Cuir Amethyste

IOh boy, this one I want, but it's so expensive! It's $210 for 100mL! But I've had a think about it, and decided it's worth it. I have never smelled anything like this before. It is a masterpiece. Utterly fantastic and deserving of the award it won! Christine Nagel is one of my favourite noses, and she has not lowered her standards with this addition to the Armani Prive line. Cuir Amethyste... or "Amethyst Leather". I was told it was meant to smell like the little tin boxes the trench-soldiers had in World War II. I was also told that it's meant to smell a lot like birch bark, which I can't properly identify (I live in Australia; we don't have birch). This is a strange, wonderful fragrance. Nothing comes near it in terms of originality, olfactory structure or overall idea. I tried to think of perfumes that are similar, but its nearest cousins were miles away. The closest I got was the Tom Ford range - but I was only seeing similarities in terms of originality and "darkness", not any particular perfume. This is mysterious and dark to say the least. It has a good dose of "I'm smelling something in here, which I can't tell what it is". It is not sweet at all. What I can say is that it starts out classic and dry, and progressively becomes richer, deeper and more "purple". I know this is an unusual way of describing a scent, but I hope I'm appealing to the people who have experienced this type of colour identification before. I can actually "smell" the amethyst increasing throughout the drydown. I "feel" the purple. (I'm sorry, but I have to defend myself from the people who claim assigning a colour to a perfume is ridiculous. I'm not crazy. Synesthesia does exist: it's the mixing of different senses, which has been well documented in the scientific literature.) But I can't figure out what the purple note is... I don't think it's just the violet on its own. It is too complex and sophisticated. It's just magical! You start to smell more woods later, which I love. My advice is, if you appreciate complex, sophisticated, mature scents - then try this! But if you like the sweet, fruity, or even the floral scents they're flogging on the market all the time - keep away! I don't consider myself a perfume snob (because I recognize everyone's entitled to like what they like, based on personality and age) but I would only expect people who enjoy complex, subtle perfumes to like it as much as I do. UPDATE: the only leather scent I will ever want or need. Stuff the $258!!

Another from this line that is actually worth every bit of hype it gets. Cuir Amethyste is fantastic. I blind bought this and I regret absolutely nothing. While this combination of notes might feel familiar to women (if the “smells like” table is any indicator), Cuir Amethyste is certainly unique among any men’s/unisex scents I’ve smelled before. Admittedly, this one leans a little feminine, as the underlying vanilla might hew a bit toward sweetness, but the birch and leather work so well to balance it out that I think a lot of men could (and should) pull this off. The longevity of Cuir Amethyste is world class: 4 sprays tend to last me 24 hours. The sillage, on the other hand, isn’t terribly high. I’d venture that 4-6 sprays equate to about an arm’s length, but that suits me well. If I could liken Cuir Amethyste to a picture, or a moment, it would be best described by a comfortable walk among snowy birch trees. Maybe in late spring, when the flowers are just starting to poke through the snow. It’s comforting, it’s relaxing, but it’s also very cold, which is kind of odd for a vanilla scent in my experience. The violet, patchouli, and coriander manage to combine with the other notes for a cooling effect that keeps this fragrance kind of classy. To my mind, this is a mysterious and slightly sexy office scent or a sophisticated night out for an under-45 crowd. In the colder months, it could also be suitable for certain casual weekend activities. I didn’t think I would like this one nearly as much as I do, but Cuir Amethyste has quickly become one of my favorites among the Armani Privé line. I can’t recommend it enough.

Just when you think you've experienced the entire range of violet combinations you're hit with this. I think it's safe to say I'm a big fan of violets and this is a new accord to me, understated, powdery yet wearable and utterly enjoyable. Armani have hit the spot yet again with this juice I'd say it gives me the feeling of a Violet centric juice that really doesn't have a 'usual' (whatever that is?) violet feel. What I mean is that it will intrigue violet fans like me but is different enough to appeal to people who don't traditionally like the smell of violets. It could be the combination with rose which maybe changes the character some...you definitely get the rose as it dries down. Smoothing this out is patchouli and vanilla with the darker touch of birch which does create a kind of leathery effect. I wouldn't agree that it is a smokey leather more of a smooth suede and birch has a woody undertone which makes this smell really good on me but would be equally at home on a woman and possibly better suited. A classy Violet then which I will recommend to my friend who would love this fragrance. I wouldn't wear it though, I get my violet hit from Hommage L'Homme and Fahrenheit stuff like that.

