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.

This perfume is so dear to me. I’ve now worn it year-round, and though autumn provides it’s most natural fit, even on a hot summer day I don’t find the balsamic dry-down to be cloying or oppressive. I think it’s because it both lacks additive sweetness beyond the richness of the resins (total labdanum lovefest) and, to my nose, has a sort of orange rind acidic pick-me-up. Evokes sunlight dappling oak wood furniture and uncut garnet. A comforting scent I’d gladly live inside of.

This is really good. One of the best amber fragrances that I've smelled. Other Amber fragrances are boring, flat, this is not. It keeps you intrigued. Other ambers really turn powdery on my skin, this is not. It starts with resins and little smokey note, with soft touch of bitterness. In the drydown, you have more spices and Labdanum. Projection is very good for the first two hours. Two sprays is all I need Solid 9/10 for me.

Best incense-amber I've tried to date. It truly smells like exquisite incense, over a foundation of complex, resinous amber with a slight medicinal edge to balance the sweetness. I'm a die-hard amber lover and I have been looking for a perfume like this for a while. They all fall short of my expectations. This one is truly special. I can honestly say that this is a perfect amber.

Incredible. This is so different from other ambers, which as a rule I do NOT like as it's usually too sweet and cloying. Opens with a beautiful hit of labdanum, benzoin and incense then a beautiful wood note and the perfect touch of patchouli. Smoky and resinous and just freaking gorgeous. I agree with Vie Cafe, this is amber from the dark side.

Patchouli and labdanum open the door to this refined amber scent. They are quickly joined by a warmed, not smokey frankincense and sweet benzoin. Woody vanilla completes the composition for a semi-complex amber. No intense smoke at all in my opinion nor is it overwhelming in any sense of the word. Just really good juice. A+++

This is very, very beautiful. Probably one of the only ambers I've fully gotten into. It has both a light floral smell and a deeply resinous one. Quite complex actually, and there's even a bit of patchouli! Incense smoke, vanilla... amber... what's not to love?

As someone very new to perfumes, this is my current fave. Not a fan of the medicinal opening, but it quickly drys down into a gorgeous, linear, warm, comforting amber. Very little sweetness. Very wearable and affordable. I like to wear this to bed.

a bit resinous, boozy and sweet, reminiscent of the Grand Soir by MFK on my skins, this type of scent usually gives me a headache if overspray. I'm not a huge fan of having amber in the forefront but this is a good amber fragrance nonetheless.

Bravo! A perfectly executed amber, honestly. It nails the balance between sweet and resinous with a hint of smoke. A always, the quality is absolutely top notch. Lasting power is brilliant.

Resinous AF!! I love this fragrance. This is very high quality and projects off my skin kinda boozy. Potently resinous/woody! Olympic Orchids puts out top notch fragrances. CHECK THEM OUT

Amber is my favorite and this one is VERY good. It strikes a perfect balance between spicy and sweet and the labdanum is just right. Resinous with good sillage and longevity.

The woods fill your lungs with every swing. You hack furiously, searching. Minutes turn into hours as you fell tree after tree - you are covered in the chips of your victims and drenched in their viscous life essence. You are a madman hellbent on finding your prize. You heard fabulous tales of the mystical fairies that reside in the trunks of the trees in this forest, and of the countless riches and blessings bestowed upon the lucky fools who stumbled upon greatness. You need to find this fairy no matter what. Sparks fly from your glancing axes in their flurry of greys and burning embers - the smoke soaks into your wooded flesh. Dozens of these giant, majestic beings lay around your exhausted mass of steaming muscle - the ground rises to meet your face, unexpectedly. You dream of your precious fairy - she teases your inability to find her. You chase her endlessly, following the golden tendrils she leaves behind - as you pass through their wake, it leaves a gentle vanilla and warm amber that laces into the crevices of your wooden flesh. You awake in a startle, your skin aglow - your fairy must have found you in your slumber...maybe luck will find you as well. Day 71 - Worth it Listening to: Massive Attack - Angel Notes: A seven note wonder! It is stated to be the amber base used by the company to infuse into other fumes...and it really does stand beautifully on its own. This is also one of very few ingredient lists that actually encompass what is in the fume - I know I appreciate the straightforwardness! The opening is a massive blast of fresh cut cedar and delicious sap! I can hardly believe how realistic is is - it makes me want to go chop wood! This phase lasts a good example or 4 hours on my skin before easing into a slightly smoky wood and patchouli mixed with a soft vanilla. It just remains here for several more hours until sweet nothings float up from your skin - it's just a soft and resinous vanilla! Aptly worn by any sex and would work as a way to spruce up any shallow vanilla or woody fume - designer meets niche! Simple yet beautiful!

