Amandes Orientales

This is something completly different then I expected. This is as grown up as an vanilla could be I think. It starts with notes of marsipan and I first belived it was going to be too sweet, but that phase only lasted a few minutes, then the vanilla joins in, and the dusty, smoky notes. You can ́t really imagine a vanilla being that smoky... it ́s like a kind of dark roasted adult vanilla version, if such a thing could excist. This sure lingers around, it a dry, non-foody vanilla-almond. How can a vanilla-almondy perfume be non-gourmand? I don ́t know, it ́s so strange, but comfy... I love it almost as much as Red Aoud from the same company, but watch out Amandes Orientales could be kind of hard to wear. Why ́s that? Oh, it ́s so dirty. Behind the most innocent of notes as vanilla and almond, hidden in the smoky curls there are something deep, mysterious, animalic, erotic hiding. And yes, it ́s THAT kind of dirty... you know like BO, sweat, hot bodies, the bed after... and well, one of the skankiest perfumes I ever smelled and appreciate at the same time. I don ́t want to tell anybody what happens if I wear Amandes orientales at the same time as mu husband wears Black Aoud... some of you maybe can guess? ;) Loooonglasting and gorgeus, soft, musky drydown. I do recommend you to try it, but I don ́t think it is for everyone.

This is exceptional! The bourbon vanilla is enormous, by far the booziest vanilla I have ever encountered. The top notes smell rubbery, perhaps there is some oud here, even if it is not listed. There are more notes than Montale reveals (I even went to their website hoping for the secret recipe, but there was nothing). I detect tobacco and some itty-bitty amount of some kind of citrus (kumquat? Tangerine?) as well as almonds. What's uncanny is that as the perfume wears, I go about my day and then occasionally catch these whiffs of toasted almonds; yet if I put my nose to my arm I do not smell them at all. This is like a superfine version of L de Lolita. Instead of vanilla, cinnamon, and orange the notes are replaced with more exotic ones like bourbon vanilla, kumquat, tobacco, toasted slivered almonds, and oud. This is indeed an oriental almond! And I love it!

This is very weird but on me, its lily. My boyfriend feels lily too. On paper it is more almondy, but not in the obvious way. Its not like marzipan or toasted almonds. I can agree with previpud reviews it has almost something medicinal, but as I said- thats on paper. I really have mixed feelings about this. Its not what I expected at all, I like it but on paper I dont like it.

Sherapop does it again! Amandes is one of a kind. The only Montale I'd trade my soul for! I can see why it's disliked or simply adored. Stands alone like a monolith amongst other almond vanilla fragrances. It's marzipan creaminess with a crust that bristles. A small squirt in the summer, and plenty when days turn chilly and smoky. Honestly, 10/10 from me.

Sherapop has captured the essence of Amandes Orientales. I really don't care if other people around me are thrown into kdisarray by its uniqueness. Its enough that I'm curled up in a milky cocoon and the world echoing far away.

IT reminds me of mashed chestnut with whipped cream. So comforting, so delicous! IT is smokey,like rosted almond, and not too sweet, but beautful Christmas Time perfume! I love it!!!!

