Akkad

BY THE POWER OF ISHTAR [short review] Akkad or Akkadia was the capital of the Akkadian Empire. It was the dominant ruling power in ancient Mesopotamia for a century and a half. It all started more than 4200 years ago when the Akkadians took over the Sumerians. Its exact location is not known, although the location by the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers, is the most likely. Its existence is known both from cuneiform writings and from the Bible's ancient Old Testament texts. This empire prospered under the leadership of King Sargon and his successors. Stories of the power of Sargon may have influenced the body of local folklore texts and certainly, some episodes were later incorporated into the Bible. The main deity of Akkad was Ishtar, also called "Astarte" and "Aštar-annunîtum" meaning "warrior Ishtar". Ishtar was the "luminously blinding" goddess, the tutelary deity of the morning and evening stars, goddess of war and love. Her strength certainly inspires this "Akkad" perfume by Lubin because it envelops us, comforts us and fills us with self-confidence. According to the marketing information imagined by the House of Lubin, King Sargon would describe this perfume as: "The essence of Akkad is a gift from the beautiful Ishtar, who loves and protects me. It contains all the most precious ointments from Punt, and also those from the islands of the great sea, and others from still further afield. This amber is the light that shines on my kingdom. It is my empire's most precious treasure." "Akkad" is a velvety oriental scent with a resinous and spicy profile. In the opening, I remark a peppery cloud of sage, with the tiniest hint of sweet orange. Then the dominant note is amber. Resins are prominent but without ever losing elegance, and in which the final picture is adorned with mysterious spices. In the heart, warm bitter cardamom and fresh balsamic frankincense notes are easily perceptible. At the base, I notice other soft contributions that have origin from a lightly animalistic leather accord, some smoke, labdanum resin, and hints of vanilla and patchouli. The overall quality of the perfume is very high, easily realising that the House of Lubin has not cut costs with the raw materials. The responsible nose has been Delphine Thierry, who created another Amber masterpiece 20 years ago, the memorable "Ambre / Amber" by L'Occitane en Provence". In Akkad, I find familiar traces of Tauer's "Au Coeur du Désert" , of Annick Goutal's "Ambre Fétiche", and of Annette Neufler's "Per Fumum: Ambra Luminosa". The Bottle Design was commissioned by Serge Mansau, a true perfumery sculptor who has designed some of the most beautiful flasks of this industry. From his creations, I highlight the Mesopotamian inspiration of the beautiful "Montana Parfum d'Homme", "Parfum de Peau" and "Montana Parfum d'Elle (2002)", as well as the flowing lines of "Organza" by Givenchy. For Lubin, he designed a bottle with a somewhat cubist flow, and extremely appealing. As is traditional with amber perfumes, this fragrance stands out best in cool or even very cold temperatures. Its projection is moderate for an amber-quality fragrance. However, longevity is appreciable. Three sprays last more than ten hours, though only as skin scent from the fifth hour onwards. The fragrance delivers a distinctive and sophisticated aura to those who wear it. Lovers of oriental perfumes quickly elect it as a very seductive one. Closing our eyes we can travel in time through Sumerian, Acadian, Assyrian and Babylonian kingdoms, through warm deserts and evergreen oases, floating in sacred oils and precious spices scents. On our skin, we can feel the voluptuousness of amber that mingles with golden sunsets, to finally end the dream voyage entering triumphantly through the eighth door of the city of Babylon, the door of Ishtar. Music: Sting & Cheb Mami - "Desert Rose"

