Reviews by cbstarker

What a great perfume! Not only is it entertaining, and not only is it artistically inspired and refined, but it smells wonderful. Obviously an olfactory rendering of The Shining, this specifically draws from the Room 237 where Jack experiences some of the earliest degenerations into madness. Based on this connotation, I was at first disappointed by the fragrance - it was too green, too musky, too vegetal. To be specific, the fragrance wasn't bad at all, but I had trouble associating it with The Shining, particularly Room 237 - but in all honesty what I was expecting? I really don't know. Something more "intense" I guess, perhaps more shocking. And yet I couldn't stop wearing it, there was also so much reward in wearing it - was I going mad, too? Eventually, I started to make connections: the colors, the smell of soap, steam - there is a sense of cleanliness with something a little "off." In a strange evolution for a perfume, it opens with a citrus-woody accord and then almost in reverse backs into a green-musky accord. These two profiles smell like two different perfumes coming together as one, like two people in an embrace - or the combined smells of a bathroom - soap, steam, aftershave, etc. It brought to mind the scene in the bathroom with the woman bathing who then turns into a nightmarish hag in Jack's arms. Room 237 keeps a grip on reality at this point, however; there's nothing nightmarish about this scent. I've come to enjoy this fragrance quite a bit. Two very big thumbs up for this creation, which is not only unique in inspiration, and not only artistically executed (see what I did there?), but easily enjoyed day after day.

My experiences with amber is based largely on perfumes I've tried in which amber has been related to experiences of coziness or some kind of insulation from cold, dreary days. I find it typically paired with patchouli or vanilla and sometimes has a cocoa powder vibe. Testing Amber Jewels has changed my perceptions of amber, though, and I'm frankly surprised that the "amber perfume" has been confined to such basic expressions. Amber Jewels absolutely redefined what an amber perfume (or in this case a blend) can do and broadened my expectations. AJ opened clean with an openness and brightness of a sunny beach but was not screechy or otherwise untoward. It lacked any brininess on me but was scrubbed rather clean, instead - a nice unassuming unchallenging "clean" almost muskiness. It slowly becomes warmer, though, but not as if someone was turning down the dimmer on the lights. Rather, as if the sun was obscuring the clouds, scattering light everywhere, and then the clouds parted, shining brilliant golden warmth. It even starts to get a little cozy the familiar "cocoa" note before I start to pick up spices of what seems like cinnamon but could include others. Right behind the cinnamon is a woodiness that really balances this out. At moments there are waves of oud-iness as well. Amber Jewels lasted all day for me, even after exercise and a shower. It is listed with just ambergris as the single note but I pick up so much more: musk, amber, cinnamon, and oud - at least. I would be surprised to find out that ambergris was the only ingredient but I'm kinda hoping that's the case. This is a surprising experience, the best "amber" I've ever tried, and worth every penny.

This is absolute dynamite! I know a lot of blends have a great oud presence with a rose accompaniment, and others have a nice rose opening but let the oud roam free, but Royal Blend is the perfect balance between the two. The oud note really fills the space in the room but the rose note stays close and fills the space around me. Both notes are readily available and last all day long, neither one pushing the other out of the way, but rather embracing each other. On my wrist it smells strongly of rose with soft sweet hints of hay and vanilla while around me is a more strongly resinous incense of woody oud. The two really walk hand-in-hand and never let go. Both the oud and the rose are very clean with almost no smoke and with what smells like just a touch of bergamot, some spices, and some amber in the mix, which really just makes it all the more interesting and well-rounded with a bright and lively step. There's some musk in the base that really comes out late in the drydown. Royal Blend is such an easy blend to wear and so much fun. Even though the oud note is so prevalent, it's equally suited to noses unaccustomed to eastern-styled blends as the balance and radiance in this one is simply perfect.

Molouk means "king" so this is also known as the King's Blend. So now I'm sampling stuff well beyond my budget and it's breaking my heart. The quality of the ingredients in this blend is undeniably and extraordinarily good. Al'Molouk is oud dominant but has a bright rosy opening that disappears in a couple of hours. I noticed in some ad copies that indicate it's "taif rose nakhb al arous," which is the first flush pickings of roses that are distilled slowly giving them a better aroma but longevity is short making this a perfect rose top note that gets out of the way of the oud underneath. There's a touch of spices down there, too, very dry spices, but I cannot pick anything out in particular. The same ad copies mention a "thin flick" or "thin layer" of wildflowers, which I suppose is what I'm smelling. What they are I can't say but the "spice" notes (or wildflowers) are very subtle, never overpowering, but remain deep in the background like a layer of earth. The oud in this blend is very high quality, very clean, slightly woody, not animalic at all, not petrol or vaporous either, just a crisp, clean, aromatic, resinous, and incense-like oud with endless staying power. The sillage is deceptively low key and consumes the air around me. It's gentle and quiet while I'm seated but as soon as I move I can smell it, and when I re-enter the room I can smell it like a light incense. At times my body heat really ramps up the oud projection and at one point while sitting in close quarters in a meeting I thought it was perhaps too strong but I enjoyed it anyway. This blend and this oud in particular is gorgeous. Within several hours after applying it becomes something with a golden aura, a description that doesn't do it justice, but is all I can think of. It is perhaps some of the best oud I've ever tried or at least very much to my tastes. In general, this is amazing stuff - the rose is there in the top but doesn't linger, giving the oud all the room in the world to express itself, and the "wildflowers/spices" do nothing more than put the ground beneath its feet. (The ASAQ site indicates this also includes geranium, vetiver, patchouli, amber, and musk in the blend.)