This is an absolutely amazing and fantasticly thick fragrance that focuses on a beautiful violet and a really nice dark and smoky birch that reminds of leather. Behind that there is also a dark patchouli and some roses. Immediately when I spray it on there is a big cloud puffing up. A cloud filled with this thick mix of violet and birch. It feels like the entire apartment has transformed so the walls are made of leather, that there are big birch trees growing up from the floor and that violets, patchouli leaves and a few roses are raining down from the ceiling. Later the dark and smoky part of the birch settles down and it gets alot softer. At this point the roses gets a little bit more prominent together with a soft and very, very light, warming hint of benzoin, labdanum and vanilla. But it still is the violet and the leathery birch that has the leading role in this incredibly beautiful creation that stays on my skin all day long. Cuir Améthyste is the first fragrance I've tried from Armanis exclusive line Armani/Privē and it immediately took a place in the top together with my all time favourite fragrances. I love it!

The reviews here are very mixed, but here's what I get from my official sample vial from Neiman Marcus. This opens with a strong note of candied violets. Sweet, beautiful violets. Sometimes it smells like violet flavoured lollies, sometimes grape medicine. Within a few seconds, I start to smell an undertone of birch and what smells almost like leather. So now it's a leather-wood base, sprinkled with candied violets. As it starts to dry down, the sweetness calms down a little and the base notes come together to give you a very unique mix of woods, smoke, leather, and sweet violets. I'd even say this is almost on the same level of opulence of regality as MFK's Oud Satin Mood, though not as smooth because the notes in this don't blend too well, you can smell each one individually. I feel like if I took Feminite Du Bois and layered it with Insolence, I'd get a similar effect to this. Beautiful fragrance. I agree with the reviewer that said it smells like a baroque painting of a queen in black velvet.

I had this as a sample that I got back in Milan at a fashion show a few years ago. I remembered it being very unique and a rather well made floral chypre/oriental that lasted forever. I seriously considered buying it several times, but, I was not willing to dish out the cash for it at the time. Now, jump forward a few years and across the pond and I finally bought it. Wow! I will NEVER regret it!! I am absolutely loving it. To my nose, it is very similar to Givenchy's Amarige Mariage (minus the Jasmine) and Dolce Vita by Dior (both of which I consider Unisex as well). However, CA possesses a deeper and darker patchouli note that is tons more distinct than either of the others, Furthermore, the cinnamon note present in the other two is replaced by a lovely birch note (which I think gives it more of a leather like effect, but nothing extreme). The rose in this one really stands out - very, VERY well done throughout the dry down. 5 stars.

The moment I applied Cuir Amethyste, I was reminded of a cluster of delightful iris-cedar compositions from Heeley, Serge Lutens, et al. Turns out this is supposed to more about leather and violet! No matter, it smells very nice to my nose from start to finish. I very much enjoyed the opening as a familiar and aesthetically appealing combination. Then, as the perfume dries down, I smell more violet and less iris, but the leather remains a cedary suede. Of course, that's a good thing, to my nose, which finds dark oily leather a bit overwhelming in many perfumes. The only remaining question is: does this one cost as much as the others I love so much? Since this is from the "Privé" collection, I suspect that it does. I may have to content myself with reflecting on the memory of this lovely perfume.

I thought I had found my ultimate dark Violet scent when I bought Tom Fords Black Violet.....which I love to no end....Violet is my favourite note and I have quite a few Violet perfumes, with TF Black Violet being the cherry on the top.....But Amethyst is now right up there with TF, when I bought a mini sample I was expecting something very similar to TF, and although it IS similar, I can tell the difference.....and as such, I need a full bottle of this in my life! On first application I get Violets....then it turns into smokey/leathery Violet and its beautiful. It lasts a good 6-7 hours on me which is about normal. I wear safe floral scents for work, but I think that this would also be good for work too, its not heady or in-yer-face. It smells classy and expensive....( because it is)

Mature smelling leather scent juxtaposed with very violet flowers. Somewhat powdery because of the violet flower. The leather is velvety and suede-y. The flowers and the leather are not blended together so you can distinguish one from the other. In the same wheelhouse as L'Interdit but this smells more alluring and femme fatale. Overall it smells like lipstick on suede. Like if you pursed your lips on suede leather and some of your lipstick was left behind and scents mixed. It's a nice seductive scent. Can be worn in the morning to the office or just to promenade but I feel this will really come alive at night. Scent is linear. Longevity is moderate. Skin scent after a couple of hours. Aged 30 and up unless you're an adventurous 20 something with a villain femme fatale arc going on.

