A French perfume house has opened its archives to honour the Founding Father of the UAE. Henry Jacques has unveiled three fragrances that come from the private collection of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and they are available only in Abu Dhabi.
The three creations, Dar Zayed, Abu Dhabi and White Saffron, are produced in limited quantities and sold at the Maison’s boutique in The Galleria on Al Maryah Island.
In this article
Henry Jacques and the UAE: a five-decade bond
The story begins with the house’s founder, Henry Jacques Cremona, who was first drawn to the UAE in the 1960s. Its landscapes and heritage went on to inspire many of the Maison’s creations.
Over almost five decades, the house created 64 fragrances for Sheikh Zayed, both for his personal collection and as gifts. More than 1,000 flacons were shipped to his palace, according to the Maison.
Sheikh Zayed’s favourite notes included saffron, orange flower, jasmine, rose and oud. All three revived perfumes are built around that palette.
The three fragrances
Dar Zayed. The richest of the three opens with saffron, before a heart of Cuvée Dehen el Oudh, myrrh and patchouli leaf. Damascena rose, said to be the Sheikh’s favourite flower, is softened by white musk and amber.
Abu Dhabi. A fresher, more aromatic composition. It opens with chamomile and Egyptian geranium, moves through honey, pine needle and leather, and dries down to tobacco, cistus-labdanum and sandalwood.
White Saffron. Saffron is again the centrepiece, here brightened by orange blossom. Egyptian jasmine and Damascena rose form the heart, with white musk and ambergris in the base.
How Henry Jacques presents the collection
Each fragrance is sold as a duo: a 15ml Les Essences oil-based extract and a 75ml Les Brumes spray, presented in a box created to honour Abu Dhabi.
- Dar Zayed: AED 19,145
- Abu Dhabi: AED 11,655
- White Saffron: AED 10,270
These are serious prices, but Henry Jacques has never been a mass-market name. The house works in the haute parfumerie tradition, making concentrated perfumes in small batches, many of them bespoke.
Why this collection matters
Fragrance holds a special place in Emirati culture. Oud, rose and saffron perfume homes, majlis gatherings and celebrations, and a scented welcome is part of Gulf hospitality.
This release is more than a luxury launch. It offers a rare glimpse of the personal taste of the man who founded the nation, translated by the craftspeople who made his perfumes. For collectors, that connection is the real value.
How to wear a Henry Jacques extract
Les Essences are oil-based extracts, which behave differently from a typical spray. They are applied in small amounts, directly to the skin, and they develop slowly over several hours.
- Apply a single drop to the pulse points: inner wrists, behind the ears and the base of the throat.
- Do not rub the wrists together, as it flattens the opening notes.
- Layer the Les Brumes spray on top, or on clothing and hair, for more projection.
- Give the scent at least an hour before judging it: saffron and oud open up with time.
Oils also last well in warm weather, which makes them a natural fit for the Gulf. Many Emirati households have long layered perfume oils with oud and bakhoor in the same way.
A gift with meaning
With National Day on 2 December and the festive season ahead, the timing of the release is deliberate. A bottle from this collection carries a story that few luxury gifts can match.
For collectors of Emirati heritage, Henry Jacques has created something closer to an archive piece than a seasonal launch. The limited run adds to its appeal.
Where to find it
The collection is available exclusively at the Henry Jacques boutique in The Galleria, Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi, in limited quantities. The Maison describes it as a fleeting collection, so availability is not guaranteed for long.
Visitors can ask to try the extracts on skin before buying. Concentrated oils develop slowly, so give each one time before deciding.
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Sources: Dubai Shopping Guide, Henry Jacques