Lattafa Khamrah Qahwa is a coffee-leaning variation on Lattafa’s runaway hit Khamrah: a warm, sweet, spiced unisex eau de parfum that suits autumn and winter best. At £25 for 100ml it is good value if coffee and spice is what you want, but if you already own and love the original Khamrah, Qahwa may feel more like a close cousin than a brand-new scent.
Quick verdict
- Best for: people who enjoy warm, sweet, spiced fragrances and want a coffee twist on the Khamrah style.
- Skip it if: you dislike sweet scents, want something fresh for hot weather, or already own original Khamrah and are happy with it.
- Price: £25 for the 100ml EDP at the time of writing (15 October 2026). See the product page.
- Wear it: cooler months, evenings and relaxed weekends. Keep to two or three sprays in shared spaces.
What is Lattafa Khamrah Qahwa?
Qahwa is the Arabic word for coffee, and this fragrance is the coffee-forward member of the Khamrah family from Lattafa, the Dubai-based house behind many of the best-known budget Arabian perfumes sold in the UK. Retailer listings describe it as a unisex eau de parfum in the oriental spicy gourmand family, launched in 2023.
The rest of the line is on our Khamrah collection page, including the original, Dukhan (the smokier one) and Waha, which takes the Khamrah name in a fresh, aquatic direction.
Khamrah Qahwa notes
| Layer | Listed notes |
|---|---|
| Top | Cinnamon, cardamom, ginger |
| Heart | Praline, candied fruits, white flowers |
| Base | Coffee, vanilla, tonka bean, benzoin, musk |
These are the notes most retailers list for the 100ml bottle. Sellers do not always agree on every note, so treat a pyramid as a guide to the style rather than a recipe. If you want to understand how pyramids work, see our guide to reading a perfume note pyramid.
How does Khamrah Qahwa smell?
Scent is subjective, so treat this section as a description of how the listed notes are generally experienced, not a laboratory measurement.
The opening is spice-led. Cinnamon and cardamom give a warm, slightly sharp first impression, with ginger adding a dry, zesty edge. It is the most aromatic stage and the part that fades fastest.
The heart turns sweet and creamy. Praline and candied fruit soften the spice, and the white flowers lend a little roundness so it does not read as purely edible.
The dry-down is where the coffee, vanilla and tonka bean settle in, supported by benzoin (a warm, resinous note) and musk. This is the long, cosy phase most people buy it for.
Buyer reviews on fragrance community sites often describe Qahwa as darker and a little fruitier than the original. A few people notice a creamy, almost coconut-like softness even though coconut is not a listed note, while others find the vanilla dominant on their skin. That spread of opinion is normal for a gourmand, because sweet notes react strongly with individual skin chemistry.
Khamrah Qahwa vs original Khamrah
| Khamrah | Khamrah Qahwa | |
|---|---|---|
| Listed focus | Dates, praline, cinnamon, vanilla | Coffee, ginger, cardamom, praline, vanilla |
| Listed top notes | Cinnamon, nutmeg, bergamot | Cinnamon, cardamom, ginger |
| Listed base notes | Vanilla, tonka bean, benzoin, myrrh, amberwood | Coffee, vanilla, tonka bean, benzoin, musk |
| Price (100ml) | £25 | £25 |
On paper the two overlap heavily: both are spiced, sweet and creamy. The honest answer to whether you need both is that many fans think one is enough, and some say owning the original makes Qahwa feel redundant.
If a dessert of dates and cinnamon sounds better to you, start with original Khamrah. If coffee is the draw, Qahwa is the better fit. Our full side-by-side is in Which Lattafa Khamrah Is Right for You?
Longevity and projection
We have not run a laboratory test on Qahwa, so we will not put a hard number on it. Retailer descriptions and buyer reviews generally point to several hours of wear with strong presence in the first hour or two, and many people quote around six to eight hours. Skin type, humidity, the number of sprays and where you apply it all change that.
To see how we approach wear testing, read our Khamrah longevity test. For application, most people are comfortable with two to four sprays; our guide on how many sprays of perfume to wear explains how to judge it.
When to wear Khamrah Qahwa
- Autumn and winter evenings: warm spice and vanilla tend to feel at home in cold air.
- Relaxed weekends and dinners: the sweetness is friendly and approachable.
- Work: it is noticeable, so keep to one or two sprays and read our advice on perfume etiquette at work.
- Hot weather: sweet gourmands can feel heavy in the heat. For lighter picks, see our best summer perfumes.
Who will love it, and who may not
You will probably enjoy it if you like vanilla, spice, coffee or dessert-style fragrances, you want a cold-weather signature scent, or you enjoy scents that get compliments for being cosy rather than sharp.
