Amora

It's an amazing feeling to spray something new on and think "oh wow, this is really special." The scent is a little hard for me to describe - a bit of fruit here, rosey wine there, a bit of powder dusted over top. The fruity rose is jammy but has a dry, tannic quality and the powder is also dry, not too sweet, and certainly does not bring about any connotations of baby powder. On me, it is rather quiet with low sillage, and I like the intimacy of it. There is something about it that makes me think of apple cider and changing leaves - not that it smells like apple cider per se, but it has an aura of autumn about it. It's a beautiful, very special fragrance that I will treasure! I must also say that Mr. Hendley is a class act, with amazing customer service and attention to detail. You can tell he really cares about his craft and his customers. I am trying to limit my samples these days, so I originally only ordered the one sample of Amora off his website. That little sample came beautifully wrapped in tissue, like a tiny little present, with a handwritten note and coupon code should I decide to buy a full bottle (and buy I did!) Wonderful experience and am looking forward to trying his other perfumes. Bravo, Mr. Hendley!!

Amora was an add in free sample with an order and am surprised by how much fun it is. Tart strawberry, cherry, and other summer fruits with no added sugar, a splash of bright red rose, served up on a bed of ambergris and a creamy musk. Great balance of citric/tang, salty, and sweet. The base is almost savory. It's like watching Tim Burton's version of Alice in Wonderland. A little trippy, swirls of juicy color. Almost psychedelic. Amora could be the love child of Slumberhouse's Sadanne and Kiste. It also has a bit of a Lutens sensibilty. And I just thought of 2 other perfumes of which Amora reminds me: Worth Courtesan for its fruit salad and and creamy musky base. The fruit smells more synthetic and it's sweeter. The other is Annick Goutal Quel Amour! which has juicy fruits that are bright and tart and mingle with some fresh floral notes and is also youthful and lightheated. Amora is a cheerful and youthful without being juvenile. Not usually something I'd seek out based on the notes as I usually find the fruity genre too sweet but I'm glad it came my way!

Amora is the latest release from Hendley Perfumes, and like Rosenthal, rose factors in prominently into the fragrance. Sweetened by a mix of fruits (stonefruit is the listed note--I get some berries, mainly, especially strawberry) and graced with tobacco, resin, and musk in the background to give it some additional nuances, Amora is playful yet strong, very inviting due to the fruit/rose combo that may often come off as feminine but works pretty nicely in a unisex manner here. Also, Amora is a good performer but not so cloying that it'd be problematic for wear in warm weather. It reminds me somewhat of Tauerville Rose Flash in the jammy accord, to the point I should compare the two further. That the pricing ($90 for 50ml EDP) of Amora is half of that of Rosenthal (180 for 50ml EDP) is encouraging, and while the distinction is no doubt due to the cost of raw materials, it nonetheless makes Amora more accessible. Overall, a very nice sweet rose that performs well and is decently-priced for an indie offering from a nice house clearly on the rise. 8 out of 10

Bought it as a blind buy because I already simply love other scents in Hans Hendley's line. As with the others, this one is just a treat to wear. Many people have used the word "jammy" in describing this fragrance, and I agree. There's something almost mouth-watering about the way the fruity, wine-like qualities combine with the rose. It's complex and rich, but not in your face, with a sweetness that doesn't make my teeth hurt because it's so well balanced with other notes. Everything from this small house has this sensibility. Plus, I just adore the packaging esthetic - classic, elegant, spare but not cold. Keep 'em coming, Hans!

Lovely strawberry, rose, ambergris. One could say it leans feminine, but I actually like it a lot for myself. This is my third Hendley. Fume and Rosenthal are the others. Each one I needed to sort of warm up to, and figure out how to use. Like, I learned that for all three, one spray is plenty. If I spray too much, I can no longer smell it. Hans Hendley really makes niche make sense. Somebody has clearly cared about blending these just right, with quality ingredients. They're shipped with care, with a handwritten note, from somebody who remembers my last order.