Akkad or Akkadia was the capital of the Akkadian Empire. It was the dominant ruling power in ancient Mesopotamia for a century and a half. It was all started more than 4200 years ago when the Akkadians took over the Sumerians. Its exact location is not known, although the location by the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers, is the most likely. Its existence is known both from cuneiform writings and from the Bible ancient old testament texts. This empire prospered under the leadership of King Sargon and his successors. Stories of the power of Sargon may have influenced the body of local folklore texts and certainly, some episodes were later incorporated into the Bible. The main deity of Akkad was Ishtar, also called "Astarte" and "Aštar-annunîtum" meaning "warrior Ishtar". Ishtar was the "luminously blinding" goddess, the tutelary deity of the morning and evening stars, goddess of war and love. Her strength certainly inspires this Lubin perfume because it envelops us, comforts us and fills us with self-confidence. According to the marketing information imagined by the House of Lubin, King Sargon would describe this perfume as: "The essence of Akkad is a gift from the beautiful Ishtar, who loves and protects me. It contains all the most precious ointments from Punt, and also those from the islands of the great sea, and others from still further afield. This amber is the light that shines on my kingdom. It is my empire's most precious treasure." Akkad by Lubin is a velvety oriental scent with a resinous and spicy profile. The dominant note is amber. Resins are prominent but without ever losing elegance, and in which the final picture is adorned with mysterious spices. Warm bitter cardamom and fresh balsamic frankincense notes are easily perceptible. Other softer contributions are originating from a lightly animalistic leather accord, some smoke, labdanum resin, and hints of vanilla and patchouli. The overall quality of the perfume is very high, easily realising that the House of Lubin has not cut costs with the raw materials. The responsible nose has been Delphine Thierry, who created another Amber masterpiece 20 years ago, the memorable Ambre / Amber by| L'Occitane en Provence. In Akkad, I find familiar traces of Tauer's Au Coeur du Désert, of Annick Goutal's Ambre Fétiche, and of Annette Neufler's Ambra Luminosa. The Bottle Design was commissioned to Serge Mansau, a true perfumery sculptor who has designed some of the most beautiful flasks of this industry. From his creations, I highlight the Mesopotamian inspiration of the beautiful Montana Parfum d'Homme, Montana Parfum de Peau and Montana Parfum d'Elle (2002), as well as the flowing lines of Organza by Givenchy". For Lubin he designed a bottle with a somewhat cubist flow, and extremely appealing. As is traditional with amber perfumes, this fragrance stands out best with cool or even very cold temperatures. Its projection is moderate for an amber quality fragrance. However, longevity is appreciable. Three sprays last more than ten hours, though only as skin scent from the fifth hour onwards. The fragrance delivers a distinctive and sophisticated aura to those who wear it. Lovers of oriental perfumes quickly elect it as a very seductive one. Closing our eyes we can travel in time through Sumerian, Acadian, Assyrian and Babylonian kingdoms, through warm deserts and evergreen oasis, floating in sacred oils and precious spices scents. On our skin, we can feel the voluptuousness of amber that mingles with golden sunsets, to finally end the dream voyage entering triumphantly through the eighth door of the city of Babylon, the door of Ishtar. Music: Sting & Cheb Mami - "Desert Rose"

Best Amber I have tried. Before you spray Akkad for the first time, I urge you to follow these steps: 1- Read the story and inspiration behind it: "THE FIRST EMPEROR’S TREASURED AMBER. I am Sargon, powerful sovereign of Akkad, who was brought up by Aqqi, the gardener of the great marshes between the Tigris and the Euphrates. Essence of Akkad is a gift from the beautiful Ishtar, who loves and protects me. It contains all the most precious ointments from Punt, and also those from the islands of the great sea, and others from still further afield. This amber is the light that shines on my kingdom. It is my empire’s most precious treasure." 2- Place its ambery orange colored box in front of you and stare at it. 3- Spray. I don't know about you, but for me, it immediately transported me to ancient times to the city of Akkad, where I'm smelling all those ointments that were gifted to the emperor, while the sun sets its rays on the palace and the city, overlooking a sea full of commercial ships. Oh and why did I mention the box? Because the scent smells like the color of the box. Now to the review: Akkad starts with a luminous and extremely rich balsamic orange and resins accord. It hits you with richness from the start. There is no juice here. Nothing tropical about the orange if you're wondering. And no it doesn't smell like sunscreen. This is a serious amber that immediately smells "ancient" from the first spray. If you ask me what makes it smell ancient, I would probably tell you: Technically speaking, it's probably the clary sage mixing with those sublime resins. Baked within the resins lies a simmering, organic and beautifully executed cardamom accord. Oh my oh my, how perfect cardamom can be when it fits like a glove within a composition. The scent weaves with richness. It's dense, slightly spicy, a tiny bit smoky, dark yet full of light. It truly embodies the meaning of the word "resinous" with all its glory. You want to know what resinous smells like? There you go, this is it. It's so good, to the point where I started hunting for scents that have that similar "orange luminous amber" accord, only to be disappointed because nothing ever came close to this, period. In the late drydown, a creamy vanilla accord starts weaving between those ultra rich resins, signaling the end of you teleportation to the city of Akkad. Akkad is N'1 on my wish list for a reason. The word "Masterpiece" doesn't do justice for this amber. It's more than that.

