Arabian Tonka

Arabian Tonka is Pearl Fragrances' oil version of Montale's Arabians Tonka, a fragrance one reviewer summed up simply as the rose, the cane sugar and the oud in contrast with the tonka bean make it unique and addictive. The saffron and bergamot opening is the strongest part of this translation, arriving warm, spicy and citrus-bright much as it does in the original. The oud and rose heart follows the same broad shape, though it reads noticeably softer and less resinous here, missing some of the depth that makes Montale's ouds feel so substantial. The base keeps the essential tonka bean and amber sweetness, but the oakmoss that Montale uses to add earthiness and extend wear is largely absent, leaving a simpler, sweeter drydown than the six-out-of-ten sillage some reviewers report on the real thing. It's still a warm, sweet, spiced oud-tonka scent that captures the addictive quality people mention in the original, just with less complexity and considerably less throw. As an oil, it holds its saffron-tonka warmth close to the skin for a long stretch, even without matching the original's room-filling reputation.