02 L'Air du Desert Marocain Tauer Perfumes for women and men

Smells like a spice market of some sort. Unless you want to smell like curry this is not the one. 2/10

Absolutely amazing blend of sweet and warm (yet refreshing) spices and a soft sugar coated rose petals. It’s not listed but somehow I can feel a rose note here. For me it definitely smells like Middle East, like a luxurious palace full of freshly cut roses, incense and spices in the air. Beautiful round amber in the base is nicely balanced with the whole fragrant composition.

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Reminds me growing up in Pennsylvania, going on field trips at school to very old wood cabins from the 1700s. This is what it smelled like on the inside. Quite nice.

This is a very dry perfume which reminds me mostly of the original Black Cashmere by Donna Karen. It is not my favourite from Tauer because it is too masculine but it is very smooth. It reminds me of Church incense and myrrh. It’s not my jive but I can appreciate its craftsmanship.

One of the most balanced, well blended fragrances I have come across. The Amber and florals provide just enough sweetness to offset the dryness of the spices and vetiver. I don't tend to gravitate toward spicy amber fragrances but maybe I just haven't found many I like. Performance and price offer good value (a third of the price of the new Tom Ford Oud Wood!). A full bottle is on the shopping list.

@TWN2RBO Thank you for that, I appreciate it. It's definitely a legitimate bottle, came with Andy Tauers signature etc, from a reputable site if used many times.

I could barely smell it myself after 20 minutes and my partner said they couldn't smell it on me either. Maybe we both went nose blind! I messaged Andy Tauers site and they assured me of the same thing you have said, definitely not reformulations. They said if I had any issues I should contact the shop I got it from but I'm starting to think maybe we just went blind to it!

Thanks again.

@Curtis Gabriel no, I owned this back in 2016 and recently picked it up again, it’s the exact same fragrance. 8 sprays of this would be extremely loud, I usually go around 4 and it’s extremely strong at first but will last 8-10 hours easy. Are they saying they don’t smell it at all or after a bit? You can go anosmic to this one quite easy with it being so strong and overwhelming. That’s interesting though, I’ve never heard of a fake Tauer, he is a indie house and it’s relatively affordable. Unless you purchased it used and someone left it in the sunlight or in a car, that’s odd.

Has this been reformulated? Or does it need to macerate or something because I have heard that this is strong and long lasting and I sprayed about 8 sprays and I could literally barely smell it on me after 20 mins. I asked others around me all day if they could smell any perfume on me and nobody could? I was disappointed.

Tauer just blows my mind every time. The most decadent yet refined perfume house, this smell really transports me. It makes me feel like I am a mysterious woman wondering the desert at night with a gun. It captures the dry heat of a desert, but it's beauty too.

finally in my collection ... simply Andy and his unique ingredients made by his hands!

Let's not get ahead of ourselves here, it smells like a mixture of spices. Quite a warm fragrance. Lasted the whole day.

I pulled my old sample out of the archive last night as I was re-watching Dune in preparation of the newest release. I figured this would be a good pairing, spices and desert, you know.

My old sample is different than I remember it, less spicy and dry, and more sweet and rounded, with the sweetness giving it a little more moisture than I recall. It suited the occasion fine, but I wanted something bone dry, like Arrakis, but the sweetness was a little more dessert than desert for me.

For fans of incense, it did remind me a bit of Horin "River Path" incense by Shoyeido, with a spiced, warm and sweet vibe mixed with a little dry woodiness. There is a leathery/plastic/rubbery note to this that reminds me ever so slightly of Amber Kiso by DS & Durga as well.

The sweetness in L'air Du Desert Marocain might make this a no-go for my personal preferences, but there is something undeniably intoxicating and nostalgic about this I can't quite put my finger on. It's very well blended, the performance is through the roof, and it's clear it was crafted with care and consideration. Completely gender neutral as well, which I think scores points in the "universal appeal" category.

I would love to smell this "in the wild" and on the right person, it would be downright enchanting. The sweetness, mixed with the loud and long performance, made me ready for something else by the end however. I'll likely try to keep a little sample of this in my collection for a once or twice a year wear.

Overall thumbs up for it's complexity while maintaining smoothness, even it's not quite to my taste. The kind of scent you need to spend multiple wearings with to fully understand the nuances.

Archetypal masterpiece

I have long wanted to try 02 L'Air du Désert Marocain, deemed a masterpiece by many. I have only tried one Tauer perfume previously, Phi Une Rose de Kandahar, and I was impressed by its quality. One of the earlier niche brands, Andy Tauer's creations are instantly recognisable by their lapis-blue pentagon-shaped bottles, and their consistently high quality is frequently commented on in blogs etc. 02 is a spicy-amber scent, dry and woody, fougère in style. It is of the high quality I expected, evocative of its theme, slightly unusual and beautifully-composed.

02 has an aromatic, spicy opening, savoury and peppery. I get a prominent cumin note, slightly dirty and adding heat, with some dry, peppery coriander following. The lavender gives it a fougère edge, with green petitgrain rounding out the herbal quality as well as paving the way to the woody base. Geranium complements it, adding its distinctive peppery greenness. The spices and herbal notes are beautifully balanced.

The amber base is detectable from initial spray, coming to the fore as the scent develops. It is balsamic, dry and quite medicinal. Leathery labdanum is evident throughout, a favourite amber note of mine. The woody notes that follow marry beautifully with the amber, making for a rich, layered, dry accord. Dry, grassy vetiver is quite prominent here, the perfect addition. There is a nice earthiness to the base in the later stages too, mostly thanks to the patchouli, but I get a hint of vintage-style oakmoss too, punctuating the woody-amber accord beautifully. Remnants of spice remain until the end, adding interest. It fades to a dry, woody-musky skin scent. Sillage is moderate and longevity is long-lasting. It is masculine-leaning in my opinion, best worn in autumn/winter.

Utterly beautiful and high-quality, 02 is a masterfully-composed woody-amber, classic in style, yet unusual and compelling throughout. It is comforting and restorative as well as being utterly wearable. An elevated amber-spicebomb. Exceptional. 4.5/5.

Such a dry shining amber,pure masterpiece.
The kind of amber in this perfume reminds me elixir des mervelles by hermes

at first all i could smell here was arid, bone-dry spice. this perfume isn’t aggressive, it’s airy and ameliorated, but there's a weird dusty grainy note that kind of reminded me of...uncooked steel cut oats? whatever it was, i didn't like it much. but after it spent some time on my skin, this opened up and started to grow on me...there's something ruminative and uplifting here too, with a gentle sweetness that creeps in. long-lasting too: eight hours into wearing it a friend said i smelled like a coniferous forest.

a sophisticated experience. the olfactory opposite of a cheap screaming dopamine hit. i don't feel like i need to own this right now but i'm definitely going to wear my sample again when the right mood strikes.

The signature Tauer style is absolutey to die for. I always get comments and compliments when wearing it. It's somehow oriental but not too much, hence you can wear it in any kind of situation. Definitely memorable and I will buy other Tauer frags sooner or later.

WOAHWOW THIS IS CRAZY
Hype is absolutely deserved
9.5/10


Some people really do not like the spiciness, so don't blind buy it
But it's 100% worth trying

I'm not going to start repeating what others have already mentioned before me. I can only confirm that it is a special perfume, for me it is a landmark in perfumery, even if it is normal that it is not to everyone's taste. Of course there are other perhaps even better or complex perfumes, I admit that I am subjective considering that I got emotionally attached.
On a scale from 1 to 10 i'll give a 9.5

I am considering buying this (blind buy)..Can anyone tell me some designer fragrances that if i like, then maybe i will like this one too? Thank you in advance..

Immersing oneself in the world of Andy Tauer's creation, "L'Air du Désert Marocain," is like embarking on a fragrant odyssey through the enchanting Maghreb desert. As the day's heat subsides, imagine lying in bed with the window ajar, welcoming a gentle, dry breeze that carries the scents of the nearby desert and the spices from the bustling streets of the city. It is within this atmospheric setting that the fragrance unfolds, creating a powerful, sensual, and pure olfactory experience.

The elegant top notes draw inspiration from the spice-laden air of the Maghreb, featuring coriander and cumin harmoniously blended with petit grain. The heart of the fragrance surprises with the warmth of rock rose and a hint of jasmine, evoking the essence of a Moroccan night. The base notes, rich with warm woods such as cedar and vetiver, are seamlessly intertwined with refined amber, providing a captivating and enduring foundation.

LADDM is not merely a fragrance; it is a narrative in a bottle, transporting you to the sandy hills of the Sahara as you dream under the rising moon. This creation captures the spirit of a Moroccan night, making it a timeless and evocative addition to any fragrance collection.

I have a 2016 batch. The best longevity and projection ever! Tauer doesn't make weak juice and i think all experienced fragrance patrons would agree. This is a very dry and masculine scent. I mean he nailed it when he wanted to make a fragrance that reminded him of the morocan desert. The incense, spice, and dryness... I mean this has it all! Though I don't think I would base this fragrance off the notes in regards to sampling it, just sample it. Theres a reason this has so much hype. I know, I know, I HATE BANDWAGON HYPE FRAGS, but this is an exception. Don't go through your fragrance journey without sampling this. It's one of my top 10 all time favorite fragrances and on the top 5 list for BEASTMODE scents. If you are one who always has a problem with a fragrance staying on your skin or don't get compliments bc you dont think the fragrance is there, here you go. I don't care who you are, this will work. This is a fragrance that you spray on your hand and theres no need to smell it up close, let the smell come to you and fill the room. This is the most important thing I have said, trust me. This juice is strong! If you want to also try another great fragrance from tauerville, try vanilla flash! Great sweet vanilla rose tobacco and lasts forever too!
10/10

This is another one I enjoy with that same root beer/cola smell on the dry down. Chypre Palatin by MDCI has it too, and it's one of the qualities I love most about both. Can't really nail where it comes from, but please pm me if you know what I'm talking about!

Smells mostly like dry, dry amber on my skin with hints of other sweet things lurking in the back.

Calm, relaxing and unique. It's like a meditation tool. Like a visit to the forest on a rainy day or a trip to the carpenter.

Beautiful fragrance, it's easy to see where the hype comes from. Starts off somewhat smelling like a herbal, wet layer of humus in a forest, develops into a cloud of dry, warm spice.

My personal preference goes to Au Coeur du Désert Marocain however. It is better at evoking a waft of dry aromatic wind signaling the arrival of a spice caravan that just crossed the Sahara Desert. When I bought LDDM at a boutique perfume store, the vendor mistakenly gave me a bottle of Au Coeur instead. I managed to return the bottle that same day and was given a rich sample of Au Coeur which I still have today. It's used up by now, but the scent still lingers.

Out of curiosity and hype online i bought this perfume about 1 year ago and is my first "niche" perfume. By no means am I an expert with an expert nose but like to many others this perfume has an endearing quality that took some time to really take to, but once you start to appreciate it's nuances you start to wear it a little more often but then it becomes a problem.

I actually took my bottle to Morocco over this summertime (like a cliche), and honestly while it doesnt smell much like the desert air, it does smell almost exactly like the incense candles burning in most riads and restaurants, but a more, not sure how to say, wearable version of a burning embers, and thats pretty much what it is.

At first i reserved it for special occasions, or when i wanted to remind myself of my trip around Morocco, and it is highly recommended that you spray this just for yourself or people very close to you, stick to 2 sprays and honestly leave it at that. Do not splash it all over in the hope of recieving compliments from people 10 metres away because if you over do it it honestly to my nose at least, starts to smell exactly like Coca-cola, a comparison i haven't seen anyone here on Fragrantica make before but it just smells like Coca-cola if you saturate yourself with 5 sprays or more.

