Ex Nihilo Sun Emperors: Notes, the Printemps Doha Exclusive and vs Scarlet Sands
Ex Nihilo Sun Emperors is a unisex amber woody eau de parfum that Ex Nihilo made as a Doha exclusive, and its green box reads "Printemps Doha Exclusive". It opens on saffron, then moves through jasmine and tobacco to vanilla, patchouli, Akigalawood and benzoin. Interest is rising fast: Google Keyword Planner shows about 1,100 US searches a month for "ex nihilo sun emperors" over the last three months, more than double the three months before. This guide covers the notes, the Printemps Doha label, the eau de parfum and extrait question, whether it has been discontinued, and how it compares with Scarlet Sands. Parfum Central has the 100ml Eau de Parfum available to order, shipped from Dubai to 130+ countries.
What is Ex Nihilo Sun Emperors?
Ex Nihilo Sun Emperors is a 2023 release from Ex Nihilo, the Paris perfume house, and Parfumo lists it for women and men. It comes in a 100ml bottle whose label reads "Eau de Parfum", and it was launched for Doha, the capital of Qatar. A description that ScentAdvice credits to Ex Nihilo sets out the idea:
"Sun Emperors captures the essence of the vibrant heart of Doha and its people. Inspired by the city's modernity and its ambition to be one of the world's new cultural and artistic destination. This fragrance is an ode to the future."
Ex Nihilo, as quoted by ScentAdvice
Ex Nihilo does not list Sun Emperors on its own website. In October 2026 a search for it on ex-nihilo-paris.com returned no results. Ex Nihilo's own FAQ explains why:
"Certain fragrances, exclusive editions, and personalized services may be available only in our boutiques or through select retail partners."
Ex Nihilo, FAQ
The notes in this guide therefore come from Fragrantica and Parfumo, which list the same pyramid. Both name Jordi Fernández as the perfumer; Ex Nihilo has not published a perfumer credit for Sun Emperors.
What does "Printemps Doha Exclusive" mean?
It means Sun Emperors was made as an exclusive for Printemps Doha, a department store in Doha. Printemps is the Paris department store group, and its Doha store sits in the Doha Oasis development. Printemps describes it as "the largest department store in the Middle East", with more than 600 brands across 40,000 square metres. Ex Nihilo opened a counter there in March 2023, according to The Peninsula.
Sources describe the exclusive in slightly different ways. The box names Printemps. Parfumo says Sun Emperors was "exclusively created for the flagship store in Doha", and ScentAdvice adds that it "has been available at the Ex Nihilo Paris boutique". So "Doha exclusive" describes where Sun Emperors was launched and sold first. It does not mean the perfume can only be bought in Doha.
Ex Nihilo has made other city editions. Our guide to Dubai exclusive perfumes covers Ex Nihilo Scarlet Sands, and our Brompton Immortals guide covers the Harrods exclusive.
What does Sun Emperors smell like?
Sun Emperors starts warm and spicy, and the dry down is sweet resin over earthy woods, with jasmine and tobacco leaf in between. Fragrantica's top accords are warm spicy, vanilla, woody, white floral, patchouli and tobacco, and Parfumo calls the scent "woody-earthy".
| Stage | Notes | What they bring |
|---|---|---|
| Top | Saffron | A warm, slightly leathery spice |
| Heart | Jasmine, tobacco | White flowers over dry, sweet tobacco leaf |
| Base | Vanilla, patchouli, Akigalawood, benzoin | Soft sweetness, earthy woods and a balsamic resin |
Saffron is the dried stigma of the crocus flower. In perfume it smells warm, a little leathery and faintly honeyed.
Tobacco in perfume means the smell of dried tobacco leaf, which is sweet, hay-like and dry, not the smell of smoke.
Akigalawood is a trademarked woody material from the fragrance company Givaudan, with a peppery, patchouli-like character. It also appears in Scarlet Sands and The Hedonist.
Benzoin is a balsamic resin from the bark of Styrax trees. Perfumers use it for its sweet, vanilla-like smell and because it helps a scent last.
Wearers describe it as lighter than the note list suggests:
"it's light and airy, and the main notes I'm getting is lightly sweetened wood and tobacco."
Is Sun Emperors an eau de parfum or an extrait?
The Sun Emperors bottles and boxes we have seen read Eau de Parfum, in a 100ml size. The green box in Parfumo's photo prints "Eau de Parfum" above the Printemps Doha Exclusive line, and the bottle label reads "EX NIHILO / PARIS / SUN EMPERORS / EAU DE PARFUM". One US reseller has photographed a Sun Emperors box labelled "Extrait de Parfum", so check the box if the version matters to you. Ex Nihilo publishes neither version on its website. The bottle Parfum Central sells is the 100ml Eau de Parfum. Our guide to EDP vs EDT vs Parfum explains the concentration tiers.
Is Ex Nihilo Sun Emperors discontinued?
No source says Sun Emperors is discontinued. As of October 2026, Parfumo lists it as "still in production", and we found no announcement from Ex Nihilo or Printemps that it has ended. It is hard to find because it is an exclusive that Ex Nihilo never put on its website, and many US shops that listed it no longer have full bottles. Parfum Central has the 100ml Eau de Parfum available to order.
How long does Sun Emperors last?
Ex Nihilo publishes no longevity figure for Sun Emperors, so wearer ratings are the closest guide. On Parfumo, wearers rate its longevity 7.3 out of 10 (8 ratings) and its sillage 7.2 out of 10 (9 ratings), and its overall score is 7.8 out of 10 from 10 ratings. On Fragrantica it holds 3.97 out of 5 from 32 votes. Two Parfumo wearers say it stays close to the skin, and one statement calls it a "nice light scent profile with a good sillage, sits closer to the skin".
