Isfahan 98

Isfahan 98 is The Parfum Hub's interpretation of Dior's Oud Ispahan, the 2012 Francois Demachy release from the exclusive Prive collection that paired a lush Turkish rose with smoky agarwood and warm labdanum. The dupe opens with a loud burst of labdanum and saffron, a spicier, more resinous introduction than the original's plush rose entrance. The heart brings Turkish rose forward with patchouli adding an earthy backbone, echoing the source's rose-oud pairing without quite reaching its syrupy depth. The base settles into agarwood, sandalwood and cedar, a woody-smoky close that nods to the original's celebrated smokiness but fades faster and projects less. Where Dior's Oud Ispahan is famed for ten-plus hours of sillage that can outlast a full day, Isfahan 98 offers a more modest four to six hours before settling close to the skin. The character remains warm, spicy and oud-forward, well suited to autumn and winter evenings, and works for date nights and dressed-up occasions where a rich amber-rose presence is welcome. At under four pounds for a sample size, it is an honest way to sample the rose-oud-labdanum family without committing to the designer price, even if the original's layered smokiness and animalic rose depth are simplified here.