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Favorite Amber?

post #1 of 33
10/31/10 at 5:53am
Thread Starter 
I have been experimenting with a couple of ambers, but have found in some cases the drydown to be too powdery or even floral / feminine.

Are there any recommended ambers that lean toward the masculine side?

Thanks!
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post #2 of 33
10/31/10 at 6:16am
Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan
MPG Ambre Precieux
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post #3 of 33
10/31/10 at 6:39am
Quote:
Originally Posted by blas View Post

Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan
MPG Ambre Precieux

My top two as well, although there are other excellent ones as well - Parfumerie Generale's L'Ombre Fauve, Histoires de Parfume's Ambre 114, and L'Artisan's Ambre Extreme are a few that come to mind. The new one I'm most excited about smelling is Halson Man Amber. The early reports on that one sound very promising.
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post #4 of 33
10/31/10 at 6:45am
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Yes, definitely L'Ombre Fauve. I'd also add Tauer's LADDM, but I see from your wardrobe that you have already tried. Amber Absolute is also brilliant for me, but it might dry down to a bit more feminine? Then of course there is Ambre Russe.
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post #5 of 33
10/31/10 at 6:51am
Quote:
Originally Posted by funraiser18 View Post

I have .... found in some cases the drydown to be too powdery or even floral / feminine.

Are there any recommended ambers that lean toward the masculine side? Thanks!

I've tried a large majority of the amber scents available along with perfume grade ambergris + indian amber and completely understand what you're saying and agree with you totally.

IMO there are only a few which meet the standard you've outlined :
Commercially - PG's L'Ombre Fauve and Halson Man Amber
Home Brew - thick white perfume grade ambergris mixed with high grade indian amber
Difficult to Find - Amouage for Harrods Ltd Edition Salalah Green (highest concentration of true ambergris in the drydown I've been able to find & I've tested a boatload.
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post #6 of 33
10/31/10 at 6:54am
Amber is awesome... here are my favorites:

Idole
L'Air Du Desert Marocain
Amber Absolute
Ambre Narguille
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post #7 of 33
10/31/10 at 6:54am
Another vote for Ambre Sultan
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post #8 of 33
10/31/10 at 7:15am
Ambre Sultan , the sultan of ambre
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post #9 of 33
10/31/10 at 7:17am
Yes to all the above ! Ambre Sultan , Amber Absolute and Ambre Narguille are all great . The TF is huge so apply with caution !
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post #10 of 33
10/31/10 at 7:28am
I like a bit of darkness in my amber. Dark notes offer the perfect compliment to the persistent warmth of an amber fragrance. Perfect fragrances for fall and winter.

Favorites are: Annick Goutal Ambre Fetische, and Ambre Noir by Sonoma Scent Studio.
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post #11 of 33
10/31/10 at 8:11am
TF Amber Absolute
L'AP Ambre Extreme

(yet to try L'Ombre Fauve, Profumum's Ambre Aurea and LHP 114 though)
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post #12 of 33
10/31/10 at 8:35am
Aventure by Galimard
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post #13 of 33
10/31/10 at 8:51am
Ambre Sultan..SL..Spicy resinous somewhat smoky dry-down.
Blue Amber..Montale..Sweet, but not cloying dry-down with a hint of Geranium.
Ambre Precieux..MPG..Slightly sweet dry-down with a hint of Nutmeg.
Ambre L'Occitane.. A very underrated fragrance.Spicy, woody rich full warm fragrance.Can hold It's own against many so called "heavy weights" in the crowded market place of Amber fragrances.
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post #14 of 33
10/31/10 at 8:57am
MPG Ambre Precieux is my current fave. I also like Tom Ford's Amber Absolute. One of the ones people don't even consider that is very amazing and quite affordable is the Molinard Ambre.
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post #15 of 33
10/31/10 at 9:34am
Not every fragrance with 'Amber' or 'Ambre' in the name showcases 'amber' prominently. Some choose to accentuate the sweet aspect while others may amp up the smoky resinous side. While I do enjoy Sonoma Scent's Ambre Noir & Parfum d'Empire's Ambre Russe, I find their leathery aspect something of a distraction from the 'amber' character.

My current amber-centric favorite fragrance vote goes to: Ambre 114 by Histoires de Parfums

Also try L'Eau d'Ambre by L'Artisan Parfumeur.
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post #16 of 33
10/31/10 at 9:49am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by matthewfoo View Post

Yes, definitely L'Ombre Fauve. I'd also add Tauer's LADDM, but I see from your wardrobe that you have already tried. Amber Absolute is also brilliant for me, but it might dry down to a bit more feminine? Then of course there is Ambre Russe.

Oh! I missed another stunner from PG - L'Oiseau de Nuit
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post #17 of 33
10/31/10 at 10:05am
Quote:
Originally Posted by funraiser18 View Post

I have been experimenting with a couple of ambers, but have found in some cases the drydown to be too powdery or even floral / feminine.

Are there any recommended ambers that lean toward the masculine side?