Anyway, so long as you keep a bottle for special occasions and keep the sprays down, its well worth having in your collection. I wouldnt recommend it as your daily scent you will just start to sicken yourself of it like the commenter below, it starts to smell like a moroccan kitchen rather than the fragrance of a distinguished Indiana Jones type world traveller.

Let me say upfront that I am not a pot smoker. It makes me jittery, dry-mouthed, and convinced I've peed myself. Why am I telling you this? Because L'Air du Desert Marocain is the perfect fantasy pot smell. It's dry and rich and herbaceous, chewy like fruit leather, sweet the way sage is sweet, and warm and comforting as a well-worn vintage sweatshirt. Effortlessly cool, perfectly unisex, and as close as I'll come to ever enjoying pot. Luca Turin gave this a 5-star review, and as usual, he's right on the money.

Sweet, resinous, effervescent, incense ambery fragrance which is a delight to wear. Has a calming effect like the cool evening desert wind (I live in a desert). Not path breaking at this point of time for me but surely niche and has average performance. Office safe, masculine leaning and worth a try. Shukran Habibi!

The Wood components are Texas cedar and Vertofix. The citrus is bergamot and lemon oil. Earthy components are patchouli and vetiver. These make up most of the composition. Round it out with small amounts of labdanum, ylang, geranium, lavender and coriander. Overdose the whole composition with a large amount of vanillin. It’s not the whole composition but these are the natural identifiers you should be picking up. It's a solid composition because it holds it's own without the vanillin, sometimes a composition collapses without it's centerpiece, but not this, it's just more manly. Lasts all day thanks to the vetiver.

While this scent might not be as groundbreaking as it was almost two decades ago it definitely still is a golden standard when it comes to desert inspired ambers, and niche ambers in general.

Kind of dusty, warm, but not cloying in any way, complex and with a wide scene, while not groundbreaking, this scent still represents a high level of perfumery, that not many niche or mainstream brands can reach.

Definitely a must try for any amber freak.

The opening accord--spicy, earthy, resinous, and etherial all at once--is enchanting. However, eventually, it is the cedar that dominates and while not unpleasant, the drydown is a slightly camphoric ambery wood that overall reminds me of the smell of sisal rope. Another reason not to take the Turin/Sanchez "Guides' seriously.

I finally got around to sampling this. Maybe it’s because it’s over hyped but I’m mildly disappointed.

As other people have said, if you’re into niche orientals this doesn’t really stand out.

coriander and cardamom in the opening with a thick bubblegum geranium surrounding it, drying into dusty cedar and oak moss.

It’s nice, but I’ve already got a few bottles that fill this space and do it better.

An absolute masterpiece, amongst my favorites of all time. After I tried this fragrance a couple of times, I started to smell it in my dreams. That's how unique and addicting it is.
And as enchanting and hypnotic the aroma itself is, the fragrance has a second trait that I love even more: The message of virtue and distinctiveness it gives about the user.

10/10

This is lovely, sophisticated--not dull though--and extremely well balanced. Although I have passed through the odd stretch of Moroccan desert, I can't rightly say whether it smelt like this. This is a great fragrance either way and does not make the mistake of just throwing a bunch of tagine-friendly spices together and calling the result exotic. There's some caramel sweetness here but there's lightness too, and the depth of the birch (tar?), cedar, etc.

The thing is that, though this fragrance is eminently wearable, and quite versatile in seasonal terms, at such a price, one might reasonably expect it to be the kind of legendary concoction that Sinbad the Sailor or Jason and the Argonauts might have taken to the high seas, one very last time, to acquire at the end of a suitably epic quest. It's good--really, really good--but not *that* damn good.

The hype is mf real. Beautiful.

Labdanum ambery geranium, cedarwood aromchemicals Leathery birch Vanilla cake, nice bold ambery classic perfume

7/10

I don't know where to start with this masterpiece. This fragrance is what got me into the niche world. It takes you on a journey as it evolves each passing hour to this amazing ambery base, sweet and dry. The opening is like a huge bomb of spices, which I absolutely love because it feels like an introduction to what you will be able to experience during the hours of wearing this, but all at once. Then it tames itself and you will constantly be noticing its presence without it being cloying.

This one isn't a big projector on my skin, but still enough for me. The longevity though is amazing! I may actually try Au Coeur du Désert in the future to compare them both

Testing after finding it in the Fragrantica awards list.

An oasis in a desert.

Instant delight/love/buy for me.

I very much like this but have Memo African Leather and to my nose these almost fill the same space.

Of course they are not exactly the same but the overlap is so great that it’s made redundant as I have the other.

Don't know how Marocain desert smell like but this fragrance is intoxicating. Did have a sample of Coeur and no regards they have almost same scent base they are very different. No mistake in having them both.

In my opinion, this is an overrated fragrance, but not a bad one. For those, who are new to oriental compositions and only use mainstream offerings, this is probably a gamechanger for you. Exotic, mystic or even enigmatic. As it is mentioned in previous comments, it has a meditative aspect too. However, for those who immerse themselves regularly in natural materials(oud, musk, ambergris, mysore, taifi rose etc.) L’air du Desert Morocain doesn’t have too much to offer. Best perfume that you can buy on Amazon though:)

This is dryness in a bottle in liquid form. Amazingly versatile. I've seen a lot of hypes here, but this is not one of them. You'll get what it promises and even more.

2 words: CORIANDER BOMB

truly don't get the hype of this. People calling this the best fragrance ever made in history lol. I laughed. The coriander just takes over everything. If the coriander was toned down and the amber amped up i would consider keeping it, but since it's not I'm selling my bottle because i blind bought it based on the hype and to me it didn't live up to it.i have many more ambers in my collection that eat this for breakfast.

The previous opinion shows how much some people love the world of perfumes and how they talk about it.
You can't like all perfumes, either on yourself or on other people, but to show such arrogance that borders on extremism is sickening !! 🤮🤮🤮

Hello. This is a masterpiece. Period.

I bought a sample just to see what do people consider as the best niche. If you, like me, expect your mind to be blown, you might be disappointed. It needs a minute or two to settle as in the opening it has that strong labdanum leathery vibe but later it soon begins to fit the name ideally. This smells like a hot desert with sharp coriander, geranium, jasmine, and some green freshness. To be honest in reminds me of Terre d'Hermes - it doesn't smell like it, but it definitely has an earhy/stone/sand like quality with freshness and geranium. Surprising.

Adored the scent when I first smelled it and got a bottle. Unfortunately, I pick up mostly coriander seeds on my own skin, and it becomes a bit too much for me to wear myself.
Luckily, it smells absolutely ahhhhhhmazing on my partner, so it now lives in his drawer and I enjoy it a lot more that way. I find it especially nice in warmer weather as the dry airiness of it allows the spices to shine without being cloying. And I'd absolutely call it sexy.

Finally got a sample
Immediately want a bottle
It’s beautiful, now I need to save £££ for a bottle.
Spicy fresh resin amber musky woodsy
Then mixed with some voodoo magic shit and
Boom …….9.75/10

Remember fragrance is subjective

One of the most transportive fragrances I've ever smelled. This is not something I'd ever wear, this is something you just spray, smell, close your eyes and enjoy. The name is exactly where this will transport you to. This is art.

Be extremely careful, otherwise the hype train will crush you!

This fragrance is a true masterpiece. It smells unique, is a strong performer, does a great job at conveying the imagery that tauer intended: a desert in Morocco at night, as well as somehow managing a modicum of mass appeal. I was worried about the cumin note but it's very well blended, so well Id be hard pressed to believe it was even in it if I didn't know better. Also it is extremely versatile, it's heavy enough to last in cold, but still smells great in high heat, I tested it at 95°f and it never became cloying. I give this a perfect 10

I never want to wake up from the dream--the spell--that washes over me every time I have the pleasure of smelling myself while wearing this masterpiece. There is an undertone of soil and glorious funk that has me floating through a New Orleans cemetery before (gently) blasting me to the spice markets of Istanbul. Sweet but not cloying. I'll save this for evenings and special magical occasions.

Woods, resins and amber, and dry spices.
Just a tiny bit animalic.
When reviewers use phrases like "dry and spicy," that is exactly what you can expect out of this fragrance.
I have never been to Morocco, but I can imagine myself transported to a spice market there when sampling this fragrance, with stalls full of dry spices and incense.
Very well done. I'd call it a work of art.

Wow, musky, resinous, animalic. It’s like you’re walking around the bazaars of Marrakesh. Extremely dry and spicy. It smells like something the three wise men would’ve brought to Jesus. This is art, the way it’s evocative of a location you’ve probably never been to.

8/10

Hello,Im asking for a little help.I have a bottle of this but for the life of me i can't seem to find the year of manufacture of the juice?.The batch code is LDDM 1802 any help would be much appreciated.

Aromatic, unique, long lasting, moderate-headache-inducing fragrance.

Smells like Spice Markets of Moroccan Dessert. 🏜️

The desert, seen intimately by the fearless. Those who find comfort in the harsh weather and dangerous vastness.

Quiet but long-lasting. Coriander, labdanum, and cedar makes up the bulk of this fragrance. It's very dry and unsweetened, which often smells 'serious', but I find this fragrance cozy and contemplative.

I enjoy it, but I never fell in love with this perfume.

Good scent, but definitely for an older crowd. Basically remove all the things that makes Bentley for Men Intense so harsh (rum, pepper), smooth it out, and this is it. Lots of amber and woody notes, a touch of smoke and leather. Definitely a unique fragrance with a good amount of versatility.

I love the smell of this. It's also very strong and overpowering, but never too intense. It smells middle eastern in a western way. It smells dry and airy. A tiny bit of spice, and a little sweetness. This is an awesome fragrance.

Was excited to try this as it is spoken of highly. But boy this is a manly scent. Like mature manly. Thats is all i will say.

Official website:
Head notes
Coriander and cumin, carefully blended with petitgrain.
Heart notes
A warm heart note with rock rose and a hint of jasmine.
Body notes
Dry cedar woods and vetiver, brilliantly joined on a fine ambergris background.

Perhaps there's amber in there, but it's not a main player, so not sure how accurate it is to describe this as an amber scent.

I've had this for years now, and I never reach for it. I tried so much to like it, but I don't. For me, there are 2 issues; it's slightly indecisive (it is too transparent by design and this doesn't appeal to me anymore), and worse still the presence of Ambroxan, which destroys everything in its path with that sour smell. To be fair to Mr Tauer, he handles Ambroxan with a light hand, and when I first bought it I thought this would be the perfume to make me more positive towards this particular ingredient. But now, it just proved that it's the sort of ingredient that takes over, and not in a good way. It has the (what I imagine undesirable) effect, of making L'air feel more similar to something like B683, as opposed to something like Lutens Ambre Sultan. So, not really evoking Morocco in any way (although that in itself is problematic in so many ways...). I guess I will end up describing this as acquired taste, but not for me.

For me this is the GOAT...its classic and its modern, its hott and its cold, its classic French perfum art that paints a picture off the middle east drawn in classic European art form, its like a painting off the dessert by Vincent van Gogh, the cumin in this itself is worth the money, there has been countless tries to make something like this but its never close to the magnificent blend from mr tauer

even tho the notes suggest otherwise, i experienced that this fragrance actually smells better in warmer weather. not in the sun, not during the day, but after sunsets. its perfect for summer nights. which kinda makes sense if you think about the scenery tauer wanted to recreate.