my recent purchase from montale Amandes Orientales i ve own several montales so far and to be honest this is the least of my favorite i blind bought this one i dont love it just a like for me it is still good but i was expecting more and it fell short. At first spray the thing that came to my mind is that band aid note or something that be can be related to a medicine to cleansed of wounds or something i know this cause i am in the medical field then the scent settles down to a roasted smoky almonds and vanilla this is pleasing as the scent settles down it becomes more sweeter. Its preety linear from heart to base just dont like the initial spray not a good first impression then scent settles down to a good smoky sweet scent then it puts a smile on your face you will realized mmmmmmm its not bad after all. My advice is to try this one first before purchase cause iam definitely sure some people might like it some people will not. This is definitely unisex and in my opinion for winter or cold days warm nights. My overall feel is an okay release from montale nothing outstanding nothing bad it still unique. I think this is the kind of scent that grows on you as time goes by. longevity 10-12 hours hours preety solid not bad 10/10 when i showered the stranger scent still there but skin scent but noticable so it means that is potent. sillage moderate to heavy more on the heavy side 9/10 it does project and people will notice you with one spray i can smell it. uniqueness scent is unique and original but not uniquely mind blowing 8/10 overall smell ill give it an 8/10 not to hyped about it it is still good though if compared to designer frags but montale is niche i was expecting more for the price right, but the scent is very natural smelling and thats a good thing. price vs quality 9/10 compared to other montale releases ill give this one a point down it is still a good quality fragrance RECOMMENDED TRY IT FIRST BEFORE BUYING AS ITS FIRST TRY MIGHT SET YOU OFF YOU NEED TO USE THIS FRAGRANCE FOR SOMETIME TO FULLY APPRECIATE IT. versatility cold weather day or night can be worn on warm nights as well imo. UPDATE this last long more than twelve hours which is typical of monatle as the scent settles down it became as i describe it dark smoky sweet hint of almond more prominant vanilla smell which is preety good as stated this is a fragrance that grows on and for me it certainly is.

I'm bit biased with Amandes Orientales. The first notes are not particularly pleasing, I get only very strong bitter almond and eye wetting fumes of alcohol. But this phase does not last long. The middle phase is short lived, too, the almond is still very dominant but I would bet that there are some white flowers mixed to it (jasmine... ...no something else, will get back to that when I recognize it) and the smoky, animalic background gives the first signs of its presence. I have to say that I love the long lasting drydown skin scent of this, on me I get a hint of burnt sugar, traces of almond, very smoky vanilla, leather, perhaps a hint of the sweet aroma of pipe tobacco, some wood (sandalwood, I would guess). Very sexy and well balanced between sweetness, smokiness and something bit more animalic! On the other hand the sillage is not that good... ...like all the not too pleasant aromas of bitter almond were surrounding me, accompanied by some very blunt wood notes. Fortunately this dimension is not strong. If I could just keep my nose close the skin this would be perfect! But I will continue testing, there is still something very unusual and exciting in this.

When I first tried this perfume, I wasn’t sure I liked it. The initial scent was so unusual that I couldn’t quite put my finger on what it was. However, the more I used it, the more I began to appreciate its unique character. This fragrance makes me feel grounded and strong—it's very much rooted in the "real world," not something dreamy or whimsical. I asked people around me for their thoughts, and the feedback was mixed. While they didn’t love the scent, they found it intriguing. They described it as making me come across as confident, almost aggressive, and a bit of a "bad guy." It’s not everyone’s favorite, but there’s something about it that draws people in, even if they’re not completely sure why. Unfortunately, it seems this fragrance is no longer in production, so I may never see it on shelves again. It’s a shame because it’s one of the most interesting scents I’ve ever encountered. Scent Notes: 1) Old wood and leather furniture 2) Underground storage and car garage 3) Smoky, tobacco ash 4) Burnt plastic

Not all almond perfumes smell like Dior HYPNOTIC POISON, and Montale AMANDES ORIENTALES is a case in point. Bitter almonds and musk are really the keys to this utterly addictive perfume. It opens like an unsweetened loukhoum--as oxymoronic as that may sound--with the same alkaline powder quality but instead of sugar there is an almost greenish aura surrounding the almonds. In some ways, it's like the outer dark coating of roasted almonds--not the inside yellowish fatty part, but the edges of the almonds, as though they have been peeled and only the shavings appear here. The musk is very strong and seductive indeed, and eventually the composition dries down to become more sweet and less bitter, soft and smooth. It's like starting off an evening in a heated argument over some controversial political topic and then waking up the next morning in bed under soft down comforters.

sth Strange happened today. i was eating bitter almonds and tasted the flavor of Amandes Orientales in my mouth !!! first, i thought that i had decanted or sprayed this perfume ( thus had its leftover on my fingers) but no...then i realized that Amandes Orientales just aggressively features the true flavor of bitter almonds! amazing how true to life it is. add to this sweet vanilla and you've got it! it's definitely meant to be worn in cool or humid weather and applied on skin. otherwise, it may really smell kind of burnt plastic...

