Fareb

Love this one. I can see myself acquiring a bottle once my sample is gone. At first, just like a few other people, I thought it was in the same ballpark as Fate Man from Amouage. Then I compared them side by side and they felt rather different. Sure, they both feature a prominent cumin note but Fate is more focused on the spices, frankincense, and the resins, whereas Fareb focuses on the cumin, immortelle, and the dry woods/leather in the base. Now, I feel a similar perfume to Fareb, recently discontinued, was Serge Lutens' El Attarine. I much appreciated that one and respected how unique and different it was but ultimately I could not bring myself to purchase a bottle as it felt too "feminine" for me. Too shy and suave. For me, Fareb feels like a "masculine" counterpart to El Attarine. No honey or fruits, much drier, woodier, with just as much focus on cumin (yay), a good amount of ginger, and perceivable yet soft dusty leather. I love Serge Lutens and wish this is how El Attarine smelt but I think Fareb will take that place in my collection. It satisfies both my craving for cumin and immortelle and is rather unique. It makes me think of Egypt. A very underrated scent from a house that hides many such jewels that only few know about. I need to dig deeper now:) UPDATE: After more sampling and comparing further with my Palais El Attarine I have to say I prefer the latter. There are some annoying woody-ambers in Fareb's base that albeit not prominent bother my nose. El Attarine feels rounder, more suave, and natural smelling. Still, I believe Fareb is worth checking out for those who enjoy Imoortelle and Cumin in fragrances.

This is sooo high on my wishlist! To me it is very dry rooty, musty in a "empty wooden spice-cabinet feel" but more from the spiced up wood than from spice alone. I do not get much if any leather, get more of a black tea with dried berries in it, cumin but pleasantly balanced and a tiny curry feel (Which I can imagine may project abit stronger on some, giving out the spice cabinet feel) It has a totally different array of spices then say Piper Nigrum which I also adore. Fareb is way softer, warmer. Soft spices, no pepper or sauna eucalyptus feel. I do not know what Immortelle smells like though I get that there is something in Sables which is here as well, only more airy, dry, rooty, spiced tea-like. And no burnt sugar feel! Like tea-spiced dry roots warmed up and withered by the hot desert winds. I soo crave this! But test before buy, some have read my love for it and only gotten a very boring uncreative spice cabinet on their skin. Well luckily for me, here it shines! My only love from the Huiteme line so far, and I have tried a few.

This is one of the most unusual fragrance I know in my life. Very niche, very special. Pierre Guillaume created this masterpiece to show the feeling of the Middle East countries as far as I know. The dusty full of tobacco smell of coffee shops, where people are sitting on the leather sofas spending their lazy time. He catches perfectly the atmosphere. This is how everything goes in those places. Just close you eyes and imagine your vacation not in exclusive hotels on Sinai Peninsula but in old villages somewhere in Jordan, Syria or Egypt. However this is not the oriental type of fragrance it is rather the smell of places which will last in your memory for long time. Fareb is not very expensive and for sure worth its price. Fareb is in the group of my first five favorite fragrances ever created.

Fareb reminds me of the streets in the old city of Fez; leather, kind of incence (elemi?) and the sweetness of honey and (dryed) flowers. I loved the old city of Fez!

It's quite nice, but it immediately makes me want to wear Fate Man by Amouage, which is the greatest of curry/cumin perfumes for me.