Al Haramain - Rainbow

I do love an affordable Al Haramain attar. I found this fantasy-filled 15ml bottle online for £11.99. Prepare to be amazed…

Al Haramain describes ‘Rainbow’ as “For lovers of seductive and mysterious smells with smoky overtones comes Rainbow. Roses, roses, and roses again, together with the unique smoky tones of scorching precious rosewood, show their depth. Perfume seduces every drop, it guides you through the pink fields. The lily of the valley also presents its desire to show you its loving embrace, in its fragile beauty.”

Blah, blah blah, firstly, it’s not smoky, and rose isn’t featured at all. So what DOES it smell like? Well, it smells like the amber juice that a ripe mango oozes from its green/orange/yellow skin, with jasmine and lily-of-the-valley rubbed into it until it’s impregnated with the richest floral, sacred golden-child. So now you know. A more boring analogy would be to say it’s similar to ‘Al Mas’ by Khalis, very similar to ‘Shadha’ by Al Rehab and similar to (but far better than) ‘Gres’ by Cabotine.

The little bottle is solid metal, and has the appearance of being enamelled with a blue inlay against the slightly garish gold outer metal. From its glass dapper comes as a rich yellow oil that instantly fills the room with glorious florals. It’s an almighty sillage beacon.

Jasmine is first out to play - it’s an intoxicating nighttime jasmine that’s honey-coated with a rich nectar, so it’s delectably sweet. It’s not a screechy white jasmine, nor a pissy indolic jasmine - it smells sweetly golden and ripe, it’s what I imagine hummingbirds to drink from exotic flowers. This is an exotic floral that’s yellowy-orange, sun-filled and not overly green nor sharp like ‘Gres’. This is an incarnation of ‘Gres’ but without the sharp green tang. This harnesses myrrh, amber, sandalwood and patchouli to work their sultry and grounded charm into a richly hypnotic mix.

I just can’t stop sniffing it! It’s winter right now, but I know this will be my summer scent, as I’m throbbing erotically in full floral bloom - it’s just a bit odd in the freezing cold of post-Christmas gloom to smell this glowingly fertile.

In short, ‘Rainbow’ is the outcome of letting Dior’s ‘Poison’ mentor a young ‘Gres’ by Cabotine into maturity, until it fully realises itself. I’m not saying it’s anything like ‘Poison’ (it shares a heady jasmine, amber and sandalwood connection) it just has a similar bold confidence in knowing (and achieving) what it wants in life, whilst demanding respect and attention.

‘Rainbow’ is the ultimate evolution of ‘Gres’. It full-throatedly projects its rousing floral scent with thunderous sillage. Every note is bold and unapologetically full, pronounced and pure. ‘Rainbow’ hides from no-one as it has nothing to hide. This is what ‘Gres’ SHOULD be, if it didn’t lack a little confidence in its classic beauty and didn’t graciously pass the limelight to others.

‘Rainbow’ is so florally ripe, it’s dripping its richly golden nectar to the point of readiness. I absolutely love this French/Oriental style floral fantasy.

NOTES - Jasmine, Hyacinth, Amber, Mimosa, Hortensia, Magnolia, Gardenia, Myrrh, Sandalwood, Patchouli