Asad Polar vs. Asad vs. Asad Bourbon: Lattafa’s Lion Goes Skiing

Want the smoky original? Asad. Want sweet and cozy? Asad Bourbon. Want something fresher? Asad Polar.

Asad (2021)

The one that started it. Black pepper, tobacco and pineapple open it spiced and slightly sweet. Patchouli, coffee and iris add an earthy bitterness, and a base of vanilla, amber, dry wood, benzoin and labdanum keeps it resinous. The name means lion in Arabic, and Perfumania’s description points to fall and winter as its season. Fragrantica readers rate it 4.0 out of 5.

Asad Bourbon (2025)

Fragrantica lists it as the third chapter in the Asad collection, after Asad and Asad Zanzibar. Jean-Louis Sieuzac drops the tobacco and goes for sweetness. Lavender, mirabelle plum and pink pepper open it. Cacao, nutmeg and davana make the middle, and Bourbon vanilla, amber and vetiver close it. Fragrantica readers rate it 4.4 out of 5.

Asad Polar (2026)

Paul Guerlain says the inspiration came from skiing, and Fragrantica quotes the brand’s pitch as an exploration of masculinity at altitude. Blackcurrant, mandarin, artemisia, violet leaf and nutmeg open it bright and green. White lavender, cashmeran and frozen pineapple form the heart. Fir balsam, dry amber and cedarwood finish it. Fragrantica classes it as an aromatic fougère and its news piece calls it the first fougère-fruity profile in the Asad collection. It comes in a 100 ml bottle, debuted in the UAE on November 1, and rolls out globally on November 15.

What they share and where they split

All three sit on an amber base. Polar also borrows Asad’s pineapple and Bourbon’s lavender, so it shares two notes with the others. Past that they split: Asad leans on tobacco and resin, Bourbon on cacao and vanilla, and Polar on cold fruit, green herbs and fir, with no tobacco or vanilla in the pyramid. Polar only reaches stores on November 15, so everything here comes from the notes and the brand copy, not from wearing it.

Which one to buy

Asad if you want the smoky classic for cold weather. Bourbon if you want sweet and warm. Polar if you want something fresher and lighter. If you already own Asad, Polar is the bigger change of pace, since Bourbon keeps the amber and spice-leaning warmth. We’ll update this page once we’ve worn Polar.

Where to buy

Asad:

Asad Bourbon:

Asad Polar: none of the stores we link carries it yet, so there is no button. We’ll add one after the November 15 global release if it shows up.

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