Akaster

I have no idea why this fragrance has received little attention from anyone in the community, because this is probably the most accessible rose-oud without being conventionally tied down to that DNA. Parfums de Marly, while being generally mass-pleasing in all scent profiles, does not trim on variety and the aura of elegance that often characterises high-quality perfumes. Akaster is the perfect example of PdM's endeavour. Scent: 7.5/10 While being nothing groundbreaking or divine, Akaster is a pleasant western oud fragrance that oozes confidence, enigma, and unyielding conviction. The opening starts with a bombshell of spices (noticeably cardamom), and the unmistakable trail of chypress and musk that turns the typical oriental into something airy yet flowery. The scent is rather linear, and when it goes it goes quickly. Versatility: 6/10 I'm one of those who would wear widely considered winter fragrances in summer, and I'm not ashamed to declare Akaster to be as versatile as most oud fragrances. From the perspective of these seasonal wearers, I see Akaster as perfect for fall but not piercing enough for winter. It could be pulled off in spring, but the weight of its aura just doesn't feel right for the occasion. Can also be pulled off with dark tees and chinos, but not so much for grocery trips or vacations. It's just slightly too heady and sophisticated for casual occasions. I'd advise caution as an office scent, the reason being its almost overpowering projection. But if you're like me, none of these matters. Longevity: 5/10 Average lasting power of about 6 to 7 hours, with first one or two hours of solid projection. The radius sizes down for the following hours, and then disintegrates immediately with no signs of being a skin scent whatsoever. Silage/Projection: 7/10 Three sprays and you'll become overly conscious. This is not a fragrance to spray right below the chin, because it will definitely overload your sense of smell. Projects through the shirt comfortably. Creates a wrapping scent bubbles of decent radius, but not much of a trail. Overall: 6.5/10 Good This is a pleasing western oud fragrance that involves chypress as its dominant note, despite the votes given here. The oud seems to lay dormant as the backbone of the perfume, but it is not unnoticable. Frankly speaking, at around 300 USD you should save up more to get a Xerjoff, and if you're looking for a similar profile, I suggest Fars, which is far more sophisticated, balanced, and complex. But if you're able to get this at 50% (like I did), the purchase would be a no brainer.

It’s sad to see this discontinued, but there are still a couple stocks left, so I do implore people to go out and try this. I get that it’s probably a basic middle eastern take but I find Akaster to be this cool, ‘blue’ rose, a cool-tone red, and a deep and dark one at that. It’s sweet and aromatic rather than spicy with an incense-like quality to it. Some days, I actually do smell the praline hahaha. I don’t smell an obvious citrus but it tends do be a little bright in the opening, so some of that levity must come from the citrus. It does remind me of old style masculine perfumes like Egoiste, but the rose blooms in a more middle-eastern and less complicated way. Still, I find this unisex but more fitting for heavier wears like darker denim jackets or three piece suits sort of vibes more than just airy linen. Definitely more of a cold weather scent but I guess it’s largely my perception that rose oud is better as a colder wear over all so it might be my own biases. Overall, the performance is on the mid of PDM. I find it better than Herod, which I think has been reformulated. Ironically, Herod and Akaster were released as a duo, oh how sad it is for Herod to outpace his brother. I wore it out on a day in the mall. Got there before noon and was still able to clearly smell it by 8PM. Of course by then, it was more of an intimate scent but one that didn’t really loose what made it Akaster, so good for him! Sadly, I don’t know any perfume that’s a dead ringer to this one. I get that rose oud is a combination a plenty but this specific one is something I have trouble finding elsewhere, so any good alternatives would be appreciated. The closest I have is Kilian’s Rose Oud, but it is definitely more syrupy, loukhoum marshmallow and oud than...AKASTER.

On my skin in the summer, I get about 4 hours of really good performance then about 8 hours of prominent skin scent. On clothes, this will last for over a week. In cooler temps, this will last a few hours longer. Projection is a bit beyond arms length after the initial opening. To me, it is a rather dense around you. The rose in this has a powdery/dry quality to it, but with a smidgen of sweetness. This is the primary note of the scent. I'm not entirely sure if this uses real oud or not. However, it isn't the "fecal" quality or the more pleasant higher end ones. Instead, it has a "blue cheese" quality to it. By itself, this is not a very pleasant oud but since it's always in the background of the fragrance, it adds some nice depth to it. There are some woody qualities to it that most likely lend itself to the powdery/dry nature of the rose. The scent itself is more professional/formal in nature. Age range is more on the higher end. I would say 30+ or at least someone rather mature. To me, I could see men or women wearing this. The rose certainly lends a certain femininity. The dry/powdery qualities with oud can certainly be worn by men. People who love rose-ouds should give this a try. However, this is not a blind-buy scent from the house.

This is my first perfume review ever. As a middle eastern Arab guy born and raised in the Middle East, I can say i know Oud very well, It is the most popular scent in the Gulf region and the Arab world in general, Along with other Animalic notes. Also as a big PDM fan, I find this perfume extremely underrated. It was overshadowed by its brother Carlisle which is also one of my absolute favorites. Akaster has one of the realist and most refined Oud notes that I have ever smelled in a Rose/Oud perfumes. The rose is very light and blends in so well With the oud which is giving a smother feel to the oud, You can get hints of Cardamom in the dry down which is very nice also. Performance wise: Hands down the best performing PDM in my collection and I have tried almost all of them, This perfume is beast mode. In conclusion: Underrated, If you like real oud with a something that tames it down really well like the rose in this combo then you should definitely try this one. I would give this perfume a solid 8/10.

Lemon and Cardamom are predominant notes in the opening, Cypress came in about a minute later, carrying with it a hint of sourness. There's almost zero sweetness in this, very light and fresh powdery rose supported by the Geranium. After an hour the Lemon and Cypress are completely gone, i can only smell the Musk and Oud with a remnant of rose and Cardamom, the oud here is quite pleasant and inoffensive. This is a masculine scent, more like Lemon/Cardamom/Oud, the rose is quite light on this one. Good performance and longevity, this is a versatile scent to me and can be worn year-round. Akaster is my 13th PDM and I'm very happy to have it in my collection, it ranks right up there next to Oajan, Herod, Layton, and Habdan as a must-have for me. This is an under-rated release being overshadowed by the Carlisle. If you're a big fan of this house you should definitely check it out.