Arabians Tonka
Montale (2019)

Heavy oud-rose-tonka scent. Take any random Montale that features oud-rose and combine it with a strong dose of tonka.

Doesn't smell cheap, but it is extremely loud and hard to get rid of once sprayed, so only 2 or fewer sprays are needed. 1 or a half spray is probably better. NSFW!

Bit late doing a review of this one.
Really got into the Tonka note, love the warm powdery sweet smell of Tonka, however this isnt my fave Tonka I own, but it has a darkness too it and a nice Saffron opening.
Dries down to a smooth and cosy fragrance, started to really like this is the cooler weather.



Overall 8.9- 10
Performance 8- 10
Silage 7.7- 10

Montale Arabians Tonka is one of those scents that always feel deeply familiar because you can smell it wafting through the streets, worn by trendy girls with hair that smells of gel in front of youth clubs on winter saturday nights, or even on summer nights in the mediterranean south during fifteen-year-old beach parties, hosted by young people chasing trends, manipulated by unscrupulous "perfumerys" who understand perfumes just as much as I do quantum physics (proposing perfumes like this at 40-degree temperatures in the shade). Fashionable, kind of nutty, fancy and captivating, it's a main dusty (slightly incensey and spicy) accord of saffron, rose and oudh (a la Dueto Parfums City Oud 2010..but in this case) over a soft bed of musk, vanilla and tonka bean, with a dusting of spices and burnt sugar vaguely reminiscent of a coffee-scent. Something gives it a tad of liquid fluidity and freshness in the middle of this nutty vanilla, probably the initial bergamot and floral and musky notes. The rose and musk give the fragrance a glamorous, nocturnal and sensual trail (vaguely cosmetic and frankly feminine). The sugar is noticeable and produces something toasted, nutty and delicious in the trail. Saffron and spices in general give an aura that is both fancy-glamorous and mysterious, although the former prevails over the latter (Arabians Tonka is actually more of a pleasing perfume among Montale's many than a truly sophisticated and mysterious fragrance). Montale Arabians Tonka was introduced in 2019 and is classified as an ambery-woody-gourmand fragrance. The scent is dense, warm, musky and opulent, built around tonka bean, amber, oud, vanilla and spices. Along the dry-down, it becomes sweet, resinous and smoky, with a creamy, slightly leathery depth. This type of odor can be qualified as oriental-gourmand: rich, sensual and enveloping. It evokes luxury Arabian nights, warm skin, dates, spiced desserts and the atmosphere of an exotic palace filled with incense and precious woods. In my opinion this fragrance is youthful and trendy but it doesn't fully capture my tastes, being more reminiscent of the atmosphere produced by scented candles or burning incense sticks than a truly structured and elegant fragrance. Arabians Tonka does resemble Montale Intense Café, but only partially. Arabians Tonka definitely shares nutty vanillic similarities with Montale Intense Cafè (2013). They are similar in their sweet, warm, gourmand DNA and creamy dry-down. However, Intense Café is dominated by coffee and rose, giving a smoother, milk-like feel, while Arabians Tonka is deeper, sweeter, muskier and more oriental, centered on tonka bean, amber, cane sugar and oud, with a darker and more resinous character. Performances are definitely poweful on my skin.

Having owned and/or sampled many Montale and Mancera fragrances in my lifetime, I had few expectations regarding Arabians Tonka. I have gone through several full bottles of Intense Cafe, a few less bottles of Ristretto Cafe. Because of the rave reviews and internet hype, I decided to give Arabians Tonka a try.

So, this is a complete WOW for me! I am pleasantly surprised.

I do not detect the uber-sugary sweetness others report. Arabians Tonka opens as a resinous, dusty, rose perfume with evident saffron. QUICKLY morphs into a dark & dry, rosy fragrance with lots of tonka, oud and musk.

Longevity is fair and silage is moderate. Definitely retains the unmistakable Montale DNA.

I love it! Thinking it might be full-bottle worthy.

I blind bought on its enormous performance and sillage reviews and it did NOT disappoint. I cant get it off of me. 2 sprays MAX. The opening is strong Tonka and Bulgarian Rose. The dry down turns into tonka bean and vanilla getting some oud and incense. TOO MUCH IS THE ENEMY. 1 spray and go from there. spray it in the air and walk into it.You can always spray more, because its a bitch to get off if you overspray. My first attemp I did that and was nausious and couldnt escape it. Live and learn. Longevity is 12+ hours and the drydown after that is sweet vanilla and incense. Like to dry down the best.

Two sprays max. It’s lovely, sugar very comforting. On a cold NY day this does the trick.