Exquisite Leather by David Beckham

Today I finally found out what this perfume was. It has become common to smell it in the street since last summer, which has been a tragedy on hot afternoons. Someone must be promoting it to twenty-somethings on TikTok or Instagram. It reminded me of the smell of crème caramel, sweet but with a bitter undertone. For young beginners, approved. If Babycat and its clones smell like this, I’m taking it off my shopping list.

It’s a good perfume, but honestly it’s a long way from the DNA of Babycat, Rifaaqat, etc. In this one, the leather is much more noticeable; to my taste, it’s drier and I’d say smokier. In the background, you can faintly make out some notes that remind you of the others, but from afar. But as I said, it’s a good perfume, and if it were from another brand, I think it would be held in high regard. The pity is that it’s almost impossible to test, and you have to buy blind.

If I didn’t know Babycat and Rosendo Mateu 5 (and their respective clones), this Exquisite Leather would have blown my mind. For me, it’s closer to Babycat because the floral facet is not very marked. In the drydown, it feels sweet and silky. Very well balanced. I’ve only tried it with one spray on the inside of my forearm (in 40-degree heat, this perfume is not very advisable) and it’s already in its fourth hour and can be smelt easily, so its performance is quite decent. It’s a fragrance for cold weather, so I’ll keep it until its moment comes. Very recommendable, and its price (€20 for 50ml) is, I think, in line with competitors such as rifaaqat or Domino Essence 05.

I can’t say anything about its similarity to the ones mentioned, except that it’s very original compared with what you tend to smell in the price bracket in which it is sold. At first sniff, it comes across as resinous, like the artificial version of the aroma of cut wood, a note that dominates throughout its development. Then other woody notes emerge, but with liquorice accents. The base is that of any oriental woody fragrance. I don’t perceive the traditional leather note (Ombre Leather) or the imaginary one (Sicilian Leather). The box offers a metaphorical description: the aroma of a wood fire. In my case, I’d lean more towards smoked spices with firewood (not charcoal). It’s very persistent on the skin and projects a lot. I think it offers good value for money, despite its stridency. If reformulated for the better, it could be an exclusive-distribution product sold at a price above USD 250. Either way, it doesn’t smell like its price; it could be perceived as one of those sold under global designer brands, including Zara.

It’s a good perfume, but honestly it strays quite far from the DNA of Babycat, Rifaaqat and the rest. Here, the leather is much more noticeable; to my taste it’s drier and I’d say smoky. In the background, you can make out notes reminiscent of the others, but from afar. That said, it’s a good perfume and if it were from another brand it would get far more consideration. The pity is that it’s almost impossible to sample and you have to buy blind.

If I hadn’t tried Babycat or the Rosendo Mateu 5, this Exquisite Leather would have blown my mind. To me, it leans closer to Babycat as the floral part doesn’t stand out much. Once dry, it smells sweet and silky. The balance is very good. I’ve only tested it on my inner arm (40 degrees isn’t ideal) and it’s been four hours and it’s still there without issues, so its performance is correct. It’s for cold weather, so I’ll keep it for its time. Highly recommended and at 20€ for 50ml, I think it stands up to rivals like Rifaaqat or Domino Essence 05.