Opens with a light baby powder and almond smell. It is not particularly bitter nor is it sweet but falls somewhere within that talc backdrop. One of the better perfumes from this house. I quite like it and I'm enjoying it, but I don't think I would purchase a full bottle. There are other almonds that perform better. Silage is rather close and longevity is brief on my skin. This is a very office friendly, somewhat comforting and soothing pleasant scent.

I like this one, but not at all I would recommend a blind buy. I was told once that this smelled a little bit like pee. But also I was told that smelled like boozy chocolate candy. In my skin it lasts ages. Very vanilla-y.

this is very almondy-smokey and sweet vanilla fragrance. Sillage and longevity they are both great!

This should have been a no-brainer. In fact, I was surprised it had never made its way to my test list before now. Almonds and vanilla. What’s not to love? Well, sherapop tried to “warn” me in her review, but I didn’t understand. Now I do. This is not toasted, buttery, fatty, sweet, nutty almonds and syrupy vanilla. This is raw, green, bitter, unwashed almonds with low-grade vanilla extract. The scent was so sharp and medicinal, I thought I had received a mislabeled sample. It’s like the difference between an unripe, green banana (sets your teeth on edge) and a ripe, yellow banana. They are nothing alike. The acrid, metallic opening mellowed somewhat after an hour, but this fragrance remained intolerable.

The opening smells like when your VCR gets overheated and the plastic film of the VHS tape starts to melt. However, it becomes sweeter as it dries and morphs into something much better. This really alternates between bad and decent, I can’t make up my mind. One minute I do smell bitter, roasted almonds, vanilla bean, oud... then it smells like burning rubber. The weird, smoky aspect completely disappears after a couple of hours, but it’s hard to tolerate the wait. Not a safe blind buy, even if you’re wild about almond scents like I am.

This is not an almond neither a vanilla perfume. I was expecting Dior Hypnotic Poison minus the Jasmin, instead I got a very hard to describe peculiar scent. I can totally understand the cat pee comments below, but it is not quite as off putting. I enjoy smelling it but not on me or anyone else! It is not a perfume scent!

Fragrantica is missing some notes here. The main note of this scent is hobo urine, mixed with new electronics smell. You know, that bad breath-esque, semi-burning smell when you unbox a new TV? The almond is there too, but the vanilla can't compete with the hobo piss. Glad I only bought a tester.

This is a cat pee that just doesn't go away. The urine smell is so strong I can't smell anything else beside it. Montale puts something into his fragrances that just doesn't suit my skin. No Montale fits me.

To me this one is not sweet in that way I thought it to be. On my skin almost skinclose and a bit dark Vanilla/almond-mix. Unisex. This is not what I'm looking for, so I pass.

Unfortunately a big no for me. Develops into a strong insect killer smell within minutes. Couldn’t scrub it off fast enough.

No almonds, but gouache smell.

Att first a little smell of cat pee and then lilies, nothing but lilies. Can't stand the smell of lilies, hate it. Where is the almond and vanilla smell..... Update I havet tested it more and I must admit that I kind of like it. I still don't like the smell of lilies but now I can't smell it so much so yes I will keep it for now... Update again No no no...I can't stand the smell of lilies, it's to much...

