L'Eau d'Ambre (1978)
by L'Artisan Parfumeur

L'Artisan L'Eau d'Ambre

Notes: geranium, patchouli, vanilla, amber (from luckyscent.com)

L'Eau d'Ambre is not a lighter concentration of L'Eau d'Ambre Extreme. L'Ed'A starts with sharp cherry and a dash of almondy "play do" rubberyness. Beneath is a light amber (vanilla, light labdanum and benzoin) that is slightly sweet but not cloying. The notes list geranium, but geranium is not prominent--rather, it supplies a dry, herbal edge to the fragrance which seems to have the effect of keeping it buoyant. Despite that, the sweet latex rubber note is extremely off-putting for me--it smells cheap and artificial. For lovers of traditional amber, I'd say this will probably not satisfy. For lovers of herbal ambers, Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan is far superior. Sillage for L'Eau d'Ambre is very light and longevity is short.

The opening is extremely peppery and quite gourmand - almost like smelling grounded black pepper. The spiciness quickly settles on skin, and what I get is a ambery and powdery cardboard-like scent that is very warm. It's very dry and has the "dirt" feel to it. I hardly get any vanilla that the others mention though. Impressive, as I've not experienced a scent quite like this.

This might have smelled more groundbreaking before Bath and Body Shop and other low-grade smelleries started churning out amber-based scents. The smell I get is a very plain and unremarkable amber. Smells like I washed my hands with a strongly scented soap that won't fade.

Nice, smooth, soft amber/vanilla comfort scent. Easy to wear, a wee bit sweet.

I expected L'Eau d'Ambre to be milder than Ambre Extreme, but although it is lighter, it is definitely not milder. It has a decidedly animalic note, which I originally thought was civit, but, upon referencing the L'Artisan site, turns out to ambergis. Plus it is slightly more floral, even though it is not sweeter. Again I had to look up the note, and it is geranium. So, although it is lighter in concentration, it still has plenty of character. On its own, I might not have picked up on the fact that is animalic, but, side-by-side with its later relative, I clearly smell the pungent note, weird and bittersweet, of real ambergris. For those of you who prefer your amber to be edible, I point you in the direction of the more vanillic, spicy-sweet Ambre Extreme from 2001, which I prefer. For those who want amber with a hint of dirtiness, give L'Eau d'Ambre, from 1978 a try.

Quirky me ~ I absolutely adore this amber! Yep, when the mercury hits above 80 degrees farenheit, L'Artisan's L'Eau d'Ambre is just right. Neutral and inoffensive, which some may interpret as boring but not me! A deep resinous amber fragrance can choke off the oxygen for those in close proximity who happen to have an aversion to the stuff. I have several close friends who are extremely sensitive, so this rendition is a perfectly 'friendly' amber! What a wonderful addition to anyone's collection, as it is ideal for layering. I think of it more as "Ambre Mist". For those desiring more oomph - please try L'Artisan's Ambre Extreme. It's composition is almost identical, only intensified. Fantastic!