The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Spice in Laos arrived in 2020, composed by Shatha Alzaabi. The name points beyond the familiar register of oud and incense, toward Southeast Asia. Its composition brings several aromatic elements into focus. Bergamot opens with brightness, black pepper adds a dark snap, and the heart turns to clove, ginger, and saffron, each note lending a distinct texture to the blend. Below sits the house's core language: oud, frankincense, and sandalwood. As the fragrance develops, the brighter opening gives way to denser, woodier layers. The spices remain present, but they sit within a deeper structure of resin, smoke, and polished wood, creating a composition that feels both vivid and composed.
The structure is what makes this one worth a closer look. A citrus opening placed on top of a heavy oud base is not unusual, but bergamot paired with black pepper changes the temperature of the whole composition. The opening is sharp and almost cool, and it buys the base time before smoke takes over. Clove, ginger, and saffron in the heart pull the middle toward heat without tipping into sweetness. It is the transition that defines the scent: brightness giving way to resin, bright citrus handing the fragrance over to oud rather than simply fading out. The accord list names it plainly, oud, amber, woody, fresh, spicy, animalic, warm, Oriental, smoky.
The evolution
The opening arrives with a snap. Bergamot gives it lift, black pepper gives it a dark edge, and for the first while the fragrance reads almost bracing, like cold air over hot stone. Then the heat finds its source. Clove and ginger bring clean spice without the sting, saffron adds a dry metallic warmth, and the whole thing begins to tilt. Around the middle, the smoke becomes undeniable. Oud and frankincense take over, and the citrus recedes to a memory rather than disappearing entirely, which keeps the composition from collapsing into a single heavy idea. Sandalwood rounds the base, giving the oud a smoother landing. As the bright opening settles, the fragrance becomes more intimate, with pepper and citrus giving way to clove, resin, and wood. The dry warmth of saffron remains perceptible between the richer notes, while sandalwood softens the sharper edges of oud and frankincense.
Cultural impact
Spice in Laos brings together a name with a Southeast Asian reference and a fragrance built around contrasting aromatic elements. The opening begins with bergamot and black pepper, creating a clear, energetic first impression. Clove, ginger, and saffron introduce warmth and texture, while oud, frankincense, and sandalwood form a resinous, smoky foundation. For a wearer who carries heritage as private discipline, the attraction lies in this layered construction: bright citrus and pepper framed by incense, spice, and wood.
The House
SJA PerfumesSJA Perfumes is an Emirati artisanal fragrance house founded by perfumer Shatha Alzaabi and based in Abu Dhabi. Since its establishment in 2015, the brand has carved a niche by drawing on regional olfactory traditions, from bakhoor-style incense compositions to oud-forward and tobacco-leaning blends. Collections such as Tobacco (2015), Suyufi (2015), Danah (2020), 11:11 (2020), Empty Quarter (2021), Yuzu (2021), Vetiver Cigar (2021), and Old School (2021) reflect a range that moves between Gulf heritage references and more unexpected thematic directions, including a citrus-forward Yuzu and a cigar-and-vetiver study.
The Creator
Shatha AlzaabiAlzaabi favors compositions that balance Eastern richness with Western structure. Her white-floral bouquets have drawn particular praise for their precision, suggesting a careful hand with jasmine, tuberose, and similar heady materials that can easily tip into excess.
