Ramon Monegal - Dubai Next to Me

Picture: Dubai Next to Me
Photo: PR Ramon Monegal (c)

Dubai Next to Me is a limited edition from Barcelona based perfumehouse Ramon Monegal. The fragrance was (at least originally) distributed only in Dubai.

Dubai Next to Me starts peachy, not the atrificial, chemical peach, but an accord which feels quite natural. The coconut is very smooth and also feels natural in style. Soon the peach is offsetted with smooth spices and later in the dry down also smooth, velvety flowernotes appears as also balsamic and a very smooth leather note. The oud is very soft and acts as a deep woody ingredient in the base, not recognizable as a distinct note. Dubai Next to Me, even if consisting of deep and thick notes, appears as somhow refreshing and transparant, there is an almost cold, metallic vibe to it, probably from the combination of rose and some of the spices. The fragrance is very well blended, made of high quality ingredients and it performs as it is fleeting in circles seamless around the accords, Dubai Next to Me seems not to be built in the traditional pyramid structure of accords, to experience this fragrance gives me associations to the Hermès scarf/shawl De la Mer au Ciel with its eternal circles of life.

Picture: Beautiful Hermès De la Mer du au Ciel,
140x140 cm cashmere/silk,
designer Laurence Bourthoumieux
Photo: PR Hermès (c)

Dubai Next to Me is not a traditional, middle eastern perfume, it's a fragrance which is most certainly appreciated in any part of the world and it could be worn in most occasions except for sports. I think this fragrance demands much warmer tempratures than swedish spring (+10 C) to really bloom with its beautiful fruity, floral, spicy notes and I will test it again in the summer heat to confirm that. Silage is very close and longevity is good, for at least a day.

Other fragrances that I come to think of wearing Dubai Next to Me is Naomi Goodsir Or du Serail which is similar in style. Also Aqaba Midnight Sun even if stronger and more flowery, has something in common with Dubai Next to Me in the overall expression.

Rating. 4

Notes: Coconut, peach, melon, saffron, nutmeg, black pepper, jasmine, rose oil, rose absolute, frankinsence, cistus labdanum, oud, sandalwood, cashmeran, spanish leather, tonka, ambraceme absolute