Raghba

Linear and pretty flat honey, caramel, cedar, vanilla, a touch of spice/incense on fadedown. Sounds simple enough. medium projection and longevity, cheap. mmmmmm probably not a keeper then? On the contrary......... This is amongst my favourite fragrances of all time because it was my introduction to the world of fragrances beyond French and American big name department store ones. This opened my doors of perception of what a scent could be and the effect fragrances can have, not just something functional to smell Ok to go to work or to go to dinner or a club, but a fragrance can also be life affirming and a magically pleasurable experience, a massage of sensory pleasure through the nose to the emotional nerve centres of the heart, i discovered a kind of aromatherapy almost. I'll never forget that feeling when i first discovered arabian fragrances and the complexity of them, the multiple hours on a journey from top to middle to base, each phase offering a new delight. Raghbah was an education for me and so its got a special place in my heart. Because of the oakmoss reduction and the new global laws restricting its useage in perfumes, Raghbah is sadly not the same anymore or as strong, but its still a gem and you might love it too if you've never tried it. Its sweet but doesn't cloy at you, its woody and not overly smoky, its vanilla but with honey to accentuate it rather than overpower. Its strong but never chokes the air around you. Its right exactly down the line unisex and works beautifully on men and women from all walks of life. There are lots of vanilla and sweet and woody and arabian scents out there, by the bucketload...yeah khamrah too recently is getting all the attention, yet many years after this came out its still on its own someplace and nothing smells the same that i have yet discovered. It hits the perfect pitch between every note. It starts gorgeous, fades beautifully and ends gently, a smooth ride from start to finish (maybe 1 to 5 hours wear, depending on weather, humidity etc) A gorgeous blend in every way of smooth, spicy,sweet and smoky. It's the smell of happiness and contentment, peaceful tranquility and joy. I have loved Raghbah since the evening a stranger came up to me in Morocco and sprayed some on my wrist. I had no idea what it was and i liked it so i asked him. In true typical Moroccan spirit, without me even asking he gave it to me, a sample size 5ml and smiled. Keep it he told me, its a gift from Allah, not me. I went to give him some money and he refused. I thanked him and went to the souk and bought it later that week. That was about 10 years ago. I've never grown tired of it. Its a hot weather one, its sweet and some people might hate it. Its not a long stayer, especially in the cold. Smell is very indididual and subjective, i understand the criticisms aimed at Raghbah. Its probably an arab thing and some people won't like it. I get such a flood of happiness when i smell this that i now own and use the Raghbah room fresheners, incense, fabric spray and deodorant. Its not only gorgeous, it costs almost nothing. Fantastic scents don't have to cost the earth. Its the special one, indeed a gift from Allah as the man said WARNING UPDATE...over the years i have owned many bottles of this. In 2024 i brought one back from a Souk in Morocco that was the normal good quality for about 150 dirham, a normal price (10-15 USD/EURO). However i'm living in Europe now and don't have the luxury of try before you buy because nobody sells perfumes in Europe in shops or markets you can try for free. So, having no other choice, the last two i bought blind from Amazon and they were both as weak as water. Price is the same but quality sucks. REALLY sucks. This could be reformulated? I don't know. Be warned. Maybe there's a lot of fakes about and it would be better to buy from retailers in the arab world and pay the extra mailing costs to get a correct bottle, and whilst you do that you'll give your money to muslims who need it rather than exploitative khuffar multi-national corporations who destroy the planet and the world economy and don't need your money. Perhaps its been changed and reformulated recently, but it sure isn't as strong as it used to be, even in summer. Bear this in mind.

Stepping into the world of Middle Eastern fragrances, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. Raghba, one of the first strictly Middle Eastern fragrances that wasn't a clone, immediately introduced me to a world of bold, resinous sweetness, smoky warmth, and unexpected nuances. It has since set a standard for what I seek in this style. My bottle is an older, pre-aged one, which may have influenced my experience compared to those who review it in its freshest state. The dominant theme is burnt sugar blended with warm, ambery vanilla and a touch of incense. Despite being a creamy scent, the opening has a somewhat metallic edge, which I personally find an intriguing addition — a sharp contrast to its otherwise smooth texture. Perhaps this explains why some people perceive a saliva-like nuance — without a trained nose, I might have made a similar association. The scent does not undergo any major transformation; what emerges in the first few minutes largely defines the entire wear, though subtle shifts in balance occur. The drydown introduces mineral, salty nuances, resembling a woody oud infused with liquor. The overall impression carries a certain nostalgia, reminiscent of a sweet dessert with sticky, stretchy caramel poured over charred wood. It also evokes the cozy imagery of a cabin in the woods by a crackling fireplace. Performance-wise, it boasts very good longevity with above-average projection, though it is not a powerhouse. It is one of the most universally wearable and unisex fragrances, fitting seamlessly for anyone, anywhere, in any season. In summer, its animalic facets become more pronounced, but it finds its true rhythm in cooler months when it settles beautifully into crisp air. I find it misplaced when people label this an 'unsafe' blind buy. If you're venturing into this style of perfumery, you likely have an idea of what to expect. Complaining about Raghba feels like buying a super-hot pepper and being surprised when it burns. For those who enjoy layering, Raghba serves as a versatile base — linear enough to complement other scents while still maintaining its distinct identity. For me, it remains a cornerstone of Middle Eastern perfumery — a timeless composition that perfectly captures the essence of this genre. Opening note: 8 Sillage/Projection: 7 Drydown: 8 Longevity: 9- Blend/Composition: 8+ Versatility: 9- Uniqueness: 7+ Value for money: 9 Bottle design/Aesthetics: 5+ Overall experience: 8 Blind-buy rating: 8+

