Montale occupies an unusual place in perfumery: a French house, run from Paris, that built its name on the rich, oud-soaked, distinctly Middle Eastern style of scent more usually associated with the Gulf. Its sleek aluminium bottles are a fixture of the niche world, and among the dozens it makes, Arabians Tonka has become one of the most loved. It is a bridge between two perfume traditions, the opulence of Arabia and the sweetness the West cannot resist.
It is, as the name promises, a tonka bomb.
Paris by way of the Gulf
Montale was founded by Pierre Montale, a French perfumer who spent years working in the Middle East, creating bespoke scents for Saudi royalty before bringing that sensibility back to Paris. His house specialises in big, bold, long-lasting orientals, and the aluminium bottles were chosen specifically to protect the precious oils inside from light. Arabians Tonka, released in 2019, is one of his more accessible and crowd-pleasing creations, the oud tradition softened with gourmand sweetness.
Oud, rose and a mountain of tonka
It opens with a spicy saffron and a touch of bergamot, the classic signal of a Middle Eastern style fragrance. Then a Bulgarian rose and oud arrive, rich and slightly smoky, before the whole thing melts into the base everyone buys it for: tonka bean and sugar cane, sweet, warm and almost edible, rounded with amber, musk and a little oakmoss. The genius is the balance: enough oud and rose to feel luxurious and exotic, enough tonka sweetness to be instantly likeable.
What it actually smells like
Sweet, warm and a little smoky, with a creamy tonka heart wrapped in rose and oud. It is rich and powerful, as Montale fragrances tend to be, projecting strongly and lasting all day and into the night. It is unisex, leans towards the cosy, gourmand end of the oriental spectrum, and is at its best in cool weather and the evening. A little goes a long way.
The £195 question
A bottle of Arabians Tonka sits around £195 in the UK. By the standards of the niche world that is relatively reasonable, but it is still a meaningful spend, and Montale's potency means a bottle lasts a very long time. Its popularity also means the sweet tonka-and-oud signature is increasingly familiar.
Which is the reason an alternative market exists. People love the warm, sweet oud of Arabians Tonka without wanting to pay £195 for it.
Tonkara: the 35% interpretation
This is where we come in, and we will be straight about what we are. Our Tonkara is Aromara's interpretation of that sweet-oud character, not a counterfeit and not a Montale product. It carries no branding and makes no claim to be the original. It chases the part that matters: the saffron, rose and spice opening, the oud, incense and amber heart, and the warm tonka, vanilla and musk base.
The difference is in two numbers. Ours is built at 35% extrait concentration, roughly double a standard eau de parfum, so the tonka and oud hold for seven hours or more rather than fading by lunch. And it costs £4.99 for a 5ml to test it properly, against £195 for the original. We guarantee the wear time in writing, with 60 days to send it back for a full refund if it does not last.
Our guide to extrait de parfum explains why concentration matters, and the strongest perfume dupes in the UK shows where our range sits. If you love a sweet oud, the story behind Initio Oud for Greatness is a natural next read, and our Oud Elite is another to try.
Frequently asked questions
Who created Montale Arabians Tonka?
It was created by Pierre Montale, founder of the Paris house Montale, and released in 2019.
What does Arabians Tonka smell like?
A sweet, warm oriental: spicy saffron and bergamot up top, a rich oud and Bulgarian rose heart, and a creamy base of tonka bean, sugar cane, amber and musk. Cosy and long-lasting.
Is Aromara's Tonkara the same as Montale?
No. It is an independent composition inspired by the same character, built at 35% extrait for longevity and sold at a fraction of the price. It is not affiliated with Montale.
Aromara is an independent UK fragrance house. Our fragrances are original compositions inspired by the character of well-known designer scents. We are not affiliated with Montale, and all trademarks belong to their respective owners. Every Aromara fragrance is made in the UK at 35% extrait concentration, with a 7+ hour longevity guarantee and a 60-day money-back promise.