This is interesting and those almonds are...yeah...like many Montales...they are "different". The opening is a bit unexpected with a strange, somehow "organic sweetish note" playing a dominant role for a few minutes. Some reviewers on Luckyscent.com say that they smell "Formaldehyde", rubber or plastic. To me it's more of a body-type odor, almost urine-like and I am puzzled here as it's not completely repulsive... Anyway, this curious substance is rather quickly gone and next comes a pleasant, warm milkiness, followed by lightly smoky vanilla/woodsy notes. It does evolve (somewhat)and gradually becomes sweeter and darker. I do enjoy wearing it as it seems to continually change lightly on my skin and that is quite exciting for a fragrance that should be straightforward, however, I have tested some too extraordinary almond fragrances lately to be willing to pay for this one (I adore the almonds in fragrances by Sinfonia di Note, Profumum, Keiko Mecheri or Mazzolari). Still - as I said I do find Amandes Orientales interesting and if I was given a bottle, I would happily wear it. I have to correct this: after a few hours Amandes Orientales has become sweeter and darker yet and it is now like a warm, smoky wood, sexy, yet soothing and quite fascinating. I think I might very well consider paying for a bottle. :-)

Thank you Dittnergirl for the sample! Wow, this scent is NOT what I expected. It is VERY medicinal! If you are an almond lover, please make sure to sample this before you buy a bottle. Just like Xerjoff Lira, I get this medicinal, bandaid/antibacterial spray/Carmex smell with a slight sweetness, but I don't actually get what the notes say. Almond? Well, maybe.... maybe a bitter, green almond (like Dittnergirl mentioned), but it's a stretch, and not the type of almond I am accustomed to. The sweetness of the scent might actually be saving it from being totally bizarre on my skin, and there is a slight Dior Addict vibe radiating from my arm which I do like. It does get much better as time goes on and the vanilla and almond soften and sweeten, but I think the top notes are slightly off putting. I don't know... I don't hate it, but I don't think it's an easy scent to pull off, and I can imagine it would be hard to find an occasion where the scent would seem appropriate. To me it's more of an avant garde exploration that might be appreciated by a select few. Perhaps layering this scent would improve its wearability. For now I'll just say that it's intriguing, has good sillage and longevity, and might be interesting to some.

I was doing review of another almond scent, then remembered I had this one as well, so decided to compare a bunch together and do a review. I'm a bit surprised by the negative reviews here, but I suspect that is based on the fact that there is not enough info on the notes, and people may be expecting something entirely different. I would suggest CSP Eclats d'Amande, which is almond, cinnamon and light wood without any floral, if that is the case. Montale is one of those lines where you kind of have to like their particular oud note, since it seems to pervade most of their line. Yes, there is that quality of "cat pee" in their oud, though it's more apparent in other Montale scents I own, so I would not suggest buying this blind. It's not unpleasant on my skin, and it dries down to a nice, smoky (as in tolerable smoky) almond vanilla close-to-skin scent with that hint of oud, and it's not candy or pastry sweet. It's certainly a more complex almond scent, and it's not in-your-face potent or "playdoh-y" (not really, but that's what people say) like Hypnotic Poison, which I do happen to like, but don't wear as often because that one is such a conspicuous scent.

burst of alcohol and burning plastic...then smokey, roasted almonds...roasting almonds with a tiny hint of vanilla...milky almonds and vanilla. The smokey (oud?) smell remains for a couple of hours but dies down after about an hour so the final dry down is almonds with the sweetness (milky almonds and vanilla) staying in the background. I think i can smell a balsam at some point too. It lasts maybe 4 hours on me but it is so close to the skin at this point and smells more like a body cream. Something about it reminds me of Replica's By the Fireplace. That smokey, with the hint of sweetness in the background (which took me a while to get used to and enjoy). I much prefer By the fireplace though. I don't like the smokey beginning and I think this one could benefit from a little layering to get the best out of it but i don't hate it. I will see how i feel in the colder months. It is a weird one and may take some getting used to. I will keep trying.

