Damber Wabsolute

Pasting my review for Amber Absolute here. Damber Wabsolute is mentioned at the bottom. For those who care, Amber Absolute is back in store at Tom Ford boutiques. A 250ml Flacon along with a 50ml atomiser for £1500. And it’s the last reformulated version. Arabian wood and another one that I forget is back in the same format. I have smelt the original formula many years ago. And I’ve smelt the latter releases too. I was able to get a decant of this latest release. It is a shadow of its former self. Amber Absolute OG formula is one of the top Ambers. You can see the inspiration from Ambre Sultan. But whereas that goes into a more herbal and green direction, AA focuses on incense and frankincense. It is bone dry, Smokey and powdery, with a touch of vanilla in the base. This is what gives it a milled incense quality, with a heavy dose of frankincense . Straight out of a church. Dawn by Fredric Malle has a similar vibe in this sense. The way I picture it was if you to get a piece of amber resin and light it on fire like an incense that is probably what it would smell like, either AA or AS. Obviously this is all made up as amber doesn’t really have a smell on its own. But I’m talking about the amber accord we’ve now come to accept. These scents are challenging. They are not mainstream so I can see why they were reformulated to make them more palatable to mainstream tastes. They are very smokey and dry. Now take that same piece of resin. This time melt it until it’s gooey and syrupy. Then you have Grand Soire. Warmer, smoother and with the vanilla amped up a lot. What if you could take the best parts of AA (the smokey incense) and GS (the sweeter vanilla base) or layer them together. Then you would get D&G velvet amber sun. And imo this is the best of the four. It is the most balanced and the most captivating to my nose. It also has a resinous oud added in. Thanks to @we are legion below I ordered Soma’s Damber Wabsolute. It’s so good I ordered more bottles. It is indistinguishable from the original 2007 formula. Get this instead. Scent, project and performance are miles better than the mildly scented water TF wants to charge astronomical amounts for.

I own a full 100ml bottle of AA (along with several 35ml decants) and also have 4 bottles of the older rectangular DW, plus an older round version, from back when prices were far more reasonable compared to today’s Insider's pricing. The colour was quite light compared to AA decants that I had but 3+ years after, the colour had matured to dark amber and looking sexy :) In the first 3-5 minutes, DW comes across a little harsher and sharper than AA but it quickly settles into something very similar. The dry‐down is effectively identical to AA, while the older AA in particular is noticeably smoother throughout. I haven’t tried the newest DW bottle yet but given that I already own 5 older bottles and AA, adding the current DW version feels largely redundant. This is about as close as you can get to AA if you’re looking for a high‐quality amber fragrance. That said, wear with caution, DW truly shines in very cold weather, with sub‐zero temperatures being ideal.

If you want a bottle of Amber Absolute, this is it. I've sought AA for a long time and have three decants (two of the original release and one of the 2015 release), but the stratospheric prices on ebay have been too much for me to get a bottle. I don't have to worry about that anymore, nor do I have to be afraid to wear it, lest I drain my decants - this *is* Amber Absolute. Its opening is just as wild and it settles into the same lovely swirl of incense, amber, vanilla, and spices. It lasts a very long time, and projection is strong. As others have said, this and Insider's version of Japon Noir are *so* important for keeping these discontinued fragrances alive. I plan to try their interpretation of Moss Breches, Italian Cypress, and Plum Japonais as well. I hope they continue to resurrect old Tom Ford fragrances, such as Sahara Noir, TF for Men Extreme, and the original Tobacco Oud formulation (2013-early 2014 bottles).

As the name suggests, Damber Wabsolute is a recreation of the long discontinued Amber Absolute by Tom Ford - and what a beauty this is. A true embodiment of everything you could ever want from a dark and brooding amber scent, this fragrance is incredibly commanding and alluring. Despite having a strong presence of an Amber accord, I feel this scent is dominated by two signature notes - a rich, leathery and slightly bitter labdanum, contrasted by a dry, smoky frankincense. This scent actually has a lot of similarities to Roja’s PDLN1, however this heads in a more incense-forward direction. Recently I was able to try Tom Ford’s Amber Absolute in Harrods - the Reserve Collection re-release. I’m not sure how it compares to the original stuff but I think Damber does a better job of this scent profile than the re-release of Amber Absolute. I adore this fragrance, it’s one of my biggest staples for the winter.

