Lattafa Is Now Popular Enough to Be Worth Faking
Asad Bourbon shows up on marketplace listings that should make you suspicious, and the counterfeits are getting harder to spot from a photo. Here is what to actually check, in the order that catches the most fakes.
To tell a real Lattafa Asad Bourbon from a fake, start with the holographic label: tilt it, and a real one shifts colour and depth while a fake stays flat. Then check that the batch code is on both the box and the bottle, sharply printed and matching; that the labels are straight; that the cap feels weighty; that the juice is deep amber-brown; that the spray is a fine mist; and that the price is not far below what established UK stockists charge. Leave the smell until last: a genuine fresh bottle can smell sharp until it has rested for four to six weeks.
The Seven Checks, in Order
Work through these in order. The first one catches the most fakes; the last one you can do before you even place an order.
Real vs Fake, Side by Side
| Check | ✓ Genuine | ✕ Counterfeit |
|---|---|---|
| Hologram | Shifts colour and depth as you tilt it | Flat, looks like printed foil paper |
| Batch code | Sharp and clean on box and bottle, matching | Smudged, faint, misaligned, or absent |
| Labelling | Straight, even, consistent across the run | Crooked, visible glue edges, wrong text weight |
| Cap | Substantial, weighty, properly gold-toned | Hollow, light, yellow or plasticky plating |
| Juice | Deep amber-brown, consistent bottle to bottle | Very pale, cloudy, or visible sediment |
| Atomiser | Fine, even mist | Coarse, splashy stream that wets rather than mists |
| Dry-down | Boozy oak-vanilla depth develops over hours | Goes flat and generic-sweet within the hour |
Check 7: The Listing That Looks Too Good to Be True
A sealed 100ml Asad Bourbon offered far below what every established UK stockist charges is almost certainly counterfeit.
Genuine stock costs the same to source wherever it is sold. A listing that looks too good to be true is not a bargain. It is a warning.
What About the Smell?
A genuine, fresh Asad Bourbon opens sharp and boozy and needs four to six weeks resting in a dark drawer before it performs properly. Plenty of real bottles get returned as “fake” simply because they were judged on day one.
Run the physical checks above before you draw a conclusion from the smell. Our maceration guide explains what is actually happening →
That said, a counterfeit usually gives itself away within the hour: the dry-down goes flat and generic-sweet, with none of the boozy oak-vanilla depth the real thing develops. To see how that genuine dry-down stacks up against its closest rival, read our Asad Bourbon vs Liquid Brun side-by-side test.
The Simplest Protection
Buy from a seller who states plainly that stock is sourced through authorised channels and arrives sealed with the Lattafa hologram intact.
Genuine Lattafa Asad Bourbon 100ml EDP
100ml Eau de Parfum · £17.99 · boxed and sealed · hologram intact · free tracked UK delivery · 30-day returns
The Rest of the Asad Line
The same checks apply across the range. These are the other Asads we hold in stock, each sealed with the Lattafa hologram. Not sure which one suits you? See how all four Asads compare.
Browse the full Lattafa Asad collection, or read our wider UK Lattafa authentication guide for the checks that apply to every bottle in the range.
Frequently Asked Questions
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