Agarwood
by Madini

So this is fake agarwood? I figured there might be a reason why I like it. Before this one, I’ve encountered scents that claimed to be agarwood, and I was not impressed by them because I typically found them overwhelming. I don’t find this one overwhelming: There is just a little of that aggressive aromatic presence in Madini’s Agarwood in the top notes. And I find this version more quiet and mellow and with a wood base that is quite soothing. This is rich and unique enough for me for now. It eventually loses even its minimum of aoud characteristics and becomes a mellow, translucent, meditative wood aroma that auras the skin, calms the consciousness, and introduces me to a few of the more ethereal elements of the universe. This is the first “agarwood” that I can really enjoy from beginning to end. Maybe later I’ll grow into the real thing ...for now, this is a good experience.

One word to describe this "Agarwood" Fake! To anyone who has had the privillage to smell authentic real Agarwood regardless of its quality or origin, this attar has fake written all over it. I have smelled other "agarwoods" or "ouds" that are fake and they sell for 1/3 of the price of this Madini scent. The true Agarwood is complex, rich, animalic, subtle, and oh so luring, while this scent is more like if a tree was made out of plastic this is probably what it would smell like. Evan a cheap bad quality agarwood dosnt smell anything like this, usually they smell burnt or like cow manuare but not nausiating and un-natural like this one. I would not be so dissapointed in this attar if I hadnt smelled the same thing from a same size bottle sold on the counter of a family owned butcher shop and sold for $4.00 right next to the $0.99 sesame candy.

There is one word to describe this little attar in a abottle. FAKE!!!! I have been a Madini customer for about 6 years and rather enjoy their products but I have to say this one is a rip off. Yes it is strong and long lasting but thats really the only similarities it has with real Agarwood/Oud. I have smelled other fakes from around the world and they all smell the same weather they sell for $20 for 3ml or $4 for the same thing. The smell is quite sickening and if I get it on me it over powers anything else I am smelling. You can also smell it's addition in another one of their attars called Mukhallat Malaki, and Bouquet. Yes some people do like it's fragance but usually it is those who are inexpeirienced in real Agarwood. The first thing to give it away is the price of the attar. $15 for 3ml is to little for agarwood, and a real agarwood that is bad quality but cheap dosnt smell anything like this, rather cheap agarwood usually smells like burnt wood or cow manuare. This fake agarwood is totally missing any depth and complexity that evan a cheap real agarwood would somewhat obtain. Hey dont get me wrong there are some Madini attars that I totally enjoy, but this one is a shame. Sorry Madini