176) Transcendence of labdanum Un ambre complexe (c'est rare) de très belle facture. Il s'ouvre religieusement, fumé par l'encens d'une église baroque, puis évolue vers des aspects plus résineux en coeur. C'est la partie la plus réussie, ce n'est plus tout à fait l'ambre dans le sens de la parfumerie (mélange de ciste-labdanum + vanilline) mais l'ambre tel qui pourrait suinter d'une coupure dans l'écorce d'un arbre. Si le mélange est harmonieux sur votre peau vous pourrez sentir des notes fleuries et boisées qui le rende presque frais et printanier. J'y détecte un labdanum aromatique particulièrement réussi qu'Ellen Covey à utilisé aussi dans toutes ses créations de Devil Scent Project. Elle l'utilise peut êre comme une signature et tant mieux pour elle c'est vraiment unique. Il a une très belle longévité. Pour moi il n'est pas assez comparable à l'ambre 114 d'HdP comme signalé, il est même meilleur. Original, complexe, j'Adore! A complex amber (which is rare) beautifully crafted. It opens religiously smoked by a baroque church incense, then progresses to more resinous aspects in heart. It is the most successful part is not quite amber in the sense of perfumery (a mixture of cistus-labdanum + vanillin) but amber as that could ooze from a cut in the bark of a tree. If the mixture is balanced on your skin you can smell floral and woody notes that make it almost fresh and spring. I detect an aromatic labdanum particularly successful that Ellen Covey used also in all his Devil Scent Project creations. She uses it may be as a signature and all the better for her It is truly unique. nice longevity. For me it is not quite comparable to the amber 114 HdP as reported, it is even better. Original, complex, J'Adore!

I think I would classify this as an ambered incense as the incense resins are the most prominent to my nose into the drydown, along with some woods. The opening is quite jarring: a blast of medicinal incense resins which smells like a combo of camphorous Tiger Balm and a bit of rootbeer-ish salicylates. That settles in about 10 minutes and then it is mostly incense and woods with a hush of benzoin and labdanum. It faded fairly quickly on my skin and was barely detectable after 2 hours. I don't find it sweet or syrupy like some others do. I do like incense and ambers and it would make a nice cooler weather scent but I have other favorites in those categories so probably just enjoy my sample for now.

Not your everyday amber! The labdanum is more prominent than in other ambers I have tried as is the vanilla. Olympic Amber is listed as a fragrance for men or women. On my skin it has a more feminine character, but I can imagine this as a masculine scent as well. I would wear this fragrance in Fall and Winter or apply it sparingly very early in the morning any time of the year. Olympic Orchid Fragrances last a long time for me, often 12 hours or more. I don't mind this because the scents, while certainly detectable by others, remain personal, pleasing to others but not overpowering.

As you all may already know, Olympic Amber is "originally formulated as a base for other perfumes". So let's suppose this fragrance is a solo bass performance. Not only an amazing one, but hell of an exhilarating solo performance by Victor Wooten! I'm not really into amber perfumes. The fact is most warm and sweet scents are somehow cloying to me. But I almost love it in the cold weather. Balsams, vanilla, woody and smoky notes are all in the right place, and the labdanum holds the key to my heart. Amber fans! Do not miss this one.

