Batoul
Eau de Parfum, Al Haramain

Batoul is a long-evolution cheapie, starting as an ‘oud’ drenched in vanilla caramel, then going more traditionally ambery, with touches of warming spice. Hugely synthetic at the start, especially its orangey edges, which smell a bit like a cleaning product. But in the settle it goes into dark peppered and smoked woods territory – much easier on the nose – with vestiges of the opening sweetness as an afterglow.