Luxurious bottle of Dar Alteeb's Dasman fragrance

I first came across Dar Alteeb by accident, at the Oman Avenues Mall in Muscat. They had a store in the mall, and initially I wasn’t even gonna go in, as it looked like the kind of place maybe I didn’t belong. Their stores are all incredibly opulent, in an ‘old money’ kind of way, looking more like a study you might find hidden away in Buckingham Palace.

But, I was drawn in by the luxurious optics, and was surprised to find that they were actually a perfume brand. As the aesthetics would indicate, Dar Alteeb is no ordinary perfume brand. They don’t even display their fragrances like more traditional brands, preferring to keep them hidden away in fancy boxes.

Who are Dar Alteeb? 

They’re a luxury fragrance brand from Kuwait, with the most grandiose, luxurious bottles. The juice is something you might expect to smell on a billionaire, their fragrances just ooze of wealth. I’d say that their range is incredibly varied, and are an acquired taste.

I’ve visited branches in Oman and Dubai now, and the service in their stores is quite something. Upon entering the store, you can’t actually see any perfume bottles, it just looks like a room that’s been transported in from a palace. You’re directed to sit in a chair, which is more like a throne, where the staff bring you arab coffee and dates, as well as asking you about your tastes in fragrances, and whether you have any particular notes in mind. From there, they bring out their perfumes and find ones that match your tastes.

And yes, whilst they have the look of luxury, their fragrances are not quite as expensive as you might think. They’re by no means cheap, but they have some scents that are beneath £100, with others reaching up to £250. You get what you pay for though: the service, the aesthetics, the bottles are works of art in themselves, and then there’s the fragrances themselves. With all that in mind, they’re comparatively well priced.

Dar Alteeb Dasman fragrance with a reflection

Dar Al Teeb Dasman 

Dasman is from their appropriately named Palace collection, and the first thing to note about it is the bottle. I’m not usually one to be too bothered about packaging, but this bottle is just next level. It almost looks like a pillar you might find adorning the entrance of an ancient greek palace, it’s like nothing I’ve seen before and creates a striking first impression.

The scent itself is not for the faint of heart, and I’d say that you really need to be an oud lover to appreciate its decadence. Just a single spray, and you’ll instantly feel a raw, animalic burst of pure oud hit your nose. It’s a really imposing first taste of the complexity Dasman has to offer.

Official fragrance notes of Dasman by Dar Alteeb 

Dar Alteeb are notoriously shy about revealing too much when it comes to fragrance notes, but from their website, they list indian roses, sandalwood and oud oil as the official notes.

Dasman by Dar Alteeb being held in front of lights

What does Dasman actually smell like? 

Dasman might smell as though it’s a pure oud fragrance to those unaccustomed to dehn (pure) oud, but despite its strength, it isn’t quite that. As my nose has become more sensitive to oud, I’ve learned to understand what pure oud smells like, and when it’s blended with something else.

As you spray Dasman, there are some faint whiffs of syrupy sweet rose petals, and subtle hints of sandalwood. My initial impression is that it smells like an aged single malt, with that powerful oud accord and dry woods. It’s a really intense smell at first that fills the air, and remains so for a couple of hours at least. However, beyond that it fades down over the day into a sweeter, powdery, almost floral oud.

Oud and rose is always a good combination, they complement each other when done right. Dar Alteeb have blended this to perfection, and the rose in Dasman smells so natural, as opposed to synthetic. You can almost feel the freshly crushed thick rose petals between your fingers

Everyone experiences different feelings when they spray on a fragrance, and to me Dasman exudes confidence and authority. If you wear this, you’re someone who knows what they’re talking about, you are self assured and people respect you.

Dar Alteeb's Dasman from above

Longevity and sillage 

Dasman really clings to your clothes, and will linger for hours with good projection, even in the cold of a British winter. I sprayed it on my scarf one evening, and it remained quite strong all the way through to the next day.

As for sillage and projection, this fragrance is way above average and people around you will be able to smell it on you for a good hour or two. After a couple of hours, it weakens slightly from extremely loud oud to being pleasantly strong.

It has an oily texture on the skin, suggesting that this is a high oil content perfume, which explains why it is so long lasting. This smells fantastic in the air, and when paired with a dehn oud oil as part of your layering routine, the fragrance gets even louder and the projection higher. It also performs superbly well in the warmth. I remember getting into a warm car and wafts of this were filling my nose from the husband’s coat.

Where can I buy Dar Alteeb perfumes in the UK? 

Dar Alteeb have a store in Knightsbridge, London, but sadly they don’t have any other branches in the UK. 

If you do happen to visit the Middle East, my recommendation would be to visit the stores there as they are priced cheaper than the store in London. 

For example, Dasman costs £219 in the UK store, but in Dubai it cost me approx £173. 

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