Smoky almonds, natural, gourmand, but not too sweet or intensive, very intimate and friendly. It's not just a scent, it's like a cozy moment you share with your friends, like pleasant memories... At the very beginning almonds have their sweet a bit sharp quality, but very quickly they become milky calm, roasted, gourmand, but not sweet. The smoky note pleases me most of all. Smoke outside the house, but near it. The scent is not very radiant, but long lasting, after 5-6 hours you can't find almonds in it anymore, but very light vanilla.

I was so sad that I didn’t love this. It may be the way that almond is done here, but once on my skin, it smells sickly sweet, and not in the nice marzipan way. I was reminded of these dark green shrubs that bloom with tiny white flowers... People all over Vancouver use them as short hedges, and to me they smell like concentrated urine. Once it matured, it smelled like a freighter full of funeral lilies, and after an hour it smelled very similar to l’occitane almond shower oil. I think I was hoping for something far more gourmand.

Being warned that Amandes Orientales might not be what i expect i decided to get a sample. So glad i did. Initial blast on my skin is iodine, ugly thick medicinal smell. There's sweet vanilla underneath but it can't get through. Knowing Montale for being linear this scent doesn't change on me at all except that iodine smell is changed into urine. Extraordinary strange perfume. I really envy those who can make it work on skin. I can't accept smelling like that.

Looks like it is going to be too sweet, but it's not. Or maybe it is kind of sweet I can handle. I am so happy that on my skin, vanilla doesn't dominate, all I get is parzipan and very nutty almond. Which I love. Generally, I think I wouldn't like this kind of scent, but we have wonderful connection: it dominates me although it is not strong. I feel cozy, grounded and loved while wearing it. It makes me happy.

So, this is pretty weak compared to most of the other Montale's I've tried, however, it is not weak compared to most perfumes in general. I'd say it lasts 5-6 hours with moderate to light projection. It's in the same "genre" with Prada Infusion d'Amande (which someone else already mentioned) it's powdery and slightly warm and cozy. Really pretty, feminine, and demure type of fragrance.

Blood and overheating car parts. A fleeting whiff of sweet, strong almond before going back to the burning rubber and hot metal. Uniquely evil. It must be really hard to do almond scents because I've only ever smelled one that didn't have that bloody, metallic, hot plastic taint - Prada Infusion d'Amande - soft sweet and sad.

People keep mentioning the band aid smell well their is only offender when this is smell is present and that's oud and would not be surprised to find it was added but not listed in the notes we all know when you think Montale you always think oud so in my oponion so I think agarwood is the culprit hope that help x

Very plastic like smelling, bitter and very synthetic almond note in this. Not very loud either and doesn't perform very well. Overall, it can be extremely cloying during hotter days, this is a Montale that one could comfortably overlook no uniqueness or oomph factor in this for sure. 5/10

Can't speak for this one but I noticed many reviewers are unhappy with how almond was done here. If you feel like trying a well-blended almond based perfume, then l'homme ideal by Guerlain is the one I suggest, it's almond, leather, tonka and some fine woody notes.

I've longed for many montale frags, ESP this one. I've owned some. But does anyone else find the bottle designs too sporty like, or something? I just find them unattractive for the juice inside. I dunno. Meh. They look like bottles of vodka.

Where is the almond? Where is the vanilla? I get this medicinal rubbery smell, as if there's a lot of a oud in this fragrance. Why Montale, why?? I wanted an almond vanilla, no aoud needed! I guess my search continues *tear*

Sounds interesting. I am curious about this one. I have tried two Montale perfume already, and I really liked them. It's pure essence.

I have it, and REALLY dont like it.....not sweet enough for me, so its up for swaps with anyone whos interested xx

I have this 100ml and really do not like it, so if anyone wants it, please send me a msg as need to get rid asap!

The reviews about this are cracking me up. Hobo urine? Gee I think I’ll pass on this one.

Gross chloraseptic smell. Medicinal and 1000% synthetic. HARD PASS!

Smells like plastic. Like when ur ps3 gets too hot