The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Sense Dubai released No. 12 in 2015. The perfumer credited on the composition is Saed al Abbass, whose work anchors this piece in a woody-spicy register. Within the lineup, No. 12 reads as a composition that lets white petals carry the structure while the base does heavy lifting underneath. The numbered naming system invites the wearer to evaluate the scent without narrative scaffolding, a notable choice in any perfumery tradition. That restraint makes No. 12 a quiet study in contrast: aromatic top notes meeting a tender floral heart, then dropping into an earthy, moss-anchored drydown that lingers longer than the opening suggests.
The note structure here does something most floral-led compositions skip: it leads with seasoning. Fennel and anise bring a green, licorice-touched sweetness to the opening, and their presence gives the first spray an herbal quality that reads almost like a digestivo or a bitter aperitif. The anise in particular carries an almost cola-like warmth, while the fennel cools things down with a faint celery-green facet. The heart gathers five florals, lily of the valley, honeysuckle, jasmine, orchid, and rose, each one contributing a different texture.
The evolution
The opening belongs to fennel and anise, a licorice-tinged brightness cut by lemon. It's herbal, almost bracing, the kind of introduction that asks you to pay attention. The anise carries a distinct cola-like warmth, sweet and slightly spiced, while the fennel contributes a cooler, celery-green facet that keeps the sweetness from tipping into syrup. As the anise recedes, the florals arrive, but gently: lily of the valley and honeysuckle lead, with jasmine and rose adding warmth underneath. Lily of the valley brings a dewy, almost cucumber-cool quality that reads as watery and translucent, while honeysuckle adds a sunnier, more honeyed sweetness. Jasmine and rose contribute depth, a denser floral warmth that prevents the heart from feeling thin. Orchid softens the edges, lending a creamy, slightly powdery facet that bridges the bright florals above and the heavier materials below.
Cultural impact
No. 12 sits within Sense Dubai's numbered lineup, a release strategy that has become a recognizable signature for the house. The numbered catalog invites a different kind of engagement with fragrance, one where the composition is evaluated on its own terms rather than through the lens of an evocative title or a conceptual brief. This approach places the house within a broader conversation about how regional perfumers are approaching scent presentation in a contemporary context. The woody-spicy-white-floral register of No.
The House
Sense DubaiSense Dubai is a fragrance house rooted in the United Arab Emirates, known for a numbered collection of perfumes released in 2015 that range from No. 1 through No. 10. The brand positions itself within Dubai's growing niche perfumery scene, a city that has become an active hub for both Arabic and international scent creation over the past two decades. Sense Dubai's straightforward naming convention and simultaneous launch of an entire lineup suggest a house interested in building a coherent olfactory universe rather than scattering one-off releases across many years.
The Creator
Saed al AbbassAl Abbass composes with a builder's instinct, layering dense resins and woods against softer florals to create tension and warmth. Oud anchors many of his constructions, treated as architecture rather than ornament.











































