Jabal Al Lawz

The Scent Profile

Jabal Al Lawz opens with a resinous cloud of olibanum, like the cool smoke curling from a desert incense burner, but then veers into a headshop anise. The cardamom is present, yet flattened. It lacks the sparkling lift of the original. The heart replicates the tobacco accord quite faithfully, a dark, brooding leaf aroma, though the licorice edges into cherry cough syrup territory. The fenugreek adds an interesting, almost savory depth, a touch of burnt maple. As it dries down, the vanilla emerges, but it's a plasticky bourbon, lacking the boozy warmth and depth. The myrrh struggles to cut through the overwhelming sweetness, resulting in a somewhat muddled finish.

Bottom Line

Wearing Jabal Al Lawz provides a similar character to the original, but filtered through a less refined lens. The original evokes a sophisticated world traveler, a diplomat in a Saville Row suit; Jabal Al Lawz conjures an aspiring artist in a vintage coat they found at a thrift store. You gain an approximate outline of the sophisticated tobacco profile, but you lose the nuanced complexity and seamless blending that makes the original so captivating. It’s a confident gesture, but one that perhaps lacks the final finesse.

The Performance Stats

On my skin, Jabal Al Lawz lasts a solid 7-8 hours. The projection is initially strong, filling a room for the first hour, then settling to about an arm's length for the remainder of its lifespan. I wore it to a dimly lit cocktail bar and it felt almost opulent, but the synthetic sweetness became cloying by the end of the evening.