Al Nokhba is a great blend of rose and oud with some notable additions of amber and some spices. The addition of amber in this gives it a very warm feeling, very comforting and almost texturing, and the spices make it very interesting but not in any off-putting way - they are very subtle and not at all overpowering. The main gist of this blend is the oud and rose, though - a nice jammy rose mixed with the intensely aromatic woody resins of oud. The spices are mild, but kinda fill in some gaps between the two star notes. It's definitely an oud dominant blend paired with rose but the use of amber provides softness, which is then rounded out with spices. Folks familiar with Amouage attars will find this comparable if not better. A tiny drop lasted all day long and a week later I could still smell it on the cuffs of my shirt sleeves - incredibly long-lasting!

I find Sheikh ASAQ to be very similar to Al Nokhba but the oud in this blend is much more intense and the rose, although prominent, is not as big. Structurally it seems to be very much the same as Al Nokhba but with different proportions of ingredients - the oud is stronger, the rose is there but not as loud, the amber is dialed back, and the spices very low-key perhaps giving the oud more freedom to roam. In a way, I want to say Al Nokhba is the feminine version and Sheikh ASAQ a masculine blend, but they are both easily worn by either gender. One just has a touch more floral and a touch less oud. But both are incredibly good. I suspect the type of oud used in each is different, though, and while I like the construction of Al Nokhba better, the oud qualities in Sheikh ASAQ are superior!

In the Sheikh Abdullah Bin Khalid Blend, there is amber and there is rose but I swear there is also some sandalwood and there may be some spices but to me this is all oud and sandalwood. In the opening there is some rose and what smells like perhaps some other floral but the oud is on top. There are moments when I get the creamy woody notes of sandalwood, even a touch of citrus, and it's fantastic. Of all the blends I've tried from this house, this is one of my favorites because of the use of sandalwood. Anyone who knows me knows I have a weakness for the stuff and in this blend it just floors me. The note is mild, however, and I could stand a bit more sandalwood presence, but it's still one of the best oud/sandalwood blends I've tried; and the longevity isn't nearly as good as some of the other blends from this house, but I still get a full days wearing out of it and longevity is a shortcoming of real oud oil anyway. An incredible blend to say the least!

If you like ouds but don't like the price, Crassna 25 is an incredible find. In fact, even if price isn't an obstacle, you probably still want to check out this oud. This Crassna oud oil is aged for 25 years and is unblended with other ingredients yet it's anything but plain. I get a combination of typical oud notes starting with a subtle animalic opening, and then some hay-like notes, followed by petrol vapory "ashy" aspects, and finally some incense quality smoke. Thus, this oud defies regional stereotypes of ouds and brings them together in a non-challenging but complexly interesting way. Despite the seemingly diaspora of notes, this oud is simply smooth! And compared to other oud oils on the market, this is incredibly affordable.

I seem to have traveled from the West to the East in a matter of days. This opens with rose and oud but instead of being "screechy" like some blends, this one is warm and mellifluous (if I can use that word to describe a scent). The oud in this is soft, woody, cozy, almost nutty and the rose is mellow and dark (as opposed to pink, bright, or green). It reminds me a LOT of something I've smelled from Amouage (Al Shomoukh?). Then it turns creamy on me, radiating warmth and woodiness, and reminds me so much of Mona di Oro's Oud - creamy woodiness but with roses and spices. The spices I can't place but I want to say there's a touch of cardamom, or maybe a pinch of cinnamon. Underneath there is a light leather note that is borderline naptha yet cool and pleasant. And surrounding all of this is a sweet incense note that I suspect is myrrh rather than frankincense. But the rose is the key here, threading and holding all these notes together. At the bottom is a wollop of musk that outlasts everything. In sum, this is a spectacular blend from ASAQ and would make a fine addition to my collection. It has depth, complexity, and facets that keep me interested. Furthermore, this is stronger than the others I've tried, providing bigger sillage and improved longevity. Highly recommended!

This is the best of the best, seriously. Bulgari Black can multitask better the most of us: if you need a superhero costume here it is; if you love the Godfather, this is your chauffeur; if you prefer libraries and literature, everyone from Coleridge to Collins would find inspiration here. Bulgari's Black is like no other, it transcends traditional fragrances and offers something more like a Ticket to Ride. From the very first instant I smelled it, I could smell something as unique as it was enjoyably excitable. Black smells smart, innovative and incredibly contemporary. It also smells like new tires and black powder. This is a fragrance that could appeal to the agrarian in the comsopolitan while also crossing genders. To me, this is a very warm masculine scent, like De Lillo in a limousine. Yet, I must admit how much I really want to smell this on a woman. Truly a unisex scent, it embodies both the masculine and the feminine in one remarkable fragrance. While not for everday use, this should be in everyones selection. In fact, I make plans just so that I have an occasion to wear it. It dominates!