Few perfumes have travelled by word of mouth like Lattafa Khamrah Qahwa. It belongs to a wave of Arabian perfume houses, from Lattafa and Afnan to Al Haramain, Arabiyat Prestige and Maison Alhambra, whose rich, warm scents have found a big following in the UK. Here is what is in Khamrah Qahwa, what makes a perfume "Arabian", and how to choose one.
What does Lattafa Khamrah Qahwa smell like?
"Qahwa" is the Arabic word for coffee, and that is the idea at the heart of Lattafa Khamrah Qahwa Eau de Parfum (£26.99, 100ml). Its notes, from top to base:
- Top: cinnamon, cardamom and ginger, the spices of Arabic coffee.
- Heart: praline, candied fruits and white flowers.
- Base: coffee, vanilla, tonka bean, benzoin and musk.
So it opens spicy, turns sweet and nutty, and settles into coffee and vanilla. It is an amber-woody, gourmand scent made for men and women, and it suits cooler months and evenings best.
More from Lattafa
Lattafa perfume is known for warm, generous scents at friendly prices. Alongside Khamrah Qahwa, we list:
- Lattafa Teriaq (£29.99): caramel, bitter almond, pink pepper and apricot, then honey, rhubarb and rose over leather, vanilla and musk. Unisex.
- Lattafa Maahir Black Edition (£25.99): black and pink pepper with saffron, then labdanum and cade oil over leather, cedarwood, guaiac wood and patchouli. A darker, smoky choice.
- Lattafa Yara Candy (£26.99): green mandarin and blackcurrant, a strawberry-candy and gardenia heart, and vanilla, musk and sandalwood. Made for women.
See every Lattafa scent on the Lattafa page.
Afnan, Arabiyat Prestige and Maison Alhambra
Afnan 9am Dive (£26.99) is the fresh one: lemon, mint, pink pepper and blackcurrant, then apple, incense and cedarwood. Afnan Supremacy Gold (£27.99) is warmer, with nutmeg, violet and peach blossom over amber, vanilla, oud and benzoin. More on the Afnan page.
Arabiyat Prestige Nyla (£25.99, 80ml) is a bright floral-fruity scent for women: coconut, peach and mandarin, then tiare, jasmine and rose over white musk. See Arabiyat Prestige. Maison Alhambra adds a wide range of floral, fruity and woody eau de parfums at friendly prices.
What makes a perfume "Arabian"?
There is no strict rule, but Arabian perfume usually leans on a few ingredients:
- Oud (agarwood): a deep, woody, slightly smoky note.
- Amber and resins such as benzoin and labdanum: warm and sweet.
- Saffron, cardamom and cinnamon: spice.
- Rose and musk: soft and rounded.
Most of the scents above are eau de parfum, which typically holds around 15–20% perfume oil. Read extrait vs eau de parfum for what each label means.
Arabian perfume in stock now
Warm and spicy
Al Haramain Amber Oud Tobacco Edition (£32.99, 60ml) shares Khamrah Qahwa's love of spice: tobacco leaf, cinnamon, black pepper and ginger, then vanilla, clove, star anise, cacao and tonka bean. Al Haramain Amber Oud Black Edition (£39.99) pairs cardamom and lavender with leather, amber and benzoin.
Sweet and fruity
Al Haramain Amber Oud Gold Edition (from £32.99) is bergamot, melon and pineapple over vanilla and musk, a popular first Arabian perfume. Al Haramain Amber Oud Ruby Edition (from £41.99) mixes saffron and bitter almond with jasmine and ambergris. Al Haramain Amber Musk (£39.99) is softer: amber, musk, vanilla and resins.
Oud and saffron
Fumeri Oud Saffron (£29.99) and SAP Saffron Oud Extrait de Parfum (£43.99) both open on saffron and spice before oud, cedarwood and smoky woods, with amber, leather and musk. Montale Aoud Safran (£62.99) builds on saffron and oud with rose and amber.
Browse all Arabian perfume and oud perfume. For designer ouds such as Tom Ford Oud Wood and Gucci Intense Oud, read our oud perfume guide.
How to wear a rich, warm perfume
- Start small: one or two sprays on the neck or wrists. You can add more; you cannot take it away.
- Spray on moisturised skin, so the scent has something to sit on. We explain how in how to layer oud with body butter.
- Try it on skin before you decide. Warm notes change over the first hour, so judge the base, not just the first spray.
- Patch test if your skin is sensitive to fragrance.
Arabian perfume also makes a generous gift: see our Christmas gift guide.
