Art Of Wood by Lattafa Perfumes

I’ve always hesitated to buy Arabic perfumes, but this is a gem. It’s very close to PDM’s Perseus, though here the vanilla adds a sweetness that suits me perfectly. It opens with a citrusy, explosive top note, reminiscent of Terre d’Hermes EDP—spicy and vibrant. Then, in the heart, the woods shine: a well-crafted cedar paired with dry, earthy patchouli. The base is a well-blended vetiver with vanilla and oakmoss. It’s worth it; if Perseus is devastating, this is too. It makes me realise that Arabic perfumery deserves its place without any fanatism.

It’s very similar to Terre d’Hermes Parfum, but with a creamy, half-chocolate base. It’s a strange scent, but I like it and it lasts quite a while.

The opening is very strong, too strong, but after a few minutes it settles into a quite acceptable bergamot scent, nothing like D&G. Then a soft wood, cedar, appears, followed by vanilla. Quite acceptable. I have the 20ml mini (the spray is terrible) and I don’t think I’ll buy the 100ml; there are so many things to try and I’m looking for novel scents, as I already have similar ones in my collection.

Lattafa Pride Art of Wood could be a hidden gem in Arabic perfumery. It arrived in a box worthy of applause, of good quality, with a case mimicking a lighter and leaves featuring other fragrances from the line. The scent has extraordinary quality for the price, is quite wearable, and feels masculine. On my skin, cedar, vanilla, and grapefruit stand out; it lives up to its wood name. My family noticed the cedar and oakmoss. Moderate projection, almost heavy, and lasts about eight hours. I’d recommend it if you like acidic citrus and woody scents.

Quite decent, though personally I think it would be better if they toned down the vetiver a bit.

Every nose is different, and for me, ‘Art of Wood’ was preferred over ‘Vintage Radio’, which has much more hype. In my view, it’s 85% similar to PDM’s Perseus, but that touch of vanilla makes it more sophisticated. Those who say it smells better than PDM aren’t exaggerating; it has great quality. Projection and longevity are correct; it’s not a beast mode but leaves a good trail. 10/10.

In the opening it smells like PDM’s Perseus, but after a few minutes it differentiates and shifts to a more vanilla and talc-like aroma. As it dries, notes of freshly cut wood appear, like a version of Perseus for fresher days. I think in extreme heat the sweet vanilla notes could make it cloying, but on bright, fresh spring days it’s pure magic. Performance and quality are outstanding, a genuine unknown gem from Lattafa.

It’s a distinguished fragrance, nothing common, with its own personality. It smells of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice with an extremely sweet and noticeable touch of vanilla. It has a citrus DNA similar to Eau Givree from Terre d’Hermes and Perseus from Marly, but it’s not a clone of either. The difference with Perseus is that, although they share grapefruit and bergamot, Lattafa added caramelised vanilla to balance the bitterness of the grapefruit; it works partially because the vanilla can be overwhelming and dominant. Despite the name and bottle, the wood isn’t the protagonist. Instead, the earthy, wet vetiver joins woods to give maturity and masculinity. The star duo is the sharp grapefruit and the vanilla, whose extreme sweetness can be almost cloying, though this is debatable. Over time, the cedar and vetiver balance the vanilla, creating a more harmonious balance. Due to its potency, it’s better for winter or temperate climates; in summer, it could be too dense. It works in ‘beast’ mode: lasting over 8 hours on skin and 10 on clothes. The trail is heavy at first, then becomes subtle and leaves sparkles when you move.

Let’s be fair: the house Lattafa has made a quality leap in this Pride line worthy of highlighting, and here they knocked me off my feet without hesitation. This proposal allows most perfume lovers to get close to a scent very similar to Perseus from Marly for a modest price of $40 to $60. I’m not saying it matches it in quality, but it has a very good development. As a Marly fan, I declare that when compared 1 to 1 with Perseus, this has a vanilla twist that makes it a charming scent for everyone, not just the wearer, but especially for women; that twist is magical. It’s taking that bright grapefruit with spices and woods and turning it into an elegant spiced citrus, yet at the same time sexy and masculine… I find myself smelling myself all day long, because on top of that, it lasts over 9 hours and projects. They achieved a winning blend and I admit it with my knees on the floor: I like it more than my Perseus from Marly. I don’t understand the comparisons with Terre d’Hermes Parfum… this is a scent without shine, mind you, I have it and I love it, but nothing to do with projection, longevity, and citrus brightness. In conclusion, if you are lovers of spiced, woody citrus with prominent grapefruit throughout its evolution, this is one of the ones worth trying on skin, put it on and let it evolve… without a doubt, I’d do it before deciding to buy Perseus… tremendous price-to-quality ratio. Thanks.

Just as the name suggests, it smells of freshly cut wood. I don’t know how accurate the declared notes are, but this is sharp citrus and lots of wood. If you remember PDM and Terre d’Hermes (in the opening), those are fresh fragrances, but ‘Art of Wood’ goes another way: it’s creamy and slightly sweet. I feel it’s versatile, but I wouldn’t wear it on a very hot summer day.