The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Rajwan arrived in December 2016, composed by perfumer Abdulla Almarzooq as part of Touch of Oud's early lineup. The composition opens a different register for the house, one oriented toward powder, rose, and the kind of warmth that reads more as fabric than as fire. Elemi resin, pink pepper, and violet leaf form the top, while rose takes a dewy rather than jammy shape from the first moments. Cypress, iris, cypriol, cedar, and sandalwood build the heart, and the base closes with tonka bean, leather, cashmere wood, and musk. It's a softer direction that doesn't always get the spotlight, a composition where depth arrives through nuance rather than volume. Rajwan rewards close attention.
What's interesting here is the interplay between rose and the notes around it. Pink pepper and elemi resin bring a sharp, almost astringent brightness to the top, a counterweight to what arrives next. The violet leaf adds a green metallic edge, a leaf with morning dew on it, while the rose itself opens dewy rather than jammy. Rather than overwhelming the composition with sweetness, rose here is restrained, woven into the rest of the structure.
The evolution
The first thirty minutes belong to rose and pepper. The pink pepper hits sharp and bright, almost like a spark before settling. Violet leaf adds a cool, slightly bitter green that keeps the rose from tipping into something too sweet or too syrupy. Elemi resin sits in the background, lending a lemony, almost incense-like clarity that lifts the composition. After about ninety minutes, the iris arrives. This is where the composition shifts. The powdery, rooty depth of iris takes over, and the rose softens into something more abstract. Cedar and sandalwood build underneath, giving the heart its architecture. The cypriol (nagarmotha) adds an earthy, dark character that keeps the iris from floating away. By the three to four hour mark, the drydown takes over: tonka bean brings warmth and a soft sweetness, leather grounds everything, and musk wraps the composition in skin-close intimacy.
Cultural impact
Rajwan leads with rose and iris rather than leaning on resin and smoke, a choice that gives it a distinctive place among oud-oriented compositions. Within the Touch of Oud lineup, it reads as the softer register, the scent for someone who wants depth without declaration. Wearers note the powdery, almost vintage quality, a composition that leans floral and woody rather than smoky or heavy. It stands out for its restraint, for taking rose and iris as the lead and allowing them to carry the composition without leaning on oud as the foundation.
The House
Touch Of OudTouch Of Oud curates a line of oud‑centric fragrances that balance the depth of traditional Middle Eastern wood with a restrained, contemporary sensibility. Each scent unfolds with a clear structure, allowing the rare heart of oud to speak without overwhelming the wearer. The brand positions itself as a bridge between heritage craftsmanship and modern niche perfumery, offering compositions that linger long on skin while remaining approachable for daily wear.
The Creator
Abdulla AlmarzooqAbdulla’s technique centers on a disciplined layering of base notes. He begins with a pure oud extract, then adds a measured dose of sandalwood to soften the edge.
