Tonight I wanted to give BA some love. This one is a love or hate fragrance in my mind and I believe my 5th wearing. Challenging at times and god forbid go easy on the sprays. The first time I wore this I did 6 sprays and I swear I was tripping balls from it. Pardon the expression. This is a smoke spicy woody resinous incense bomb. Please don’t think you will smell like weed/pot. It’s not a hippie pot smoke smell. 😂. Well blended and excellent ingredients. I may get hammered for this. No it’s not actual Oud in here. But the synthetic is not harsh or abrasive at all. Long lasting and warming. No it’s not a projection bomb although it does project about 2-3 feet and the sillage is excellent. Be careful not to spray on clothing as it will obviously stain. Longevity is excellent at 6-8 hours then skin scent. I will absolutely smell this still in the morning on me and my bed linen. This one did take some time to get to know it and learn its nuances and progression. I still feel as if I’m getting a hint of black and pink pepper with this even though the notes aren’t listed. 3 season frag that I don’t feel would do well in the heat of summer but possibly in a evening setting would work fine. Another Nasomatto that I highly recommend and am grateful to have. No they are not cheap at around $100-$120/30ml. This will last me for a very very long time. I struggle at this time to give it a number rating as I’m feeling as if I’m still trying to peel back the onion layers of it but if pressed I would say a solid 8.8ish/10. Be well all.

If you’re looking for a scent that punches way above its "high street" weight class, Sand Desert at Sunset is arguably the crown jewel of the Zara Chapter No. 4 collection. Created by master perfumer Benoist Lapouza who, notably, is the nose behind the legendary Kilian Angels' Share. This is one of my favourites that got me interested in the Zara range. To my nose thos is very close to Ziimaya's gorgeous Sharaf Blend. Perhaps a touch less boozy, this is more of an Amber/Vanilla vibe. This is a rather good, Oriental Spicy fragrance. The Opening first spray hits you with a blast of incense and orange. It’s slightly zesty but immediately smoky. Unlike many cheap fragrances, there is no harsh alcohol "sting" here.As it settles, the cinnamon takes center stage. This isn’t Christmas candle cinnamon; it’s a dry, woody spice. It blends with a chocolatey, boozy undertone that feels incredibly creamy and thick.The base is a smooth mix of tonka bean, iris, and sandalwood. The Tonka provides a vanilla-like sweetness without being cloying. The Iris: Adds a subtle "powdery" elegance that keeps the fragrance from feeling too heavy. To be honest this one is probably my favourite from Zara. Its really well structured and for the price,€22 You cannot really fault this. If your looking to smell like a high end designer fragrance for a budget price. Then this is the one to go for. Performance is rather good compaired to some of their other offerings which can lack staying power. You can get up too 6hrs with about 2 hrs projection. It creates a nice "scent bubble" without offending the whole room. Leans slightly masculine due to the spice, but smells divine on anyone.Considering it costs about 1/10th of the price of a luxury niche bottle, it is an absolute steal for anyone who loves warm, spicy, and resinous scents. My Rating 7.5/10 Scent 2.5 Longevity 2.5 Sillage 1.5 Y/N 1