Superb!! AKKAD LUBIN is of a concocted quality that reaches the likes of Clive Christian (Fruity Floral with Dark Plum) and Dove Roja (51). To the nose it has the balsam of an Amouage floral (Fate Woman) and the savoury-sweet undertone of a Nasomatto, minus the bread-like dark chocolate (Pardon). Having smelled real amber and some arabian perfumes (which you'll be glad to know this does Not have that fizzed, but too sharp aldehydeish-oud smell to what you'd find in common arabian offerings), I'd say with its combined ingredients its even better than pure amber itself and for the price, it ought to! I used to not trust this brand with my let down of its history-based fragrances (the Antoinette-adjacent Black Jade... like, compare that to Rance's Elise or L'Artisan's La Chasse Aux Papillons) but I'm glad I had this opportunity to learn, and truly the result of this perfume is superb and it speaks for itself. And about the price, this is the best quality-price ratio perfume I've ever tried. It truly smells like $299 bucks. Considering also the likes of Amouage, Nasomatto, and such charge way more for a quality like this... if you ask me, and if you really only want a select few in your collection do own yourself an AKKAD LUBIN. Heady, but quieted, zen-like ambered incense of notable build. If you realised you dont enjoy heavy, dark smoky incense and found CALLING OF ANGELS APRIL AROMATICS too sweet but liked its vibe, AKKAD LUBIN is it. [NOV. 2020 UPDATE] I brought MYRHH EGLANTINE and YUNNAN OSMANTHE HERMES home instead. [DEC. 2020 UPDATE] AND this week, I discovered L'EAU D'AMBRE EXTREME L'ARTISAN PARFUMEUR was exactly what I was looking for. Smelled like AKKAD for a much lower price without any extra fruit or flower like the HERMES I previously recommended. D'AMBRE is probably too same-same of a journey thab AKKAD but much more effervenscent in its lightness. A play-doh scent only comes after hour 3 or 4 for me. But on my skin it always smells great, so its a keeper for me. And for the price of one LUBIN AKKAD I got the D'AMBRE EXTREME and was also able to include a terracotta of MELOGRANO SANTA MARIA NOVELLA. An extra scent to improve the ambience of my house. Two great fragrances for the price of one!

THE PERFUME truely mesmarised me.. its what i have been looking for for so long.. it smells like luban or resins.. or mirth.. its so velvety.. so serene ..so rich.. so full.. of wonder.. mystery.. and royalty.. its an oriental.. with a twist ..its a musky.. ambery. patchouli.. fine.. beautiful.. mesmerising.. connotation of truth.. elegance.. and seduction.. it almost holly.. it transported me to the maharajahs in India ..or the Russian.. Persian.. emperors or Arabian nights ..its a royal perfume.. fit for a queen.. ..simply magnificent.. a master piece..a heavenly medley.. of complementing accords.. and notes.. the labdanum.. the vanilla.. the cardamon.. the frankincense.. the mandarin.. the bergamot.. all sing together in harmony.. its a powerful perfume.. for a powerful queen..who can mesmerise all her people with that enchanted scent.. its from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.. its from iraq..from madina .. its a gift from the beautiful Ishtar..and akad is a name of a civilized poet.. and writer.. and in many arabic and sub sahran cultures is used in wedding rituals ..and is used as good luck charm for the bride and groom for eternal happiness and prosperity .. i honestly couldn't believe my nose when i smelled them.. for i lost hope in finding a perfume made in the last couple of years that i would actually say wow to..they were on my wish list.. and i got them ..and i am so glad i did ..they are half the price of some of the other ones from the fifth floor they cost about 120 sterling pounds but they are worth every penny.. one whiff and you are on your way to an endless journey across time and civilizations and grace.. perfume ratting 4.8 out 5 bottle ratting 4.8 out 5 edp 100 ml spray

