Cheval d'Arabie

Yeah, my wife hates this one too, unfortunately. And I'm pissed off, too, because it's the weekend and my lawyer isn't answering his phone, but I tell you what, first thing Monday morning I'm calling my pay-lawyer and seeing what I'm likely to have to give up...! The taif is in perfect balance with the oud and it's just stunningly mixed. About 10 or 12 years ago, a student offered me an attar in the middle of term, and because I had about 10 students who saw him offer it to me, I had to decline and tell him to give it to me after results came out. Of course he failed, and probably knew he was going to halfway through the course, and pulled out a bit of presumptive baksheesh, but I wasn't able to accept it. Anyway, the attar had 'taif' in the name (can't remember what it was other than that), and even now I think that the gift of taif ANYTHING is such a good gift to give. Anyway, I really like this one. Like, REALLY like it.

This is simply fantastic. This is Sultan's absolute best for me! Cheval D'Arabie is a true animalic leathery floral fragrance...yet it is much much more than that. It is stunning, simultaneously masculine (my wife said "it smells like a man, in a good way!") and pleasingly floral with the rose adding a beautiful and utterly complimentary delicate sweet note to the animalic oud. This is not a challenging scent to me, the animalic leather is rich, rugged and deeply pleasing but in no way off-putting. It is the perfectly executed balance that makes this so special, it is punchy but also complex with an air of opulence and refinement. I have never smelt anything else quite like this. It hits such a high note that it has become my favorite of all SP's, and I am thrilled to have and to get to experience this work of olfactory art. Bravo Sultan! Magnificent.

This is an incredibly butch(or perhaps switch in an “i” for that “u” on the right person), rugged, animalic type of an Attar. At first blush, you might thinks it’s another Oud rose, just with the skank dialed way up. But it’s much more interesting than that: the intensity of narcissus in the heart, coupled with some mimosa and chrysanthemum, gives the animal side a totally different balance and pitch than you might find elsewhere. Not like Tabac Tabou by PdE, but slightly green, almost sour but in a compelling attractive way. The great surprise of this Attar is the incredibly refined and stately late heart and base: what starts as a filthy beast never gets scrubbed up or soapy, it just all clicks into place and leaves a handsome evening scent in its wake. For the right time and place, a statement. For the Marlboro Man archetype, a signature scent.

My favorite after jowryah. One of the best Attars I’ve ever come across

Cheval D'Arabie is another attar from Sultan Pasha that next to Aurum D'Angkhor, feels larger than life. Pure Middle Eastern blend of Jammy Rose and Hindi Oud with a few twists like the addition of Hay and Narcissus among a few other touches. I don't get a very textured leather accord in here, but I get why it's called "Cheval", hinting at the beautiful Arabian Stallion. The pairing of Hindi Oud, Narcissus, and Hay creates a prominent stable-like impression, and the heavy musks in the base take the idea of a four-legged beast to fruition. As a matter of fact, I find the oud in here not as prominent as the other mentioned notes, which seem to overtake it. The rose accord is big and sweet, lush, as in all Sultan's compositions. The hay pairs brilliantly with the narcissus as they do share some facets. It appears to me that there is a green facet in here, maybe from the use of hay and chrysanthemum. The oud is there but never the main player. The leather accord is built around the oud, musks, and narcissus. Perceivable yet softer than expected. This attar packs a punch. It is incredibly strong and lasts forever. It sure has plenty of horsepower. It will cut through the highest temperatures of the desert and the camel smell. IG:@memory.of.scents