How Faiz tests every batch before it reaches the shelf
Each attar from Kannauj is checked by nose, by eye and on cotton before we pour it. A look at our tasting bench.
Your first visit to our counter: what to expect
How tasting works, why we test on your wrist and not on paper alone, and how to leave with the right attar.
Our shop is narrow: a counter, three stools and shelves of glass bottles up to the ceiling. It can feel a little daunting on a first visit, so here is how it usually goes.
We start by asking a few questions. What scents do you already like, at what time of day will you wear it, and is it for you or a gift. Then we dip thin paper strips into four or five attars and hand them to you one at a time. Paper shows the opening of a scent clearly, so it helps to narrow the choice quickly.
When you have two or three you like, we put them on your skin: one on each wrist and one inside the elbow. Attar changes with the warmth of the body, and the same oil can smell quite different on two people. We will ask you to walk around Chowk for twenty minutes and come back. Most people change their mind at least once.
There is no charge for tasting and no pressure to buy. Many first-time visitors leave with a free sample card of three attars and come back a week later for a full bottle. If you do buy, you can choose 3 ml, 6 ml or 12 ml, poured from our stock bottle into a new glass vial while you watch. Please avoid wearing perfume on the day of your visit, as it confuses the nose.