Oh Akkad!!! What a stunning resinous oriental juice this is from Lubin. I've got a strange, inexplicable, soft spot for this house even though I've only tried a couple of their fragrances, and they weren't world beaters if I'm honest. Sometimes you come across fragrances which put a smile on your face and redefine a genre for you. I mean I love lots of amber and Oud, incense accords but even if a scent is appealing or good quality it's a rare thing to find innovation anymore but when you do it's refreshing. It's like every so often in music when you think you've heard every mildly derivative guitar outfit, then suddenly something excites you. I wouldn't quite call Akkad a 'Game changer' (hate that cliche anyway) but it is an amber with balance, sweetness, warmth, creaminess, not cloying and has refreshing fresh incense top notes...what more could I ask for? It starts out with a fresh transparent blast of bergamot, frankincense, elemi and labnadum, transitioning into a kind of benzoin, styrax... ancient powdery amber drydown which is thickened and sweetened with vanilla throughout. Akkad seems to manage both elements of resin slightly cool and uplifting to warm, cosy and authentic in the base. This is great juice however, I can't help but think the top notes should last longer before it dries down to what is quite a standard amber accord. That's harsh criticism because if you love resins as I do you won't care and at least those top notes are there in the first place...however fleeting.

Amazing amber! Most incredible dry down of a fragrance ever! Deliciously addictive sticky resinous amber accord with a powdery vanilla. It has an airy aromatic opening with the mandarin, bergamot, cardamom and clary sage. Ok so random story... It’s funny how your nose develops the more you get into this hobby also. I had actually purchased this fragrance for my partner for V Day and returned it for PDM Pegasus as the tester for Akkad didn’t work so well on his skin chemistry and I found the longevity on his skin lacking. HOWEVER... I kept the (unmarked and impossible to identify) tester in my bathroom cabinet only to pick it up one day and start spraying it on myself. Holy mother of God. This was good! So amazingly good. Such a beautiful true amber scent. I found myself spraying my arm and sniffing constantly. I had to take the tester back to where I remembered getting it only to find out it was AKKAD! The fragrance I had so stupidly returned! This is back on my wishlist but for myself now and not for my boyfriend! Saying that it’s definitely unisex. Side note: it gives me similar vibes (even though it has no Tonka Bean) as MFK Grand Soir - another amazingly addictive amber on my wishlist!) Scent 5/5 !! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

For the past few years I’ve been on a personal mission to find beautiful, sublime, amber-centric perfumes, and now I can add Akkad to the list. My only other experience with Lubin is a sample spray of Kismet, which I love and remember the composition being built around quality materials. The same is true for Akkad. This is a vanilla based amber with a little push from styrax. The opening is citrus and spices, mingling with a pretty frankincense. This composition ends with a sweet (but not cloying), resinous and powdery amber base. I’ve never met a more relaxed, beautiful amber. Super easy to wear, there’s nothing challenging with the composition. I can imagine that attribute may work against Akkad for some Perfumistas. Reviewing a light application from a Luckyscent dauber vial. Next I plan on doing a side-by-side comparison with Molinard’s Ambre Lumiere to make sure I like this one more. And thanks to Fragrantica’s article about the best fragrances of the last decade, where I discovered several perfumes on contributors list that piqued my interest.

