Musamam

I bought Musamam because the initial smell, straight from the cap while I tested it in a perfumery, was like in Guilty Absolute, but this character only kicks in later. The opening is intensely juicy mandarin-citrus with bright lavender. Saffron brings a rubbery acidity — if I may call it that — and accentuates a rose-like geranium. I enjoy this kind of saffron in perfumes; as Samasama noted, it adds a serpentine quality. I think most people associate this kind of saffron with burnt plastic or gasoline. Circa 30 minutes in, the pendulum swings, and it smells as if several fragrances were layered: this sweet-fruity opening intertwined with an animalistic facet emerging, alongside an earthy, green, herbal-woody glossy element (courtesy of Akigalawood). In the heart, a resinous incense note becomes discernible. The full drydown settles into a dominant leathery accord. To my nose there's a hint of ambery vanilla, and a perceptible almond sweetness — an almost marzipan undertone that harmonizes the raw leather with a creamy veil. There's a medicinal nuance, too. Projection and longevity are consistently strong. This makes it an ideal choice for cooler months and evening occasions, when a bold sillage is an asset. I'd recommend it primarily for men. The bottle is beautiful and exactly fitting for the scent's character. It surprised me: this isn't at all like the fragrance pyramid suggests, nor does the spray match the cap aroma. It's also certainly not as hardcore & extreme as many have claimed, and the oud here is almost nonexistent. Nor does it fully resemble any of the 'reminds me of' section. It's rather its own composition — clearly inspired, but by no means a clone. A textural tour with a leathery phantom snake skin trail that insists on being noticed. Safe for a blind buy only if you're after a darkish aura and sour vibe. I managed to score it for €18 shipped — if you happen to find that kind of bargain, snap it up without hesitation. Opening note: 8- Sillage/Projection: 8- Drydown: 8+ Longevity: 9- Blend/Composition: 8- Versatility: 6- Uniqueness: 7 Value for money: 7 Bottle design/Aesthetics: 9 Overall experience: 8 Blind-buy rating: 4

This stuff is epic but not for everyone. For me this is a big love. This is all rich woods, heavy leathery saffron, and a bit of incense - So not really something young folks getting bad perfume advise from online influencers would like in real life (hence the low rating) even though they might like the *idea* of a strong masculine leathery “alpha male” scent. I own bottles of both Guilty Absolute and The Serpent, and yeah Musamam is similar but I wouldn’t call it a clone of either. GA smells like what I imagine a grizzly bears balls would smell like after wearing leather pants all day while riding a motorcycle, basically zero chill, and Serpent is that but more refined/smoothed out with some floral/violet? bits added. Both the leatheryness comes first, in Musamam it’s the woods first then the saffron/leatheryness. Performance is great, no slouch. I like layering this with Jean Lowe Matiere, but I’m sure other rose/Oud frags may work too.

So glad to see this one added. It's been a go-to for me on winter night outings for quite some time. This is basically a clone of YSL's M7 (the OG) and a damn good one. There's a slight twist as the opening is much more mandarin-forward but that's quite alright as the incense makes it earthier and not overly bitter or juicy (I'm not a huge citrus lover). The saffron gives that typical leather feel but I don't personally mind that either. Later on, the oud (not a dirty oud, a woody oud) and incense definitely steal the show. It's very long lasting on my skin and lavish smelling at a fraction of the price you'd pay for a bottle of M7. I have to admit being a reptile lover myself, the bottle itself is a conversation piece. Some would seem it tacky or gaudy but personally, it's a centerpiece to my collection and one of the few from "clone houses" I wear frequently.

no, stop trying to find what it's duped for unless it's based on that synthetic piercing oud, Akigalawood. This molecule smells straight like a serpent: cold, ozonic-metal, yet dry. Almost all Akigalawood fragrances like Ganymede, 27 87, and Hedonist fall into the love-or-hate category due to their quirky scent profiles, even skanky for some noses. I think this is true to its name, Musamam, which means 'intoxicated (by venom)' in Arabic. It's minimalistic in flowers or usual base notes; it's a dry wood fragrance. However, it has rather moderate performance on my skin.

This Fragrance is very tricky. It is an amazing manly scent that will blend very well in an environment with lots of leather in the background. Very underrated scent. The bottle is the most beautiful one I’ve got amongst all the lattafas I own. This will perform best in the winter as heat dulls its shine. Don’t blind buy this, it’s targeted towards 30+ males. Imagine sitting on a leather seat in a hotel lobby with a melodious sound in the atmosphere. It is indeed a beautiful scent but not for everyone. Awesome presentation too 8.5/10 for me