Swiss Arabian

Swiss Arabian was founded in 1974 in Sharjah, in the United Arab Emirates, and is one of the oldest perfume houses in the Gulf still in business. The selection gathered here is devoted entirely to Shaghaf Oud, its best-known line: four 75 ml variations on a single theme, from the most gourmand to the lightest.

The four Shaghafs, from the warmest to the lightest

• Shaghaf Oud 75 ml — the original: oud, rose and saffron over a vanilla base. The point of comparison for the other three.
• Shaghaf Oud Tonka 75 ml — the tonka bean pushes the formula towards almond and vanilla. The most gourmand, and the easiest to wear of the four.
• Shaghaf Oud Ahmar 75 ml — the red version: candied fruit and spices on the oud, denser, decidedly wintry.
• Shaghaf Oud Abyad 75 ml — the white version: musk and white flowers, oud in the background. The most discreet, wearable at the office and in summer.

Staying power and application

These are concentrated eaux de parfum, with a woody-amber base that stays perceptible for a good part of the day. Two sprays are enough for Ahmar and the original; Abyad and Tonka can take a third. On clothing, the rose and saffron last noticeably longer than on the skin.

A house dating from 1974

Swiss Arabian started out as a mukhallat workshop in Sharjah before developing industrial production: it is a well-documented house, not a recent label. All four bottles are shipped from France.