FRAGRANCE | Ytzma Extrait de Parfum Concentrée by Royal Crown: Is it worth the crazy price tag?

I've never heard of this house before until a fellow fraghead offered me a bottle of Royal Crown's Ytzma that he was letting go of. The bottle was practically still full and it was a very good deal that was just hard to pass up. Although I see that they're now available at some discounters, the prices that this house commands for their fragrances are just insane. We're talking about stuff in the USD 400 range here. That said, I would never be able to afford it at full retail.

The presentation on this one is quite good and for a perfume, the package feels really heavy. The box is made of hard and very thick cardboard that's completely covered by a padded, white faux leather. Inside you'll find the bottle comfortably nestled in a fluffed-up rubbery material, a departure from the usual velvet or satin.

And my, is this bottle heavy! It probably weighs like a light dumbell people use in those 80s aerobics videos. I kid you not. The glass is just so thick, it's easily the heaviest perfume bottle that I have or have ever encountered. Thankfully its vertical, octagonal shape allows you some grip. Topping it off is a crown-shaped stopper a la Clive Christian. Made of enamel and a bunch of fake jewels, it also carries a lot of weight for a cap, which makes the ones from Clive Christian look puny by comparison. Let's not even talk about the tacky, lace-adorned cap of Ard Al Zaafaran's Midnight Oud (although I like that frag).

When I first sprayed Ytzma, I was instantly reminded of Tom Ford's Tuscan Leather, which for the life of me I don't have. Close to 30 Private Blend bottles and not one TL. Shame. What I have instead is a dupe, Nabeel's Arab Tradition, but which is also really good, especially for the price.

Anyway, the similarities are uncanny and only if I smell it up close do I start to notice the differences. Instead of raspberry, I get a medley of dried fruits, lending the leather a dose of sweetness while keeping the overall scent dry. There's also a brief plasticky accord, which is something I usually get from violets. A bit of a floral sweetness pops up shortly, which, together with the violet, carry on for a few more minutes before disappearing into the blend, their identities blurred in support of the leather.

Much like the bottle, the scent carries some weight although it isn't overly dense and heavy. The leather, while a bit smoky, avoids becoming too dark and bitter, so it remains relatively approachable. Personally, though, I would love a darker leather but I like this one just the same. The resulting sweetness, too, isn't excessive.

The scent doesn't develop much but its life on my skin is exceedingly long. Projection is quite strong for its first couple of hours before it gradually loses steam. But a little heat can be your friend because it instantly brings the scent back to projection mode anytime. It doesn't mean, however, that it's ideal for warm weather. While it may work, provided it's not too hot and humid or if you're mostly in an air-conditioned space, it's still best for cold weather.

Although the quality is evident in Royal Crown's Ytzma, it certainly isn't a unique scent. As such, justifying a bottle at full retail wouldn't be easy for most of us mere nortals, especially if you already have similar, fruity sweet leather frags in your arsenal. As for me, I'm just lucky to have copped one because it's, well, nice to have.