Majd Al Sultan by Asdaaf

Hey! I’ve been wearing this for years, but the truth is they reformulated it. Before, it was smoky, resinous, with that unique saffron note. My wife says when I wear my usual scent almost every afternoon in autumn and winter, I smell like a penitent! She likes it, but when I finished the bottle, I ordered another from NOTINO. Upon opening, it smelled very fresh, as if it was missing something from the resins, almost mentholated. It improves as it dries, but gradually loses depth and body. I checked the date; it was September 2024, half a year after the previous one, which was identical. To save time, I bought another from FRAGA.DE and it had the same date and the same disappointing result. They messed up the formula. What a pity, because it’s still good, but I lack depth; they left it too resinous and almost mentholated (if you have the old version, of course). My wife doesn’t notice the difference once it dries, so maybe it’s my thing, but I don’t think so, because in the morning it’s not on the skin, and no one can deny that, not even her. P.S.: It’s a top fragrance if you didn’t know it, but I already broke the emotional bond with it.

The first time I tried it, it seemed like a total success. The second time, it was a bit harder to love. It’s a good fragrance with very oriental notes. If you like resins and incense from around here, this is a very good option.

It’s a deep, woody, sweet oriental fragrance with great elegance. It has excellent sillage and longevity. Perfect for mature, well-dressed men. Absolutely excellent.

It’s primarily resinous and spicy. To my nose, it’s like an older brother to Lattafa’s Ameer al Oudh Intense Oud, most similar when the latter dries down; by the way, it lasts a long time close to the skin even when projection fades (Majd has good longevity, though perhaps less projection than Ameer). Majd is less woody than its counterpart, maybe less elegant and less unisex, but definitely more intense, rugged, and masculine, though somewhat linear and less sweet. I must say, for its price, it outperforms its actual value (Asdaaf is a subsidiary of Lattafa). Are they redundant? Maybe. Ameer is nocturnal, winter, attractive, and warm—anyone would love it. Majd is daytime for autumn and winter, more serious, perhaps more Arabic, rough, and solid, yet it also reminds me of the original By The Fireplace. I’d own both, or settle for one (I currently have Majd), but I know Ameer well too—great price and performance. Well done, Lattafa, offering two products with an amazing quality-to-price ratio. Watch out for Majd Al Sultan; its beautiful packaging alone isn’t something even niche brands can match, so that’s roughly where things stand. (I strongly disagree with the opinion comparing it to Lattafa’s Oud for Glory. This Asdaaf is frankincense and resins, not a woody oud. Lattafa’s is quite westernized, friendly, and pleasant—nothing alike.)

It smells exquisite; it’s like they bottled the very idea of the Middle East in a fragrance. You can detect every single note, though there’s a sweetness I can’t quite place. It doesn’t smell vanilla-like, but I’m not sure if that sweetness comes from the tobacco or the saffron. It’s a much more refined, elegant version with smoke and incense compared to the Oud for Glory, yet they smell quite similar. It’s far more wearable and pleasant to wear than the Oud for Glory, without losing its striking, long-lasting, and noticeable character.