WOODSY LEATHERY VIOLET Cuir amethist is one of my new favourites of all time. Truly a master piece. I have to make room on my top shelf for this one. The leather is achieved by combining the birch and the patchouli as there is no leather in this. Gives a very realistic fresh smell of suede and a fruity resinous effect . I smell violets and a hint of coriander , it gives it sort of a purple suede , fruity effect, I adore. The rose keeps this perfume fresh ! Very much comparable to Lutens. Bois line , especially bois de violets and bois de fruit , as well as feminite de bois. Could be a close relative to those mentioned. Its luminous , dark but airy , very similar to Serge Lutens character indeed. As well as similar to Bottega Veneta . This is one of my favourite fragrances ever.

Wow! I just got this in so it’s a first impression but it’s a love at first sniff! I love the tart opening! Tart violets with a slight lipstick vibe on a bed of smooth modem leather! Very sexy. My nose also perceives the tart opening as plum and this sort of reminds me of Kate Walsh boyfriend. Less amber and more leather compared to boyfriend though. Need to spend more time with it to speak on its performance but it has above average projection. The more I wear this the more I love this! It does remind me of Insolence EDP but darker, deeper, and unisex. The powdery-ness is more of a pressed powder so it’s smooth and creamy, mixed with the birch it’s creating a suede accord. It projects strongly for a few hours then becomes a skin scent.

Leather is not my fav note, but violet is. This is more about violet than leather for me. Sweet, elegant, sensuous, mysterious. I can smell vanilla, too. Perfectly balanced, has a lot of faces - can go well with a business dress and also and can fit to a decadent black outfit for a night out for femme fatal. Leather is luxurious, smooth, velvety, a brand new handbag. Violet is a luscious pouget of the freshly picked up violets in the field. Reminds me of the violet in Tom Ford ́s Black Violet, my no.1 violet frag. Will certainly not go unnoticed although it stays close to the skin. Lasting power is average on my skin.

Oh....this is just divine! I am a huge fan of Serge Lutens Bois line (I have Feminite du Bois, Bois de Violette and Bois et Fruits because I could not decide between the 3 because I love them so) and this is extremely similar to those only more ethereal and a bit sweeter and juicier because of the fruit notes. Plus a touch of leather. It is just luscious and if you are a fan of the way SL does bois then I promise you can not go wrong with this!! Full blown swoon material for me. Total wrist sniffer!! Reminds me of a cross between Serge Lutens and Tom Ford Black Violet and Plum Japonais. Just total deep purple heaven!

An absolute dream of a perfume. Rich and creamy, beautiful labdanum leather, gorgeous really superb birch leather - lots of beautiful leather - and a glorious, velvety, soft, rich, luxurious divine rose, combined with the most beautiful patchouli! It's such and exquisite perfume, so good. So gorgeous. A beautiful powdery violet is the star performer though, soft, rich and smooth, delicate, powdery and sensuous. Feminine and alluring totally. And I adore it. Truly adore this perfume. And it lasts for ages! Always 14 hours, sometimes more, and so rich and strong, but gentle and intoxicating. Fantastic.

I have Bottega Veneta and Daim Blond and I think Cuir Amethyste sits in the middle of both of these. More akin to BV but has a slightly less deep vibe and with a slightly deeper vibe than is in Daim Blonde. Overall, in separate reviews I have said I prefer Daim Blonde over Bottega Veneta but if it came down to the wire I prefer Cuir Amethyste over Bottega Veneta and Daim Blonde. It combines the best elements of both. A tiny spray goes a long way.

This Christmas I decided to pamper myself with a luxus perfume and this is the one I've been yearning for some years . Now I'm a happy owner of this beauty. This is such an opulent, elegant, precious scent. It's so lovely that me, an ordinary person can enjoy such richness of life with this scent. This is truly a masterpiece, unique and indeed, unisex. My son also was very impressed by this and wanted to lend it from me. Highly recommend!

