Oud & Ambre

This one is very nice. On my first wear, at some point it vaguely reminded me of TF Oud Wood. But only briefly, and maybe in the mid stage. Oud is present, but not loud, and otherwise the amber is the dominant note throughout. And while the oud note is very light, I think it compliments it really well. Generally I wouldn’t compare it to Oud Wood at all, especially after the following wears. There is a mild powdery vibe to it; however, I wouldn’t categorize it as powdery but instead an amber fragrance with other notes complimenting that note and balancing it out. The powdery aspect, again, is mild and kind of just a secondary characteristic at some points in the wear. It is a fairly strong projector, but not in an unpleasant, unwelcoming way. A fragrance I bought just before this one is Ambra Aurea. Now, this one definitely has a similarity but is at the same time not the same fragrance at all. The similarity is in the type of amber note used. In Ambra Aurea there is also a myrrh note, which is noticeable but like the oud is with this one, it is a supporting note and does not dominate (which normally seems odd with both oud, and myrrh). Of the two mentioned, if I simply had to pick a favorite, Ambra Aurea would be it. It’s just darker, deeper and more rich and was one that I really fell in love with. This one is very well done though, and since it is lighter I think it’s also more versatile. Other than the projection mentioned this also has good longevity. I would say it is best in cool or cold weather, but again is light enough that it is fairly versatile, especially if you’re not outdoors. You could get away with wearing it to work, but it’s one that I would say is appropriate, and almost deserves to be worn on a day or night out on a date or a social event. This is a really nice addition to my collection.

Absolutely fabulous. A blind buy for me (and a successful one at that)! This fragrance is blended so masterfully, I’m almost at a loss for words. It’s beyond gorgeous, completely unisex and quite addicting. I’ve only tested this on paper so far, not yet on skin, but I imagine that when I do it will be even more of a breathtaking experience. The only downside that I notice so far is that the fragrance is a bit subdued, however this may be as a result of me not testing it on skin yet. One of the reasons that I enjoy the cold seasons so much is that it allows me to test my more dense fragrances; often times at night I will shower, apply a fragrance, go outside and walk a few miles to see how it performs. That said, I can’t wait to test drive this on skin, outside in the cold. Even as I type this, I am going back to the paper I sprayed this on as a tester and it’s already evolving! This creation is an ode to the art of perfumery, a pleasant break from the boring, cookie-cutter, linear fragrances that are being pumped out by the conglomerates that seem to dominate the industry today. I am so very impressed. Hats off to Mathilde and the entire Cartier team.

Zero Oud, just a very delightful Amber, with a hint of sweetness which I would attribute to a hint of vanilla. Nothing groundbreaking at all, but it is indeed a gorgeous fragrance. I got this for £100 and I'd say for the money I paid is great, but if I pad £345 for this I'd be crying. I can see this being a good deal @ £180ish, but not any more. It's a very elegant fragrance, that you can see a dude wearing an elegant tuxedo on a night out, but ultimately can be worn anywhere, by anyone. Update: This has a tiny hint of spiciness, but is not always present. Many moons ago in my early teens I had Santos de Cartier, but I think it was a limited edition of sorts, and all I can remember is how lush it smelled, and this has nostalgia of that fragrance, but what is there is the unmistakable Cartier DNA which is a very lovely and subtle dusty spice, like hints of it in the amber. All in all I highly rate this now after a few wearings, and it might actually be worth its asking price or near of it, as it's got an edge on a slightly unique type of amber fragrance, well worth a try if you can get your nose on it.

Just smelled this elusive beast for the first time today. I was gifted a generous decant by an official rep. So generous I'm putting it on my "have" list even tho I don't have an actual bottle. The only other fragrance I've done that with is Commodity's Book. I have a sandwich bag full of 10ml samples. Now, while I well know one can't base their opinion on an atomizer sniff (I didn't want to try it in, hot, humid weather and ruin my experience), I am prepared to offer a shaky first impression: Mind BLOWN!!! Full boom. What I smell primarily, and no one has said this (that I've read, at least) are frankincense, a lightly sweetened, dry, amber accord and a high quality, smooth, oud. The quality is in line with Cartier's other ouds, which is HIGH. As of right now, I'm inclined to say Cartier is my third best fragrance house. Mathilde Laurent is a genius. As it stands now my favorite houses, in order, are: 1) Amouage 2) Serge Lutens 3) Cartier I would really be ok if you took everything away and just gave me those 3 houses to buy from. Untill next time folks!

I’ve had samples of Oud & Ambre since last year and I’ve honestly been gatekeeping this gem. It’s a true masterpiece. Throw on a slim-fit turtleneck, classic trousers, a few sprays of this... and it’s instant aura — confidence, power, money, that refined masculine vibe all in one. HOWEVER — two days ago I finally bought a full bottle since my samples were done. First spray? Completely different. It smelled harsh, overly alcoholic, and honestly pretty bad — even though the bottle is 100% authentic. I figured maybe it just needed some time after being opened, so I let it sit for two days. And exactly after those two days... boom. It started smelling just like my samples. I’m sharing this because I now understand why some people might not like this fragrance. If your first spray is that harsh, off-putting hit, you’d think something’s wrong. But trust me — it settles fast. Give it a couple of days. Whatever weirdness you smell at first fades, and what you’re left with is that beautiful, rich scent it’s supposed to be.