Neringa holding Kajal Fiddah

“Her eyes and words are so icy

Oh but she burns

Like rum on the fire

Hot and fast and angry as she can be

I walk my days on a wire.

The way she shows me I’m hers and she is mine

Open hand or closed fist would be fine

Blood is rare and sweet as cherry wine….”

These lyrics by Hozier come to mind as Kajal Fiddah begins unfolding on my skin and I catch myself starting to hum the slow chords, lips stained burgundy-red…

 

Kajal, a Parisian niche house with strong Middle Eastern influence launched the Fiddah collection of five Eau de Parfums in 2017. Each is crafted from the finest precious raw materials, showcasing the luxurious design of heavy frosted bottles with brushed-silver caps and intricately detailed plaques bearing the names of each fragrance (Fiddah, from Arabic, translates to “silver”) and are signed by Christian Carbonnel aka Chris Maurice.  “The brand inspiration comes from the beauty world: kajal meaning kohl in the Indian culture – a natural product that protects and beautifies the eyes. Kajal also draws inspiration from the Arabic word khajal – modesty, humility and kindness in dealing with the people that surround us. Each are based on a personality and Kajal FIDDAH, the name to which this collection is based on, is for the warm and sensual romantic.”-note from the brand.

 

Kajal Fiddah photo by Neringa 

Kajal Fiddah opens as a rich mouthful of the finest Merlot, its black cherry flavours, tannins, and chocolatey finish slowly unfold on the palate. Intoxicatingly decadent, soft and mellow fruity murmurs give way to rich jewel tones of deep rubies and vivid garnets; and wisps of fruit-flavoured chewy, slightly spicy pipe tobacco is accompanied by a soupçon of anise speckled atop.

Smoking pipe via Amazon

The mélange of dark fruit, spices and tobacco notes takes the wearer to a British gentlemen’s club in Mayfair, dimly lit and decorated with dark luxurious leather-bound chairs, mahogany tables and walls fitted with dark wooden alcoves, where the scent of leather and woods pervade, where members quietly smoke cheroots and pipes, thick curls of cherry-flavoured tobacco filling the air, intermingling with boozy aromas of rum, whiskey and sweet liquor occasionally spilled onto the leather seats. Sensual, alluring darkness and intimate atmosphere collapse together in a gauzy soft cashmere-like embrace of boozy leather, pipe tobacco smoke, dusty spices and dried fruit sweetness. As Kajal Fiddah wears on, the sweet fruity tones grow quieter, the darker dry leathery nuances of tobacco unfold in slow ripples and, alongside the leather,  now take the centre stage. The undertones of lingering sweetness intermingle with musky-nuanced leather as  touches of spice blend with soft vanilla and benzoin to create a highly charged crescendo. Fiddah doesn’t travel through intricate twists and turns. It shifts on the skin in small degrees – the initial, luscious juicy ripe cherry fruitiness slowly ebbing and leaving a mix of sweet tobacco against the backdrop of spicy leather muskiness – sensual, enveloping and intensely erotic, all within a warm, golden embrace of  glowing amber.

Kajal Fiddah is both thrilling and dizzyingly sensual – like those first few sips of sweet cherry wine…

Official Notes:  Bergamot, Flower notes, Cinnamon, Anise, Fruity Notes, Leather , Tobacco, Amber, Musk, Vanilla, Benzoin, Tonka Beans

Other perceived notes: Cherry

Disclaimer: I’d like to thank Kajal for generously providing bottle of Fiddah for this review. My opinions are my own.

–Neringa Svobutaite, Guest Contributor @life_through_her_lens

Kajal Fiddah photo by Neringa

Thanks to Kajal Perfumes Paris, we have a draw for a 100 ml  bottle of Kajal Fiddah ($210) for a registered ÇaFleureBon reader in USA, UK or EU (if you are not sure if you are registered click here (you must register on our site or your entry will be invalid. To be eligible please  leave a comment with what you enjoyed about Neringa’s review of Kajal Fiddah, where you live, and if you are familiar with Kajal Perfumes.  Draw closes 4/11/2021

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Available at KAJAL’s Online store and other stockists