Afnan Highness IV
Feminine · EDP · £90
Inspired by Original Creation.
Description
An amber oud floral built as one of the two founding women's pillars of Afnan's Highness collection, Highness IV pairs a saffron spiced rose opening with a rich oud and sandalwood heart before settling into dry amber, vanilla and musk. Product Overview Highness IV, also sold under the earlier name Her Highness Red, is an Eau de Parfum housed in a 100ml bottle and priced at 90 pounds through Afnan's official UK store. The fragrance belongs to Afnan's Highness line, a numbered and colour coded collection that grew out of a smaller four piece range launched in 2014, Her Highness Red, Her Highness Black, His Highness White and His Highness Green, and was relaunched across a wider Middle Eastern and international audience from August 2020 onward. Highness IV carries the red thread forward as one of the two original feminine anchors in that founding line up, alongside Her Highness Black, and Afnan itself markets it plainly as Pour Femme rather than unisex, even though a handful of overseas retail listings have mislabelled it unisex over the years. Scent Profile The opening is a warm, spiced citrus moment built from bergamot, saffron and rose, giving an immediate impression of gilded, aristocratic femininity rather than anything sheer or fruity. As the top notes settle, the heart moves into oud wood and sandalwood, softened by patchouli, so the fragrance reads as a woody amber floral rather than a straightforward rose composition. The base closes on dry amber, vanilla and musk, which pulls the oud away from anything smoky or medicinal and toward a warm, skin close sweetness. Worn over several hours, the trajectory moves from bright and regal at the open, through a dense oud floral heart, to a soft amber musk that sits close to the skin. This note structure, confirmed independently by Afnan's own US, UK and UAE storefronts alongside two unconnected third party retailers, is treated here as the reliable profile. A handful of other retail listings describe a completely different fruity floral or citrus jasmine structure for Highness IV, which almost certainly reflects data entry confusion with a neighbouring Highness flanker rather than a genuine second formulation, given how many colour and number variants sit inside this single collection. Technical Structure and Development Highness IV follows a three act structure typical of Afnan's higher end Highness releases rather than the simpler two note pairings used in the brand's entry level lines. The saffron and rose opening is given real weight rather than treated as a fleeting introduction, which lets the transition into oud and sandalwood feel deliberate instead of abrupt. Patchouli in the heart adds an earthy undertone that keeps the composition from reading as purely sweet or floral, and the dry amber base avoids the heavier, more resinous amber treatment Afnan uses elsewhere in its Supremacy line, favouring something drier and closer to the skin. Performance Parfumo's aggregate community data, gathered separately from Afnan's own copy, describes longevity as above average and projection as strong in the opening hours before settling closer to the skin, consistent with the amber musk base. Longevity sits around 6 to 8 hours on skin with a noticeably stronger presence in the first two to three hours, which lines up with an oud and saffron composition built to make an entrance rather than linger quietly all day. Wear Scenarios - Evening occasions where a warm, spiced oud floral reads as intentional and formal - Cooler weather, since the dry amber and oud base can feel heavy in summer heat - Special occasion or gifted wear, reflecting the collection's aristocratic, ceremonial framing - Layering opportunities where a lighter, fresher fragrance is worn underneath to soften the oud Scent Family Positioning Highness IV sits within the amber oud floral style lane, a category Afnan uses across much of its higher priced Highness output to distinguish these releases from its more citrus driven entry level lines. Within that lane it leans toward the warmer, sweeter end of the spectrum thanks to its vanilla and dry amber base, rather than the greener or more resinous oud treatments found in sibling releases like Highness III. Inspired By and Style Comparisons A thorough search across dedicated inspired by and dupe of queries, Afnan's own Highness collection guide, and third party dupe aggregator sites turned up no specific designer or niche fragrance that Highness IV is positioned against. This is a genuine gap rather than an oversight, since Afnan does run an active, well documented clone line elsewhere in its catalogue, most notably its 9AM, 9PM and Supremacy ranges, which makes the total absence of any inspired by claim for Highness IV notable rather than simply unresearched. On the balance of evidence the field is set to Original Creation, reflecting Afnan's own description of the wider Highness collection as coming from original ideas developed in house rather than built around a specific reference fragrance. Flankers and Variations Highness IV sits alongside Highness III, Highness V, Highness VI Blue, Her Highness VI Red and Highness X in the numbered collection already live on the site, plus Highness VII and Highness IX added alongside this record. Its closest sibling by naming and original 2014 lineage is Her Highness Black, which has not yet been confirmed as a currently sold, distinct SKU and has not been added here. Market and Community Reception Community commentary on Highness IV specifically is thin. The only first person reviews located were short customer ratings on a general marketplace listing, averaging close to five out of five and describing the scent as long lasting with elegant packaging, alongside Parfumo's structured rating of 8.3 out of 10 built from a small number of votes. No dedicated Reddit thread, YouTube review or TikTok creator commentary specific to Highness IV could be found, in contrast to sibling releases like Highness III and Highness VI Blue which do have independent reviewer coverage. Multiple UK stockists, including Afnan's own UK site, currently show this SKU as sold out or discontinued, which together with the thin independent commentary suggests Highness IV is a lower visibility entry in the current UK Highness range rather than one of the collection's more talked about pieces.
Notes
Top Notes
- Bergamot
- Saffron
- Rose
Heart Notes
- Oud Wood
- Sandalwood
- Patchouli
Base Notes
- Dry Amber
- Vanilla
- Musk
Main Accords
Tags
Vibes
Occasions
Performance
Style Lane
Atlas Match
Best Notes Match
Lattafa Maahir Gold
Shared notes: Bergamot, Saffron
From This Brand
Afnan Supremacy Not Only Intense
See Afnan Supremacy Not Only Intense →
Same DNA Style
Ajmal Mukhallat Dahn Al Oudh Moattaq
Inspired by Original Creation
See Ajmal Mukhallat Dahn Al Oudh Moattaq →
Community Reviews
1 reviews with an average rating of 7.9 out of 10.
Atlas Insight
Why It Stands Out
Highness IV delivers a sophisticated, golden-hued warmth by pairing spiced saffron and rose with a sturdy backbone of oud and sandalwood. It excels at creating a dense, ceremonial atmosphere that feels elegant, feminine, and undeniably refined.
Who Should Buy It
This is for those who enjoy the classic contrast of jammy rose against dark, resinous oud. It suits individuals who gravitate toward formal, evening-centric oriental compositions that rely on a dry, woody amber finish for depth.
Who Should Skip It
Skip this if you are seeking a modern, light-hearted fragrance or something budget-friendly. At its price point, the profile feels somewhat traditional and rigid, lacking the playful innovation found in current market favorites.
Compared With the Original
As an original creation, Highness IV does not mimic a specific western icon. Instead, it leans into a Middle Eastern luxury aesthetic that prioritizes structural balance between spice and wood over the mass-market trends of today.
Best Alternative If This Isn't for You
If you want the classic rose oud profile without the high cost, Lattafa Bade'e Al Oud Amethyst is the natural next step. It moves into dark floral territory, emphasizing a rich rose and oud blend rather than the dry amber of Highness IV.