UNIQUE’E LUXURY
KUTAY
2019
PERFUMER
Huseyin Erdogmus
bergamot
lemon
whiskey
davana
cypriol
oud
caramel
sandalwood
Tobacco
amber
vanilla
‘This fragrance is a super-realistic whiskey smelling sensation that will leave you breathless, making it the ultimate choice for those seeking a luxurious and alluring scent that is sure to turn heads and leave a lasting impression.’ – Unique’e Luxury
If you’ve heard of the brand Unique’e Luxury, there’s a good chance that you’ve heard of Kutay. It’s a boozy gem that’s been making the rounds in the community as a potential ‘Baraonda‘-killer and that’s not a stretch.
Straight from the opening the whiskey note hits you. It’s syrupy and slightly sweet, but it has a sharp, rugged edge, probably from the cypriol and/or tobacco (Unique’e Luxury’s Bevery Hills Exclusive has a dry fresh tobacco scent that I can picture in here as well). While it’s a relatively dark scent, there’s some levity and brightness up top as well.
It’s not long before the sweetness comes through stronger. Caramel, vanilla and an amber accord are listed, but it’s kept at non-gourmand levels; for most of the wear this is a boozy, woody scent with more of a generalized sugary sweetness.
At this point I have to make the inevitable comparison with Nasomatto Baraonda. Viewed by many as the best whiskey scent, Baraonda and Kutay definitely share the exact same space. I’ve tried them side by side and get some minor differences. Kutay feels slightly sweeter or at least the sweetness feels like a stand-alone, more sugary element. It’s also even more whiskey centric, whereas Baraonda dries down quicker to a woodiness. I think Kutay is a bit darker, with a rose-oud like backbone even though it’s actually only Baraonda that lists rose as a note. Lastly, Kutay feels denser and performs better on my skin; I think this can also be attributed to the heavier and sweeter oudy scent versus a lighter, airier woody scent.
Kutay is a no-brainer choice for anyone looking to buy a boozy scent and I’m confident its status as one of the best boozy fragrances on the market will only grow. If you mostly care about performance, it’s probably the best way to go. On a personal note; I bought Baraonda a week before I received Kutay and I ended up giving Kutay away to a friend as I actually prefer the slightly more subtle Nasomatto. I say this to say: I find owning both redundant and Kutay can be viewed as an expensive clone.
