Smell Test: 10 March, 2025 Comparing Mukhallat Attar and Choya Ral Attar with some Formula Exercises To Try

Below, I'll provide an overview of the ingredients typically found in Mukhallat attar and Choya Ral attar, describe their scent nuances, and propose a perfume formula by pairing them with top, heart, and base notes. Since attars are traditional, oil-based fragrances that don’t always follow the Western top-heart-base structure, I’ll adapt these concepts creatively while respecting their natural profiles.


Mukhallat AttarOverview and Ingredients: "Mukhallat" is an Arabic term meaning "mix," and Mukhallat attar refers to a blend of various essential oils, often tailored to cultural or personal preferences. While recipes vary widely, common ingredients include:

• Oud (Agarwood): A dark, woody, resinous oil extracted from the heartwood of the Aquilaria tree.
• Rose: Steam-distilled rose oil (often Rosa damascena), providing a rich floral essence.
• Saffron: Adds a warm, spicy, slightly leathery nuance.
• Amber: Typically a blend of resins like benzoin or labdanum, offering a sweet, warm, balsamic tone.
• Musk: Traditionally natural deer musk (now often synthetic or plant-based, like ambrette seed), contributing a sensual, animalic depth.
• Sandalwood: A creamy, woody base oil, often used as a carrier in traditional attars.

Scent Nuances: Mukhallat attar is complex and multifaceted. It opens with a spicy-floral burst from saffron and rose, transitions into a rich, resinous heart with oud and amber, and settles into a warm, musky, woody drydown with sandalwood and musk. The scent is opulent, exotic, and long-lasting, evoking a sense of luxury and mystery.
Perfume Formula with Top, Heart, and Base Notes:

• Top Notes: Saffron (spicy, leathery brightness) + Bergamot (a citrusy lift to balance the heaviness, not traditional but complementary).
• Heart Notes: Rose (lush, floral richness) + Oud (dark, woody-resinous depth).
• Base Notes: Sandalwood (creamy, woody warmth) + Amber (sweet-balsamic richness) + Musk (sensual, lingering animalic touch).

Choya Ral AttarOverview and Ingredients: Choya Ral is a unique Indian attar derived from the dry distillation of the resin of the Sal tree (Shorea robusta), often blended into a sandalwood oil base. Unlike floral attars, it’s a balsamic, smoky essence with no additional botanicals typically added during distillation. Key components:

• Sal Tree Resin: The primary source, distilled to produce a smoky, leathery, resinous oil.
• Sandalwood: Acts as the carrier oil, softening the intensity with its creamy woodiness.

Scent Nuances: Choya Ral has a distinctive smoky-leathery aroma with dry-woody undertones and a sweet resinous quality. It carries a delicate amber-like warmth, reminiscent of incense or aged wood. The scent is earthy, meditative, and slightly balsamic, with a rugged yet refined character that lingers softly.

Perfume Formula with Top, Heart, and Base Notes:

• Top Notes: Black Pepper (spicy, sharp kick to enhance the smokiness) + Lemon (a fleeting citrus brightness).
• Heart Notes: Sal Tree Resin (smoky-leathery core) + Frankincense (resinous, incense-like depth).
• Base Notes: Sandalwood (creamy, woody foundation) + Vetiver (earthy, grounding dryness).

Comparison and Pairing Notes

• Mukhallat Attar is more opulent and floral-spicy, with a broader palette of ingredients, making it versatile for layering or standing alone as a statement fragrance.
• Choya Ral Attar is simpler, smokier, and more introspective, with a rugged, balsamic-woody profile suited for subtle elegance or meditative use.

Pairing in a Formula: If combining both into a single perfume, Mukhallat’s richness could dominate, so Choya Ral would serve as a smoky accent. Here’s a blended concept:

• Top Notes: Saffron (from Mukhallat) + Black Pepper (from Choya Ral) – Spicy, vibrant opening.
• Heart Notes: Rose (Mukhallat) + Sal Tree Resin (Choya Ral) + Oud (Mukhallat) – Floral-smoky-woody core.
• Base Notes: Sandalwood (both) + Amber (Mukhallat) + Musk (Mukhallat) – Warm, creamy, sensual finish.

This formula balances Mukhallat’s luxurious complexity with Choya Ral’s smoky restraint, creating a fragrance that evolves from spicy-floral to smoky-resinous to a deep, woody warmth.