After already owning and adoring their Tokyo Black (TF Japon Noir) I thought I’d give this a try having no experience with the original. Wow...lost for words The opening is smoky, vanillic with a slight boozy accord that I don’t know if it’s intentional but fits perfectly in the blend. The sweetness becomes muted over time but never disappears and the incense and the wood really starts coming through. This is an old church pew style incense that seriously warms the soul. At no point does it feel dusty or off putting, it’s gentlemanly without seeming old. Performance is astounding, I spray on clothes only so YMMV on skin, cannot comment. The scent is somewhat linear after that initial opening is lifted but holy hell is it a beautiful bubble. Just get it if you like warm incense and resinous woods. You won’t be disappointed...it’s stupid good irrespective of the phenomenal price.

@ VETTIVAER recreating a discontinued perfume that is sold only on eBay at astronomical prices, is a welcome development in the fragcom. And actually Insider Parfums sold the first batch of Damber Wabsolute at cost (£57) and all the proceeds went to charity. It was only after a huge demand and plea from people who missed out on the first batch, that Insider Parfums made more batches which was sold for next to nothing (£65). It is absolutely NOT profiteering but rather a huge service and a favour to the fragcom. Edit: I bought two bottles of Damber Wabsolute in quick succession and I can confirm that Insider Parfums recreated the vintage 2007 TF AA with pinpoint accuracy. They could have dressed it up in an exquisite bottle and box and easily sold it for £150 or more, but they chose not to do so.

This is 1,000% TF AA top, mid and base!!! Nothing like the reformulated Reserve Collection and definitely NOT the 2015 release. Damber Wabsolute is an Extrait concentration (30% oil concentration as confirmed by Insider Parfums) of the 2007 formulation of AA. Longevity is 24hrs strong and with 4 sprays, I’m not kidding, the projection and sillage was filling up rooms for over 8hrs. After approximately 12hrs or so, it remains a 1 to 2 feet scent bubble until I wash it off. Indeed Damber Wabsolute is a gift to the fragrance community and the price is an absolute steal - I already bought a backup bottle. It’s gameover for the Ebay resellers of AA asking north of £300 for a 50ml. I actually saw one the other day going for over a grand 😳

Clones can be hit or miss, but this is a bullseye and I'm smitten. I'm wearing a decant from an original bottle on my left arm, and what looks like the old-style square glass bottle version of Damber Wabsolute on my right arm and they are damn near identical. If I'd done a blind testing, I doubt I could tell the difference. D.W. has the same velvety incense + animalic dry-down that I love. I was saving for a bottle of the original, and nursing the decant in the meantime - being very careful about wearing it sparingly in case I couldn't find more. For what a bottle of the original costs now, I could get several bottles of this D.W. and wear it to my heart's content! True love!

I would say 100% the OG. Unbelievable quality. It doesnt even have the annoying alcohol opening of most clones. Just perfect if you love amber absolute save a pretty penny and get this. Winter. Huge sillage and amazing longevity. Will do very well in the Middle East. EDIT: Sillage is insane potentially competing with the moon from FM. Edit 21/11/25: Macerate or maturation whatever it is has really benefited this. Last winter I didn’t wear this as it was a little harsh but now its just so much more beautiful after being left for a year after those initial sprays. Such an attractive scent with really enormous projection will fill or clear a small cafe.

To my nose this is very close to TF AA, I would say its about 90%. I have the A20 batch of AA which is mfr in 2020 and in my opinion AA is more smokey, fresh, powdery, and longer lasting than the insider. Its possible the insider perfume needs more maceration, but I do prefer the original AA more however it is hard to justify the price difference between the two considering how similar insider got to AA. Its missing my favorite part of AA where the incense sweetness dances in and out of your senses like a boomerang.

Bless me, Father, for I have been too long without this fragrance in my life!! It's churchy church church church vibes all the way, dusty lovely woody church, the lingering smell of incense burned last week, creaking pews, the old wooden drawer where all the candle snuffers are kept. Can't comment on similarity to Amber Absolute for reasons (read: low income bracket), but never you mind, this scent doesn't need any explanation or ties to fancy brand names for it to be absolutely and utterly divine.

Opening of my 2nd batch bottle is a bit plasticky smelling, maybe the blend. But the drydown is that absolutely astounding amber accord we all know and love. They really did it with this one. This stuff is incredibly strong and lasts on skins for over 24hrs, clothes for weeks. The concentration of this is closer to extrait imo. Incredible- I love this fragrance and the original creation but refuse to buy an overpriced second hand one (at least for now).

