Omanluxury: The Explorer Collection (Discovery Set)

Dear fragrance enthusiasts, today I want to present to you a discovery set that was sent to me as a present from a local perfumery called „Niche Parfumerie”, and I chose to write about my experience during the exploration of this premium discovery set, as I really liked more than half of the fragrances I discovered inside.

As an overall impression, from the start, I have to say that most of these fragrances (as it already is obvious from the brand’s specific) are of Oriental style.

I find it quite difficult to do a top of my favorites from this discovery set, as it contains 14 samples, and I am a big fan of oriental scents. I am attracted to fragrances that are mysterious and evoke an aura of wonder and magic, thus it is hard for me to do a top. I may be able to pull a “Top 5” list but a Top 10 would be too difficult. So I will just list them in the order of my personal preference, without making a “top” per se.

Dejan by Dominique Ropion

My favorite is a rose centered fragrance that is very close to the ideal I am looking for. Still, not my “signature rose scent” but very well warranting another couple of wears until I decide, if it really is or isn’t what I’ve always been looking for, but I present to you Dejan. It’s almost impossible to not instantly detect the hand of Dominique Ropion, who worked on this great release. When I first sprayed it I instantly said: “Why do I sense the same oud quality that I detect in <The Night> from the house of Frederic Malle?”. Keep in mind that at the time, I had absolutely no idea that Dominique Ropion was the nose behind Dejan. After I looked, I had an “eurika” moment (and was also quite proud of my nose’s abilities, tbh.) Dejan starts off with a very high quality of oud and cipriol oil, and in about 10 to 15 minutes, as soon as the smokiness of the oud airs out and settles on the skin, it gives way to one of the most intriguing notes of rose I have ever put my nose on. I’ve read on the Omanluxury website that it’s the „iconic Jabal Akhdar’s roses” that I am smelling. I googled the Jabal Akhdar rose to find out that these are the Damasc roses that can be found in Oman, in the Al Jabar Al Akhdhar fields starting mid-March up until mid-May. Right now as I am writing this, the season is close to an end for the Damasc roses there. The harvest of these roses takes place in the regions of the Al Hajar mountains and is a very anticipated moment – as in, many people plan visits just to witness the harvest period of these beautiful flowers that in turn, are used to produce one of the most precious oils in the world: The Damasc rose oil. Dejan is an homage to this majestic flower and oh boy, does the „Rose Water” note listed in Dejan stand its ground! It is such a tender rose note, that almost drifts me away to sleep with its calmness and coziness. Poetic would be the word I am looking for, honestly.

Angham by Emilie (Bevierre) Coppermann

The second barely has any liquid left it, as I sprayed it heavily, is Angham. There is something so mesmerizing, to me, about Angham. Inspired by the Royal Opera House in Muscat, Oman, Angham attracted me with the mindblowing green apple start and it’s slow fade towards spices, woods and leather. It’s a dry one, that made me instantly think that even though one would be tempted to say it’s a “cold weather” fragrance, it would work wonderfully in high heat. I can’t help but feel that beneath the dryness and sober elements, Angham would open up truly amazing in high heat. I sense some florals as well, that make it so mesmerizing, and I could almost bet that I detect some tobacco, but all in all, If I were to smell this during a night or evening walk somewhere, outside, I’d definitely imagine it would come from a person that has a nice story to tell.

Voyage by Muatasim Al HinaiV

Another sample that’s missing a lot of liquid is Voyage, a relatively new release from the house. I’m usually not a big fan of fragrances that contain the note of geranium, but this one has a floral quality to it that is absolutely head spinning for me. Have I ever told you that I love roses in perfumery? I do. I am constantly on a hunt for “my perfect rose scent”. This is not it for me, as rose is not a main player, but the note of rose in Voyage plays an important part in how the smell shifts, turns, twists and evolves on my skin. More than the rose, though, Patchouli and Incense work wonders in this one, and the sticky Labdanum note brings out a sweetness that in combination with the peppers, incense, spices and florals, bring out a little bit of sweetness and a lot of mystique. I imagine this is what the air, streets and homes would smell like in the story of Alladin. Such a precious and wonderful story that Voyage has to tell. Truly an olfactory Voyage!

Wanderlust by Jean-Louis Sieuzac

Up next is Wanderlust. My, oh my! It hit me like a tonne of bricks when I smelled this one. The first words that came out of my mouth were: “I miss the Greek islands”. I promise you, if you’re in search of a fig centered fragrance with a tad of sweetness coming from the overly ripe figs that fell from the tree, and a green quality of the sand textured green fig leaf that sways calmly in the wind, on a hot summer afternoon. Imagine white crisp sheets hanging out to dry in the scorching sun, on a wire, in a green fig garden on a cliff in a Greek island. Water splashes at the base of the cliff, strong, refreshing gushes of wind bring microscopic particles from the foaming sea along with the currents of air right up to you, while your’re swinging in a hammock and reading in the shade. I must have Wanderlust with me on my next vacation in Greece. I hope I can preserve the final mililiter from this tester to take with me whenever I visit Greece once again.

