Olympic Amber

This is my first try of Ellen's creations, and I'm pretty excited! After working with essential oils for years, I'm blown away by how close to real labdanum, frankincense and vanilla absolute this is. I suspect there is a fair amount of natural constituents within this. It performs better than what I achieve at home with just EOs, so it's not something I feel like I could "just DIY". I could probably get something similar, but it would be less balanced and wouldn't linger on clothing like Olympic Amber. I agree with OntheMark below me, in that it's masculine leaning (and also concur emphatically that anyone should wear anything)...although it's almost moreso in the drydown. The patchouli that remains with the labdanum and benzoin is very plant-y and doesn't QUIT. As a fan of all 3 notes, I'm happy with the (dare I say it) balls this has! The opening and even middle stages of this is nearly beyond gender at all...and actually quite spiritual if I can even claim such a bold impression. The frankincense (I think?...maybe opoponax?) is fresh and nearly citrusy. There's a cleanness for half an hour or so...as if you need a cleansing aroma before the lingering warmth and cuddle. Altogether it sings as a deeply comforting tone, but it still has a rawness and unrefined quality about it. This is by no means a criticism, I'm impressed by it's uncut and slightly unblended quality. It's easy to pick up on the notes, and I was immediately struck by the distinct facets individually. The Pacific Northwest is rather this way in tone and nature (I'm a Washingtonian as well, residing on the Olympic Peninsula), and this is brilliantly congruent with the regional "Olympic" in it's title. I'm looking forward to this come late September, it decisively smells like it belongs at that specific time...maybe following the first autumn rain we recieve (but it does beautifully outside in the winter air as well). Sillage on this doesn't seem extreme, despite the longevity being formidable. I appreciate something with boundaries, that also has lasting power. This could withstand the washing machine, it almost makes me nervous. I'd personally wear this because I'm not very conventional, but I'd warn against investing in this if you want something easy for others to understand and enjoy...labdanum is just not for everyone, and I consider it a strangely wonderful, resinous, polarizing flower. It's *that* type of amber, not the almost syrupy ambers on the market lately.

Just got my hands on a small sprayer of this beauty along with my FB purchase of Woodcut. And dare I say, I'm now not quite sure which one I like better! They share some similarities, but with Woodcut being IMO the more polarizing one (due to its being just a pure wood scent). Olympic Amber has a lot going for it and seems to be much more versatile in both when and by whom it could be worn. Olympic Amber is a very thoughtful and faithful take on what I'd expect of the scent of amber in nature -- which is NOT to say the over-sweet, herbaceous, syrupy-cologney mess that defines most so-called ambers I've put my nose to in recent years. Instead, I get something more akin to semi-ossified tree resin as it sits in an old, thick forest, edged with a touch of campfire smoke and the subtlest cut lumber sweetness. OA feels very much in a familiar olfactory triangle, sharing accords with the likes of the aptly named Woodcut, the dry and herbal/woody Tuscon and slightly funky/earthy Olympic Rainforest, all by the brilliant Ellen Covey. This must be where all that magic begins, and as such would seem like a fantastic base for layering a vast range of other scents. And since it really doesn't shout, I expect it would play nice with others when layering. Can't wait to try that out. Putting this another way -- if you're familiar with Robert Piguet's Bois Noir -- this is 80-90% similar, but with a touch of warmth in the place of BN's desolate sadness. As much as I wanted to love Bois Noir, Olympic Amber just does it so much better. This is definitely on the masculine side, but wear what you like! I can easily imagine a confident woman rocking it, and enjoying it.

Olympic Amber has been on my wishlist for the longest time and I finally got my hands on a bottle and it is pretty much everything I thought it would be - One of the best Amber frags hands down. SL Ambre Sultan (Vintage) has been my reference amber for the longest time and I have gone through over 4 bottles of it over the years. Olympic Amber is it's dark counterpart, Darth Vader to it's Obi Wan, Saruman to Ambre Sultan's Gandalf, you get the idea. It is a very nice resinous labdanum, made a bit darker and maybe smokier with the incense and the benzoin, woods and patchouli giving it an earthy feel as well. I feel the vanilla adds a necessary bit of sweetness that balances it out beautifully. Good projection and fantastic longevity, easily 9-10 hours with 3 sprays. Ellen Covey is one really talented perfumer, and to think this was created as just a base for her other fragrances! The first time I wore it my sister commented that I smelled like I just came back from the temple, the incense, smoke, lamp oils, flowers, fruits, etc and it does have that vibe, the smell of a holy place. As far as Amber fragrances go, it is worthy of worship. 9/10. If you love amber frags, blind buy this.

I am a lover of amber. I adore it as a note in perfume and it's smells great on my skin. This is the best amber I have ever smelled. It's divinely stunning, raw, dirty and smoky. This amber is a free spirit, a wild child, an olfactory force not to be messed with. Olympic Amber is resinous, woody, sweet, spicy and full of incense, with the delicious amber dominating of course. This scent has spoiled me because I don't think I will love another amber fragrance as much as I love this. The whole composition is uplifting and makes me feel happily nostalgic and I don't know why. The strength of this is brilliant, so a light hand is needed, and I sprayed the smallest amount in my cleavage and I have enjoyed its beautiful fragrance wafting continuously up at me all morning. I NEED a FB of this ASAP! Even though I am broke from Christmas, I WILL have this little beauty in my collection before the summer. Love love love love love!! I am besotted, hooked, mesmerised by this fragrance's Wiley charms, one day my pretty, you will be all mine!!!!

Packs a punch right from the open. Starts very resiny and borderline medicinal with a chewy texture and feel. If some ambers are so soft they would slip right down like custard this is gritty and smoky and might get caught in your teeth. As it dries down spiciness enters the picture along with just enough creaminess to smooth out the rough edges, and it becomes wildly delicious and appealing. Maybe creamy custard can be relied upon as a comfort food but it’s not that memorable; however, add some unusual spices or other elements and now it’s something that catches your attention. So it is with this perfume. It might be, at least initially, a little more challenging than your average amber but the resins and the smokiness end up making it striking.It’s very warming and perfect for cold or overcast days. On my skin this lasted more than 12 hours with more than arms length projection, at least for the first couple hours.