Unbelievable fragrance. Seems to be identical to AA and it is in the realms of Ombre Nomade in terms of strength and projection. The fact that someone can create a scent like this always amazes me, it develops so well and lasts 10 hours and smells different throughout. It smells like an old church. I really like this brand, Dan produces some great stuff and seems like a nice guy. This and Tokyo Black are such valuable fragrances of a bygone TF era.

Bold. Strong. Incense-y (AF!). And ever so slightly animalic. Also, naturally, amber. This is how you do a re-creation, folks. I never had a chance to smell the original or the criminally overpriced recent-ish re-boot, but this is amazing and clearly done with love, not just to make a quick buck. Also, for anyone who never experienced TF when it was quality and innovative, this is what the line was all about.

This is proper nuclear, not to be messed with. It's a great Amber with some sweetness to it. I get burned caramel and wood chips, for me personally I don't get huge loads of incense although seems most people get that. I mean for the price you just can't go wrong frankly. This is not a clone, this is exactly like the real deal.

Nice to see that this fragrance has finally appeared on the Fragantica list.... This has proved to be a total compliment monster whenever I have worn it. The amber is soft and warm, the incense, sweet and dark, the patchouli gives it real body. The silage and longevity are enormous..... This is just a beautiful scent........

@ mmcgill829 Man, that is tragic to hear that they reformulated this... I have a full 50ml bottle of this with the old packaging and before reformulation, and it's an amazing frag. I guess I'll savor what I have, which should take some time since I have way too many frags. Thanks for the heads up.

Hello. Just to clarify - we haven’t reformulated it at all. The batch is identical. There might be the odd micro variation between individual bottles but the fragrance is identical. Feel free to drop us a line at [email protected] if you would like to chat about it at all. Best wishes.

This is so so nice. I wasn't expecting it to live up to the hype but it has. Reminds me a bit of the dry down of boss bottled elixir but expertly blended and smooth. It's classy, warm, resinous and sweet however not cloying at all. Is unbelievable for the price and quality

I picked up a few clear bottles a couple of years ago. Been going through one, at best 10ml or less. Something has happened in that time and it’s turned ultra beast mode.

Can anyone tell me if I should seek this instead of AA? I heard this is really good but want a second opinion. Don't wanna spend the money if I do t have to.

I've got both AA and DW. They are virtually indistinguishable. Bravo.

Chanel De Lanvin; you can buy them on the Etsy shop Insider Parfums

I don't know about Tom Ford at all, I just like Amber. The first impression was very vanilla and animalic, presumably Oud. I didn't like it at first. I'm starting to get the frankincense now, which has offset the animalic aspect. It's nice and warm, It's not my favorite, but it's worth it. It's very long lasting and strong on me. It's the strongest I have followed by Azzaro the most wanted EDP intense, before reformulation effed it up. Update. I'm certainly getting frankincense now, like a church, I didn't get that at all initially. The notes seemed separated at first, like hardcore vanilla with a barnyard note. Don't let that scare you, just wait. The scent pulled together into a cohesive whole just over the last few days and it is very well blended and potent.

Second review. This is remarkably strong. I don't know about the original AA, but this is by far the best performer that I've come across. My God, this a champion of strength, projection and longevity. It reminds me of a soft brown leather couch in a high-end smoke shop.

This scent is propolis with hints of realistic incense. At certain points it brings me back to church. I bought this because of grand reviews of Amber Absolute being the ultimate amber perfume but this is just too much. I don't know what I expected but i this wasn't it. I don't recommend blind buying this unless you know you like very heavy fragrances. Scent 4/10 Performance 10/10