So my husband said "You know what the Moroccan desert smells like? Camel turds and sweaty balls". He did say I smelled good though 😃

As someone who does not like spice, I can say although the spice is very present, I find it excellent.

This is a very unique perfume that lives up to its name. Top notes are culinary spices like coriander and cumin, maybe even some paprika, with an ambery, woody base. While I love the way it smells on skin, I don't like the projected smell. It's very strange. If you happen to smell it on another person's scent trail, you'll know what I mean. However, I could see someone who wants a unique scent really loving this. Unisex, leaning slightly masculine due to the spices. Strong projection. If you're a man looking for something more wearable along the same vein, check out Eight & Bob's Egypt; however, L'Air Du Desert Marocain is more artistic and eccentric.

Smell: 8 out of 10
Longevity: 9 out of 10

For reference, I'm female.

The Holy Grail of deep dark amber fragrances and the Opus of a Master.

It has that familiar amber core but spins around it a medley of spices and floral notes, which linger. And linger. Every time you return to it you notice a new facet, like a progress through an Arab market, where light and colour and texture hold you spellbound. What is that intriguing core element? It is luxurious, potent and intoxicating.

Having said that, I wouldn't want to spend all day in an Arab market. I would eventually feel overstimulated and feel the need to withdraw to a cooler, quieter scene. It's the same with this fragrance. Even on a tester card, it fills my drab little room with a welcome zest, but after a while I need to get outside to clear my head. It's a great set piece, but I don't feel I can take it with me without overwhelming the people around me. Nor do I feel I can enjoy it for myself without beginning to feel a headache coming on.

Thank you for the experience Mr.Tauer, but this has helped to persuade me that my interest in "Amber Spicy" is now beginning to run its course.

This is what I would imagine Larry David smells like, if he were into fragrances.

Well...its definitely unique. Way overhyped and overpriced, but it is unique, mostly because of the infused spice rack. The corriander and cumin are upfront and loud at first, but then it mellows into an ambery, dusty labdanum haze. Which actually does strangely invoke an air of a foreign desert. Longevity and projection are moderate at best (2022 batch). Its cool, but not something I'll wear often. Just not enough situations to justify this type of scent. The fact that its number one in Niche unisex scents baffles me when there are so many more worthy contenders.

A DESERT AIR MACARON

Stripped of all pretense, it's a dry-as-bone woody amber overlaid with common culinary spices (coriander, cumin, citrus leaves). The problem, as I see it, is that these two parts are never fully integrated. Instead, the spicy notes just sit on top of that woody base, slowly fading away, while the base notes patiently wait for their moment in the spotlight. A dramatic opening, a pleasant drydown … but there's really not much else going on, is there? It feels like this fragrance is missing some small piece of connective tissue that would make it more appealing – like eating a dry, dusty, spicy macaron without any filling, if you will! 😝

Good sillage and longevity, though.

3.49/5

Very nice creation i think is worth the price. is dense heavy ambery earthy and spicy smells like you would expect the air to be in an arid (dessert) city. Is like u are in an open market in sahara

Absolutely love the scent. It’s magical indeed. I love the spicy and aromatic bitterness in the opening. Maybe not for everyone I can imagine (even though it apparently seems to be.) A close friend of mine recently sniffed my freshly sprayed wrist and got the (slightly racist, sorry) association ’cab driver’. I guess you can’t expect everyone to be transported to the Moroccan desert. But a taxi driven by a gentlemen from Morocco can be a splendid experience as well.

I was a bit worried (yes, I was hyped) of the cumin note since my own sweat often wreaks of it but its far from overpowering – more like a subtle mix of coriander, white pepper and cumin. The bitterness calms down relatively quick and the jasmine makes it so elegant. Woody slightly sweet amber glows in the background.

I got immediately a Terres D'hermes vibe. But with a prominent animalic cumin that is not offensive or dirty. Absolutely a very creative and well made perfume. It's the first Andy Tauer I smelled and it's really nice. The spices are well blended and the patchouli in the base smells really good and balsamic with a somewhat ancient character. Old historic buildings, leather wear, camels and spices. Indeed the smell of the Moroccan desert.

it smells like a wet pine forest to me. unfortunately, not a fan of the smell of pine.

It’s nice at times. Rest of the time just quite boring.

Intoxicating. On my skin the birch note comes through heavily and I think that's what makes it so unique. Definitely unisex and I'd probably eat my man alive if he wore it.

Mmmm, a gorgeous walk through a Scottish forest to pick some lavender. There is a certain spiciness to it, but unlike Black Orchid this isn't going to clear the room - it's slightly sweet and comforting, even soothing, the way incense is a soothing addition to a spa treatment. The herbal element avoids being stale and musty (always the risk with this kind of fragrance) and I'm pleased to report that you will not smell like a shaman's healing cabinet, but rather a very outdoorsy clansman who wears his vitality on his sleeve.

The few floral notes are enormously overpowered by the wood and spice notes, so this is definitely a unisex scent, I'd say leaning masculine overall - but still unbearably attractive on anyone.

L'Air du Desert Marocain by Andy Tauer is one of the greatest amber scents and one of the best perfumes I've ever smelled. The prominent amber is mixed with oriental spicy notes to create an amazingly warm, sensual and cozy scent that can be addictive if you are not careful. I really like the way that spicy notes are used here to accentuate the oriental ambery core. It is very balanced, well blended, and seems to be made of quality ingredients.

I like ambery scents and no surprise I enjoy this scent a lot. I just mention a few words that people used to describe the scent trail: fantastic, wonderful, heavenly, cozy, and etc. I think the scent is versatile but is better to be worn in the afternoon. Also in terms of seasons I prefer to smell this in the colder months. This is a must sniff perfume imho, highly recommended!

This is a dry, airy (not dense, which is unexpected!), warm, and spicy creation -- I'm currently finding it agreeable and cozy in the chilly winter months, but I get the impression that this one would open up more (and truly show itself) during an intense summer heat wave. I'll have to wait a while to find out, but I look forward to doing so.

For an "eau de toilette intense," it certainly performs better than I expected; after it settles, it feels like the sillage is pretty close to the skin (I didn't get any compliments, complaints, or weird looks when I wore it out in public, so I'm guessing no one was close enough to me to notice), but I can detect whiffs of it for many hours after application. I suspect that my 5ml manufacturer mini will last me quite a while -- which is wonderful, as it gives me time to experiment with various climactic conditions before committing to a full bottle.

I don't know how the perfumer did it, but the liquid itself actually *feels* dry and silky, like finely-ground cinnamon powder. This only serves to reinforce the imagery the fragrance calls to mind. I don't know whether this effect was intentional or not, but it certainly caught my attention. I have some perfumes that, while not oil-based, manage to feel oily when applied, and this is the polar opposite of those fragrances. Indeed, there's no water in this desert! (It doesn't desiccate your epidermis, so don't worry... but it makes efficient use of tactile stimuli to reinforce the idea that you are nowhere near a source of water.)

The floral elements are background players on me. The lavender is well-behaved, adding an herbal element to the composition, but not announcing itself as lavender, per se. Mostly, I get an entire market full of spices, supported by a very dusty, dry patchouli, and maybe a touch of something ambery. I detect a little bit of cumin, but I don't feel like it would be a deal-breaker for most people. The arid, dusty desert this fragrance transports me to is completely different from the snowy winter landscape that greets me when I peer out my windows -- and, for that, I'm grateful.

I look forward to trying this fragrance in different temperatures... just to see what happens. (For now, I rated it as a winter/fall perfume, but that may change as I test drive it in spring and summer.)

It just became my 2023 Summer night scent! It’s a start of infatuation I can see lasting a long time!! Also it matches in scent profile with Incense Rori by Amouage (as well)

This...is special!

Returning home from my lectures at the university I used to walk through the old town of Zurich. There was a narrow street (Spiegelgasse) and at some point on the right side I passed by a maghrebinian crafts shop. Next to the entrence was a small bookshelf with some books and some hippy looking bottles. I noticed that the air around this shop smelled spicy, warm yet fresh and airy. One day the shopkeeper was arranging some books in the vitrine when I stepped closer and asked about what was smelling so good. He pointed at the bottles in the bookshelf. I bought a bottle and never looked back. I love LDDM! It is strong and very nose clearing. Most of the time I use it as room scent. It has a lot of ambiance. Very rarely I wear it on myself, but I think this comes from my memories on how I met this perfume.

Lots of interesting reviews here with this one. I get a completely different experience on my skin than most of them. I do not get fresh, sweet, green, etc...

What I get is a setting: a dusty wooden camel stable that sits next to a spice market. Yes, there is something slightly animalic/barnyard-esque coming off of me, I'm guessing from the labdanum. A closer nose to the wrist reveals the powdery floral and herby scent from the open air barber who is set up next to the stable that is next to the spice market.
Holy hairy dromedary, WHAT IS THIS FRAGRANCE?!

It's a work of art. A poem. A story. Not Arabian Nights. It's Arabian Mornings.

This is not a safe fragrance, in my opinion. It's very mature. The longer it stays on me the more I like it. Could turn into a mad love if I gave it the chance and bought more than a small sample. But with my current lifestyle, I'd have few occasions to wear it as I picture it to be an office or conference scent.

A soft projection from a only a couple sprays is enough for this one.

The opening was very syrupy to me, as well as bitter. On the skin, it became milky and spicy. It smells delicious, but not in a gourmand way. This really does capture the story of the perfume, and it does have an "catch a scent on the wind" quality.

Very nice and fresh lots of Jasmin but blends well. This scent is fresh with some spice which is done well. The cumin never goes into body odour vibe like some scents. This is a high quality scent. There is a hint of sweetness in this almost like rose Turkish delight but this note keeps wafting about now and then. I do not find anything dusty about this scent. there is some dryness but the Jasmin note counters that which is super fresh.
This is a pretty safe scent but, because of its uniqueness and high price tag for an EDT. I would say buy a sample and if you like it then go for a full bottle. Lasing power is very good but not over the top. the fist 6 hours is where it is mildly projecting off the skin but after that it comes close but more than a skin scent for another 4 hours till it's a skin scent for another 2 hours. Age range is 25 and up give or take. I thought maybe it’s the usual hype with this but this truly is a very special and a nice scent.

This is nice!! Although it starts with a note which smells like a medicinal syrup I used to have in my childhood but that fades very quickly and it goes into this rather fresh leather territory. Very close to African Leather By Memo Paris but a little more fresher version.. I really like it (minus the medicine note for first few minutes)!!!

عطر جميل ورائع راقي وفواح جدا رائحة شرقية راقية والله
أعتقد ناتالي لورسون نسخت فكرة هذا العطر في عطرها انتنس فورمن حق بنتلي ولكن بطريقة صناعية منفرة جدا وعادة دار بنتلي تنسخ عطورها من ماركات معروفة مثل عطرها الأسود ابسولوت الذي يحاكي عطر قوتشي بور أوم الرجالي المنقطع من السوق

عطر جميل ورائع راقي وفواح جدا رائحة شرقية راقية والله،، اعتقد ان العطارة نتالي لورسون نسخت فكرة هذا العطر في عطرها انتنس فورمن حق بنتلي ولكن بطريقة صناعية منفرة جدا وعادة دار بنتلي تنسخ عطورها من ماركات معروفة مثل عطرها الأسود ابسولوت الذي يحاكي عطر قوتشي بور أوم الخشبي الراقي ولكن كانت رائحته جميلة وغير منفرة

This perfume is one of my favorite. It changes so much on my skin, thats why i love it so much. It was love from first spray at a shop. First it hits woody, spicy and very dry. Its almost like i can feel that dryines in my nose. At the end it smels like spicy insence with a hint of something soft and almost milky.

