Arabian Nights

This fragrance barged into my life unannounced and completely rocked my world. Let me tell you how this love affair came about...

I'm quick to judge, I don't suffer fools, I know what I like and I don't like to compromise. This scent went against EVERYTHING that I thought I liked in a fragrance. Vanilla = "Hate it, makes me feel car-sick." Sweet cinnamon spices = "Gross, it's not Christmas, stop with the festive spice." Cloves = "Yuck, that's for filling root-canals at the dentist." Apples = "Who puts food in a fragrance?" I've always protested that I hate sweet, vanilla and gourmand scents, especially as 'Arabian Nights Black' read like the ingredients list for baking a cake. But my prejudices needed confronting, and for a rare moment in my life, I had to admit that I had been wrong.

Have you ever met someone that you wouldn't normally consider attractive, then you realised that their aura, attitude, personality or pheromones were wondrous enough to attract your heart? Well that's Arabian Oud's 'Arabian Nights Black’.

So what makes it so wonderful? Being an Arabian fragrance, it has a unisex darkness and intensity that the middle eastern market adores. But there is no oud here. Instead, it creates its exotic allure from the brooding mix of notes which I can only describe as 'erotic apple pie' (you can quote me on that). It's like the Devil and Mary Berry engaged in heightened sexual baking and the arousing climax resulted in 'Arabian Nights Black'.

Understand that this is Arabian Oud's No.1 best-selling fragrance, and with no hype around it (as yet) its reputation comes from the beauty, quality and ingenious blend which speaks for itself. Its magical allure is said to attract the opposite sex - a claim that all advertisers use as sex sells but it does boost one's own confidence. It has a comforting uniqueness that transports you to an exotic other realm and takes those around you along with the magical aroma ride.

This is the more agreeable version of 'Hermessence Ambre Narguile' by Hermes and ‘Helium [2He]’ by Nu Be. These are very close in comparison, but after owning all three, I prefer Arabian Oud's 'Arabian Nights Black’. It could even be a good alternative for Tom Ford's 'Tobacco Vanille' if you're looking for something slightly similar but different. It lasts 24 hours on the skins and clings to hair and clothing for days. It made it to my favourites list a few years back, keeping me cosy from a very cold winter.

‘Arabian Nights Black’: Unisex, comforting, long lasting, alluring, unique, delicious.

TOP - Green Apple, Bergamot

MIDDLE – Jasmine, Vanilla

​BASE - Amber, Cinnamon, Musk, Cloves, Patchouli