Ana Abiyedh Leather

This is the odd one out in Lattafa's catalogue, and that is precisely why it is interesting. Ana Abiyedh Leather opens sharp and green: juniper berries and cardamom give it a gin-like herbal bite, pink pepper adds prickle, and a thin raspberry note supplies a tart fruitiness that reads more like sour berry skin than jam. Nothing about the opening is comfortable, and that is intentional. The heart brings iris, ginger and rose, which sounds pretty but in practice adds a dry, dusty, almost mineral quality. The base is where the name earns itself: a smoky, bitter leather, white musk and amber, more like the inside of an old car than a new handbag.

Reviewers consistently identify this as a budget interpretation of Memo Paris Irish Leather, with one detailed comparison putting it around 75 percent similar but noticeably lighter and less bitter than the niche original. Memo Italian Leather also comes up. That is a genuinely useful reference point, because it tells you what kind of leather this is: green, citrus-tinged and austere, not the sweet suede leathers that dominate mainstream perfumery.

Performance is solid, with reported longevity around eight hours and good projection through the early stages. Two sprays is usually enough given how assertive the opening is.

Be warned that the reception is divided. The Fragrantica average sits at 3.59, which is low for Lattafa, and Parfumo reviewers rate the scent itself at 6.6 while rating the value at 8.5. Several describe it as bitter or sour, and a few pick up an ashtray quality in the dry-down. That is the nature of green leather fragrances rather than a manufacturing fault, but it means blind buying is risky.

It suits people who already know they like leather, iris and dry green compositions, and who want to smell distinctive rather than pleasant. Autumn and winter wear it best, and it works well on a cold Highveld morning where the sharpness has room to breathe. If you are new to fragrance or shopping for compliments, start elsewhere in the Lattafa range and come back to this one later.