This fragrance blew me away. I have sampled many niche perfumes, and I am so grateful for that privilege, but nothing has ever made such an impression. There are multiple that I love, find beautiful, that make me feel a certain way etc., but this is the first one to ever truly blow me away. This composition is insane.

I didn't know what to expect based on the reviews. I knew it's "spicy" and "dry", but that didn't tell me much. It turned out to have this unexpected sweetness, but other than that, I don't know how to describe it. You would just have to smell it. I don't think you could necessarily call it sexy or alluring, but it's unique and unforgettable - in a good way of course.

[Editing this part as I did not realize I said the same exact thing as one of the reviewers here!] I fully agree with one of the reviewers below that this is a fragrance that needs to be smelled in the air rather than by putting your nose close to the sprayed skin. The latter is not the experience you get when you just get whiffs of that beauty throughout the day. And when you do... it's this sweet, spicy, indescribable olfactory heaven.

Do I agree that this is more of an olfactory experience rather than an actually wearable perfume? Yes and no. To me it is very wearable and leaves the most compelling and enchanting sillage, but I would say that it's safer to wear it outside; if inside, probably best if you're not staying in one place too long (not office safe). This is very potent and heavy in spices, and does get a little tiring on the senses after a few hours (and if I find this composition beautiful, I can't imagine how tiring it would be for people who don't vibe with this scent profile).

Lasting power and projection are obviously top notch (one spray will get me through the whole day), but it does disappear with a shower which I absolutely love - nothing worse than a fragrance that abuses its welcome.

I have nothing but great things to say about this perfume. It deserves to be called a masterpiece. Hats off to Andy Tauer.

wear this if you wanna make everyone around you offended. smells like you've poured all the spices in your kitchen all over yourself and then went out like it's no big deal. here comes the spice monster type beat. absolute garbage perfumery

Yes; it is as how everyone has described. But I wasn’t prepared for this…I’ll add my $.02 FWIW:

-It’s weightless, despite having (what should have been weighty) notes & accords. -So airy!
-Leans masculine, as I suspected, but also sweeter than I expected.
-The cumin is not gritty or intrusive. It’s perfection.
“I once was lost, but now am found. Was blind, but now I see.”
-More lavender than I imagined.
-Much more approachable than I imagined.
-It’s blended in a manner that each note is discernible. It’s as if they are each masterfully architected, as the scent wafts up & out, like notes on sheet of music.
-I’d have to overspray to get enough of it, but that would detract from its beauty.
-I sense that this perfume is intended to be an intimate experience; a private show intended for its wearer.

This is art and craftsmanship. Lives up to its reputation.

If LDDM was a band it would have been Pink Floyd!

Timeless & ethereal, not only for fall/winter, works great in summer months, when your skin gots warmer.

Power of this scent lies in it's silage and it's not intended to sniff closely to your skin.

To me it smells exactly like that powder used at barber shops that they sprinkle on brushes to brush away excess hair from your neckline. Very pleasant, on the sweeter side of things. It does make you want to come back to it however.

Surprisingly, this one was a rare case when I tested the blind bought perfume and then had to give it away as a gift. I was confused and disappointed... Sometimes you don't have to trust the feedbacks on Fragrantica that much. I can only say - don't blind buy it even it's considered to be a legend or a masterpiece.

I don't know what fragrance everyone else is smelling, applied with 5 sprays and found this barely projected at all. I can smell just a little on my shirt maybe 1-2 hours after applying, barely detectable. 5-6 hours later if I take my shirt and sniff with it right against my nose I smell it, but I barely could tell I was wearing this the entire time I had it on.

What I did smell was ok but I'm not seeing anything so special in this scent. The really poor performance and projection is just sad, I get better out of $20-30 fragrances. Whatever the niche brands do, the majority of them have poor projection and longevity.

Really disappointed, I expected this one to be a lot better. The smell itself is ok, but nothing to rave about personally - and it's moot anyway. Very overhyped IMO. I have one other Tauer to sample, hope it does a lot better than this one.

This smells unreal. I agree with @faevert42, it's archetypal. Almost like I'm living someone's scent memory and it belongs to nomads in the Moroccan desert or ancient librarians scouring encyclopedias about herbs and spices. It's warm, it's inviting yet unfamiliar. There's a mystery to unlock with this scent, and that is truly magical. An absolute masterpiece.

Magic.

Green, herbal, nothing sweet or aquatic. For me it’s nice and pleasant, but a little too formal, mature, business attire. Ill blame the vetiver mixed w the churchy incense. The lasting power of this is phenomenal! Worth checking out for sure….just not my
Favorite notes.

This and Mizensir Celebs woods is exactly the same to me (according to the sample i bought)! Mizensir's perfume lasts longer, but this one is blended a little better. But they're both practically the same smell.. i'm surprised no one figured this one out! :D Both are Swiss brands, and they're both gorgeous. I like them both, but i wouldn't want to have both in my collection. Personally, i haven't tried the extrait version, but if that's stronger than Celebs woods by Mizensir then i'll go ahead and buy that one (the sample for this one wasn't available). Its a very woody scent, with not much spice to it. I personally love spicy perfumes and wear them very often. But if you're into smooth and very woody fragrances then this is for you!

Update: in the dry down this smells more feminine with the sweetness and floral notes

I was honestly expecting to hate this as I typically lean towards fruity florals, but gave it a chance due to the reviews and was shocked to find myself with my nose constantly at my wrist.

This is shockingly wearable despite what looks like a heady and heavy notes pyramid, with the sweetness and spice blended to perfection. While I understand the church-y vibes many cite in their reviews, this feels far more mystical and alive, replacing musty pews with fresh hot humid air.

One of the greatest fragrances of the modern era, & one the finest ambers currently available.
Dusty, spicey, subtly sweet, that is very beautiful.
Hard to to describe, & suprisangly light & effervescent.

Kişniş ve kimyon patlamasıyla devam ediyor ve bu şekilde mi devam edecek diyorsunuz.! Sonrasında kişniş ve kimyon alta geçiyor labdanum kokusu ön plana çıkıyor kuru kremsi bir labdanum kokuyor gerçekten harika.

This fragrance is marvelous. I am literally marveling at how this is so creamy and smooth, yet simultaneously dry, aromatic, and spicy. On me, at the current very warm temperatures still, the lavender/geranium/oakmoss are popping off of me, with the undercurrent of dry spiciness. I can't wait to continue testing this out when it gets cooler to see how it changes. I have no doubts that I will still love it, this fragrance definitely lives up to the hype. I didn't find this to be too challenging at all, maybe just the first 5 minutes I could see how some would, but it doesn't take long to develop.

Scent: 5/5
Longevity: 4/5
Sillage: 4/5

Beautiful, invigorating smell. Opens up a little smoky, but the dry down is gorgeous : warm, spicy from the coriander, aromatic woody from the cumin, cedar and oakmoss. Really an unique smell. I also tried Chergui from Serge Lutens, but i like this more because it is less smoky and more aromatic. One drawback in my opinion : I dont know when or where to wear this fragrance.

I'm a traveler, a romantic, and I grew up in the Catholic church in a desert. These are relevant points to my experience of this fragrance.

Having actually been to the Moroccan desert, smelling this on my wrist brings such fond memories to my mind. It's not that it smells literally like the Moroccan desert - if anything, it's more like the hot and bustling outdoor market, but the romance of the place is there. That said, I can't NOT mention that it also reminds me of a Catholic church. Incidentally, this makes perfect sense, since frankincense and myrrh, both used still to this day as incense in Catholic churches, comes from and can be found along other fragrant oils and resins, in Africa and the Middle East. It smells more exotic and less like church than "Au Coeur du Désert" does. If this information is understandable or helpful at all, LADDM leans more towards the spice markets of Northern Africa and ACDD leans more towards the massive Catholic cathedrals of Italy, but both are on the spectrum between the two. Both make a bold impression, but in my opinion, LADDM is more wearable.

I suspect most people would consider this a winter fragrance, but if we're going with the theme here, I think it would really be sultry in the summer, especially summer nights.

It's a beautiful fragrance, but be warned - if you've grown up in Catholicism either of these fragrances you may feel you smell like a priest.

I sampled Chergui (Serge Lutens) and L'Air du Desert Marocain, both of which are fragrances inspired by air/wind of north African region. I would describe Chergui as how the air smells during the day and L'Air du Desert Marocain as the air at night.
You are standing bare foot in the desert, feeling the warm, coarse sand under the feet. The wind is dry, sending you the scent of the spice market far away. The moon is in the sky, casting the silver shine onto your skin.
LAdDM is a wonderful aromatic amber with a subtle cool/minty feeling which I think is from geranium and birch.
Leaning masculine but I have no problem wearing it.

After trying a decant I’d say this is slightly reminiscent of JHL by Aramis which I’ve previously owned, but much denser, richer, more resinous and overall more opulent, also smokier, almost a burnt pine sawdust aroma to it. I don’t think it’s something I could pull off wearing unless it lost about 80% of its potency but I appreciate the artistry behind this scent 👍

Art captures my heart, and after hearing the story of how Tauer came to be, I had to get my hands on some of these scents. It's artful, plain, and simple. This is unlike anything I've ever smelled before (given I may not be as advanced a nose as others). This has a softness that gets resinous and woody, but it's not at all stereotypical of either of those smells. I seem to get compliments on this one quite often, too. The opening spice is a surprisingly sweet combination and it dries down to the amber and cedar on me. The interplay of the different notes makes this scent a hard one to pin down. I can smell any and none of the above notes all at once.

There's only one downside, but even for this shortcoming, I would never give this scent less than an A+: It's not great on me in the hot weather or if I am profusely sweating. A light workout is OK, but otherwise, it sours on my skin. For once, I feel like it's a good thing I live someplace where it gets all too frigid in the winter... this will give me something to look forward to.

It's fair to liken this to a work of art or sculpture, like any of the other Tauer scents I have tried. The typical descriptors of this scent hit dead one and it is worthy of the hype. Its reputation surely will precede it.

Beautiful smell, one of the only colognes that puts me in a better mood upon smelling it. Warm and spicy with a creamy, long lasting dry down. This reminds me of a crackling fire at Christmas surrounded by loved ones.

I remember the day I smelled this masterpiece for the first time and it immediatelly transported me into my childhood. Suddenly I appeared in the garden with my grandfather at his weekend house in South Moravia (region in Czech Republic), taking care of his bees nest with burning tinder, wearing protective mask and clothes, surrounded by all those trees and flowers while the hot wind was blowing. This memory could have been easily forgotten but thanks to Mr. Tauer I can remind myself anytime I want now and I’m really grateful for that.

Do not get stuck in the box of “this is only a cold weather fragrance” and give this one a try during a hot summer evening as well. You might get surprised 🙂

One of the best fragrances you can get if you are serious about this hobby. Parfumery at its best. The easiest 10/10 without any doubts.

The name of the perfume and the smell are definitely a match, it does indeed remind me of the desert. The scent is hot and arid. Upon first sniff I was reminded of running an electric saw through wood, not through a tree, but through a plank of wood...dry, hot, cut wood. If anybody's taken a woodworking class they'll recognize this scent. When I first got it I only wore it at home because it is so intense and leans slightly masculine in my opinion. Revisiting it after a few months has me totally enchanted. It's a tad sweeter now and simply put, reminds me of a magical desert. You'll either love it or you'll hate it.
Camel by zoologist smells similar.

