Why Nobody Talks About Afnan (But Should)
In the crowded world of Middle Eastern fragrance houses, Afnan gets overshadowed by louder names like Lattafa and Al Haramain — a crowd we have now scored by how often each house actually lands its target. That is a shame, because Afnan might be the most consistent of the bunch. With 108 fragrances in our database and an average rating hovering around 8.1/10, their hit rate is genuinely impressive. They rarely make anything bad.
Founded in the UAE, Afnan covers everything from Aventus clones to original oud compositions. Their pricing is aggressive — most bottles land between $15 and $45 — making them one of the best value brands in the entire fragrance industry.
9PM: The Viral Hit
Afnan 9PM (7.6/10) is Afnan's most famous fragrance and one of the most viral scents on fragrance social media. It is inspired by Jean Paul Gaultier Ultra Male — a sweet, fruity, vanilla-heavy scent designed to get compliments on a night out. At around $20, it is arguably the best value clone on the market.
The 9PM rating of 7.6 might seem low compared to other Afnan releases, but context matters — it is a party fragrance, not fine art. What it does, it does well. Sweet, loud, and attention-grabbing. Perfect for its intended purpose.
9PM Rebel (8.3/10) takes the formula darker and spicier. Many consider it the better fragrance of the two, even if 9PM gets more attention.
9PM Dive (8.5/10) goes in an aquatic direction. Fresh, clean, and surprisingly sophisticated for a flanker. One of the best-rated in the entire 9PM line.
9AM Pour Femme (7.8/10) is the daytime counterpart — mandarin, bergamot and grapefruit up top, raspberry and blackcurrant through the middle, then musk and amber. Fresh and fruity rather than floral, whatever the bottle suggests. Moderate longevity and projection, so it is a top-up-at-lunch scent.
The Supremacy Collection
Supremacy is Afnan's clone-focused line, and it is packed with solid alternatives to expensive originals.
Supremacy Silver (8.2/10) is their take on Creed Aventus. It is fruity, smoky, and gets surprisingly close to the original — especially considering it costs about $25. Not the most nuanced Aventus clone out there, but the price-to-performance ratio is hard to beat.
Supremacy In Oud (8.6/10) is where the Supremacy line gets interesting. Rich, complex oud with amber and woody notes. This is not a clone of anything specific — it is Afnan doing their own thing, and doing it well.
Supremacy Incense (8.1/10) is the Amouage Interlude attempt, and it gets the shape right: herbs and spices over bergamot, then opoponax, amber and labdanum, closing on smoke, oud and leather. Long lasting with strong projection. At a fraction of Interlude's price the value is absurd — but so is the smoke, so wear it accordingly.
Supremacy Not Only Intense (8.1/10) targets Nishane Hacivat with blackcurrant, bergamot and apple over oakmoss, patchouli and lavender, finishing on ambergris and saffron. Mossier and less pineapple-driven than the Nishane. Long lasting with strong projection, and the priciest of the Supremacy line.
Supremacy Purple (8.0/10) goes after Xerjoff Erba Pura and keeps it simple — generic fruit and citrus over musk, amber and vanilla, with nothing sharp anywhere. Sweet and crowd-pleasing rather than interesting. Long lasting with strong projection.
Supremacy In Heaven (7.8/10) is their Silver Mountain Water: bergamot and mandarin into green tea and blackcurrant, then musk, woods and sandalwood. Genuinely close to the Creed and it lasts longer, though projection is only moderate.
Supremacy Tapis Rouge (8.4/10) is the standout women's release in the line — black cherry, litchi and white peach over plum, rose and jasmine, with vetiver and clove drying out the finish. The clove is what keeps it from being another sweet cherry scent. Long lasting, moderate projection.
The Turathi Collection
Turathi is Afnan's most premium-feeling line, and the ratings reflect it:
Turathi Brown (9.2/10) is the highest-rated Afnan fragrance in our entire database. It is inspired by YSL Tuxedo — a dark, spicy, patchouli-forward composition that smells far more expensive than it is. At $30-40, this might be the single best value in all of perfumery.