When I sprayed Raghba once, the first thing that came to mind was the scent of a temple. Yes, that familiar aroma often encountered in Japanese temples—the scent of 沈香(jinkō), or aloeswood. It struck me as a little odd, because although I enjoy the scent of jinkō and I also appreciate oud in perfumes, I’ve always felt that the scent of jinkō in Japan and oud in perfumery are quite different things. And yet, the aroma I detected in Raghba was unmistakably reminiscent of true jinkō. Perhaps it’s the sweetness underneath the oud that brings out this resemblance, or maybe it reminds me of a particular type of incense blended with aloeswood. In any case, instead of the exotic Arabian atmosphere I was expecting, I was suddenly met with something strangely familiar and nostalgic. If this were one of those strong, traditional Arabic oud fragrances, I believe I could enjoy it just as easily. Raghba opens on my skin as a very smoky oud. Beneath it lies a sweet, toasted note—like burnt caramel. As I mentioned, it evokes the scent of a temple, which makes it feel meditative and a little sentimental. That may be because, for many of us in Japan, temple scents can carry memories of funerals. After a little while, the oud begins to soften, and vanilla starts to emerge— a warm, soft, slightly toasted vanilla. It’s sweet, but the oud remains present throughout, so instead of a gourmand impression, it feels more like sweet incense. Because of the temple-like quality of the scent, I do worry just a little that it might come across as an "older person’s fragrance." This heaviness doesn’t suit Japan’s hot and humid summer, I think. I wear it occasionally on cooler days, but once summer arrives, I plan to let it rest and mature—a maceration period, until I can fully enjoy it again in autumn and winter.

After Lattafa Khamra (which i loved) i was intrigued by middle eastern perfumes. I decided to give this one a try because the notes seemed spot on for me. Dont blind buy this like i did, luckily I LOVED IT. Not a safe blind buy if you are picky with spices and oud, or not comfortable in the unisex area of perfumes. Definitely spicy at first with the oud and incense, but after dry down the vanilla and sugar come out beautifully. Although i must note that the sweetness is not giving “edible cupcake” that people may think from reviews labeling it “very sweet gourmand”... and this is what was worried about. I don't like the childish sweet cloying scents of cakes and candy. So i really like this one. Longevity is crazy, this one is a beast so don't overspray it as this type of scent should only be noticed, not present all times. especially in closed spaces. For sure unisex. As for the saliva smell some people get: Yes, i can see how some get the sour, bad breath smell. To me it's spicy, rather than sour BO. Not sure what note is responsible for this shift could be tobacco of some sort? It goes away pretty fast tho and it’s not that bad. I would speculate some people get it pretty bad only for skin chemistry and maybe temperature and humidity where you live. I conclusion, loved it. Try it out before you buy it, but give it the benefit of sitting on your skin for sometime. *note: some people said they let Raghba macerate and it does wonders. I will let it macerate for about 2 months while still using it and i’ll make sure to update on that.

I do like this scent. As a woman, I would consider wearing it, but would incline towards layering it with something that leans feminine...there is something a little resinous and ethnic about this perfume. To the uncultured Western nose this may be off putting, but something about this is very comforting of a protective male figure...it reminds me of the winter I spent in the southern mountains of Turkey. My brother in law said this reminds him of the smell of his grandfathers cigar drawer. I get that one. It reminds me a little of Sultan al Oud by Al Rehab... I picture an older Turkish man with both a gruffness and tenderness to him. Picture a salt and peppered man with a beard in the mountains of Turkey coming home from a long day of hard work. His boots are dirty, but his hair is neatly combed in a side part. He sits into an old wooden chair that lets out a wheeze in a room with wooden antique furniture. The room is dimly lit. He pulls out a cigar and begins to smoke it with a quiet power to him. His wife brings him a cup of hot tea in a small glass cup. He takes it from her and kisses her hand tenderly with a twinkle in his eye. She smiles bashfully and returns to the kitchen to take the bread out of the oven. He closes his eyes and leans back in the chair as the smoke escapes his mouth, the streaks of the setting sun can be seen in the smoke.