Overwhelmed by the cumin and coriander. And on me cumin tends to have a body odor type smell. This is a bit too intense and cloying for me. Maybe one spray to the inner forearm would suffice. But applied to one's neck and this is just too much. Smells like walking through a spice market to me in the middle of the day and you've been sweating a bit. Not exactly appealing but it is evocative so I can see why people are charmed by it.

I’m a bit torn by this. It’s wonderful, yet borderline too intense. I sprayed it once on my arm and have been getting heavy wafts of it until now, 7 hrs later.

The opening is a blast of spice with petitgrain, a note which I have come to feel is quite pokey in a number of scents. Cumin could also attribute to this pokiness.

This falls away relatively quickly and it a nice, spiced somewhat powdery and dry, floral scent. This hangs around for a number of hours until it settles to a smoother, less spicy but still warm and slightly leathery scent.

I guess I do like all the stages of development of this scent, it’s quite a masterpiece and takes you on a wonderful journey. I noticed that it’s one that radiates from the skin and feels harsher if you huff it up close. By letting the scent come to you instead of you going to the scent it wafts quite beautifully around your person like waves of dusky, spiced warm sand with a a floral hint.

Could I wear it day to day, probably not. Can I think when to wear this that would warrant purchasing a full bottle….maybe. Definitely food (or spice) for thought

I hated this the first time I tried it, two sprays and I was overwhelmed by a pungent spice (I think it was the cumin, I'm not a fan of that note) that was almost cough-inducing. I avoided it for a while, came back to my sample to give it another chance, and wow, it's completely different. It really paints the picture of standing in the middle of a bustling spice market: chaotic scents coming from every direction and someone's burning incense. There's a sweet, almost floral undertone to the spices, though, something I didn't pick up the first time, that calms down the busyness of the woody coriander. It's an amazing scent. I absolutely understand why this is a legend in the perfume community. I don't think I'd reach for it very often, but I may get another sample just to keep around.

This is it.. this is what it’s all about if your a real collector.. truth be told it’s no more challenging than say Tf tobacco Oud, very wearable, in my opinion of course. Transporting, an experience for the wearer, a mesmerizing draft for those near, different, conversation worthy, heavy yet whispy, this is the stuff. Not a beginners scent this here’s for the big boys

This is such a sexy, spicy scent that smells almost archetypal, like the essence of oriental fragrances. It's a masterpiece. This scent is warm and unisex, but I believe this is difficult to wear. I would love to encounter a man who can truly wear this, but more like a dream figure. In real life, I prefer lighter fragrances on men.
I don't think this suits me, but I will always have at least a decant because it is so wonderfully evocative and dreamy.

this is partially on me for building up my expectations, but with how much everyone raves about this i was expecting something spectacularly unique. this is a fairly typical ambery-fresh spicy scent. don't get me wrong, it's quite pretty but nothing mind-blowing

Is it patchouli and amber that do this together? But it smells so very much like (my memory of) 1996 by Byredo. This is very masculine. As a woman, I might enjoy wearing this in times of solitude and reminiscence.

One of those few fragrances that I find fully 100% worth every inch of hype and praise, especially over the likes of Santal 33 and BR540. On days when this doesn't match my mood, I still admire its blending and how perfectly balanced it is. On days when it's right, it's fragrance heaven.
I would say it leans slightly masculine, but I feel perfectly comfortable wearing this as a woman too, unlike some masculine scents I enjoy but feel too much like wearing a costume.

Some fragrances simply transcend - they are works of art. Wearable art. This is precisely that.

I won't meander here . Everything that can be said about LADDM has already been said ad infinitum. And it deserves every bit of praise it receives. Desert air, dry as a bone. Spices, patchouli, and the most beautiful ambery-vanilla drydown.

This really shines on Spring/Summer nights. Performance is great. Some people complain about it's distinctness leading to a "lack of versatility". That's their problem. If you don't have the presence and confidence to wear something like this, it will end up wearing you.

10/10 - a masterpiece

This fragrance brings a sense of comfort on several levels: I am sensing an old-time house with , perhaps with some ancient rugs, Middle-Eastern / North African spices that saturate the hot air, — all combined with a very high quality barbershop / soap scent. Up until now, I have had a reservation against "soapy" scents as being not worthy collecting or even applying. But now I thought, you know, if I ever want to smell like good soap, THIS is the one.
This is a great amber scent, among other things going on there (and among those things, let me mention a very interesting patchouli note).
The bottle came with the card signed by Andy Tauer himself (hey niche perfumery!), which was an unexpected bonus to the already excellent purchase.
This is my first Tauer perfume, will try more of them, but this one I would definitely recommend at least to try. (You can buy samples on the manufacturer's website, they also deliver to the US).

I've been waiting to try this one for a long time, so it's impossible to write a review untainted by unmet expectation, but get it out of the way that I don't explicitly dislike this one. It's fine to me.
The notes are well blended and hard to pick out individually. The whole mix is well balanced with good performance. There's little else to grab onto in terms of notes or mood. It's warm but not heavy, and not all that spicy, either. It's sophisticated and mature, not playful or sweet, but not oppressive either. This is going to sound nuts because I don't have a better way to articulate it, but this is a perfume that smells like perfume.

Wow very nice scent!
Imagine a Middle Eastern souq lined with colorful spices, exotic cloths and miscellaneous goods.
This hot-air scent of the Moroccan desert will captivate most niche perfume enthusiasts.
Whether it is wearable or not, please try it as one work. well done!

There are two sensory experiences that this immediately hits me with. First, there is a brittle, thin, woodiness here that reminds me of a dried out ocotillo in the winter. This is the main effect missing from a couer and it gives the overall perfume an airy quality. Second, there is a strong herbal spice that smells to me a lot like the bushes you find along shores in the heat of summer (I know I’ve smelled this along the socal coast, but maybe also helichrysum in the mediterranean?).

Thoughts on a sampling...

* First blast is a strong woody and slightly sweet waft.
* As it settles down it becomes peppery while staying in cedar mode.
* Smells like being in an indoor lumber yard, a real one not home depot. A few top execs standing around in the cedar section wearing Armani, Boss and Zenga suits.
* The only desert dryness here would be that of an indoor lumber yard.
* Totally out of character with the desert in my opinion.
* Conjures up a classy rich man in the autumn vibe.
* Projects for a couple of hours 2 maybe pushing 3 but then stays close to the skin and this is when the amber amps up.
* It is a classy beast mode but not choke out in your face.
* And then becomes a skin scent beyond the 10 hour mark.
* As far as the scent itself it is nothing new. It is a tamed version of the many similar perfumes of this genre that usually go ka-pow in your face
and choke out the room.
* Possibly the most office friendly of the genre that I have tried.
* There is no knock my sox off to this.
* I am not a fan of amber but when I feel like using it in the cooler months I use MFK's Grand Soir.
* I can see why this is so popular. It's a real winner you can't go wrong with this.

I can recognise the sensation this perfume gives me better than I can recognise the ingredients. The notes combine and shift so perfectly I couldn't identify a single one. But the sensation it gives me is exactly the same as when my crush walks into the room.

Gorgeous dry dusty spicy ambery scent. Pure art in a bottle. Words will not do this justice.

Sadly I am anosmic to a particular chemical that is used in this; The Dark Side by Francesca Bianchi, and Serge Noire. Would love to be able to smell it, given the rapturous reviews, but will have to stick to Chergui and Arabie I'm afraid! I'm curious whether anyone else has this experience with these three scents. I am not anosmic to anything else.

If I were blindfolded and asked, where are you? I would would say, "In the garden at the end of summer, with the cicadas singing and the first leaves burning." I imagine a worldly man wearing this at twilight.

Such a magical fragrance that is endless and superbly fantastic. Opening notes in this one is petitgrain, coriander, lavender, and cumin while the middle notes are jasmine, labdanum, geranium, and birch. Dry down is all about the cedar, amber, patchouli, vetiver, and oakmoss. Very comforting and familiar fragrance with a solid performance in terms of long-lasting longevity and the super-strong silage. There is a modern feel, classic feel too. there is warmth, along with cool vibes too. There is sweetness with some of the dryness as well. This is confident and yet quiet with the delicious, earthy, calm, sexy, wearable and totally a lovable fragrance. The elegance in this is super amazing as well.

While I have previously criticized other (over)hyped fragrances, many of them in the woody oriental genre, L'Air du Desert Marocain definitely delivers on its promise.
Andy Tauer somehow managed to deliver the driest, smokiest, iteration of amber at the same time creating a composition that structurally feels as light and airy as a citrus or floral freshie, aptly named 'desert air'. The amber sweetness seems toasted in the dry, spicy, astringent backdrop, crumbling into a dry dust.

FIrst few minutes in I get a very interesting dry herbal petitgrain touch and ample spice.
The contrast between an intensely smoky birch (could just as well be listed as incense) and labdanum-heavy sweet amber that follows is created in a way that feels light like a desert breeze leaping off the skin rather than remaining forcefully bound to it like syrup as you get from so many other offerings.
There is this astounding purity to the scent, usually you would expect one of many thick scratchy amber aromachems in the base, but here (while they must be there to explain the performance) they are blended seamlessly never ruining the balance.

Subjectively, I find it a bit too stark for most daily settings, difficult to wear regularly because of the aforementioned bold radiating contrast. It requires a certain confidence to pull off. Therefore I recommend this to people who enjoy smokiness as well as radiant, transparent formulation who can deal with being the constant olfactory center of attention.

I don't get the hype!
After years of hearing about it, I finally went to a niche perfume store nearby(Les Senteurs, London) on a sunny but very cold winter day to BUY it. The very nice lady who works there generously sprayed it on my right hand.
Very disappointed from the very beginning.
The smell isn't 'bad', but not what I expected. "The smell of dry Morrocan desert" I heard people saying over and over. Really? Have you been to the desert before, luv? I was born not far from it, and I can assure you this isn't how it smells like!
All I was able to smell was a "soapy incense".
I even asked the lady to smell it, and she said it smelled different on other people, she also said that it projected more.
I left the store, and after apx 2-3 hours the smell has vanished off!

I wrote this review below for the 04.28.2022 perfume review and copied it here:
I’ve always enjoyed the classic fougères and designer classics like Dior Eau Sauvage, Chanel Pour Monsieur, Guerlain’s and Hermes’. I just now stumbled into the niche world of fragrances (I know, I can’t believe it took this long). I stopped into a local niche store in Spain in November 2021 to sample several designers- MDCI, Mona di Orio, Papillion, Roja etc.
These are all new to me and very nice and I’m happy to find this new world to explore.
BUT, then he asked if I knew Tauer? And went onto let me sample L’Air du Desert. I forgot everything I smelled before this and knew that this was special. It made an instant impact and to be sure, the next day I went back to sample LDDM on my skin. Just wow. Love the opening, heart AND the dry down is so smooth. This automatically went to the top of my all time favorite Perfumes period. It is a very personal perfume for me as it reminds me of my childhood in California. Growing up in the mountains of Socal, I get coniferous notes when I smell LDDM. I know this is a spicy desert perfume, but it’s a nice memory for me.
I enjoy LDDM so much I purchased Au Coeur du Desert the next week, and I actually favor Au Coeur as my new modern signature scent. Thank you Andy. Truly

This fragrance is quite nice, the imagery this scent brings up is: a very uplifting monastery - serious but spiritual, polished but feels like home, accommodating yet commands respect.
It is sharply green and woody, while still being fresh from the floral--almost powder--undertones, only to be rounded off by an incense-like finish.

