A modern twist on a medieval Arabic perfume recipe. Green cardamom and cassia steeped in cognac, clary sage honey, dried rose petals and leaves, aged copper distilled patchouli, soft leather, sandalwood, vegetal ambrette musk.
كأساً إذا انحدَرَتْ في حلْقِ شاربها،
When the glass has flown down the throat of its drinker
أترك حُمْرَتَها في العينِ والخدّ
leaving its redness on the eye and on the cheek
فالخَمرُ ياقوتة ٌ، والكأسُ لُؤْلُؤة
And so wine is a ruby, and the glass is a pearl.
من كَفِّ جارِيَة ٍ مَمشوقَة ِ القَدّ
From the palm of the odalisque, svelte in form,
تَسْقيكَ من عيْنها خمراً، ومن يدها
She pours you wine from her eye, and from her hand
خمْراً، فما لك من سُكرَينِ من بُدّ
wine until you are twice drunk without escape.
لي نشوتان، وللنَّدْمانِ واحدة ٌ،
For me pleasure is double, and remorse is one.
شيءٌ خُصِصْتُ به من بينِهِمْ وحدي
I was allotted this, from others things, alone.
- Abu Nuwas (b. 756 C.E.)
Art: "Spanish Siesta" by José Villegas Cordero, 1874
كأساً إذا انحدَرَتْ في حلْقِ شاربها،
When the glass has flown down the throat of its drinker
أترك حُمْرَتَها في العينِ والخدّ
leaving its redness on the eye and on the cheek
فالخَمرُ ياقوتة ٌ، والكأسُ لُؤْلُؤة
And so wine is a ruby, and the glass is a pearl.
من كَفِّ جارِيَة ٍ مَمشوقَة ِ القَدّ
From the palm of the odalisque, svelte in form,
تَسْقيكَ من عيْنها خمراً، ومن يدها
She pours you wine from her eye, and from her hand
خمْراً، فما لك من سُكرَينِ من بُدّ
wine until you are twice drunk without escape.
لي نشوتان، وللنَّدْمانِ واحدة ٌ،
For me pleasure is double, and remorse is one.
شيءٌ خُصِصْتُ به من بينِهِمْ وحدي
I was allotted this, from others things, alone.
- Abu Nuwas (b. 756 C.E.)
Art: "Spanish Siesta" by José Villegas Cordero, 1874