Ambre Extrême (2001)
by L'Artisan Parfumeur

My impression of Ambre Extreme falls somewhere between Asha's and Trebor's opinions. I definitely get cookie dough and I also get play dough. Maybe it's cookie play.....or maybe it's playin my cookies....I'm not quite sure.

I am sure that there are much better amber scents out there. L'Artisan seems to be a house I have a difficult time with. I can't seem to find one I really like.

The play-dough-cookie accord is too distracting for me. This isn't horrible, but it isn't good either. I know this review isn't one of my better, more focused efforts, but I guess fair exchange ain't no robbery. Had this been a better creation, I would post a better review.

L'Artisan L'Eau d'Ambre Extreme

Notes: cinnamon, pepper, cardamom, nutmeg, amber, vanilla, rose, patchouli, sandalwood, benzoin, tonka bean (from luckyscent.com)

L'Eau d'Ambre Extreme is not a more concentrated version of L'Eau d'Ambre. L'Ed'AE starts immediately into sweet traditional amber, with vanilla, labdanum and benzoin. There is also a doughy note that is almost like uncooked chocolate chip cookie dough--sounds strange, but it works! The labdanum is woody and tabacco-like, and lightly applied spices such as cinnamon complement the composition beautifully. Now the bad news. Later in the development, a soapy musk emerges. Up to that point, I would have said that L'Ed'AE is a good substitute for Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier Ambre Precieux. Sorry to be dramatic, but cheap white musk really destroys Amber Extreme for me. It is not in keeping with the richness of the resinous and balsamic core, and is quite jarring in its intrusion. Furthermore, when the same synthetic "play-do" note present in L'Eau d'Ambre starts to make its presence known here, L'Ed'AE no longer keeps my attention. Sillage and longevithy for L'Ed'AE are moderate. It is worth a sample, and maybe even a decant, but for traditional amber, MPG Ambre Precieux is a much better fragrance than Ambre Extreme.

Another pointless creation from this over-rated house.

At first it smelt like Play-Doh, which initially put me off. However, into the drydown, the creamy amber eventually emerged (with the unpleasant opening smell almost a faded memory) and flourished. But, once again, it just smelt anemic like most of their other creations.

There are much better (and more complex) amber scents to choose from.

[Original submission date: 10 April 2008]

Amber is a tricky note for me - I love it when used well in accords, and I love vanilla fragrances. I've long sought a amber-centric fragrance and have literally sampled dozens of such fragrances. [I do own Ambre Narguile, which it more of a gourmand then an amber.] The problem I have with most ambers is the honey-thick sweetness that pushes the note too far. Montale's Blue Amber is the best example of an amber I don't like for this reason.

Ironically, Ambre Extreme is one of the very first ambers I ever tried, and I'd nearly forgotten about it in my search for ambers. What I really like about it is that you get the amber complexity and warmth without the depths of sweetness found in others. Perhaps it's because it's an Ellena work, but Ambre Extreme magically seems to convey the warmth and sweetness of amber while also maintaining a certain transparency that is rare in the genre. There is a slight powdery background and chalkiness that I happen to really like but others may not. The only other amber I found in my search is MPG's Ambre Precieux, but the L'Artisan was far less expensive, and I actually prefer it to the MPG. Longevity and sillage are both very good.

For a straight amber that isn't super-heavy, check this one out.

Really just a basic little pretty amber scent – nothing special. It is nicely blended but the thing is that it is slightly boring and very heavily outclassed some much more compelling amber scents.

Ambre Extreme is a semi-sweet, dusky amber. It is slightly bitter and its rather quit comparing it to some of its companions. Base of it seems to be very powdery to me.

This is a amber only for L`Artisan Parfumeur fans and for those who wants their amber to be served subdued.

For all of the rest of us there are much better options available.

WOW. ABSOLUTELY NOT!!! This makes the second sample in a row I've tested at work and then felt the need to apologize for. (I think I might be developing a rep for being stinky.) This is not soft, creamy, or warm. I'm sure it smells exactly like it is supposed to, but neither my nez nor my skin interprets it kindly. I don't think I would like this on anyone. Maybe a man would wear it better, but my husband isn't going to appease me. I just got a decant of Amber Sultan, and right out of the vial it smelled better than this one. Time will tell if AS placated me only because Extreme smells so bad, and I truly do not like amber, or if it's just, as someone else put it, solo amber that turns me. I'm waiting on Ambre Narguile, which I understand is an amber for amber haters. In the meantime, I think I will layer Extreme with Addict and see if they temper each other enough for me to actually enjoy them.