Voici le genre de parfum qui ne ressemble pas aux autres, il a vraiment un truc de spécial que l'on peut sentir dés les premières seconde après vaporisation... un cuir mélanger avec de la bergamote, de la violet et de la rose, la vanille avec du poudrée... sincèrement c'est un parfum dur a exprimer, il est doux et fort a la fois. c'est un parfum mystérieux et dangereusement séducteur

I just got a bottle of this from Neiman Marcus, after sampling it about a month ago (sample was sent to me by a generous reviewer). The bottle that I have has been reformulated; the birch is almost nonexistent, and the bergamot does not come through as well as it did before. It’s still beautiful, but not like it used to be. The performance took a small hit as well.

sweet cozy comfort leather with a hint of violet (which is not prominent on my skin) and patchouli. Superb for me. It is warm and strong at the same time but I would call it more expensive than exceptional. It is not a loud scent but a person who wears it won't get unnoticed. Flowers held in hands in leather gloves.

It has a strong sharp opening with the wood but the drydown is just immaculate, tasty. I loved it, i sprayed only 2-3 and it has been 5-6 hours since i sprayed it, it smells amazing. It has a really calm and safe but also kinda sexy and rich vibe. I love it, gonna buy a big boytle A$AP

Cuir Amethyste is my holy grail violet fragrance. It is just amazing! A dry powdery violet full of elegance with soft & smooth suede-like leather that is arising from the birch note, and just a hint of supporting patchouli and vanilla in the background. Simply noble and fine!

This is musky,very violet,leatherish and some kind of expensive "church ladan"candle kind of smell. Last long, strong,but not annoying,just my "cup of tea". Good for evening,misterious, but also good for business meeting. I imagine rich woman with that perfume.

This perfume reminds me of a very stylish mature women in Baroque paintings dressed in black velvet who is coming inside her castle from the snow. It smells really expensive just like a very exclusive perfume which is made for a queen.

Top notch Quality , Its So beautifully blended each notes that its just make you feel so comforting 💖...Best blind buy from the house of armani , will use it mindfully as its discontinued Gem 💎 Its a 10/10 fragrance 😎

Unusual smell - perfume which require attitude. Ideal for men in suits and women wearing haute couture and jewelry from Cartier, Tiffany etc. Not for dummies in jeans and sneakers. J'adore ce parfum!

This juice is smooth and creamy, a warm soft floral with slightly resinous dry down. I definitely don't get leather here, not even a bit. This scent is beautiful as it is.

I just adore this ,it is pretty unique . The violet and leather combination is magical it's earthy and sweet .The onlt other scent that lives up to it is Une Rose .

Creamy and gentle , slightly powdery woodiness with light and a little animalistic patchouli . 10/10 The best for woman and man but i think is better for man

Obsessed! Cuir Amethyste is EVERYTHING. It's warm, leathery, and slightly sweet with a touch of violet that makes it incredibly unique. Lasts all day too!

I am so obsessed with this scent lately, so alluring, sexy, high end scent profile and make me feel blessing, just love it.

If you know what ”hallon ferrari” candy tastes like, thats pretty much what this smells like, its sooo good!

Reunited with this gem. Leather and lipstick masterpiece 💋 so sad it’s being discontinued.

My favorite and very similar to Icognito by Rouge Bunny Rouge

przepiękny zapach skórzany, bardzo polecam!

THIS SMELLS LIKE A LUSH SHOP OMG

Cuir Améthyste is not the violet-leather scent I expected. I was hoping for something along the lines of the sublime Balmain Jolie Madame, of which I have a vintage miniature. It doesn't even come close. This is a sweet, modern take on the violet and leather accord, nicely done, but unexpected. Here, the violet is candied, and there is very little greenness, unlike in Jolie Madame. It is also a much simpler scent. Still, the Parma violet effect here marries well with the leather note, which is more subtle than expected. CA opens with candied violet and some bright citrus notes, adding freshness. A sweet rose note emerges, forming a lipstick accord with the violet. The leather accord is surprisingly subtle, softly hovering in the background. It is clean and dry instead of animalic, formed by the labdanum and birch notes. It becomes a little smoky. The dry down is sweet, with smooth vanilla complementing the amber accord. A nicely-judged pinch of patchouli adds some earthiness. I like when patchouli is used to break up a mundane sweet vanilla note, and here is a prime example. It fades to become a sweet vanilla-violet skin scent. Sillage is moderate and longevity is long-lasting. Feminine-leaning to my nose due to the sweetness, this is an autumn/winter scent. While CA is primarily a Parma violet scent, it is intelligently composed, with carefully chosen notes that complement it nicely. While it wasn't what I was hoping for, CA still managed to win me over. Sweet violets done right, second only to Guerlain Insolence. 4/5.