I might prefer Au Coeur a little more, but it was this one that made me really appreciate amber as a note in perfumery. I just love L'air as an olfactory experience. The opening reminds me of both an old cabin in the dry hot summer of eastern Washington, or oriental rugs splayed out in a Bedouin tent. That mustiness soon evolves into a rich warm nocturnal amber... the drydown is so so good. Keep in mind this fragrance is not supposed to *literally* smell like the desert; like an impressionist painting, it's an artistic interpretation.

Incredible performance as well, I tried this with a few other niche samples on different parts of my arms and this one overpowered all of them. One of my favorites.

Such an amazing scent. If the price is a bit too high, however, give Jacques Bogart Pour Homme a try. Many similarities, especially the wood and incense notes, and for around $20 a bottle, an incredible value.

This is an absolute artwork of a fragrance. I might even buy the €60 candle.

Absolute masterpiece. Every good moment of perfumery is present here. Hall of fame for sure.

Six months ago, I tried Au Coeur du Desert and fell in love with it but I never actually tried its predecessor LDDM. Here's what I wrote about ACDD:

"A powerful herbal blast in the opening sandwiched between fresh spices on top and dry woody undertones. An ambery sweetness quickly makes its presence known and it stays that way through the drydown, getting slowly more syrupy-balsamic over time but never overpowering the other elements of the fragrance. The image evoked in my mind is a vanilla-flavored wind blowing across the twilight desert, picking up bits of sand as it swirls about, enough to feel but not to cause harm. Can wind be flavored? I don't care.

I sampled it based off sheer hype to reach free shipping while buying other Vanilla samples. Does it live up? Honestly, yeah kinda. I was looking for something more gourmandish, which this is not, but it's a beautiful scent nonetheless. Performance is quite strong as well, I get about 3hr of strong projection and 9-11hr longevity as a noticeable skin scent."

LDDM more or less smells the same, as ACDD proves to be a true higher concentration flanker. I find this to be a touch more dry -- it doesn't pick up as much syrupy sweetness as it settles -- and maybe +10% more herbal, -10% less ambery. The performance is similarly just a smidge weaker, with moderately strong projection over ~3hr and 8-10hr longevity. I might prefer ACDD's minor tweaks, but LDDM is 40% cheaper and they're close enough to identical as to be redundant.

God I love this stuff… I’m so happy I have this in my collection. it’s dry, slightly powdery, a bit spicy, slightly green and herbal, woodsy, has an ever so slight ambery touch of sweetness to it and most importantly to me, I get that clean “churchy” incense which I crave so much… especially throughout the spring.

One of my current favorites and pretty much a daily wear for me is John Varvatos Platinum... It’s such a bad ass underrated scent but as much as I love it, the performance isn’t always there for me… LDDM most definitely solves that little issue for me since I find the two so incredibly similar. You know what else is similar to these guys? This Is Him by Zadig and Voltaire and of course Au Coeur du Desert! I love em all...

Au Coeur absolutely retains the same DNA but has more of a cozy ambery sweetness thrown into the mix that warms it up a bit… making it perfect for cooler evenings when you’re looking to spice up the night a bit. It’s awesome, I’m gonna wear it tonight.

I suppose if you have nothing in your collection like this and you’re thinking about getting this, I say go for it... It’s super unique compared to you’re more popular designers but it still smells really good and it’s very high quality. Clearly I’m a fan of this style scent but there’s nothing about it that smells “off” to me… sure, not everyone that smells this on you is going to like it or give you some big compliment, but the same goes for ANY fragrance… even the most mass appealing ones like Sauvage, Eros or Aventus. At least you’ll smell different and for those that do like it on you will LOVE it and you’ll have yourself a really cool scent for when you’re feeling more introspective and nostalgic or whatever lol.

At the beginning i was really dissapointed propably because from the reviews i was waiting something phenomenal but i found something that smeelled ok and even i had a tone of muck. But after some minutes all this changes and we have absolute magic. The dry down is phenomenal and is one of the most fascinating experiences in perfumes, LDM is by itsself a ticket to another world, i cannot say is a desert world as i never been in a desert but for sure this is a parfume that gives you something more than just smelling great (after 5 mins lol). The price of the fragrance is ok for what it gives especially if you consider how many fragrances at this price are just plain and boring. So this is the art of perfumery. Concluding i would like to mention that i see in the reviews that this is good also for autumn, perhaps for autumns of north Europe. I live in Greece and this golden juice can be only on winters here.

Believe the hype. This is as good as you've heard. Maybe better.

Tauer's L'air du desert marocain today is a superlative and complex scent, although not quite as distinctive as I had imagined. It has the profile of many Oud-based scents, although there is no actual Oud involved - basically it seems to contain many of the same scaffolding of spices and resins. It's the sharp and bitter spiciness that hits you first, before those spices are smoothed out by vetiver. The interesting thing is that none of these elements entirely disappear as the scent, instead they are supplemented, and the fragrance stays layered and seems to increase in complexity, while never becoming too heavy.

Some people might laugh at his but, in many ways, LadM reminds me of nothing so much as a more sophisticated, subtle and less macho take on the original Old Spice - I'm serious here, and I don't mean this in a bad way at all. However, one thing I didn't expect was a rich, almost chocolatey after-impression the next day: I don't know where that comes from in the ingredient list, but you certainly don't get that with Old Spice.

One of my absolute favourites.

Magical one! This is actually my friend’s signature scent and she is wearing it for the past many years regularly. She loves it like anything and I love it even more because I love her secretly. She was my crush then and is my secret love even now. I have preserved a bottle of this juice so whenever I miss her, I spray it a bit and can feel her around. To me, this smell is super comforting and brilliant that is modern yet old, warm yet cool, sweet yet dry, confident yet quiet, delicious yet earthy, calm yet super sexy and wearable but unique. There is masculinity as well as femininity in this. I just love this amazing beauty with all my heart. There is feeling of evocation, mystery, dense and profoundness. The feel of resins, smoke, animalic and dry feel is much rich. The performance of this one is outstanding. The silage and longevity are superb making it even more likable. Highly recommended!

Finally caved for a sample and daaaamn. My partner partner isn't into perfumes at all, but has a great nose. When she walked in, she (unprompted!) said it smelled "Different" from my other perfumes. I asked her what she thought: "I could smell it down the hall and it was a bit much. Up close, it much nicer. Warmer. Spicy. Still a lot though. Like it has layers?" I don't think she has ever described any perfume as layered. That speaks volumes to this scent's complexity.

To my nose and on my skin, the opening has a very strong petitgrain smell: citrusy but more bitter than fresh. I was not expecting that from prior reviews. With some lavender and florals, it reminds me too much of cleaning products. Within a few minutes though, the spicy notes come more to the forefront and especially vetiver starts to cut through, which is woody, but also sharp like smoke can be. The vetiver never leaves, but it does quiet down, giving more space to cedar and especially amber. Sniffing from slightly further away, the almost weed-like note of patchuli drifts into view. Up close, sometimes a honey note drops in, reminding me a bit of YSL's Kouros. What an enigma. And long-lasting too.

All in all, it is layered indeed and not linear at all. It isn't super clean-smelling, but all the more interesting for it. It is bone-dry, but still feels rich. It is so disorienting that it's never quite comfortable, but somehow that just adds to the intrigue. And reading back those last sentences, I'm shocked how closely that mirrors my travels in Morocco. Truly, this is a special perfume.

In sum, I really I only have three qualms: First, as I said, I don't like the opening accord too much. Second, it is far from cheap. Certainly, it's fairly normal for niche perfumery and I'd gladly pay for a full bottle if it weren't for the third point: when would I wear this? As my partner said, it is a lot. There aren't that many days where I want to feel like Indiana Jones, to quote an earlier commenter. Still, it smells very intriguing. I'll try it a few more times from my decant and then give it my final rating.

EDIT: finished my decant, but not before getting another decant of Tauer's Au Coeur du Désert; so many people described it as a slightly easier to wear version of L'Air that I just had to try them side by side. Turns out, those people were right. Au Coeur is like a more grounded take on the same theme. Perhaps slightly less unique but more wearable and therefore better for my purposes. So the question now is: is it worth paying *even* more for something that's 90% similar to get rid of the 10% I don't like?

I may be noseblind to this as I feel it lasts very shortly on my skin. However, it definitely projects you into a desert with a cobalt blue sky, and the wind is blowing.

When I tell you I fell in love when I smelled this. Dry, spicy, arid, cool-but-warm. I've been searching for such a long time for a fragrance that captures the photoreal rasp and granularity of LADDM. What's more is that it's a cool spiciness that doesn't lack in richness, such as that characteristic of orientals. It has a warm undertone of vanilla soap and powdered amber after the drydown. If anything, I could do with even more spice through the heart, more granularity, because it's a textural experience I love so much. I just adore the interplay of warm characteristics imbued upon cool notes. It's subversive and super narcotic, leaving an addictive and enigmatic trail. Very unisex, though I can see why people find this "masculine"-- the floral notes are not gendered, but atmospheric to the sense of sandy oasis. I rarely see this level of dryness in perfumes marketed to women, though I so wish it was a more popular concept, because when I wear this as a 25-year-old woman I feel like an absolute enigma. This is near holy grail status for me. I can't wait to smell Au Coeur!!

Beautiful, beautiful scent. When people say that perfumery is an art form, this one instantly comes to mind. So well-crafted and blended, really picturesque for its name. When I imagine the type of person who would wear this it's a 30-something man with hair on his chest who lives in a warm, arid climate. None of those things describe me at the moment! I would love to one day be a person who can wear this though!

I don't know about the desert, but this smells like a s'more made with two cedarwood graham crackers. Chef's kiss

On my skin, there was an initial herbal blast that was overtaken quickly by a massive amber and cedar accord. That dried down to a very sumptuous powdery amber with delicious patchouli and just a hint of vetiver. I never got the middle notes, but your skin will likely be different. I recommend sampling first. The massive amber and cedar experience might turn some off. I will put this on my want list. It's not one I will immediately buy. I may add it to my collection eventually.

I must add that I agree it is a masterpiece.

Beautiful, powerful oriental smell. It’s technically really well made. Dry down is great. Not something I would recommend to wear casually, but it’s definitely unique and something you can appreciate on a creative level.

People really don't exaggerate when they say this one is a masterpiece. It is so well-blended and transportive. I have been to Morocco and the Sahara desert myself, and this perfume sensorily reminds me of my experience. Definitely going to try Tauer's other creations

People really don't exaggerate when they say this one is a masterpiece. It is so well-blended and transportive. I have been to Morocco and the Sahara desert myself, and this perfume sensorily reminds me of my experience. Definitely going to try Tauer's other creations.

Dry, a little powdery, and a little sweet. The arid dry spice is grounded by amber, which mingles more after the first 30 minutes. This fragrance gives me an Opium pour Homme EDT vibe, although this feels less dated and just more enjoyable in general. Slightly on the masculine end of unisex. Would work well in the fall but not out of place in the winter. I'm not in love with this one for myself, but it's pretty good.

I've had a sample of this and to be honest I was dissapointed, it's a pleasing scent but in my eyes, it does not live up to the hype it gets. Though I must say this fragrance is truly eternal lasting, i was still catching hints of it 24h after I applied it. I actually really like the drydown, but the opening is just bland coriander and too long lasting for me to justify 100€ for a 50ml.

I waited many years to try this one, it somehow kept falling off my radar. This is the niche scent to try and has been for a few years (maybe even 10).

