After much online hype around Rasasi’s ‘Esraa’ as a “hidden gem”, I’ve finally got my hands on the 30ml concentrated oil (attar).

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The bottle isn’t too gaudy, which Arabian fragrances have a tendency of being, it’s more understated, with a few plastic jewels with some gold-tat decorating the frosted glass bottle. Inside, the luxurious juice is an oasis of pleasure. The opening is beautifully feminine – the scent flows like a yellow river of baby-oil, with saffron and ylang-ylang petals afloat on the surface. The official notes from the Rasasi website, state a peculiar ingredient of “gurjumodour”. I can only guess that they mean “the odour of gurjun” which is a Southeast Asian tree, cultivated for its balsam. The oil is obtained from the tree resin through a process of steam distillation. Gurjun (or gurjan) gives a fresh, woody and spicy element.

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Overall, ‘Esraa’ is very pretty and unassuming, but the warming baby-oil scent takes away from any womanly sophistication. There’s also a lingering geraniol or citronella note which comes through at the dry-down, giving a sour tinge of displeasure. I can envision this scent being used to perfection in baby and infant bath products. ‘Esraa’ smells like the baby-faced sun from the Teletubbies.

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The most disappointing aspect is the longevity, which only lasts for about an hour on me (let’s say 2 hours max) before it’s completely gone. I hear that the 60ml spray version lasts longer, as long as you don’t spray more than 3 times as it packs a punch.

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In short, Rasasi’s ‘Esraa’ is like a crack-whore – innocently pretty to start with, but quickly after addiction takes hold, it loses both its beauty and appeal, then fades away and dies. An overdose of ‘Esraa’ does nothing to boost its longevity.

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As usual, I’m giving this to my mum, as at least it will shroud her in a beautifully fleeting fragrance for the hour that she battles the unwashed masses at the supermarket.

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TOP - Bergamot, Ylang Ylang, Saffron

MIDDLE - Orris, Cedar, Gurjumodour

BASE - Sandalwood, Ambrette seed