. It makes it smell dark, like a seedy Tire Shop somewhere in the Middle East. I feel like Ishq Al Shuyukh Gold wears best on cold Fall & Winter nights. Perfect for formal occasions, going out to Holiday parties, lounging in a Cigar Bar, or just sitting around the fireplace at home with guests having drinks. Because of its Caramel, Vanilla, & Amber notes I want to call Ishq Al Shuyukh Gold a Cuddle fragrance. But the young lady you're snuggling up next to would have to love the scent of Saffron to truly enjoy the moment. .....in all Ishq Al Shuyukh Gold is a love for me, & for its scent & the blending of its notes, is worth a lot more money than what it actually costs.

* Intriguing and unusual blend of leather and gourmand fragrance DNAs * The love child of Tom Ford Tuscan Leather and JPG Scandal Pour Homme * Blend of sweet, amber, caramel, vanilla, spice, musk and leather aromas * Dark masculine powerhouse * Good for fans of Dior Farenheit Parfum * Strong performer * Great presentation * Good QPR value * Fair price * Very much a love it or leave it proposition * Can come off like rubber and gasoline to a nose that doesn't pick up the sweet notes a la Dior Farenheit * Leans heavily masculine despite being marketed as unisex * Not good for younger users * Not good for those who prefer sweet and fresh fragrances Lattafa's Ishq Al Shuyukh Gold is a really unusual and intriguing fragrance. That can be either good or bad depending on your tastes and the noses of those around you. It's a hybrid blend of leather and gourmand fragrance types. Sweet, amber, caramel, vanilla, spice, musk and leather aromas are combined into an absolute love it or leave it proposition. Imagine layering Tom Ford Tuscan Leather and Jean Paul Gaultier's Scandal Pour Homme. Not exactly a layering combination that would immediately come to most people's minds. Yet this works, coming off very dark and masculine. This is quite a strong performer, so strong in fact that the leather note starts to overtake the others in the drydown. When it does and you and the noses around you start missing the sweet amber and caramel notes, this may come off smelling like an old car, all rubber and gasoline. That is in fact the strong leather note and Tuscan Leather (and its clones) gives off the very same notes. Very similar to Dior's Farenheit in that respect. Not coincidentally, that one is also a love it or leave it type of fragrance that had to be eventually softened with a heavy dose of vanilla in the Parfum edition. Ishq Al Shuyukh Gold adds amber and caramel to the vanilla to accomplish the same results. If you like one, you'll enjoy the other. This leans very heavily masculine despite being marketed as unisex and is not a good choice for women. It's also not good for younger users and those who prefer sweet and fresh fragrances a la Invictus or 1 Million. Performance is quite strong, as mentioned, the presentation is top notch and the price is very fair for what it offers making this a good QPR value. Highly recommended but you absolutely must enjoy leather fragrances before you even think about picking this one up.

This was so special and eye-opening for me from the first sniff. I did get something powdery sweet vanillic which reminded me a bit of bitter almonds but it was mostly suede accord. So I feel in love with this scent profile. Sweet powdery vanilla with soft suede. Went to store to smell the Rosendo Mateu no 5 several times and compared them side by side and couldn't justify price difference. Ishq Al Shuyuch gold projected just a bit less than the original. Eventually I ordered the original and it is a bit smoother but still extremely close. There is this whole vibe which I also get in BDK Vanillie leather, Guerlain Cuir Beluga, Nishane Hundred silent ways X and I do recommend exploring this if you like those and vice versa. I don't get comparison to Riffacat, they feel quite different to my nose. Riffacat has more smokey wood vanillic cookie feel, not powdery suede as this one does. Maybe Baby cat is different. My bottle is more than a year old and still feels like this is me in a bottle: dark, sensual, moody but beautiful. It is totally unisex (perhaps bring powdery would make it appeal more to women but strong suede accord pull it straight unisex). This is definitely not everyone's taste and that make is so special. Suede accord seems a bit rougher than in the original but they are really close. This is big big love of mine!