Desert Leather by Nabeel

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Greetings, essence lovers! This fragrance really surprised me.

A year ago, on a trip to the USA, I almost accidentally visited a small shop distributing brands I’d never heard of: Swiss Arabian, Nabeel, French Avenue, Dumont Paris, Zimaya, among others. That’s when I realized my Western consumption world was a bit limited… And right this perfume made me rethink my modest collection. Now I have four pieces of Tom Ford, including Ombré Leather Parfum, one of my favorites. The similarity between OLP (and maybe Tuscan, also by TF) and Desert Leather (though with a ‘twist’) left me a bit bewildered. I won’t mention the price, which is well-known. Now, my experience (subjective!) with DL. It opens with a semi-sour red fruit, barely sweet (more of a ‘dry’ fruity aroma), to which thyme (so familiar in many kitchens) integrates, creating an unexpectedly pleasant blend. There’s also a faint vanilla note that provides counterpoint from the start. This accord lasts a while until some clean floral notes appear. Later, the ‘dry’ fruity accord fades to give way to a soft leather base with smoky and woody touches. The thyme remains throughout the life of the perfume, softening and weaving into the base notes. This evolution is well-balanced. It doesn’t seem like a mess of a thousand things fighting to stand out; each has its place. I can distinguish the notes well, which surprises me to this day for a perfume at this price point. Longevity of 10+ hours on skin (knowing it varies per person). My shirt still held this fragrance for a couple of days after, so I recommend wearing it on clothes. It’s not a ‘beast mode’ (the favorite internet catchphrase). But it performs very, very well. Excellent value for money.

• Leather
• Longevity
• Thyme
• Floral