Exquisite Leather by David Beckham

Today I finally found out what this perfume was. It has become common to smell it on the street since last summer, which has been a tragedy on hot afternoons. Someone must be promoting it to twenty-somethings on TikTok or Instagram. It reminded me of the smell of flan with caramel, sweet but with a bitter undertone. For young beginners, approved. If Babycat and its clones smell like this, I’m taking it off my shopping list.

It’s a good perfume, but honestly it’s a long way from the DNA of Babycat, Rifaaqat, etc. In this one, the leather is much more noticeable; to my taste, it’s drier and I’d say smokier. In the background, you can faintly make out some notes that remind you of the others, but from afar. But as I said, it’s a good perfume, and if it were from another brand, I think it would be held in high regard. The pity is that it’s almost impossible to test, and you have to buy blind.

If I didn’t know Babycat and Rosendo Mateu 5 (and their respective clones), this Exquisite Leather would have blown my mind. To me it’s closer to Babycat since the floral facet is not very pronounced. In the drydown it feels sweet and silky. Very well balanced. I’ve only tried it with one spray on the inside of my forearm (in 40-degree heat this perfume isn’t very advisable) and it’s already in its fourth hour and can be smelled easily, so its performance is pretty decent. It’s a cold-weather fragrance, so I’ll save it until its time comes. Highly recommended, and its price (€20 for 50ml) is, I think, in line with competitors like rifaaqat or Domino Essence 05.

I can’t say anything about its resemblance to the ones mentioned, except that it’s very original compared with what you smell in the price segment it’s sold in. At first sniff it comes across as resinous, like the artificial version of the aroma of some cut wood, a note that dominates throughout its development. Then other woody notes emerge, but with licorice accents. The base is that of any woody oriental fragrance. I don’t perceive the traditional leather note (Ombre Leather) or the imaginary one (Sicilian Leather). The box offers a metaphorical description: the aroma of a wood fire. In my case, I’d lean more toward smoked spices with firewood (not charcoal). It’s very persistent on the skin and projects a lot. I think it offers good value for money, despite its stridency. If reformulated for the better, it could be an exclusive-distribution product sold at a price above USD 250. Either way, it doesn’t smell like its price; it could be perceived as one of those sold under global designer brands, including Zara.

It’s a good perfume, but honestly, it strays far from the DNA of Babycat, Rifaaqat, and their peers. Here, the leather really stands out; in my opinion, it’s drier and I’d say smoky. You can faintly sense notes reminiscent of the others in the background, but only from afar. That said, it’s a great perfume, and if it were from another brand, I’d give it serious consideration. The only drawback is that it’s almost impossible to test, so you have to buy blind.

If I didn’t know Babycat or the Rosendo Mateu 5, this Exquisite Leather would have blown my mind. To me, it leans closer to Babycat because the floral aspect is very subtle. As it dries down, it’s sweet and silky, with a great balance. I only tested it on my inner arm (warning: not ideal at 40 degrees), and after four hours it’s still going strong, so the performance is solid. It’s better suited for cold weather, so I’ll save it for that season. Highly recommended, and at 20€ for 50ml, the price fits rivals like Rifaqaat or Domino Essence 05.