Now, Giorgio says that this fragrance has leather/cuir in it, and I argue that because leather in this perfume is strange. if that is right and this has leather in it, this wouldn't be the wild Tunisian one you can burn with a fuse and get out of the store without pardon and with a whistle between your lips - this would be some of those modern leather jackets, which are ultra thin, overdesigned, too expensive and treated with chemicals. on my skin it opens with incensy coriander spiced rose, violet powder, and the famous strange leather chord. in those few magnificent moments Cuir Amethyst smells unfathomable and really dark, like night sky without any stars; smells like unknown, unexplored depths. but then poof! spices and incense infused roses disappear, no more magic, and I'm left with only so much powdery violet that I could swear there is an orris root here somewhere, and of course, patchouli leathery chord that tries to prove too much (if not real leather as claimed by Mr.Giorgio, I guess it's a combination of birch and labdanum, thus explaining the strangeness). heart of this fragrance is unimaginative and I have already smelled so many like it before, that dry powder, monotonous hours of violet-dominated leather, and all together, reminiscent of ELDO Puitan des Palaces. it ends in a slightly powdery patchouli vanilla with a resinous odor. Aura/sillage is mediocre to me(even leans towards weak), and durability is around 6h. Cuir Amethyste hasn't become my second skin.

Leather, tons of leather, a lot of patchouli and a bit of violet to sweeten the effect. The combination of leather and violets brings to mind Jolie Madame which I find very sweet to wear. Fortunately, the leather here is too strong to be overwhelmed by the violets while the patchouli makes this whole fragrance a lot darker than either Jolie Madame or Daim Blonde (again too sweet compared to this). The first 10-15 minutes are the worst for me; this is a very strong fragrance that takes a while to settle on the skin. The lasting power is very good (10-12 hours) but the sillage is minimal (=close to skin). I'm not a big leather fan, but I don't mind wearing this even though the leather note is so prominent. It's not however a perfume I'll easily reach for; I find it a bit unfriendly, more suited to a career businesswoman than a 9-5 working mom. It is very interesting however and perhaps with time it'll find a way into my heart. Update: The more I wear it the more I like after all. And surprisingly, it's the only fragrance in the past 4-5 years that my husband actually complimented:) I was really shocked as he usually dislikes most perfumes I wear, but the truth is that after an hour or two this settles into a very cosy & elegant skin scent despite the brashness of the first minutes:). And it's just so similar to the highly acclaimed Bottega Veneta, that I wonder how is it possible that so many people claim to dislike this and love the other....

It's a shame that the Armani Prive scents are so difficult to obtain. They deserve a spray on American arms. The opening notes include coriander, bergamot and patchouli. Rose makes fleeting appearances but succumbs to a stronger violet presence with a powdery veil. Over all, the birch pushes a distinctive and soft slightly smokey leather accord. The leather note very gradually gives away its strength to violet with a small patchouli base in the dry down. This stage lasts quite a while with a faint soapiness in the mix. The next gradual change occurs very slowly as the base notes join the composition at least an hour or more after the initial spray. Labdanum, benzoin and vanilla combine to assert a warm ambery base with soft violet and leather overtones. Cuir Amethyste is a long lasting fragrance for me and seems useful for men or women. The bottle is masculine, but still attractive on the dresser. I especially like the acrylic top that has been created to look like a piece of polished amethyst. Nice. This EDP by Armani does not seem special enough to warrant the price. Nevertheless, it is pleasant enough to garner a loyal following.

Really want to try this, it seems interesting. Love leather notes and adore BV. I really like the Fragrantica website as it is a wonderful resource for info on perfumes. My only gripe is that the information is never consistent. The perfume notes are not always correct and in this instance it is not mentioned that Michel Almairac is the perfumer for this particular scent. Edit: Finally tried it and it's lovely. It smells so similar to Bottega Veneta.Too similar. The difference is the powdery violet (which i really like though) and the leather smells more like a real, warm leather. Not a cold, new leather. I don't get any of the top notes which is a shame as they are lovely. To my nose the two main notes in this perfume are the leather and the violet. And although the leather note is really good, I would not buy this perfume for myself. I prefer to get the BV as it is more complex than this and smells so much better on me. It might smell good on men that like sweet perfumes, as it has a slight sweet dry down.