Oud Aquilaria by Dominique Ropion

Up next on my list is Oud Aquilaria – guess what? – also „orchestrated” by Dominique Ropion. A fragrance I fell in love with a couple of years ago, when I originally discovered Dominique’s work on Promise published by Frederic Malle. Oud Aquilaria is a more “green apple” version of the Malle release. I do not find them similar, to be honest. The same green apple note can be found in Angham’s beginning, and yet I can’t compare it to Oud Aquilaria or Malle’s Promise. Oud Aquilaria is green to me – and has beautiful hints of rose, spices, a bit of earthy patchouli and some oudiness. I would love to wear this on a hot summer day as it makes my mouth water just thinking about taking a big bite out of a crunchy, green apple.

Paramour by Philippe Paparella-Paris

Then comes Paramour – a raspberry leather that makes me think of poetry. For some reason, there is something so delicate and melodic about this fragrance that I can’t explain. Not so much as thinking of a certain poem, but it makes me think of poetry as a whole. It makes me think of love, of rhythm, of how verses rhyme in poetries. A sweet raspberry and vanilla cream coated piece of velour. I just love this one, it is adorable.

Royal Incense by Philippine Courtiere

Royal Incense is a lovely scent. A bit far off from the ideal rose for me (so far Dejan is the one), but this one reminds me of visiting a church. A big rose bush right outside a church with open doors – whiffs of incense and myrrh escape through the open door of the church, and it mixes up with the rose smell from the bushes outside. I am not sure if I’d wear it, but it has something spiritual to it, and I would puff this one at home for relaxation and meditational purposes. 

Zafar by Pierre Gueros

Zafar gives way to a bit of funkiness as it unveils. It’s the oud, the frankincense and the amber that give it this funky vibe, I suppose, but it rolls through on a bed of florals. It is beautiful nonetheless. A versatile but still outstanding choice. I can’t imagine a clear picture for this one. I really can’t. It mixes two moods that I don’t have a visual reference for: a floral sweetness with the sharpness of oud, frankincense and the warmth of amber. Even though I have no visual reference for it, I still appreciate this one and I would wear it one day, but I am not sure of what stat I should be in to choose it.

Khanjar by Philippe Paparella & Muatasim Al Hinai

Khanjar is an oud forward fragrance, with sweet facets and in the drydown I keep feeling as if it is a bit foresty. I think the cipriol oil leaves that impression on me. Very well made and blended, definitely I can sense this one in a very opulent setting, makes me think of expensive cars, leather interiors, old but well kept furniture in a classy home. I imagine I am at a late night cocktail/ dinner party in a palace in Marrakech at a special event, with amazing wooden interiors, surrounded by and elegant people. Outstanding yet you must be an oud fan to definitely enjoy it.

Mariya by Hamid Merati-Kashani

Mariya is dominated by a floral direction, with some green insertions. It gives off a nice feel, fresh overall direction, lika I would feel in a garden after rain. It has something interesting and summery to it, a sping feel. I am surprised by this one, in a good way. I see the notes listing coffee – I honestly can’t detect it, and I like to think of myself as being a huge coffee fan. All in all it makes me think of being in a garden during spring, after a heavy rain, with rose bushes and orange blossoms all wet and giving off beautiful floral scents in the air. And a very light hint of damp soil from the garden as well, in the form of patchouli. There is a sweetness indeed, but I feel as if that comes from the florals. 

Belfiore by Marie Salamagne

Belfiore starts of creamy – I almost tend to feel as if it has some almonds or marzipan note. I find it a bit green, and extremely calming. But it’s the carrot note and osmathus that I sense the most. It has a bit of sweetnes. But what Belfiore makes me think of is a nurturing feeling, motherly, safe. It makes me think of an embrace. Very relaxing and calming. A white fragrance, if I were to attribute a color. White and a hint of lilac purple. 

Flowerlush by Philippine Courtiere, Maurice Roucel, Pierre Gueros

Flowerlush is a bit too floral for my taste, I didn’t really connect with this one, personally. It is a very, very well made floral, but a bit too much in the floral realm and nothing to give it a twist, as I would prefer it.

Serenity by Pierre Negrin

Serenity is a bit too strong on the cumin and oud for me. I can imagine using this in a very serious context, definitely makes me think of night time, black tie elegant events, definitely a context in which I can’t see myself, I don’t really identify with this one. But all in all, I think it’s a rose leaning fragrance but not the poetic one in my opinion, but more of the elegant, senior one. 

Overdose by Philippe Paparella-Paris

And the last on my preference list is Overdose. This one was OK in the first minute of spraying, but then it goes downhill for me. Synthetic or weird to my nose. It makes me think of cold tiles in an empty house, a kitchen that has tungsten, cold lights with cold tiles on the wall. A bit unsettling for my taste.

So there you have it. A short presentation of how I found the Explorer Collection Discovery Set by Omanluxury.

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Thank you and other notes:

I want to thank NicheParfumerie.ro for gifting me this one. I really appreciate it! (see my “About“ section or “Contact” section, and check out “What you read on this blog” paragraph, to understand how I choose to review fragrances on here).

Thanks for your attention and for the time dedicated to read this article.