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I discovered quite a while ago that the Cartier is a brilliant fragrance to blend. It works well with Aventus, Layton, Interlude, Mancera Red Tobacco, Individuel and SEVERAL others. When I first got it, I found it challenging because it's hyper-sweet from the caramel, tonka and sugar notes. But it has a smoky vibe too and I love my smoke. At this point, I'm perfectly happy just spraying it straight, though I wouldn't recommend that for most. Anyway, tonight I wanted to do a rerun of the Noir Absolu with the Lattafa Dukhan. I tried it several months ago and it was simply wonderful. This combination has a niche-like, exotic vibe, and with smoke, resin, and that Middle Eastern soul that I love. As a pair, the fragrance is quite powerful and IMO easily rivals fragrances that cost several hundred dollars. I layered the Lattafa on top of the Cartier after a couple moments to allow the Cartier to dry down a bit. The opening hits with a spicy-woody scent while the Dukhan rises over it with its incense smoke and warm resin. NO harshness here, in fact it’s smooth and refined. The mid seems to actually warm the skin (perfect for a cool evening), and becomes dense to the point where I'm constantly smelling my wrist! I just love the amber core with smokiness. The finish has that smoke & sexiness (so I hear) to it. The smoke becomes smoother over time while the fragrance is solidly masculine, even given the overall sweetness of the blend. Honestly, this is one of my favorite scents and one of the very few times that I would prefer to blend rather than spray the individual bottles. Each bottle can be had for less than $50, but combined I think the fragrance rivals bottles costing over $200! This is a 9/10 for me.

After all this talk today about this clone vs that clone, and this niche vs that niche, I decided to reach for something that has been ignored by me because I've been too wrapped up in this clone vs that clone, and this niche vs that niche. It may be time to climb out of the rabbit hole for a while. I'm sure we're all pretty familiar with this one, so there's not much value in critiquing. It's a crowd-pleaser, and after playing 9 holes of golf with my wife, it's time to sit down and pay some bills. Given all that, this is a pretty good reach. They don't call this a crowd-pleaser for nothing!

What can be said about the Golden Brick? This is a modern classic it's one of. Maybe two oud a wnts that I actually enjoy. If you are looking for a solid Winter fragrance that commands attention and lasts even through a shower, this icould be it. If you have ever gotten your nose on Maison Lancôme’s Oud Bouquet you have a good idea of what this is like, I'd say it's about 90% on the money, for a fraction of the price. Shaghaf Oud is a Gourmand Oriental fragrance. It doesn’t follow the traditional pyramid strictly; instead, it's a dense, linear blend of sweetness and wood. The opening is an immediate blast of sweet, jammy rose and saffron. The "Oud" here is not the "barnyard" or medicinal kind; it is more a smooth, woody backbone that provides depth rather than funk. As it dries down, the praline and vanilla take center stage, turning the scent into something reminiscent of a high-end dessert, warm, nutty, and sugary, but tempered by the smokiness of the wood. Performance here is nothing short of beastly, it's famous for its sheer power. Like anything that can pass the 8 hr mark and even survive a good shower has to be seriously respected.It creates a significant scent bubble. In the first 3 hours, people will smell you before they see you and lit eaves a heavy, sweet trail behind you. Best suited for twinter were he cold air allows the sweetness to "bloom" without being too heavy. Great for evening wear, outdoor events, or formal dates. It is a "statement" fragrance. But a word of caution, Start with just two sprays. This is one of the few fragrances where "overspraying" can actually be physically overwhelming for you and those around you. My Rating 9/10 Scent 2.5 Longevity 3 Sillage 2.5 Y/N 1

I’ll be fair to Dua Fragrances — I don’t think their best work is always the “inspired by” stuff. Where they really shine for me is their originals and especially their hybrids. Here’s why I think Dua actually excels when they’re creating their own blends: 1) Their hybrids feel like a real lane, not just cloning. A lot of brands copy one scent and call it a day. Dua’s hybrids usually take DNA from two (or more) familiar profiles and mash them into something that feels genuinely new. Sometimes it’s hit-or-miss, but when it hits, it’s a fun “what if these two had a baby?” kind of scent. 2) “Beast mode” is basically their signature. Even if someone doesn’t love the refinement, it’s hard to deny the longevity and projection. Their originals/hybrids are usually built to perform like crazy, which is a big reason people become fans in the first place. 3) Their originals tend to smell richer than people expect. When Dua is on, their blends come across smooth, dense, and saturated, like they’re not afraid of using heavier materials or pushing sweetness/woods/ambers harder than a lot of designers. You can tell the goal is impact. 4) They’ve got real “concept scents,” not just copy-paste profiles. Some of their originals lean into a specific vibe—spa-clean, candy/gourmand, nostalgic, etc.—and commit to it. Stuff like Luxurious Spa Day or Spell Of Cotton Candy, as well as the other originals and one hybrid I took pictures of. (if you like that style) are good examples of Dua doing something that feels intentionally themed, not just “close enough to X.” 5) Value is a huge part of the appeal. End of the day: you’re getting niche-style intensity and weird/fun creativity without paying niche-house pricing. Not everything is going to be perfectly refined, but for performance + creativity, the originals/hybrids are legit. I would basically rate all the originals and hybrids a minimum of 8/10 Plus!!! I have to edit this to include pictures from my phone!!!