What Is DUA Once Upon a Time in London a Dupe Of?

DUA Once Upon a Time in London is a clone of WIDIAN London Black Edition. The notes point toward raspberry, leather and oud. Here’s what connects them and what we’d check before buying.

What connects the two?

Raspberry against leather and oud is the interesting contrast in this pairing. Cypress and violet bring other details into the lists, with vanilla and musk offering a softer counterweight to the darker notes.

How do their notes compare?

DUA Once Upon a Time in London lists Lily-of-the-Valley, Raspberry, Agarwood, Vanilla, Leather and Cypress among its notes. WIDIAN London Black Edition lists Saffron, Cypress, Violet, Oud, Pink Pepper and Lily-of-the-Valley among its own notes.

A shared note is a starting point, rather than a promise that both scents will develop the same way. The amount of sweetness, the texture of the woods and the way the notes blend can matter as much as the names on the list.

What would we look for in a sample?

We’d follow the raspberry as the leather becomes clearer. Notice whether the sweetness stays distinct or blends into the woods and vanilla.

Try the same number of sprays on separate wrists if you can. Compare them again after the opening settles, and check how noticeable each one feels at a normal wearing distance. Let your own skin and usual setting have a say.

Which bottle makes more sense?

We’d start with DUA Once Upon a Time in London if you want to try this scent idea in DUA’s interpretation. Choose WIDIAN London Black Edition if that exact original is what you want. Before ordering, compare bottle sizes, the delivered price and the retailer’s return terms. A smaller bottle or sample can be the better first step when one particular note is the reason you are interested.