The opening is a wonderful and intense blend of spices with an almost herbal feel. But then it begins to dry down, oh man, so good.

It has such a thick and almost creamy amber base to it, truly refined and simply exquisite. This is what I was expecting, albeit a bit drier than I thought.

Tauer has an amazing creation right here, please give it a try.

This wears like a second skin, just melts into the wearer and creates and aura of positivity.

EDIT: The dry down reminds me of TF’s Amber Absolute but even better. Almost a mix between AA and Serge Luten’s Ambre Sultan. Where AS was a bit too feminine on me, this goes more masculine and resinous.

Absolutely phenomenal fragrance that I am stoked to own!!

My husband walked in the room and declared "THAT SMELLS REALLY GOOD," as I was desperately trying to scrub this off my wrist. So there's that.

UPDATE: the opening of L'Air du Desert Marocain smelled monstrous (to me) on my wrist. Immediate scrub. But since my husband was so fond of Tauer's spicy aura, I decided to give it another shot. After a few hours, the drydown is a TREMENDOUS improvement from the bombastic opening, so much that I've upgraded my vote to a resounding "ok". That's just due to personal preference, though. I can definitely now see the appeal if you're a fan of dry, moderately-masculine, spicy scents. I'm too impatient to wait through the initial spritz!
Mond by Slumberhouse brings to mind that dry spice quality, but with an emphasis on sweet-woody notes if you're into that.

A smoky balsamic Arabian night.

A coriander cumin bomb with the well known amber + wood + incence backbone. Fairly linear frag but smooths out as it dries down.

Scent: (3 / 5)
Very overrated imo. It's pleasant and smooth but I've smelt better ambers. The coriander gives it an inextricably Arabic vibe.

Performance: (4 / 5)
On my skin it's detectable within a foot for about 5 hours, it lingers on the skin for about 9 hours. Solid all in all.

Versatility: (2 / 5)
This is the only frag I've smelt where I strongly feel certain ethnicities will pull this off better than others. As a young beardless white guy I don't think I'm pulling this off. More suited for colder months, I only ever find myself wearing this around the house.

Overall: (2.5 / 5)
Lots of people seem to like this frag, but I find it a little boring and hard to wear. Good performance but overrated imo.

Best niche of all time, as voted!
Dry, masculine, magical

Get your hands on it for quite cheap with the sample set

Tauer Perfumes' L'Air du Désert Marocain is a fragrance I have been puzzling over for nearly fifteen years. When I first sampled it, I was very taken with vanillas and gourmands–which seems very unlike me now, but I guess my palate and preferences have changed quite a bit! I liked the sweeter end of the scent spectrum at that moment in time, and so this was much, much too dry for my tastes. Today it is still dry, at least, in the initial moments: a sandstorm of dusty woods and salty winds, swirling with cool, bitter spices and the earthiness of baked clay. Then, a crumbling, vaguely medicinal incense, a strangely smoky and herbaceous amber. And underneath, surfacing at odd intervals only to disappear and reappear as if some hallucinatory mirage, there is a strange sweetness reminiscent of honied rum, delicate white chocolate, and soft nougat studded with rich dried fruits. It is in this space, the me of 2006 inhales a deep, confectionary lungful and finally gets it. The me of today, wrapped in this hazy veil of cult-favorite composition is finally impressed, too.

@RawSmells I think that you dislike about the opening is the cumin can sometimes be slightly on the Malik I don’t especially love the opening either but it doesn’t last long and the pay off is way worth it with the drive down I’m glad you now enjoy it

Wow! This is a complex oriental with great lasting power and silage. The aromatics really come through upon opening, and at this point some might call it masculine but dries down to an amazing, well blended, harmonious, exotic, beautiful treat. First time wearing this out, after hugging a friend she said her smells like an orgasm! This is not for the faint of heart but that being said my sister who normally likes safe green/floral scents loves this on me! Very distinct and rare....if you like orientals without powder or floral... sophisticated risk taker women! Love live liove I FaceTime call cut up in the winter and summer during the summer can kind of smell sour.... Candy towers a class act bought directly from his website package came signed by him very personal very niche very affordable lives up to the hype

So Dry yet intoxicating. The smell Takes you to a hot summer evening, making your way through a Marrakesh spice market, your olfactory senses taken on a magical journey. Simply sublime. This smell is for you. Only you. Enjoy!

I just got a small (and rather pricey) sample of this and, although I like it, I personally don't think it's as stellar as many of the reviews below state it to be. The longevity, on me at least, isn't as powerhouse as it seems to be for a lot of other people, which is a shame. It certainly reminds me of something I've smelled or somewhere I've been, but can I hell remember what that thing/place is. Definitely worth a try but the price point/longevity equation doesn't work out for me so I probably wouldn't consider a full bottle.

The guy below me needs his nosed fixed 👀
This stuff is great, dark, rich and mysterious.
Absolutely Stella with great performance.

9.5/10

Magic, magic and truly a magic. Till now, this is the first and only perfume I got compliment from my better half. Otherwise, he never ever does ask or compliment a smell on me. I am delighted with this now and going to keep it for special times

I mostly blind buy, as I seek the joy of trying to figure out what a fragrance will smell like from the reviews, notes and so on. I bought this as it intrigued me to no end, and it just sounded so mysterious and mystical, and based on that and the great amount of good things I’ve heard about it. I’m very open minded with fragrances, I am not leaving a bad review, I’m leaving my interpretation of this, so please if anyone could kindly enlighten me with what this is I’m smelling? In the first instance his smelled like jasmine with a hint of cat poop (not being disrespectful to the perfumer, just what I smell). I bought this today, and was looking forward all dy to opening this up, and I just finished work, and decided it was time to treat myself and open it up with a few decants that I ordered with them, which all smelled lovely. But this, I’m struggling to understand the fragrance, I really am :/ It’s been about 20-30 minutes now, so I’m going keep my hopes up and hoping this will evolve into something else, but if anyone would care to explain to me what I’m missing out, I’d be really grateful.

Update: Oh my days! This bottle contains, black magic, voodoo, a genie in a bottle. I have never ever come across a fragrance akin to this. My comments above sill stand, but oh boy wait 30-60 minutes (maybe less), and this transforms into something that is just highly addictive. I have on my left wrist this fragrance, and on my right wrist Frederic malle’s Musc Savuegr (which is Devine by the way), and I can’t stop smelling this fragrance, so much that because I only sprayed I once, I got up and sprayed my wrist a few more times, I just put up with the 20 minutes of Jasmine Poop, and await the mesmerising smell afterward. This is truly an amazing work of art, I can’t explain it, but it just is!

"Full many a flower is born to blush unseen,
And waste its sweetness on the desert air."

If Indiana Jones wore perfume, this would be it. Or maybe his “aura” would just naturally smell like this 😅

Exceptionally evocative name that somehow, inexplicably, adds to the already incredible scent.

The most exciting spicy scent I've smelled in a while. The lavender and geranium cushion a blast of spice. The birch is prominent, offering a mellow woodiness. It has a yummy quality, while remaining dry and masculine. A really beautiful aromatic.

As another commenter put it, this is what the worm from Dune smells like. That's nearly enough to convince me to buy a bottle.

Delightful perfume that more than lived up to its (considerable) hype for me. The opening blast of spice has a dry, almost desiccating effect that made me feel like I stuck my nose in a portal to the Sahara. After a few hours on my skin, it softened to a smooth, creamy amber that had me sniffing my wrists all evening. It stayed close to the skin for me, but I prefer perfumes with minimal sillage to avoid committing accidental acts of olfactory warfare on unsuspecting passers-by.

Not a blind buy, but definitely worth a try.

Edit: I bought a bottle, no regrets

Very nice smooth and cozy amber. The opening is spicy and not my thing, but wait till the dry down and you will know why this is one of the best in the market. I have never smell anything as smooth as this before in my entire life (not including the ACDD). It feels like the cold desert air at night blowing past you. Comparing to the ACDD, this one is more airy and light, but this doesnt mean that the longevity and sillage arent good - they are both remarkable and much much better than the typical edt, to the point that it has the strength of other house's edp.

This one comes at 130 dollar for 50ml, and its the first perfume i ever marked 'great value', because it truly is. If this is released under any other niche brands, im sure it will go for much higher, and yet be an ok price because this is incredible. Cant recommend enough. Anyone on a fragrance journey or a fragrance lover, YOU MUST TRY THIS. Hopefully Tauer will release this in a 100ml or bigger bottle, because i definitely need it!

Simply put, for me this is African Leather without the Leather.

It’s a beautiful composition and performance is truly amazing for an eau de toilette! Washed my wrist and I still feel it..but all in all not my cup of tea. It is too resinous for my taste in the opening and heart. The dry down is simply beautiful but comes in too late for me. There are so many other good ones in his line - Lonesome Rider, gardenia sotto la luna are weirdly understated. Very curious about Sundowner as well.

L'Air du Désert Marocain hovers in the vicinity of the semi-desert steppes of the Atlas, and not really in the hot sands of the Sahara. With this fragrance, I build an olfactory image of lives hardened by centuries of struggle with nature, but also with traditions piled up by simple, tradition-laden existences deeply connected to the inhospitable lands on the edge of the desert, where the Berberes live. The herbs, the fresh spices, the leather of the tents, the warm infusions, the dense and almost liturgical atmosphere of the resins, the dry and woody woods... all concentrated in a small blue bottle, the colour of the robes of the brave Berber women, always smiling and profusely tattooed with henna in geometric motifs laden with symbolism.
At the opening, I feel almost assaulted by crushed coriander seeds mixed with dried cumin. A light herbaceous lemon, and not too fresh, also suggests the presence of other herbs and fougéres. In the heart, a resinous cyst frame connects every fragrance and invites the perception of notes of dried birch and cedar mixed with vetiver, very present in the base. My imagination retrieves experiences from this wild but so beautiful environment. The smells could even come from a wedding party where the slightly sweet scent of geraniums is covered by dry, leathery resins.

Watch out for this desert wind:
___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
Overall Rating: 8.50 / 10.00
- between 7 and 8 = above average;
- between 8 and 9 = recommended;
- over 9 = definitely not to be missed;
___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

My opinion: This is a perfume that I consider timeless and a true olfactory masterpiece. Both its aroma and its price justify never making a blind purchase. Wearing it will be guaranteed to catch the attention of the people around you. But for me, the greatest pleasure is provided to the lucky nose of the person who is wearing it.

Music Charles Aznavour - "Hier Encore

If this is what The Spice of Arrakis smells like then I'd be a junkie.

I can't understate how incredible this smells. Earthy coriander, sweet yet not cloying amber, rough soil, and incense with almost citrusy soapy accents... This smells like what you'd find while lying on the sand of a desert in a long forgotten dream. The notes here are balanced so well it's magical. Its sweetness is just right, its soil notes are just dirty enough, the soapy notes counter and give this a sharpness of sorts and the amber is soooo creamy... Wow!

An absolute delight. A must-try if you haven't. Will certainly purchase in the future.

Textbook amber fragrance. Before I smelled this, my favorite amber/balsamic fragrance was Benjoin Boheme by Diptyque. LDDM definitely hints at BB but with much more depth and dryness. I actually sampled LDDM and ACDD together today and decided to purchase LDDM. To me ACDD can remind me of dentist a little at the opening and though it only lasted for 10 minutes then settled into the beautiful balsamic amber, it was enough to make me go with LDDM instead. This is just much beautifully blended and the owner of my local perfume shop said they perform equally as well so, this is the winner for me. For those of you scared of the cumin note like I am, I'm happy to report that the cumin in here does not read B.O., it's definitely more aromatic than culinary. All I could smell is the red-yellow sand and glittery spices in the hot air of Morocco.

