Arabesque

The Merchant of Venice Arabesque dupe, inspired by the original

The Merchant of Venice Arabesque is a warm, spicy oriental that trades on Venice’s long history as a gateway for exotic spices, pairing a plummy, tobacco richness with cinnamon and smooth woods. Our interpretation carries that character in a long lasting Eau de Parfum, made in the EU.

The Story Behind the Scent

The Merchant of Venice is an Italian house that draws on the city’s history as a great trading port, where spices, resins and precious materials arrived from the East for centuries. Arabesque is one of its most characterful scents, built to evoke that rich, spice route heritage in a modern, wearable form.

A juicy plum, ginger and tobacco leaf open it warm and slightly boozy, cinnamon, cedar and benzoin build a spiced, resinous heart, and a base of musk and vanilla keeps it smooth and long lasting. It smells warm, refined and a little exotic, the kind of spicy oriental that feels dressed up without being heavy.

How Our Version Compares to the Original

We do not claim this is identical, because no interpretation is. What we have built follows the same spicy oriental signature of the original, rebuilt at up to 40% perfume oil so it projects clearly early on and lingers longer than a typical spray. A little goes a long way, and it unfolds slowly through its top, heart and base over many hours.

Who It’s For

It suits anyone who loves a warm, spicy oriental with a plummy, slightly boozy richness. It is at its best in autumn and winter and in the evening, and it wears as a bold unisex fragrance.

Notes

Top: Plum, Ginger, Tobacco Leaf

Heart: Cinnamon, Cedarwood, Benzoin

Base: Musk, Vanilla

How it Smells

The opening is warm and juicy, with a ripe plum and a lick of ginger over a soft tobacco leaf, rich and slightly boozy from the start.

Cinnamon, cedar and benzoin build a spiced, resinous heart that feels warm and characterful without turning sharp.

The base settles into a smooth musk and vanilla, adding a soft sweetness that rounds the spice and keeps it long lasting. It stays warm and refined the whole way through.

Common Questions

Is this the original fragrance?

No. It is our own interpretation of the accord, rebuilt at up to 40% perfume oil. It is not the branded fragrance and does not use the same formula, but it is made in the EU to careful standards to track the character you remember.

What does Arabesque smell like?

A warm, spicy oriental of plum and tobacco with cinnamon and smooth woods over a soft vanilla base. Rich, slightly boozy and refined rather than heavy.

Is it very sweet?

It has a warm plum and vanilla sweetness, but the spice, tobacco and woods keep it grown up and balanced.

When should I wear it?

It is at its best in autumn and winter and in the evening, when its warm spice and resins come through.

Is it unisex?

Yes. Its warm, spicy character wears well on anyone who enjoys a bold oriental.

How long does it last?

Built at a high oil concentration, it lasts a long time on skin and lingers on fabric.

Disclaimer

The Merchant of Venice and Arabesque are trademarks of their respective owners, and all rights remain with them. Parfumour is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or connected to The Merchant of Venice in any way, and no business relationship of any kind is implied. Our product is an original interpretation created to evoke a similar scent profile, and the trademark names are used purely for honest, descriptive comparison, so that you can quickly identify the style and fragrance family you are looking for. We make no claim to sell the original product, and we do not use the same ingredients or formula. Any similarity lies in the overall impression of the scent as interpreted by our own perfumers, not in the source materials.