Thanks!

which is why i dont like it on me.. am ok with powdery, but i find it mostly too sweet.. same as sandalwood but i love these scents by themselves and i love smelling them on people

if times and nose change, id probably wear amber sultan

if im not mistaken there is also an amber for men by prada.. not sure what the bnoters think of this but i vaguely remember it wasnt so bad.. it's more to the refined aura though, instead of a raw amber..
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post #18 of 33
10/31/10 at 10:54am
Serge Lutens Amber

Montale Blue Amber

Histoire de Parfums Amber 114

Annick Goutal Amber

Hermes Hermessence collection Amber
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post #19 of 33
10/31/10 at 12:02pm
Another one for Amber Fetish by Annick Goutal.
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post #20 of 33
10/31/10 at 12:54pm
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Of all the notes, amber is the one that really suffocates me with its darkness. But I own and enjoy Ambre Precieux (MPeG). which is a gourmand take on amber and the sweetness takes away some of the darkness.
Another suggestion would be Patchouli Leaves (Montale). When the patchouli beast calms down you get an excellent amber base.
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post #21 of 33
10/31/10 at 12:59pm
I normally avoid amber dominant fragrances, but even I have to concede that Ambre Sultan is wonderful
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post #22 of 33
10/31/10 at 1:08pm
Ambre Sultan? I thought He asked for something more masculine..
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post #23 of 33
10/31/10 at 2:00pm
Baldessarini Ambre is very masculine. It's actually a creamy amber to my nose, while simultaneously dirty. It also has a top note of apple, but not your typical apple. The mellow tobacco combined with the amber make it quite manly. It's a niche quality frag imo.

Actually the dirtiness you get from this amber, similar to that of the vetiver note, is the way amber is supposed to be. Resinous and dirty.
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post #24 of 33
10/31/10 at 3:21pm
Amber Absolute
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post #25 of 33
10/31/10 at 3:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by The_Cologneist View Post


Actually the dirtiness you get from this amber, similar to that of the vetiver note, is the way amber is supposed to be. Resinous and dirty.

I'm not sure what you mean by "supposed to be," based on what criteria?
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post #26 of 33
10/31/10 at 3:30pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by blas View Post

Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan
MPG Ambre Precieux

The same.

Plus Ambre Russe.
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post #27 of 33
10/31/10 at 5:11pm
I have been enjoying Halston Amber -
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post #28 of 33
10/31/10 at 5:37pm
l've tried quite a few ambers in recent weeks, & by far the most masculine to my nose is Ambre Sultan with it's herbal, medicinal & pine-needle notes. You might also like Ambra Aurea by Profumum, & Ambra Nera by Farmacia SS Annunziata. Baldessarini's Ambre is also worth a sniff IMO, although it's not an amber-dominated fragrance.
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post #29 of 33
11/1/10 at 12:37am
Quote:
L'Air Du Desert Marocain

+1
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post #30 of 33
11/1/10 at 5:14am
My favorites are (in no particular order) Ambre Sultan, Ambre Russe, Blue Amber and Ambre 114.
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post #31 of 33
11/1/10 at 6:23am
Quote:
Originally Posted by mrclmind View Post

I'm not sure what you mean by "supposed to be," based on what criteria?

Based on the note and the way it's supposed to smell. As with all notes, they may be imitated or emulated, so there are always gonna be different types.

Dirty and earthy are two words that mean about the same to me in fragrances. Earthy being the smell of soil, trees, plants in their natural form, which tend to smell dirty. Have you ever smelled amber?
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post #32 of 33
11/1/10 at 7:58am
Quote:
Originally Posted by The_Cologneist View Post

Based on the note and the way it's supposed to smell. As with all notes, they may be imitated or emulated, so there are always gonna be different types.

Dirty and earthy are two words that mean about the same to me in fragrances. Earthy being the smell of soil, trees, plants in their natural form, which tend to smell dirty. Have you ever smelled amber?

Have I smelled Amber meaning "ambergris," or meaning the fossilized pine resin? Or are you talking about liquid amber resin, known as styrax? Amber as a genre is actually very interpretive... any "pure amber essential oil" you find will almost always be a composition of ingredients, since making amber absolute for perfume purposes from fossilized resin doesn't occur (except perhaps in some remote location that I'm unaware of); if you find anyone selling it as such, chances are that it is nigh on impossible it is anything but a fake. That's why there really is no such thing as "true amber" perfume. If you are talking ambergris, then we have a completely different creature entirely. Hence my original question to you.

Every fragrance house, especially niche ones, seems to have an amber. From my experience, much of what is called "amber" is sweet and resinous and built off of labdanum. I have actually smelled amber resin (the fossilized kind) burning and it smells very beautiful - very resinous. As far as pure amber resinoid or absolute? I'm not convinced that anything I have ever smelled that claimed to be such was authentic (and I have smelled a LOT of them). What is your reference for what the note "amber" is supposed to smell like?

Here is an interesting blog post on this topic you might find interesting: http://perfumeshrine.fortunecity.com/blog/entry76.html
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post #33 of 33
11/1/10 at 9:18am
Another vote for the underrated l'Occitane Ambre. Very straightforward and not powdery. It's a relatively "safe" amber as opposed to Ambre Sultan which can be a little crass and offensive (IMO).
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