Khamrah by Lattafa: dates, cinnamon and vanilla, explained

Arabic houses have spent the last few years making gourmands that smell like dessert without tipping into sugar, and Khamrah is one of the reasons people in Pakistan started paying attention to them.

The layers

The catalogue record we sell from lists Khamrah as a 2022 release from the UAE.

• Top: cinnamon, nutmeg and bergamot.
• Heart: dates, praline, tuberose and mahonial.
• Base: vanilla, tonka bean, amberwood, myrrh, benzoin and akigalawood.

Its main accords, strongest first: sweet, warm spicy, vanilla, amber and cinnamon.

What "gourmand" means here

A gourmand is a fragrance built around notes you could eat. The risk with them is smelling like a bakery. Khamrah handles that by spending its opening on cinnamon and nutmeg, which are sharp and dry, before the dates and praline arrive underneath. By the time the sweetness is fully in play, the resins in the base are already pulling against it.

The part that lingers

Vanilla and tonka bean do the sweetness. Myrrh and benzoin are resins, which add a slightly smoky, balsamic weight that keeps it from reading as a dessert alone. Amberwood sits alongside them and is the reason the last hours smell warm and woody rather than syrupy.

Who it suits

Spiced, sweet and warm is a preference, not a compliment. If you like vanilla and cinnamon in the cold months, this is the shape of thing you are looking for. If you reach for citrus and marine fragrances in summer, a dessert gourmand in Karachi's humidity may be more than you want.

It is also worth knowing that sweet fragrances read differently on different people, so a friend's recommendation only tells you so much.

Trying it first

We sell Khamrah as a full bottle and as a decant poured to order from an authentic bottle into a fresh glass atomiser. A few millilitres is enough to find out whether spiced dates suit you before buying a bottle.

See the rest of what we stock from Arabic houses in Arabic fragrances, or try a couple of things at once from our decants. If you would like photos of the actual bottle before ordering, message us and we will send them.

FAQ

Is Khamrah suitable for men or women?

Neither label really applies to it. It is a spiced sweet fragrance, and who wears it is a matter of taste rather than a rule. Our shop lets you filter by men's, women's and unisex if that is how you prefer to browse.

When is the best time to wear it?

Most people find warm, sweet fragrances easier in cool weather and in the evening. In heat they can feel heavier, which is worth considering for a Pakistani summer.

Can I try it before buying a full bottle?

Yes. Order a decant, which is the same fragrance in a small glass atomiser, and wear it for a week before deciding.