The worm from Dune definitely smells like this. 5 stars.

Coriander straight from the spice grinder, cumin, amber, smoke. Some slight sweetness. Exotic, different and frankly quite phenomenal. I get good performance. At £100 for 50ml this is still great value.
5/5

I think I went out of order by sampling Au Coeur du Désert first, because while that is perfection, L'Air du Desert Marocain is somehow even better? The scent is more accessible while maintaining that addicting, richly aromatic atmosphere. Sharp woods and lavender approach an impression of citrus while stopping just short of it, the amber and labdanum are slightly sweet, and busy spices pull back just enough to reveal a negative space-- the desert air.

This smells more like a perfume, and as a woman living in a hot and arid climate, I love having the ability to wear a scent confidently year-round. Au Coeur is a finely crafted statement you can still own and enjoy, but maybe with fewer occasions to wear. L'Air suits anyone who likes it, and I really couldn't ask for more in a fragrance.

Love this stuff…. Dry down on my skin reminds me of Tom ford Beau De Jour just clean shaving cream vibe…

If the option is to choose one, LADDM is the way to go, imho. LADDM is airier, brighter, more effervescently invigorating and less dense than ACDD. LADDM does make you think of the wind, while this makes you think of sun scorched woods and sands.
LADDM is one of those fragrances that can resonate with the essence of your being. If I had to keep one, this would be it.

It doesn't show in the notes here but there must be an intentional musk note or accord in this. I would love it otherwise, but it's not to my taste because of that one note.

An official sock blower. Can't ask for anything more of a perfume. 10/10.

There is nothing I can say about this fragrance that has not already been said; that it's flat out magic. This is more an experience than a scent, as it lives up to its name and evokes the feeling of being in the desert at the edge of a walled city's market, while the gate is open and the sandy winds flow in to mix with spices of the bazaar.

It is perfectly blended, hitting all the notes in its pyramid (no desert pun intended!) combining for the amber, spice and slightly smoky fragrance it is. Andy Tauer even nails the presentation, with a bottle that belongs in the MoMA and a simply elegant tin. Most definitely meant for cooler weather and one shouldn't feel compelled to be trigger happy for instant scent gratification, since its strong performance can be overwhelming, because remember, it's an experience and one spray can probably get you there.

This is one of the few fragrances I have tried recently that I've had to wash off after several hours of wear. I wanted to love this because both this and the ACDD version smelled divine on the blotters when I first tested them. I don't know what it is, but after wearing both, one on each arm for the last 8+ hours, I caved and washed my arms. I used my normal Chanel Fresh Body Cream before spraying, which doesn't really have a strong smell if any, it's basically unscented for all intents and purposes, and works with all my other fragrances. That said, it could definitely have been that cream mixed with both this LDDM and ACDD that became absolutely intolerable and cloying by the end of the day. At first spray I actually enjoyed both of these, ACDD being the more spicy and intense version, and for the next couple hours I was pleasantly enjoying both. However, sometime around the 5-6 hour mark, I started realizing that I wasn't really enjoying the scent as much as I did in the beginning, and then I even became annoyed by the whiffs I was catching. I wish I could pinpoint exactly what note bothered me, and again, it could be the mix of the fragrance with the unscented body cream, but I really don't want to try it again (without the cream). All I can say is that I'm glad I didn't spray this anywhere around my neck, because then I would have had to jump in the shower and scrub. I guess it just doesn't work with my body chemistry because I really enjoyed the scents on the blotters... maybe in the future I will revisit these. Both LDDM and ACDD are extremely longlasting, ACDD being the longer lasting since it is the extrait version. I would say these are not blind buy worthy, and definitely lean more masculine. This fragrance requires a skin test, because as I mentioned, they smelled amazing on the blotters, they just did not work out for me at all. I love the concept and I feel Andy Tauer did a great job at capturing the essence of what it must be like in the Saharan desert at night, but just did not work out on my skin unfortunately... I couldn't wait to wash it off, and it lingered on my skin even after going in with a harsh scrubbing, which just shows how long lasting these fragrances are. The dry down is not your typical amber, at least not for me, it is a much more aldehydic amber without that sweetness, it's a very dry scent. I typically love scents with amber, cedar, and oakmoss in the base, and vetiver is one of my absolutely favorite notes period, but for some reason the way this dried down on me, was just absolutely intolerable. I dunno you guys, I wanted to love this, but sadly it just did not work out for me... :(

I don’t wear fragrance for compliments. Just ask people who’ve been around me while I’m basking in heavily Animalic scents.

But this potion produces immediate compliments and happiness in everyone who first smells it on me, That says a lot about this blend’s excellent effects. It’s an instant antidepressant and anxiolytic in one. And the pleasure changes and lasts all day.

Therefore, it’s not challenging as I’ve heard from many reviewers. It’s wearable and lovable.

I’m ordering a bottle. I can’t stop sniffing myself. I’m new to the niche world and have tried a lot of samples…this one got me.

I get spice, I get cumin. I feel immense comfort when o smell this fragrance and it feels like “me” I see this translating well in the fall/winter.

My first ever review here should be from this perfume. It's enticing, addictive, brings me back to my trip to Marrakech and the Atlas Mountains, but with a subdued smell. It's a powerful opening, full os spices and 15 minutes later it changes to a more fresh note. The dry down is amazing and so is the logenvity. I keep smelling myself non stop throught the day. This is a complex fragance that keeps on giving. For me personally, it's suitable for autumnn/winter, I would not choose to wear in in high summer.

Absolute masterpiece. At first sniff it takes you back, but after a while the cumin and coriander which are two notes I usually hate, blend so well with the vetiver and anise. Makes me sad that when I wear this my family (not really fragrance wearers) hate it. Sticking to my 5ml decant for now sadly. Maybe would go well layered with something ozonic or citrusy to tone it down, but that would ruin the complexities of this scent.

A masterpiece, and in time will be regarded as a classic. I was introduced to this, and Tauer, by scentbar some years ago. There have been several sweet, spicy, smoky woods before, from my perspective the grandaddy was Black Orchid, Mugler Pure Malt, Pure Havane, Spice Bomb certainly made waves when it came out, then PDM hit the scene with an even better line including Herod and Carlisle, Bvlgari man in black, Santal Royal, etc. and all of these have been or are in my collection for years, I love this genre. This one takes the prize by a head. Certainly there's the advantage of being newer, but Tauer has an amazing nose for resins and woods in general. It opens much darker than many of the others mentioned, especially brash on application and shows no sign of sweetness where these others open with epic sweetness. Perhaps this is the key to its success. It launches powerfully with epic incense, birch, cedar that is boosted by a lemon-y corrainder, a full on barrage of woods. It's medicinal, bitter, smoky. But then over the next couple of hours, the fragrance evolves substantially, the sweet amber tonka cream, and distant floral bouquet comes to life, a citrusy vetiver makes an appearance, oakmoss peeking through and giving some grounded earth tones. This whole mélange of treats unifies somehow, into a cohesive unit that gives me the impression of ideal incense, sweet resinous, smoky, spiritual, it transports you out of whatever mundane surroundings you may find yourself in. Nothing about this smells like chemicals, and I find it absolutely ensnaring.

Olfactory art. Easily the most elegant and transportive fragrance in my collection. Incredibly high quality and evokes a specific time and place: I get a sandstorm of spices and the most beautiful Arabian desert wind at midnight, alone in the sand and lost in the stars. Exotic and rich, full of aromatic herbs and incense. This isn’t an easy fragrance to wear let alone appreciate so I’ll reserve this for autumn/winter evenings spent alone. It is quite masculine but it’s so heavenly that I’ll still get a full bottle.

Smells like a Church.

I keep hearing from people i talk to that this is edgy and challenging. I don't see any of that, to me it's almost impossible to imagine not liking this. every note and stage progression in this scent is extremely pleasing, its soft warm and welcoming, has a very spicey note thoughout that can be dusty or dry but in a comfortable way. like a mohair sweater. in warmer weather it can be quite nauseating if you overspray because of its sweetness. this sits in my mind as a very very expensive piece of 'turkish delight' made out of unusual ingredient

Unique. Performance is on another level. Dry down is beautiful, but I can't quite get past the opening and it lasts forever. Gorgeous bottle.

To my nose, this is more of a work of art than a fragrance and you can tell right of the bat that it's of high quality. The initial phase may be challenging to some folks but be patient, there is something in the dry down and the scent trail that smells sexy and unique. Most folks would find the smell intriguing and if you are not yet into this hobby, it's easy to misunderstood this fragrance. Probably, the nose behind this fragrance would like you to experience how the Moroccan desert smells like. When I smelled this and close my eyes, the sensation was like the dry dessert wind blowing and you can smell the heat that has long been trapped underneath coming out of the sand along with the scent of sun baked desert grass. That's my initial olfactory experience and it's interesting. I'm not probably gonna wear this but just spray and sniff once in awhile to imagine the Moroccan desert and enjoy. Like an abstract art, it's a must in my collection.

I'll simply enjoy this for olfactory pleasure since I am not sure at this point when or what occasion should I wear this.

To be continued ...

“Let's spread the scents of peace and kindness. The two most beautiful fragrance in the world that will cost you nothing and will get you a totally different kind of compliments” 🙏

When it dries down it smells a little bit like cookies/bread baking in the oven to me, I thought someone was baking something went to the window to check and nope it's the fragrance on my arm... I'm in love with the dry down, but I don't like the intense and sharp opening, the stages are so wild this is so interesting...

Each note in this gets some stage time, a very refined and high-quality blend, that I see shining in fall months and a little more chill breezy nights. Dry, dusty, serious, mature are the attributes I associate with this scent. For some, the spices might get too much or even repulse some if worn in cloying heat. Personally, I had a little higher expectation of this, for the same vibe I much prefer scents like Sahraian Wind, Hindu Kush by Mancera, keeping the price in mind and a little louder projection too (this sits very close to the skin). But to feel the difference in the quality of ingredients and craftsmanship of Tauer, to get to know the brand, I think this is a gateway.

Overall 7.5/10

Ok.....now that is not what I was expecting. Having found this fragrance at the top of the All Timer Leaderboard here on Fragrantica I was ready to rock this fragrance day and night once I received it. Well, that is not the case. This is a much more challenging fragrance than I anticipated. I get the sensation of "oud" not the smoky oud just that undeniable oud scent, even though it's not a scent note. Also, I get hints of Tuscan Leather with the sweetness toned way down. I don't know, I think my nose is not ready to fully appreciate what this fragrance is. I'll give it some time and come back to this. Don't get me wrong, I do like it, I'm just not ready for it.

Fat spices (coriander!!) mixed with dry smoky wood. A warm amber in my hand. I see the similarities to Au Coeur, but they are different. Au Coeur is a higher spicier frag compared to more amber and smokiness in Marocain. Au Coeur is more intense. Forced to choose I'd pick Marocain. They both make my nose tingle. And I can't wait for the new Dune movie - sniffing this while sitting in my humid mid-western forested home... the trip to foreign lands these frags offer is welcome.

Edit: I did a side by side of Au Coeur and Marocain. On longer wear, Marocain has almost a warm vanilla-ish effect along with all the other spice woody dryness whereas Au Coeur has a citrus-y high note relatively. Au Coeur is more intense and longer lasting, but I prefer Marocain.