Got around to getting this for myself as a sorta christmas present. I've used my other decants of the fragrance(both 2015 and 2007)sparingly throughout the years but theres not much left. Less then 10ml now, so I I figured why not. I can say as to be expected.. or hoped perhaps instantly when spraying this I thought of amber absolute. Which should stand to reason as its supposed to be since from what I understand the actual perfumer gave the recipe for it. And certainly unlike say I guess to perhaps throw some shade, I recently also getting frustrated at at all the reforumulations of D&G the one throughout the years actually bit the bullet and tried the DUA version as its supposedly based off the 2008 version.. And I was ... apathetic towards it. While smelling similar it was imo a waste of money if im being honest. This however, is instantly rich, and opulent, reminding me of the original. Trying both this version and the originals on each arm, I can say the original to me seemed to have a bit more fizz almost boozy smell at the beginning for the first few minutes. Which to be honest its not something I ever associated with the fragrance in the first place and not something I ever picked out anyway.. but at least trying them side by side I did detect a slight fizz smell to my original which I did not smell in this.. However granted obviously my original decant is very very old now, and maybe the sprays werent equal? I dunno other than that at least upon my first impression I cant say I smell a difference. I will say the bottle I received does not match the bottle now shown here, nor does it match the original bottle, and reading the comment section I apparently recieved a second batch bottle of this for what its worth. I do see some comments saying that this performs even better than the original. But this was not my experience, seems the same to me again from my first impression. Anyway I will say if anyone confirm I would say I wonder if the slight difference I got, if it isnt just because this other bottle is well again just so old.. I have read some comments saying they do fragrances with the original formulation but just at a higher strength which I wonder if could lead to some slight smell differences. But overall spraying this, I was instantly like.. wow thats amber absolute.. Where as again I guess perhaps it throws a bit of shade on DUA but smelling there The One clone(no less apparently the 2008 version), I was just kinda like.. hrmm.. that .. kinda smells similar, but something is off. This was again like wow.. Thats amber absolute. Awesome. Anyway smells great to me and im happy to have it. Really a shame they got rid of this, but glad we have it at least in some shape or form. Ill have to test them outside besides more thoroughly again another day but for now again im very pleased.

I recently received my order from the U.S. As for scent and performance, given that I own a 2008 batch of Tom Ford’s Amber Absolute, Wamber Wabsolute seems “a little” less potent, which I suspect has something to do with maceration. Yes, it might need to be macerated for few weeks to gather strength. After using few full sprays, the fragrance will get oxidized, in order to lessen the alcohol, so the the oil content can be reinforced and rebalanced, along with the notes. Macerating the fragrance can be done while continuing to wear it, but it’s better to let it sit, preferably in a dark, temperature-controlled area for few weeks. It will eventually gather more strength and maturity. I will be testing it again in about 4-6 weeks after maceration. By then, I expect, both, scent and performance on both versions, Tom Ford and Insider Parfums, distributed by SOMA Parfums, to be incomparable. My bottle seems to be the newest, most recent batch, considering its (presentation) flat shaped, as opposed to the (previous / original) tube-like / round shaped bottle. For overall (beauty) aesthetics, the presentation is nothing to brag about. It’s just plain and boring. I dislike the bottle. The cap is a bit too heavy, to the extent that, it’s almost the same weight as (full) bottle. The bottle has no batch code. It’s stored into a gold tin, which appears to be aluminum. Insider Parfums, how about a “slight” increase in price, in order to provide better quality bottling and presentation? Also, maybe 100ml size in the future — if it’s not on limited-offer status? Anyway, Damber Wabsolute is, for now, the BEST interpretation of Tom Ford’s Amber Absolute, especially / potentially after maceration and maturation. The color of the fragrance itself is a winner. For now, I would score it 85% close to the OG. After macerating, it might potentially hit 100% of accuracy. 50ml = $86 US DHL Express Shipping = $60 US Tax: $13 US, according to which States FINAL NOTE — As a consumer, these are only my own thoughts, opinions, including suggestions, not official statements or comments from / for any parties. Amber Absolute is a Masterpiece, the best amber fragrance of all-time. The original formula has been greatly missed and highly sought-after, so thank you for bringing it back. PS: I plan to update on overall performance in few weeks.

Here I found myself considering springing for a 50ml bottle of Amber Absolute on Vinted for no less than € 450,00, but at the same time thinking there had to be a better way. So I decided to do a deep dive online in a last-ditch attempt to uncover a dupe that would come even within shouting distance of the original. After reading about some iffy dupes I eventually stumbled on some rave reviews for Damber Wabsolute and decided that these warranted giving it a try. Slightly chagrined that the 10ml size was sold out I was forced to take the plunge and go all in on a 50ml. In the days leading up to the arrival of the fragrance I was telling myself it would probably be a disappointment as most clones are. Imagine my surprise and delight upon my first spray of Damber Wabsolute when it turned out to be THE EXACT SAME FRAGRANCE. I have a small decant of the original which I have been nursing for ages, not even spraying it anymore but simply sniffing the nozzle every now and then. In any case I am in a position to do a side-by-side comparison of DW and the original, and Damber Wabsolute holds up all the way. No longer do I feel the icy grip of extortionist resellers on my purse strings. To hell with their price-gouging ways! @Insider Parfums: please tackle Tobacco Oud Intense next, as the only available bottle on Ebay is going for €1000 for 50ml...

