SOUQ WĀQIF

Souq Wāqif, the “standing marketplace” is the heart of historical Doha – and the place I like to stay when in Qatar’s capital city. This merchant quarter gives the visitor a taste of authentic ‘khaleeji’ culture and I love exploring the souq in the evening, when the intensity of the sun has faded away. And you can’t wander around a souq without head-turning wafts of incense and oud, smells so evocative of the region.  

Imagine spice stalls, mashrabiyah — the wooden lattice work windows peculiar to the region — winding alleys, the cool of the shade, sacks full of nuts and luban (gum Arabic.) The hum, buzz, sense of anticipation and pleasure of exploring a traditional souq. And the rich aromas that follow you everywhere as you wander.

SCENT STORY 
wandering through an Arabian souq
This parfum (concentrated at 36%) opens with a very special incense (we sourced it from Oman for its brightness and its pearlescent quality) combined in a very novel way with blood orange - we selected a special variant from the slopes of Mt Etna in Sicily, especially fresh, rich and juicy because of the volcanic soil. There’s a touch of saffron, too.

 In the heart, we have myrrh, patchouli and African geranium – unexpectedly fresh, like an uplifting breeze.

Then, there are the unmistakable tones of oud, and woody resinous notes (guaiac wood and cistus labdanum are the star players). This use of oud is a first for us at GALLIVANT: it’s sourced from Vietnam – and as well as its beautiful full-bodied textured quality, I was reassured about its traceability and sustainability.

Bold, timeless, elegant

Notes:

• Blood orange, saffron, Omani olibanum
• Myrrh, patchouli, African geranium
• Oud (Vietnam), guaiac wood, cistus labdanum