This is a chimera fragrance - Akkad gives you both familiar comfort feelings and an exotic unusual adventure - at the same time. Smoldering amber, comforting vanilla, exotic spices, and the loveliest warm glow all day! With Akkad, the initial spray starts out tingling your nose with its' aromatic spices that have whispers of orange, patchouli and olibanum. Then it settles into a "buttery" resinous smell for awhile. Most resins don't give you this "warm fuzzy feeling"- I think this comes from the gorgeous vanilla and amber, and they stay strong throughout the dry down. Late in the day, I got a little bit of spiced powder under it all. Loved every minute of this changing and complex fragrance! Sillage is about 5 feet on me, and the longevity is amazing. It lasted all day and into the night. I liked it when I put it on, but the longer I wore it, the more it developed, the more I craved smelling it. I practically glued the back of my hand to my nose just to catch the nuances. I could become very obsessive about this fragrance!

I definitely believe this to be a true unisex. The opening is certainly more aromatic, so I can see where this could be challenging for women who usually prefer the fruity/floral/sweet typical 'feminine' scent profiles. The opening may be a bit aromatic, but I have grown to appreciate that punchiness from bergamot. This blends with the sage which personally is amazing since I have always loved the smell. Oft, I am rubbing sage on myself while out hiking. On to the wear of this. I am IN LOVE. Akkad is perfectly balanced. True art in a bottle. Resinous, but the patchouli picks this up from being too heavy and balances out with the creamy vanilla. Warm comforting amber resonates through. I get everything I want out of an amber fragrance from this. The blend of notes is so harmonious it's magical! There is a depth to this scent that speaks of a rich history. I get transported to Sumerian times surrounded by these ingredients in their raw form. No synthetics here to dispel the fantasy.

Lubin has blown me away with its creations and Akkad is no exception. I am very picky with scent and while I don't think I would wear all of Lubin's scents myself, I can definitely appreciate their craftsmanship, the story they tell. With Akkad, the story is of a life lived to the full, of warmth, oriental nights, flaming red and deep ocre shades. The eloquence of those who posted before me already speaks volumes so I will only add that this reminds me of Eau des Baux by L'Occitane, however, Akkad is warmer, sweeter, softer and just smells a bit more enticing on me (I am female but often wear men's scents because I like woody, spicy aromas or by contrast, sharp, citric smells), more luxe - which is to be expected with this kind of price tag. I'm still unsure as to which of the Lubins to buy, so far it's a tie between this and Idole with a preference for the latter but I'm now curious about Korrigan (which is a Breton version of a leprechaun by the way).

I was fortunate enough to obtain a sample of this and decided to wear it as my scent of the day. Unfortunately, the sample was defectively and/or evaporated and I only got a little bit on my skin, not even one full sprays worth. However, that little bit went a very, very long way. Simply put, it is the best amber fragrance that I have ever smelled. Admittedly, I haven't smelled them all, but I have smelled some heavy hitters like MFK Grand Soir and Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan and Akkad beats them both, easily. Smell : 10/10 Longevity : 10/10 Sillage : 10/10 Projection :10/10 Overall : incredible Final thoughts... I can't say anymore than this, if you love amber, you MUST get a sample to try this incredible fragrance. If you love amber, it is a safe blind buy but I would always recommend trying first. I need to get a bottle. This fragrance is incredible.

At the risk of adding to the hyperbole on Akkad, It reminds me of Coca Cola on several levels. It smells great in that expansive, Coca Cola way. I mean, it might move you or not, but it’s hard to experience it and think “I hate this.” There is simply nothing to dislike. It’s delightful. The notes are agreeable. The amber is oddly effervescent—giving an incense kind of mood right from the start. The citrus-vanilla-cardamom thing is just happy cola all the way down. Akkad never challenges your senses, but infiltrates them with a persistent, smiling character that is too pleasant to ever become tiresome—which is how Coca Cola took over the world. Well, that and the cocaine. Which brings me to that never too much, can’t get enough quality that Akkad also shares with Coca Cola. You should get this. It’s great.

Akkad is a mysterious oriental dream that seems to waft from other times, from places long gone, where the earth is bathed in soft gold and amber light, the shapes are hazy, almost liquid, and a peaceful feeling pervades everything. The smell of burning incense floats in the air, the smoke curling toward the sky in sensuous curves. There's a dark woody-smoky undertone that comes from the olibanum and elemi, which give Akkad an other-worldly, unique quality. As these marvelous middle notes fade away slowly, a warm, comforting amber takes center stage, along with a deep, rich vanilla doused in burnt sugar. There's nothing sharp here, no dissonant note. This is one of the best perfumes for cold weather, a must-have for fans of oriental fragrances.

