Inside a sophisticated, minimalist black-tinted bottle labelled ‘No. 13’ lies Fever, one of eight EDPs in Arcadia’s Dark Series, the second collection by the young (and very impressive) UAE-based fragrance house. (No.s 1-10 make up Arcadia’s lighter Edition One range.) We’d been blown away by their ambitious 10-part initial collection, but when this scent arrived in our hot little hands it became clear that Arcadia’s knack for whipping up drool-worthy fragrances was no fluke.
It arrives housed inside a large black book, the first page of which tells the story behind the mysterious scent. It reads, “I am engulfed by the sultry scent of this warm night. Every fiber of my body starts to soften, as I get closer to your fiery flame. This heat has made me delirious and I reach out for you scorching my fingertips. This is just a glimpse into the depths of my madness.” The story hits on all the elements of this captivating scent’s appeal: it’s sultry, warm, fiery and slightly scorched. Let’s just say Fever is a scent that will certainly have you delirious.
The unisex fragrance definitely leans more towards the masculine side of things, but women who love strong statement scents will absolutely love this too. The top citrus notes of bergamot, lemon, pepper and juniper evoke memories of a g&t on a hot desert evening, fading down into a spice tinged oriental heart and seductive woody base that evokes more of an Old Fashioned vibe (the drink, not the era). Perhaps it’s the heady base notes of amber, vanilla and sandalwood that have us swooning for Fever – they are three of our all time favorite notes and the combination of woody and foodie elements makes for a seriously sexy scent.
It’s a powerful formula that’s certainly not for the faint of heart, but definitely one that will have connoisseurs of boutique fragrances running to google this newcomer on first sniff. Arcadia have a knack for creating scents that have incredible depth and complexity that last, scents so addictive they have us continually sniffing our wrists for another hit. We’ve smelled hundreds of the world’s most renown (read: priciest) scents, and Arcadia’s offerings bring more balance that we see in the vast majority, if not all.
If you love the sensual smokiness of one of fragrance’s most cult (and perhaps most polarizing) scents, Nasomatto’s Black Afgano, but find it to have a little too much ‘funk’ for you, then you’ll fall for Fever. It’s still got the smoky incense note and deep, dark allure but it has just enough softness from the vanilla and warmth from the amber and sandalwood to stop it smelling like a fireplace.
Whilst the common advice in the fragrance community is to stick to lighter formulas for warmer months, we think this heady scent is just perfect for balmy Dubai evenings – but it would be just as at home for an night whiled away over scintillating conversation in a NYC speakeasy. It’s luxe, complex and oh so sensuous.
Fragrance lovers, this is an intoxicating and hedonistic scent you want in your collection. Did we mention it’s also enticingly priced at 450dhs for a 100ml EDP? At that price, there’s really no reason not to feverishly hunt this one down. Available from ArcadiaME.com and selected boutiques across the UAE. Tell them we scent you. x
Notes:
Top: Bergamot, Lemon, Pepper, Juniper
Heart: Incense, Pine Needles, Orris Root
Base: Amber, Vanilla, Sandalwood
Season: Summer, Winter
Destinations: Dubai, New York, Cuba, Mauritius
