To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
suen – :
I just bought a sample of this. I DID read the review of Radeque beforehand. However, I have read many reviews of other fragrances where people state that it smells of feces or barnyardish. All those times I did not agree, well, maybe sometimes it was a little bit present (e.g. Harrods Oud by Bond no 9), but not overwhelming.
Now, for Zafar, I do agree with Radeque’s review. Completely. This is just putting your head in a pile of manure. I have never smelled something like this. Quite well done, but unwearable.
7,5/10 (quality)
2/10 (wearibility)
2356121546 – :
Ok, so.. the first thing you get is a heavy hit of animalic barnyard/horse manure smell.. For me, this doesn’t really go away completely at any stage of the fragrance, which makes it rather hard to wear.. I can’t really imagine any social scenario where I would want to smell that way. But I only have a sample of this and I like to spray it on my skin just for myself, just to expand my olfactory horizons 🙂
Some people say this smells of blue cheese.. I can imagine there are lots of people who were born and raised in big cities, and have never been to a barnyard and don’t know what it smells like. Guys, this does not smell of blue cheese! And if you think it does, you should be worried about what kind of blue cheese you’ve been eating 😀
cyncdoudiom – :
I don’t get any blue cheese in this. I get a very pleasant camphorous wood instead. There may be something in it that slightly reminds me of my stays in farms when I was a kid… It’s not that skanky in my opinion and I like it. But it fades too quickly for the price
djlev – :
the initial blast of skanky oud assaults your nostrils at first, then the most incredible spicy/balmy saffron/rose/oud combo guides you into bliss, nice and expensive!
ulc207JeomiWogkig – :
Smoky Oud perfection in a gorgeous bottle. This amazing combination of oud and pepper sweetened by a lovely green apple note is something that just has to be experienced to be believed. Don’t believe the naysayers. The Oud here is of very high quality hence the slightly indolent opening which very quickly fades away to reveal the gorgeous middle eastern tapestry that reveals the above mentioned pepper, green apple and other slight notes such as vetiver, rose, neroli, and incense. This is religion in a bottle. See notes below from the right ones who have experienced it in its full glory from its striking smoky opening to peppery middle to its sweet drydown. Amazing!
oleganchik777 – :
Zafar is the king of the kinkiest oud fragrances.
Zafar starts with a smooth accord of blue cheese grilling in a barnyard. Barnyard notes that have animalic / fecal inclinations – actually the opening is very fecal and dirty indeed. If you can survive first hour, you will be later rewarded with one of the most sophisticated smell of wood I have ever experienced in perfumery.
After an hour or so, the cheesy notes go away. Zafar develop into a musky oud monster hidden in the deep woods. Noble woody notes come up to a surface, being softened by white flowery & fruity apple nuances. Drydown is heaven that lasts for hours, no words can describe it.
This is highly recommended, top quality stuff.
tatiana_korol – :
What to say about this fragrance.. ok, so after reading some reviews I didn’t know what I’d get but I was extremely intrigued. At first I get that cheesy note but I’d liken it more to a soured milk more than cheese which is a little funky but instead of repulsion I’m drawn deeper to see what else is there, the top note fades rather quickly 10 minutes or so and is all but gone in about 30 leaving behind a unique creamy woodiness that has nice longevity which I get wafts of throughout the day (also its the middle of summer).
I gotta say, I thought I was getting to know oud but it’s kind of like I walked in on it eating a cheesecake in a dark closet. I’d say this fragrance is quite niche and maybe not everyone would get it, but there’s something about it..
tdutybq – :
Dear Xerjoff,
I think my Zafar is BROKEN! That is all…..
I love a scent challenge. I made this purchase soley because of the reputation it has acquired as being one of the most offensive fragrances created. Maybe it’s not the Zafar that’s broken, but my own nose. Where’s the cow patty? Where’s the Band-OUD? I want my own blue cheese experience!
For me, it opens sharply with pepper, apple, oud and musk. Once it settles after a few minutes, it becomes an apple and (quality)OUD scent. I’d say the first hour or two are the most comforting for me. Warm… Animalic…. Slightly smokey….. Outdoorsy and organic…… WAIT A MINUTE! OK, I can actually understand the comparisons but my mind only sees(smells) it when I think about it.
After a few hours, it settles to OUD mainly with some fresh apple and incense thrown in for good measure. There’s also something faintly powdery trying to poke through when I put my nose to my skin but there’s still no mistaking that this is an OUD fragrance… PURE HEAVEN! Will I wear Zafar out? Maybe not… I’m sure one day I’ll be in one of those moods to have some fun at the expense of others with this assault on mainstream olfactory pleasures.
To any Zafar “neigh”sayers, I ask that you please direct me to the farm or animal(or pile) you ran into that smelled like this so I can snuggle it closely.
***FYI…One of my all time favorite fragrances is the similarly poo-compared LM Parfums Hard Leather…. Hmmmm. Oh HUSH!! 🙂
RobertDoe – :
An incredibly changeable fragrance!
It opens earthy-woody with some animalic notes. One can smell real oud in a remarkable concentration. Many can perceive this animalic note as too strong. But it’s definitely too early to form an opinion since this is not the essence of the fragrance.