Is Ex Nihilo Sun Emperors worth buying?
Most wearers like it, and the debate is about price rather than smell. Its Parfumo score of 7.8 out of 10 and its Fragrantica score of 3.97 out of 5 are both positive, though from small samples. The most critical Parfumo review finds it close to some designer tobacco scents and says it "would be an 8/10" at a lower price. Sun Emperors makes sense if you want this exact exclusive in a full, sealed 100ml bottle, or if you collect Ex Nihilo's city editions. If you only want a saffron and tobacco scent, try it first.
Sun Emperors vs Scarlet Sands: which should you buy?
Both are Ex Nihilo city exclusives from the Gulf, and both share jasmine, Akigalawood and vanilla. They point in opposite directions: Sun Emperors is a spiced tobacco amber, and Scarlet Sands is a bright red-fruit floral.
| Sun Emperors | Scarlet Sands | |
|---|---|---|
| Exclusive for | Printemps Doha (box) | Dubai |
| Top | Saffron | Raspberry, mandarin |
| Heart | Jasmine, tobacco | Orange blossom, jasmine, freesia |
| Base | Vanilla, patchouli, Akigalawood, benzoin | Amber, Akigalawood, vanilla |
| Character | Warm, spicy, earthy | Fruity, floral, ambery |
| Price at Parfum Central (100ml) | Dhs. 2,480 | Dhs. 2,100 |
Choose Sun Emperors if you like saffron and tobacco and want something for cooler evenings. Choose Scarlet Sands if you want a sweeter, fruitier scent that is easier to wear in the day. Our article on why Scarlet Sands is so popular explains its appeal.
Who is Sun Emperors for?
- You like saffron, tobacco and vanilla but want them light rather than heavy.
- You want an autumn scent: one Parfumo reviewer calls it "a fall fragrance for sure", and another suggests spring or autumn.
- You collect Ex Nihilo's city exclusives and already own Scarlet Sands or Brompton Immortals.
If you want a loud scent that fills a room, the reviews suggest Sun Emperors is not that perfume.
If you like Sun Emperors
These are the closest Ex Nihilo fragrances in our range, matched on the notes each one lists. None is the same scent.
| Fragrance | Shared ground | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| Brompton Immortals Extrait | Saffron opening, vanilla and patchouli base | Rose and frankincense, a Harrods exclusive |
| Chandigarh Express | Jasmine, patchouli and benzoin | Cardamom and a leather accord |
| The Hedonist Extrait | Akigalawood and patchouli | Grapefruit, ginger and lychee, fresher |
| Scarlet Sands | Jasmine, Akigalawood, vanilla, a city edition | Raspberry and amber, fruitier |
For the house as a whole, read our guide to whether Ex Nihilo is a luxury brand.
Can you buy Sun Emperors outside Doha?
Yes. Parfum Central ships the Ex Nihilo Sun Emperors 100ml Eau de Parfum from Dubai to 130+ countries, including the US, with DHL Express, insured, with delivery in 3 to 5 business days. Shipping is 30 AED within the UAE and 88 AED to other countries. Every bottle is batch code verified, sourced from reputable suppliers and shipped in its original packaging. It is Dhs. 2,480 for 100ml. Order Ex Nihilo Sun Emperors 100ml, or see the rest of the house in our Ex Nihilo collection.
Frequently asked questions
What does Ex Nihilo Sun Emperors smell like?
Ex Nihilo Sun Emperors is a warm, spicy amber woody scent. Fragrantica and Parfumo list saffron on top, jasmine and tobacco in the heart, and vanilla, patchouli, Akigalawood and benzoin in the base.
Is Sun Emperors a Doha exclusive?
Yes. Ex Nihilo made Sun Emperors as a Doha exclusive, and its box reads "Printemps Doha Exclusive". It is not listed on Ex Nihilo's website. Parfum Central ships the 100ml Eau de Parfum from Dubai to 130+ countries.
Is Ex Nihilo Sun Emperors discontinued?
No source says so. Parfumo lists Sun Emperors as still in production, and neither Ex Nihilo nor Printemps has announced that it has ended. It is hard to find because it is an exclusive that Ex Nihilo does not sell online.
Is Sun Emperors an eau de parfum or an extrait?
The Sun Emperors bottle and box labels we have seen read Eau de Parfum, in 100ml. One US reseller has photographed a box labelled Extrait de Parfum. Parfum Central sells the 100ml Eau de Parfum.
Is Sun Emperors unisex?
Yes. Fragrantica and Parfumo list Ex Nihilo Sun Emperors for women and men.
Who made Sun Emperors?
Fragrantica and Parfumo name Jordi Fernández as the perfumer of Sun Emperors. Ex Nihilo has not published a perfumer credit for it.
How long does Sun Emperors last?
Ex Nihilo publishes no longevity figure. Parfumo wearers rate its longevity 7.3 out of 10 and its sillage 7.2 out of 10, and two reviewers say it sits close to the skin.
Where can I buy Ex Nihilo Sun Emperors outside Qatar?
Parfum Central has Ex Nihilo Sun Emperors Eau de Parfum 100ml available to order, shipped from Dubai with DHL Express to the UAE, the US and 130+ countries, with delivery in 3 to 5 business days.
The short answer
Ex Nihilo Sun Emperors is a unisex 2023 eau de parfum that Ex Nihilo made as a Doha exclusive, sold in a green box reading "Printemps Doha Exclusive". It opens on saffron, moves through jasmine and tobacco, and settles on vanilla, patchouli, Akigalawood and benzoin. Wearers find it lighter and closer to the skin than its notes suggest, and no source says it has been discontinued. Parfum Central has the 100ml Eau de Parfum available to order.
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