Received my sample today. Oh Akkad, immediately so very intoxicating, so very lovely. But wait, I know this intoxicating scent. I can't stop sniffing. I am back in college, circa 1989, my signature, my love. It took me a minute to process the familiarity-and there it was Chanel Coco EDP. The similar notes, mandarin orange, spicy coriander/clove, smoky amber, labdanum and vanilla playing tricks with my nose. I don't have a vintage bottle of Chanel Coco EDP anymore to compare but instantly was transported back by you Akkad. I must have a bottle as those years in my life were defined by a scent so sexy, warm and swoon worthy that if my nose and brain are playing tricks on me, oh well I don't care. I love this so much and is completely FBW.

Retesting this as it's been too long! I remember really liking this, and now upon second inspection, this is (still) one of the best amber balsamics in my opinion, alongside ambre sultan, mitzah and vento nel vento, all of which have that subtly dusty, herbal aspect which gives it it's uniqueness but in my case sometimes it's downfall. In ambre sultan it's the oregano, mitzah the coriander, vento nel vento the oud and licorice. I just find it too herbal, here it's a bit more subtle, the clary sage just a whisper adding to it's edginess. I have loads of ambers so won't commit to a full bottle (for now) If anyone has a partial bottle or decant that they want to part with, hit me up! I could pay or swap for something I have. (I am in UK)

Akkad is a gorgeous masculine warm spicy amber fragrance. I do not get a cola vibe here at all. For me this is a smoky, warm, resinous amber. Very masculine. Something I would love to smell more men wearing when they are out and about. Some of the stuff they make for you guys is just wretched. Every element is blended to perfection, nothing overwhelms. I usually dislike elemi but here I hardly notice it all. I smell warming spices, deep soothing amber, comforting resins. Warmth, strength, masculinity at its finest. A slight sage in the top notes keep this from becoming too warm, it gives a slight herbal freshness, keeping it fresh and clean. This is just a brilliant masculine amber. Please guys get your hands on this one and wear it.

God! this is intoxicating, I truly love how captivating this scent is. It has a warmth so inviting, it's smoky amber goodness. You most certainly can detect this has amber in it, you get it from the start, and the olibanum plays it's role giving it a deeper smokier appeal. I also pick up the vanilla which adds just enough sweetness to it and makes it slightly sexy! This is by far my fav. Amber scent, longevity I expect is fantastic, I did one spray on me 2 hours ago && it still smells like when I first sprayed it gradually getting softer as it develops. I quite love this, it made it to my wants, deff. worth a wiff! :D p.s. I love Lubin's Bottles! Update: Now 6 hours in && still going strong! :D Overall: 10/10

This is one of the most beautiful resin-centric fragrances I've ever experienced. The overall presence is a sensual one of powder and resins. All the ingredients work together to create a beautiful work of art. The elemi seems most prominent to me, creating a delicate pine resin note, with the olibanum and styrax adding a little more woodsiness, but not too much. I don't experience any of the cardamom or bergamot, but the Mandarin orange is there when you sniff deeply, feeling like it's holding up the edges of the woodsy notes. Clary sage, labdanum, and patchouli add well-blended herbal hints that don't vie for attention or try to overtake each other. This fragrance is easily in my top 5.

As a Theorema-replacement hunter, my way passed by Akkad and I am pleased that it did. The perfume salesperson had recommended Idole from the same brand but I much prefer this. Idole has a "dirty" note to it and even if it is a "good dirty", I think Akkad takes you on a more interesting journey. It is the sort of spicy, warm scent that dries down to something that could be mistaken for having a great natural smell rather than an obvious perfume smell. I keep sniffing my wrist, it is lovely and comforting. An evening scent in my opinion and best applied with a light touch; to be discovered by someone who kisses your neck and lingers as they draw in the warm, delicious scent on your skin.