Watan GoldOriental Woody Extrait de Parfum

Watan Gold by Anfas is a niche woody, oriental, and musky perfume extract, unisex, created by perfumer Asim Al Qassim. In Arabic, watan means homeland, the land of one's birth.

A house where every fragrance starts with an Arabic word

Anfas (أنفاس) means “breaths” in Arabic, and the house's theme is Arab hospitality—that way of welcoming guests that, according to its founder, is something you can breathe in the Emirates. It was founded in the United Arab Emirates by Asim Al Qassim, an architect by training and the first certified Emirati perfumer. His method is stated plainly: it starts with an Arabic word, traces back to the emotion it evokes, and then translates that into a fragrance formula—perfumes that are not inspired by Arab culture, but made from it. His architect's eye is evident in the bottle: the rim is adorned with palm leaves depicting the sun, a flower opens in the center of the cap like a gift presented on a tray, and each bottle features an Arabic engraving.

An opening of oud and labdanum

Oud opens the fragrance—a very rare choice, as this heavy material is usually reserved for the base. Resinous, animalic, and instantly recognizable, it is accompanied by labdanum, the leathery, honeyed resin of the cistus plant. There are no citrus notes to soften the opening: you are immersed in the theme from the very first second.

A heart of cypriol and floral notes

Cypriol essential oil—nagarmotha, an Indian root with the scent of smoky wood and leather—takes over, softened by subtle floral notes. This is the moment when the fragrance takes a breath.

A base of sweet notes and musk

Sweet notes round off the resin, while musk adds a skin-like softness that carries the fragrance through. The trail is deep, warm, and lasts all day.

The house's signature

Oud in the top notes. This is the most radical choice in the Anfas collection: agarwood is a slow-burning, tenacious material, usually placed in the base so that it unfolds gradually. Here, it opens the fragrance. Nothing prepares you for it, nothing softens it—no citrus, no spices. The theme demands it: watan is the homeland, and the house compares it to gold, a color reflected in the bottle. You do not introduce your homeland with pleasantries: you announce it.

For whom, and for what occasions?

Woody, oriental, and musky, this perfume extract is for those who already know oud and want it front and center. It performs at its best in winter and in the evening, and is equally suited to both women and men.

With Watan Gold Anfas, Asim Al Qassim captures in a bottle the Arabic word for the land from which we come.