@Pungentfumes thank you for your reply and context provided. I agree that the community appreciates the return of a beloved and discontinued fragrance, and Insider Parfums are being generous in their pricing. While it is true that fans would be willing to pay much more, what I am doubtful of, is that £57 may be considered "at cost". I am only a hobbyist, but even at my scale (buying materials in smaller quantities significantly above market rate) the cost of raw materials, bottle, pump, and time it takes to compound a 12-line formula seems to leave a fair margin at £57 especially if compounded by the kilogram as is common practice for artisanal batch production. I want to clarify that I wouldn't think less of Insider Parfums for wanting to pay their bills or building a margin into a price - that is how fiscally responsible businesses must operate. I am wary of the claim that £57 can be considered "at cost". I certainly agree that they could have priced it higher (as Tom Ford did with their original) but chose not to. Then again, Tom Ford has to contend with much higher overhead, marketing costs and distributor markup (see Andy Tauer's enlightening article "the price of things"). Thank you again for providing the context and discussion.

Take this message as you will. Tom Ford Amber Absolute perfumer Christophe Laudamiel released the full formula of AA on his instagram, in a post about his deceased friend Carlos (Brooklyn Fragrance Lover - RIP), who loved TF Amber Absolute. Christophe has always been a proponent of educating customers on the reality of the fragrance industry, advocating for copyright protection of formulae, and helping make the art of perfumery more accessible to new perfumers. It is not a secret to anyone that Damber Wabsolute is a splitting image of AA. Heck, even the name is a parody. Sure, it can be argued that Christophe should have known that publicly posting a formula would open it up to abuse, but he did so in good faith and trust, that what he is advocating for is for the benefit of all perfumers and customers. To me, a microbrand that seems to have plagiarized the formula and basically the name itself for profit seems disresectful, and in bad faith. It's a free country, I guess.

I have not smelled AA so can't judge based on that but it would be injustice to this fragrance because this has the depth, complexity, refinement and potency to stand on it's own as Dave's Amber fragrance. It's smokey (Sahara Noir), baccy, incensy, resinous, ambery and the dry down reminds me a lot of Absolue Pour Le Soir. This goes on and on and just never ends and is damn strong and I just can't handle it but if your into hedonistic ambers then you really need to get this! Definitely a winter type of fragrance to beat the chills. Fits perfectly with the UK cost of living crisis situation as the fragrance is not overpriced and you won't need a heater as this would keep you adequately warm.

As mentioned, I would come back for updates after some weeks of maceration. Strength seems to remain same, about 85% close to the (vintage) original Tom Ford’s batch, which is solid. Needless to say, it’s not a 100% clone / interpretation of the original Tom Ford’s Amber Absolute (vintage) batch, chiefly in performance. However, it’s a 100% match / interpretation of the post-2015 Reserve Collection, both, scent and performance, which I’ve also wore a sample of. Lastly, Wamber Wabsolute is a solid release, and it needs to be respected — for what it is.

I’ve never smelled TF Amber Absolute before but this is one of the greatest ambers I’ve ever experienced. It’s smooth, warm, and spicy with vanilla in it to make it really stand out from other popular Amber fragrances. I absolutely love this. It feels sort of old fashioned like Ambre Sultan but that’s what makes it special. So glad this brand created this fragrance!! I will use my 50ml bottle sparingly. It’s pretty strong too so I won’t have a problem making my bottle last.

Just ordered 50ml bottles of Damber Wabsolute and Plum Harajuku- there's a tester sale with prices at £50 each plus 10% off. They're reformulating this year so who knows where that will end up. No cap or box but the regular bottles aren't super nice anyway.

Great company to deal with and the fragrance is very potent and high quality. However, I am just not into the incense ,within this particular fragrance.

It’s a strong juice. Even more refined and sophisticated after a year. Get your nose on when you find an opportunity .

Looking for transparent old batch of this Beauty! DM me with your offers

Blaybrad5!! Just get damber, exactly the same but even stronger