Al Medina Al Mounawara
Abdul Samad Al Qurashi

Al Medina Al Mounawara

Kind of a sour sod of earth with some green rose facets, built off a powdery amber base. Doesn't really do anything for me personally, it just inhabits a sort of olfactory limbo in a sour but forgettable fashion. Meh...

The initial Al Medina Al Mounawara's sticky rosey (somewhat musky-earthy-vegetal-aromatic) fist conjures me more than vaguely (in a far more resinous and natural way) the Perris Montecarlo Rose de Taif's first approach (a Rose de Taif main vibe combined with musk, may be cedar-lemon, fir resins, animalic patterns and faint spices). A touch of earthy geranium too? There is a pure (not overly seasoned) oudh foundation which, combined with rose, may be patchouli, hesperides, (may be a touch of saffron) and musk, conjures more than vaguely (but in a more veritable, less medicinal, more realistic and "balsamic" way) the same combination of notes mastering the Montale Black Aoud's infamous formula. The great Tiziana Terenzi Gold Rose Oudh jumps on mind too, especially along the creamier final phase of the trip (when the ambery-honeyed vegetal soapiness reigns lofty and kicking). The final aroma is supremely rosey-mossy old school chypre with a final laundry (vaguely honeyed) soapiness conjuring me more than vaguely (with a more properly oily approach anyway) several french-italian vintage pillars of classicism a la Arrogance Pour Homme Original, Beverly Hills Giorgio for Man, Balenciaga Portos, Monsieur Rochas, La Perla (or neo classic eastern new soapy chypre a la Sisley Soir de Lune or Touaregh by Il Profvmo) more than an oriental-arabic concept of mystic (spicy-resinous) new perfumery. I have to say that this is a shadowy mossy sinister oily blend enveloping the wearer by a forbidding classic aura anyway finally actual, linear and clean. The evolution is not so complex but texture and "consistency" are bright and natural. All you lovers of rose oils...hurry up!!!

This is just lovely. Classified as a floral woody musk, Al Medina Al Mounawara strikes me as a perfect entry point into the world of Arabian concentrated perfume oils and attars, especially for people who are unsure about where to start or who want to avoid the darker, more challenging fragrances this genre can produce. It is a very pretty, soft, gentle fragrance, reminiscent of clean bare skin after a hot shower. I put this on at 7 am this morning and seven hours on, it is still there, radiating in the air around me in its own subtle but persistent cloud of loveliness.

The scent seems simple, but I am sure that it is not, because much care has been taken to ensure that all elements here - the musk, the florals, the amber, and the woods - are polished to a perfect 'roundness' and 'smoothness'. The musk is white, creamy, and at the same time, slightly powdery, the woods (I am guessing cedar and perhaps sandalwood) are blond and smooth, and amber adds just a touch of warm sweetness. I smell a lot of deep, pink rose in the first few hours, before the scent settles into the shape it will retain for the rest of its duration, which is to say, a mixture of white musk, blond woods, and a subtle touch of amber. The total effect is sweet, warm, clean, 'round' in feel. I've been kind of wanting to snuggle myself all day, that's how good I smell.

There is a charming innocence to this blend that makes me think of a young lady receiving this as a gift from a tender father or brother. I think this would appeal to a large segment of the American market too, particularly women who favor fragrances that suggest shower-fresh skin, cleanliness, and warmth without overt sexiness. Although comparing these Arabian CPOs and attars to Western spray fragrances is difficult, if not impossible (it is less a question of comparing apples and oranges as it is comparing apples and..., um, sausages, let's say), I feel comfortable suggesting that if you are a man or a woman who likes fragrances such as the Clean or Philosophy Pure Grace lines, then you would love this one. Plus, in terms of quality of ingredients and lasting power, Al Medina Al Mounawara is a step up from these lines. It costs about $89 for one tola (about 12mls), which is a very reasonable cost for something that will last a whole year or more (one drop is enough to scent both wrists and your jawline).