Turathi Purple (8.7/10) is red fruits, cardamom and black pepper into pineapple and jasmine, landing on patchouli, vanilla and moss. Fruity but with a dirty patchouli base that gives it some weight. Long lasting with strong projection.
Turathi Blue (8.0/10) is the plain one: citrus up top, amber and woods in the middle, musk, patchouli and spice at the base. Nothing surprising, which is the point — it is the office pick of the line. Long lasting with moderate projection.
Turathi Red (7.8/10) is a rose-musk floral rather than the warm spicy scent the colour implies — rose and musk up top, rose and jasmine through the middle, peony, musk and apricot at the base. Soft and powdery. Long lasting with moderate projection.
Standout Originals
Some of Afnan's best fragrances are not clones at all:
Musctique (9.1/10) is the second-highest-rated Afnan and more interesting than a plain white musk. Musk, cardamom and saffron open it, lily of the valley and vanilla sit in the middle, and mint and a touch of oud cut through the musk base. Long lasting with strong projection.
Rare Carbon (8.5/10) started as an Ombre Leather alternative and grew its own following. Leather, violet leaf, nutmeg and cinnamon open it, violet, rose and oud fill the middle, and sandalwood, amber and vetiver close. Softer and more floral than the Tom Ford. Long lasting with strong projection.
Tobacco Rush (8.4/10) stands on its own rather than chasing anything. Tobacco and spice up top, sweetness and lavender in the middle, then oud, amber and cedar. Drier than most tobacco scents at this price — less dessert, more pipe smoke. Long lasting with strong projection.
Ornament (8.6/10) is rated well above the Spicebomb it is compared to, and it is a different scent: apple, cardamom, clove and nutmeg up front, saffron and pepper in the middle, amber, patchouli and sandalwood underneath. Greener and less tobacco-heavy. Long lasting with strong projection.
Pure Musk (8.5/10) is their Narciso Rodriguez Pure Musc, and it is musk almost all the way down with a little floral lift up top. Clean, skin-like, and impossible to offend anyone with. Long lasting with moderate projection — a daily driver, not a statement.
Historic Olmeda (8.5/10) is a credible Bleu de Chanel: grapefruit, pink pepper, juniper and cardamom up top, bergamot, cedar and jasmine in the middle, ambergris and musk at the base. Fruitier than the Chanel thanks to an apple note late on. Long lasting with moderate projection.
Modest Une (8.5/10) goes after Sauvage but opens cooler — pepper, lavender, mint and nutmeg, with eucalyptus in the middle before musk, vetiver and cedar. The mint is the tell. Long lasting with strong projection, and cheap enough to test the idea before buying the Dior.
The Highness & Portrait Lines
The Highness collection offers masculine options with good quality:
Highness III Green (8.5/10) is genuinely green: cypress, bergamot and lavender over cedar, black pepper and galbanum, then oakmoss, oud and leather. The mossy-leather base is what makes it work in winter as well as spring. Long lasting with strong projection.
Highness X Brown (8.4/10) is earthy rather than ambery — bergamot, blackcurrant and tonka open it, then vetiver and patchouli take over, with guaiac wood and spice at the base. Dry and a little dirty. Long lasting with strong projection, and it suits evenings.
Portrait Abstract (8.3/10) is one of the more ambitious things Afnan makes: incense, vetiver and rhubarb up top, tonka and rose in the middle, leather, amber and sandalwood underneath. The rhubarb against the leather is what makes it worth a sample. Long lasting with strong projection.
What to Try First
Best overall value: Turathi Brown — 9.2/10 rated, $30. End of discussion.
Best clone: Supremacy Silver for Aventus, or Rare Carbon for Ombre Leather.
Best party fragrance: 9PM — cheap, loud, and effective.
Best daily wear: Pure Musk or Historic Olmeda.
Best for oud lovers: Supremacy In Oud.
The Bottom Line
Afnan does not have the marketing budget of Lattafa or the heritage story of Al Haramain. What they do have is a remarkably deep catalog where almost everything rates above 7.5/10. Their Turathi Brown at 9.2/10 is one of the highest-rated budget fragrances we have ever reviewed. If you are looking to build a diverse collection without breaking the bank, Afnan should be your first stop — not your afterthought.
