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Akkad by Lubin

Mandarin, Bergamot, Clary Sage, Cardamom, Elemi, Frankincense, Styrax, Amber, Cistus-Labdanum, Vanilla, Patchouli.

Can you say smooth? Well, I can say it, but I'd prefer to wear it. Sleek and somewhat soothing, Akkad by Lubin opens with a rich accord of soft spices, subtle citrus and a balsamic, but mellow amber. Akkad  manages to be full bodied and dense while maintaining a very controlled presence. The amber in the top accord is a precursor to an excellent Labdanum yet to come. A sweet and resinous amber incrementally gains prominence the longer Akkad lives on the skin. It doesn't take one long to realize that Akkad's nature consists of soft smoke, resins, spice and balsam encapsulated in Labdanum.

I wouldn't go as far to say that Akkad embodies an animalic vibe, but it suggests it during the heart stage. I get periodic whiffs that resemble something a tad feral, but it vanishes before I can get a bead on it.

Come base and drydown, Akkad develops a dusty powder that augments the now softening spices and resins. The oriental character of Akkad is now in full view and I must say the tuning of Amber and Vanilla is rather well done. Even at this stage of development, the richness is still present and accounted for. Akkad remains more Labdanum-dominant on me, but that's not to say that you wouldn't recognize something a bit different playing out on your skin.

Sillage is near perfect and longevity is approximately 6 hours before dissipating into a close scent. As a fan of spicy orientals, Akkad by Lubin gets a big thumbs up from Aromi. As always, a sample wear is recommended.

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