AZMAN Riad Jasmine photo by Nicoleta
I love the way a single word can weave a rich tapestry of daydreams in one’s soul, in a whirlwind of textures and emotions. One such word, for me, is “riad”. Opening up: the colorful soundscape of Marrakesh, the starry night skies, the touch of silk dresses on my skin, the taste of summer wine, a cloud of night-blooming jasmine, and the cigarette smoke (the last one in the never-ending “last one, I swear” series), the soft whispers of the water fountain mixed in with the sound of the crickets, making the memory even more deliciously vivid. (must confess, in my other tab I have the google searches for “Morocco summer holidays”).
A riad is a traditional home Moroccan home that centers around an open-air courtyard that is built around a fountain. Riads were once the estates of the wealthiest merchants of Morocco, and now it’s an important fabric of Morocco’s tourism, and if you have been fortunate enough to visit one, it will be forever imprinted in your memory, alongside the sound of the water fountains.
Riad images from Bookingdotcom, bottle of Azman Riad Jasmine, collage by Nicoleta
But where there’s water, there is a story. Where is a story, there is always a main character. In Morocco, there has been a long tradition of arranged marriages, romantic love being seen as some kind of rebellion that undermines the very fabric of society. So, coup de foudres and expansive romantic outbursts are considered to be sheer madness and the lovers as majnun. In Arabic, the word majnun—meaning possessed, mad, or insane—literally means “to be possessed by a jinni.”
jasmine by Michelyn©
I fell in love this past winter with another creation from Azman, Majnoon. From there, my associations game began. Who drove my beloved Majnoon crazy? Hmm, I might have some jasmine petals as clues here…
Sevdaliza Human video stills from “Human” video and Azman Riad Jasmine, collage by Nicoleta
A folk tale, a legend, and a bit of an urban legend is that of Aisha Qandisha, a northern Moroccan female mythical figure. Borrowing traits from both jinn and witches, Aisha Kandisha is portrayed as a gorgeous young woman who has the hoofed legs of an animal, just like a camel or goat. She is said to use her otherworldly beauty to seduce the local young men, driving them insane. According to other variants of the legend, she pretends to be a hitchhiker, waiting for her unsuspecting victim, whom she later kills. Some voices say that her image was derived from a real historical figure: a Moroccan countess from el Jadida – a woman whose husband was murdered by the Portuguese, and who turned her grief into vengeance, taking revenge and killing countless Portuguese soldiers. All legends have in common the fact that she is believed to live near a water source.
The plot thickens!
First taste: a brief vision of glossy perfect red lips, plump ripe raspberry fruits mingled with tangerine juice and sun-sweetened dates, ready for the picking – all entwined for the most breathtakingly seductive effect. The djin flashed before our eyes and nostrils, briefly, but just enough to awake the madness. From delightfully feminine and mouth-wateringly fruity we switch to a more unisex leaning masculine perspective, with woody notes of pine and cedar coming to the surface to balance things out and to fuel further the power struggle. We are now the victim of the spell, but we don’t complain. How could we?
The fountain is now centerstage, with muguet and its watery freshness that feels like having drops of water splash on your heated skin and your soul engulfed in the cooling shade of a riad. Light, slightly green facets embrace the jasmine that dances on the fine border between olfactive lush flowery opulence and deep introspective incensed-out beauty. Veering on the edge of danger, a tamed and subtle oud is there just to flash us the proverbial “hoofs”.
AZMAN Riad Jasmine official photo ©
AZMAN Riad Jasmine is an irresistible summer djin who steals our heart with fruity promises, lures us into a riad filled with watery floral whispers … and never lets us forget that it’s only half-human.
The other half is oud.
PS –I can’t help but sing Nancy Sinatra’s “Summer wine”, switching between a Lana Delray pout and a Ville Vallo smirk:
“Raspberries, cherries, and a djinn’s kiss in a spring
My summer oud is really made from all these things
Take off your silver spurs and help me change my mood
And I will give to you my summer oud
Oh, oh, summer oud..”
Read more of our AZMAN reviews: Two Minutes after the Kiss, Majnoon, Killer Vavoom, I am darkness and a Song for a wanderer
Notes: Top: Raspberry – Tangerine – Date – Pine
Heart: Muguet – Jasmine – Cedarwood
Base: Incense – Musk – Oud
Nicoleta Tomsa, Senior Editor
Disclosure: Bottle kindly provided by AZMAN, opinions are my own
AZMAN Riad Jasmine official photo
Thanks to the generosity of AZMAN we have a 50 ml bottle of AZMAN Riad Jasmine for one registered reader in the US, EU, UK and Middle East. You must register or your entry will not count. To be eligible, please leave a comment saying what sparks your interest based on Nicoleta’s review and where you live. Draw closes 6/23/22
Follow us on Instagram @cafleurebonofficial @nicoleta.tomsa @azman_perfumes
This is our Privacy and Draw Rules Policy
We announce the winners only on our site and on our Facebook page, so like Çafleurebon and use our blog feed… or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume
Like our Facebook page: Çafleurebon and use our blog feed for new updates and articles