Ambraliquida

COMFORTABLY NUMB AMBRALIQUIDA BY L'ERBOLARIO Amber can best be defined as fossilised resin from a tree trunk part of a plant that lived long ago. Trees normally release resin to make their trunks fight off attacks from parasites, insects and blows. The resins also heal other internal damage, keeping the tree healthy and safe. Over (a lot) of time, the resin evolves into an organic fossil we call "amber". Where do we use "amber" and what does it really smell like? Fossilised amber is mainly used in jewellery and has absolutely no use in creating flavourings or fragrance oils. When we apply an amber-scented perfume, what we smell is a combination of various essential oils that are intended to mimic what any human being might expect from a very comforting amber scent, such as a slight sweetness, a certain oriental warmth, resin emanations, and so on. An "amber" perfume can also derive from ambergris, a waxy substance produced inside the intestines of sperm whales. Despite its unusual nature, ambergris has been sought after since ancient times for use in rare and quality perfumery. It has a unique musky, sweet and earthy odour with facets of marine and animalistic elements. Like fossilized resin, ambergris is also not used directly in fragrances. Modern perfumes avoid using their derivatives due to their cost, difficulty of sourcing and ecological awareness. Instead, most formulations use synthetic ingredients that mimic the desirable scent of ambergris. However, amber and ambergris are distinct olfactory notes. Each has its own aromatic profile and is used independently. As ambergris is not an issue in this review, I will only dwell on "normal" amber. As primary or main ingredients, this has vanilla, benzoin, labdanum and resins. Some blends may also include patchouli, tonka bean, balsam and other oils with aromatic profiles that are complementary. L'Erbolario Ambraliquida (ambraliquida = liquid amber): This perfume has a few more ingredients to offer than those listed by the producer. As an example, I point out the Musk note, important during evolution. According to L'Erbolario, the top phase uses notes of bergamot, geranium, bourbon and centifolia roses. In the heart, we find cedarwood, patchouli, sandalwood and guaiac wood. At the base, we find liquidambar (actually a natural oriental extract similar to styrax resin), labdanum and vanilla. Now we know where the name of this fragrance comes from. After a half hour, the fragrance reaches the base phase and accomplishes its task: our brain assumes it smells a lot like amber! Strong amber hovers in our nose, complemented by patchouli, and then rounded off with warm, slightly sweet vanilla. For perfume lovers, I can also report that Ambraliquida opens exactly like Montale's Blue Amber. We are not dealing with a particularly exciting fragrance. it is a non-complex amber fragrance, which although simple, is very pleasant. Nothing bothers me about this perfume. It develops excellently on both skin and clothes. For me, it can be worn at any time, even if the autumn leaves featured on the packaging suggest an autumn use. The durability is also commendable. The simple, brown satin bottle is a pure understatement and suits this fragrance perfectly. My notes for this amber elixir: ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ Opening: 7.0 (Citrus with hints of herbs, rose and woods) Perfume Drying: 9.0 (An amber aura with resins, some vanilla and an earthy touch) Longevity: 8.0 (Up to 8 hours with three sprays) Sillage: 6.5 (Only 4~5 feet with three sprays, projecting 1.5~2 hours) Usability: 8.5 (A natural delight with no detractors; It's an excellent scent for almost any situation, though not a top star in any of them) Versatility: 10.0 (All year round, both day and night) Praise: 8.0 (It will please almost everyone, but it will not arouse outlandish passions) Uniqueness: 8.5 (It is not inspired by any other fragrance although it shows similarities with several of them namely Ambre Reminiscence, Montale Blue Amber or even a less concentrated Nishane Nanshe) Quality: 9.0 (It has a higher quality than expected, considering the average price of the perfume. The ingredients seem quite natural. Only the Sillage turned out to be lower than expected) Presentation: 7.0 (A bit spartan but functional, even almost appealing) Price: 8.5 (average price of £32.00 for the 100ml bottle) ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ Average: 8.18/10.0 between 8 and 9 => recommended; My opinion: There are many perfumes that please many people, but there are few that please almost everyone. This is an excellent amber "dumb reach" and a good candidate for a blind purchase. It is less expensive than some very similar perfumes. Music: Pink Floyd - "Comfortably Numb

This is a strange one. In some sense it's just Styrax (the resin from Liquidambar) but it's an embellished, brightened and sweetened example making it richer and more intricate to beat the powdery thickness yet never straying far at all from the scent of crushed Liquidambar leaves as the colours take over. It's sweet yet mournful, warm yet somehow distant and comforting but full of loss.... which I know sounds somewhat negative but in these last days of Autumn as the final leaves fall and winter's rich and spiced embrace takes over it fits an olfactory gap that I've found hard to fill. While different from my expectations a happy blind buy. Not as impressive overall as their other powerhouse of Meharées which is a completely different beast, but a worthy addition if you want something sweet/sad without the cold austerity of some of the more typical entries. Prada LR Black and L'Homme OG also have their place in this vein but are in turn more funereal and smart formal by comparison, when the more straight up wintery ambers or spicy scents are exuberant instead. Summer is gone, the colour is fading - the lights await. Get out the warm coat and remember.

Opens with creamy patchuli and flowers. Then 20 minutes its opens and the butiful Geranium with the smokey amber and vanilla Every thing blends masterfully The quality is superb. the woods here i can detect a little cinamon here ...to me the amber note is like in armaf nich oud and ambre sultan by serge lutens and in my case this is a master blend and very butifull scent Not synthetic for a second ..amzing scent Not to powdery it has that burning candle effect that gives a bit waxi fill very little this to me is a master piece ..for amber lovers...and it is unisex . 10 hours and more..project 3 hours nice trail for few more hours. The skin scent is not weak . Enjoy. Enjoy

I believe that you become a next-stage perfume lover and real (still amateur) connoisseur when you start appreciating also those 'not designer-not niche frangrances' that you would never considered in your collection. This is the case with L'Erbolario, Italian maison based in Lodi, with attention to environment and natural products (7 metals tested to minimise allergic skin rash), only sold in natural organic stores. Some of their (many) perfumes are hidden and inexpensive gems, like Ambraliquida, sweet, spicy, powdery, comforting like a blanket in front of the fireplace. Good performance. Unmissable for amber and oriental lovers. 4.5/5

At first spray it's very strong and musky for my taste. Then it soften in a powdery, old fashoned - with a glamourous restyling! -, musky vanilla incense very feminine. The first two times I tried it I didn't liked it, then in the right mood I appreciated it. It is still a little too much sweet for me but it's a really nice frag and has had a lot of success here in Italy, because of its complexity at a little price, its exotic glamour and feminity. It's a really good scent, I've to admit it, even if i'm not sure I'd buy it for myself. Projection is "wow!" And the sillage too, very distinctive and long lasting.