After approximately half an hour this rampaging oud begins to settle down, and one can smell some fresh notes. Just at this time fine woods and incense begins to appear and getting stronger over time. Finally, vetiver takes over.
The development proceeds smoothly and fluently (the characteristic of all Xerjoffs imo).
When you are a fan of oud, you will truly enjoy this remarkable development! Highly recommended in my opinion!
SvetlanSehpr – :
starts off with a huge dose of genuine oud (maybe thai/cambodian, it’s dusty and quite tart-sweet), and something in the background sorta-kinda woody. not quite sure to be honest, the oud dominates and doesn’t allow anyone else to get a look in, sorta like a mic-hungry vocalist or something like that. i like it, but i just wish there was more to it other than oud…
gravlad – :
Can’t imagine why someone would pay $310 to smell like this. It’s like paying someone to beat you until you’re ugly. It makes no sense. Smells of fecal matter, barnyard, cheesy stank.
GERKUL – :
lo siento no me gusto este aroma, al menos no para usar cuando quieres gustar a alguien, yo lo usaría para cuando no quieres gustar a alguien,huele plano no agradable.
FernandoXZzz – :
An amazing fragrance when you first put it on. YES I got the cheese note but it doesn’t last for long and I like my fragrances skanky anyway…just like my women 🙂
This is definitely a heavy hitter of Oud scents and for those that wear the note well. If you like the idea of playing around with a few oud scents then I don’t think this one is for you. If you are well experienced with oud and like to rock the eastern vibe thing this is great.
Manly and Exotic without a doubt.
UNFORTUNATELY even at this price point there are LONGEVITY issues. ” Say it ain’t so sam….but unfortunately it is”
Marvelous opening then (drum roll please) like most fragrances today is doesn’t develop and it falls off the cliff in an instant…roughly 1 hour later I smell a powdery residue on my arm.
Buy something else besides this.
RuBear – :
this is the elite in the plethora of ‘ouds’ out there. deep DEEP wood that only sweetens slightly with time on skin, then the (frank?)incense mingles so beautifully and convincingly. this is a heavy hitter that suddenly bails on the party about four hours; it literally just disappears, whicis strange from such an assertive scent. expensive but also trés authentic, which i wouldn’t exactly say about some other in the uber-posh ‘ouds’ (you know who you are 🙂 the packaging is xerjoff rococo. wonderful juice; if you can afford it. thankfully i got this as a gift from avant garde perfumista friend – sweet!
toolmakerr – :
This is surely the most challenging delivery among the Oud Stars series. A blast of smoky agarwood opens this terrific composition bringing to mind of creamy bluecheese and animalic secrections. The initial accord is everything but pretty but it’s a tremendously realistic interpretation of real oud. It’s an assault to your senses in the meaning that unless you’re completely aware of what you’re just about to smell, you’ll probably be disgusted. The fragrance clams down in a couple of hours turning into an intensely woody base of incredible depth. Vetiver and peppery hints reinforce the general severity serving as a discreet support to let the real star shine in all its complexity!
A no-compromise oud with little more added. Something that will make the happiness of the most daring perfumistos out there. Great stuff but definitely not for everybody.
Rating: 8/10
goodvin_83 – :
My fellow reviewer Jack Hunter was so right about this one. Talk about a “bumpy ride”- this is a roller coaster ride through the farm I think. This begins with a cheesy note and then goes right to the barnyard with a totally fecal smell. Sorry, folks, but that’s what it is. I grew up on a farm and I know that smell-this one is somewhere between horse and sheep manure. It lasts for almost 15 minutes, then the juice smells like maybe flowers growing in the manure, and then like rotten fruit left in the garbage too long. I was regretting even the $4.00 I had paid for my tiny decant but decided to let it air for over an hour and see what the final drydown was like.
Finally after much patience, a pleasant oud, woody fragrance emerges, really smelling like fresh cut wood. To my utter amazement it was nice. This is definitely a man’s fragrance, but if any of you guys decide to wear this, please warn your significant other that this one will take a while before it smells good. Otherwise they are likely to chuck that expensive bottle right in the trash!
hosevushetau38644 – :
I have this one as well and would have to agree again with Jack like I did with Mamluck.I got a full bottle of this and appreciate it more 30min.-1 hour after applied. I would deffinitely apply this 30-60 min. before going out in public.lol
alleks411 – :
Strap yourself in and prepare for a bumpy ride.lol…… This opens with a strong smell of cheese in a barnyard with a peppery apple freshness. This takes at least thirty minutes to calm down into something acceptable and when it does a incense accord comes to the forefront with that apple freshness. Then woods and some florals start to come through the peppery incense apple freshness. In the drydown the woods & vetiver start to dominate over the incense accord. Are you still with me.lol
Well this is imo definitely one for the Oud connoisseur as I cannot see many people getting past the first half hour.
The ingredients are top notch as you would expect from Xerjoff and this does have real Oud in all its skanky glory. lol
If you can get past the first half hour or so it does become moore wearable as a woody incense fragrance but this one is just not to my taste.
DanKuzo – :
Like Amouage’s silver oud attar only lighter. While silver oud seems like it has been sitting around for centuries developing an increasingly complex olfactive profile (as though it were a precursor to petroleum), Xerjoff Zafar has been left to sit for 15 years, and over that time the Laotian oud has developed similar yet easier-to-love nuances.