You may not enjoy it if you prefer fresh, citrus or aquatic scents, you are sensitive to sweet notes, or you want something quiet and skin-close. In that case, our coffee and gourmand guide shows other styles to compare.
Is it good value?
At £25 for 100ml, Khamrah Qahwa works out at roughly 25p per ml. If your atomiser delivers around 10 sprays per ml, a common rule of thumb although real bottles vary, that is about 2.5p per spray, so a three-spray day costs under 8p. Work out your own numbers with our price-per-wear calculator.
Buying it safely
Because Khamrah is popular, it is widely imitated. Buy from a reputable seller, compare the packaging details and check the batch code. Our guides on how to spot fake Lattafa perfume and checking a perfume batch code walk through the checks.
Ready to try it?
Shop Lattafa Khamrah Qahwa EDP 100ml or browse the full Khamrah collection. If you are still deciding between styles, our Perfume Finder can narrow the options in a few questions.
Related reading
- Best Lattafa Perfumes for Winter (UK 2026): Six Warm Picks Under £30
- Lattafa Emeer Review (UK 2026): A Fresh, Woody Unisex Fragrance
- Best Perfume Gifts for Dad (UK 2026): Christmas Picks Under £30
How to store Khamrah Qahwa
Qahwa’s coffee-vanilla dry-down is the phase most people buy it for, and it is the phase storage affects most. Keep the bottle in its box, in a cool, dark drawer or wardrobe shelf — never in the bathroom, where heat, light and humidity break perfume down faster than time does. Stored that way, the £25 bottle keeps its character for years; stored in a steamy bathroom, the coffee and vanilla flatten first and the scent turns thin and one-note long before the bottle is empty.
Layering Qahwa: what works
Qahwa layers well in exactly one direction: over something clean and quiet. An unscented moisturiser or a soft musk underneath, one or two sprays of Qahwa over it, total spray count unchanged — the clean base lifts the coffee without adding sweetness. What does not work is layering Qahwa over another gourmand, or over the original Khamrah: two sweet, spiced, vanilla-led scents together turn heavy and blurry, and you lose the coffee edge that is Qahwa’s whole reason to exist.
Gifting Qahwa: who it suits
Qahwa is a good gift with one condition: the recipient must already like sweet, spiced, coffee-or-dessert scents. For a coffee lover or a gourmand fan, it is a thoughtful, low-risk gift at £25. For someone whose shelf holds fresh, citrus or clean scents, it is a poor surprise — the sweetness that makes Qahwa cosy is exactly what will put them off. If you are unsure, the original Khamrah is the safer gift in the family: broader appeal, same price, and the reference point the rest of the line is judged against.
Frequently asked questions
Is Lattafa Khamrah Qahwa unisex?
Yes. Lattafa markets Khamrah Qahwa as a unisex fragrance and retailer listings carry it that way. Its warm, sweet gourmand style is worn by both men and women.
Does Khamrah Qahwa smell strongly of coffee?
Coffee is listed in the base, but most descriptions treat it as one part of a sweet, spiced, vanilla-led blend rather than a straight espresso note. Expect a warm, sweetened coffee impression alongside spice and vanilla.
Is Khamrah Qahwa sweeter than original Khamrah?
Opinions differ. Some reviewers find Qahwa darker and slightly less sweet, while others find the vanilla heavy. Gourmand sweetness reacts strongly with skin, so the only reliable way to know is to test it on your own skin.
How many sprays of Khamrah Qahwa should I wear?
Two to four sprays suit most people. Start with two, especially in offices or other enclosed spaces, and add a spray if you cannot detect it after the opening fades.
Is Khamrah Qahwa suitable for summer?
It is generally better suited to autumn and winter. Sweet, spiced gourmands can feel heavy in warm weather, so many people save them for cooler days and evenings.
Can I layer Khamrah Qahwa?
Yes, over something clean and quiet only — an unscented moisturiser or a soft musk underneath, with Qahwa over it and the total spray count unchanged. Do not layer it over another gourmand or over the original Khamrah; two sweet, spiced scents together turn heavy and blurry.
Will Khamrah Qahwa stain light clothes?
Sweet, dark EDP oils can mark very pale or delicate fabrics. Spray on skin first and let it dry before dressing, and test a hidden spot before spraying a light scarf or coat lining.
Should I buy Qahwa or Dukhan?
Choose by one word: coffee or smoke. Qahwa is the coffee-forward flanker — darker, roasted, still gourmand. Dukhan is the smoky, tobacco-forward flanker — darker in a different direction, more evening and formal. If you love coffee scents, Qahwa; if smoky scents draw you, Dukhan. If you love neither word, buy the original Khamrah.
