Anné Pliska (1987)
by Anné Pliska

Anné Pliska is a big, spicy amber that wastes no time on top notes but instead goes straight to the smoky, syrupy-sweet heart of the matter. In weight and character Anné Pliska is not all that far from Ambre Sultan, though it does not share the Lutens scent’s peculiar oregano and bay leaf accents. Indeed, with its abundant dark spices and dried fruit overtones it could easily be mistaken for something in the Serge Lutens line. As I think about it, Anné Pliska smells almost like a distillation of the syrupy oriental base that Christopher Sheldrake used in many of his scents for Serge Lutens, shorn of the eccentric elements that distinguish each: it’s sweeter, fruitier, and a touch brighter than Ambre Sultan, less spicy than Arabie, less smoky than Fumerie Turque, and less woody than Chergui. To put it another way, it’s something like the part of all those Serge Lutens scents that makes them smell alike to some people, without the bits that make them smell interesting to other people. Or, putting it even more simply, it’s a little bit dull.

As is so often the case with dense amber scents, Anné Pliska lands on the skin with a resounding thud, and then stays more-or-less in place for several hours without altering too much in content or character. (The effect of olfactory stasis should come as no surprise, as amber components are by nature tenacious, high molecular weight base note materials.) It’s neither shy nor overwhelming in sillage or projection, and I’d consider it completely unisex. If you’re in the market for a straightforward amber scent, rich and sweet, but none too challenging, this is one to consider alongside L’Artisan Parfumeur’s Ambre Extrême or Montale’s Blue Amber. If you want more edge on your amber, go for Ambre Sultan or Ambre Russe, and if you want more depth and complexity seek out Maïtre Parfumeur et Gantier’s Ambre Précieux, while you still can.

sensuality in a bottle, this cult fragrance is over then years old, and proves that 'new' is not all noteworthy. While the width of niche grows, certain fragrances remain ICONIC.

the eau de parfum is the way to go

It's like Shalimar Cologne (not the lovely parfum) mixed with Obsession with a note of ...well, my friend says cat pee, but maybe "play dough" as one reviewer noted, or sharp sharp something else --very sharp. Edgy. for someone who wants to be asked what the heck that smell is. Defintely unisex.

Anne Pliska looks a bit jarring at first sight; the vivid purple liquid caused me to expect strong roses, but this was not the case. In fact, this smooth, sweet, orangey-creamy scent is tempered with a mix of dusty hebs (of the oregano type) or some other "salty" note and reminds me of a more feminine Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan--yet it predates that fragrance by six years! Surprise, surprise. Anne Pliska did the sweet, dusty, salty amber first. It even has a little of that addictive Play-Doh note. No wonder this little niche beauty has maintained its cult following for decades. It is an excellent amber fragrance.

The previous reviews of Anne Pliska are what made me seek out a sample of this velvety smooth amber! And this is one time I was not disappointed! This lush symphony of notes progresses into the most luxurious dry down! It's almost decadent! My least favorite part is the opening orange ~ reminds me of children's chewable aspirin! Thankfully, that part doesn't last very long and the rest is soooooooo silky, I'm loving it!

Starts off super sweet but, I agree with everyone, mellows to a much nicer Obsession. I suppose the strong presence of vanilla reminds everyone of Shalimar, especially in the dry down. AP smells more "home brewed" than Obsession and is happily missing the harshness of the mass produced popular brew, which, for me, always has the potential to be cloying, especially if one "bathes" in it. This is like a kinder, gentler Obsession. Vanilla, amber, patchouli...yum. The dry down is my favorite part and you have to love the magenta color!