This is a beautiful fragrance with luxurious quality. Speaking of performance, its pretty decent in all departments and I love the scent trail. Definitely a unisex fragrance to my nose and a guy who knows how to style his get up will pull this off easily. This is more of a cold weather fragrance and best for evening encounters and formal occasions. They are totally different but somehow it has some fleeting vibe similar to Chanel Coromandel, must be the patchouli. Great to have in my collection. I'll give this a 9/10 “Let us spread the scents of peace and kindness. The two most beautiful fragrance in the world that will cost you nothing and will get you a totally different kind of compliments” 🙏

Opens like pickles, but the drydown is just the most gorgeous plummy, woody vanilla (yes, I smell plum)...extremely similar to Bottega Veneta’s Eau de Velours in the drydown, but slightly more dense, abit sweeter (thanks to vanilla) and more powdery. Very sensuous dark scent. I imagine an upscale jazz lounge with dim ambient lighting, wine colored lips and black stilettos, smooth bossa nova playing in the background. A still from a film noir, the fur-coat clad femme fatale, seductively lighting her cigarette. A scent that wears best in cold and damp weather. Will be overbearing and sour in sunny or warm conditions.

Al mio naso belle violette croccanti con betulla e coriandolo ad effetto camoscio. Il tutto spalmato con crema alla rosa. Non conosco bottega veneta. Trovo simile a Daim blond. Cuir A suona piu acuto. Quasi stridulo con odore di cera d'api. Cuir A e'come una sorella maggiore di qualche anno. Personalmente preferisco Daim b che trovo piu verace, giovane e moderno. L'albicocca in coppia al camoscio e'perfezione. Cuir A dura dritto e il triplo di Daim B! Femminile,adatto di giorno ma non svanira' la notte. Da indossare solo,esclusivamente,tassativamente, con abbigliamento in pelle.

This was a blind buy, and it was not good. It smells like powdery violet. I get a blast of leather in the first ten minutes or so. I definitley smell black leather, but it's not a dark, brooding fragrance whatsoever. The base is sweeter; benzoin-ish. The problem for me is that from top to bottom, it all smells like chemicals! All very highly synthetic, just like their Myrrh. Aromachemical soups. I have zero interest in trying anything else from this line.

Sweet, powdery suede. Really quite uncommon, actually. It felt refined, exquisite and expensive, and I interpreted it as being more on the feminine end of the unisex spectrum. There was a velvety texture to the scent that kept me sniffing my wrist.

I find this to be a cross between Bottega Venata & Lush Tuca Tuca except for the balsamic opening of Cuir Amethyste has very much a benzoin & myrrh like richness of it's own that last 10 minutes.

Wow, this one REALLY reminds me of Mitsouko EDP, especialy in the drydown! Mitsouko is a little more soapy and this one is spicy, but they have something very similar in them...

Now this is sex in a bottle. Pure seductiveness and finesse. Powdery violet, sweet benzoin and plush leather. Take it or leave it.

Sweet, floral, powdery, & slightly sharp. More feminine than masculine. I like it but way too steep of a price.

So I'm a huge fan of Bottega Veneta and decided to sample this in-store while we still have the chance. (It is on sale right now at Armani! Last call it seems). Bottega could almost be a dupe of Cuir Amethyste, but this is more sweet & sour on my skin from the first note. For hours I was trying to think of what familar scent it reminds me of... it's beeswax! It smells like when honeycomb is really intense and waxy. For some reason that gives me a Halloween/Autumn vibe. It feels more like a "villain phase" fragrance than Bottega. The sillage is a banger on this. Although I don't find it entirely welcome. Most fragrances I own can be smelled upon lifting my wrist up to my nose. This I was smelling without trying while at dinner and just living life. Strong vanilla or powdery notes can become sickly nauseating for me. Now I'm getting a vibe of sweet almond alongside the leather in the drydown (another note I hate). I know Bottega launched their set later (and discontinued earlier), but I just can't get on board with this Armani. I would have guessed this is the cheaper fragrance if I smelled both of them blind. I know this leather bergamot chypre texture is an acquired taste, which I grew to love through BV. I don't mean to yuck anyone's yum... my verdict: it smells high end and interesting overall, but it's fairly linear and the bitter vanilla base kills it for me.