Hmm. I bought this hoping for amber + incense. Amber is my all time favorite note. But I'm getting absolutely zero from this one. : This might as well be Avignon on me, it is straight up incense. Don't get me wrong, I like incense but I already own Avignon so I don't really need another smoker, I was hoping for creamy/sweet/salty amber with incense to keep it from being just another Hermes L'Ambre Des Merveilles. I might try layering this with the previously mentioned L'Ambre and see if that creates the scent I'm after.

An earthy amber that is also brightened with light incense smoke and woods. Different than your typical amber like Ambre Sultan or Absolute I'd say this gives a feeling kind of like being in a spa sauna more than the herbal amber type you get from the others. Could be a touch more powerful but it's a nice one, I'll probably upgrade to a small bottle of this.

this starts off very woody and smoky. the resins and labdanum are noticeable, with hints of vanilla and benzoin. i do not get patchouli. this is dry and smoky and a bit churchy. it's primarily incense and resins, very thick, warm and meditative. i like this one a lot!

Here to agree with others, a nice radiant amber; a bit smokey, warm, cozy with a little vanilla. I really like it. I’ve had the opportunity to wear it several times and the performance is above average. That’s all I can add to the wonderfully positive reviews below.

10/10 absolutely beautiful. Cozy and balanced. I’ve been wearing this to bed the past week since it is so relaxing. Seamlessly layers with other scents as well. Full bottle worthy and I will be ordering one for myself.

This opens with a medicinal smell, which subsides in 10 minutes. After that it mostly smells like a slightly more feminine, warmer version of Avignon. It's not what I was looking for, but it's beautiful and well-made.

Ok I really enjoy this - definitely medicinal in the opening but drydown is amazing and reminds me of amber absolute (all time fav ugh)

This is a deep and warm delicious amber scent with a floral and light gourmand touch.

22nd This scent is straight forward but deceiving. It smells like urine with fresh cut wet wood when sprayed into the air and the inside of the cap. I gagged the first time I smelled it. However, it smells much better on clothing; it's vanilla-ish-wood, like you would expect straightforward amber resin perfume to smell (not urine with wet wood)...6/10

Very disappointing. There is no discernible scent of amber anywhere in this fragrance. It's all woods and not a pleasant scent of woods either but rather like being trapped in a very small darkened closet that was lined by some reeking wood that wasn't even cedar. I thought maybe I'd gotten a bad bottle. Then I looked again at the notes. Indeed, they don't even list amber. Grrrrrr. You'd think if they bothered to name it amber.... No interplay of notes, no wafting of incense, no patchouli and vanilla; just being clubbed over the head with I dunno what kind of wood for 6+ hours. I've worn other Olympic Orchids scents and know none of them are shrinking violets, but this one is ridiculous.

I am extra-sensitive to certain cistus (labdanum) products, and this fragrance is full of the kind that makes my nose burn. It smells sharply medicinal, in constant tension with an overbearing warm sweet benzoin.

Considering what a common note amber is modern perfumery- i understand if some people approach buying an amber from a house like this hoping for a bit of a twist- but i am not one of those people. I always hope a house doing a straightforward amber release does just that- because no amber is the exact same, but in my mind all straightforward ambers should be good. it should be a bit of an easy win that shows off a houses capability to play with base musks and textures, it should be a bit of a flex of their mastery to create something with a universal appeal, and whatever personal trademark spin they want to add on top of that if they feel the need to do so. Theres no agreed upon idea of an amber but i do think the overall vibe and texture is more important than the actual recurring amber notes personally- it should be mass appealing, warm and soft and inviting, a little sweet- it should have a “simplicity as more genius than complexity” factor to it. Olympic amber i feel like unfortunately focuses on the notes of amber but doesnt really achieve any of these other effects, doesnt feel universally inviting or soft and human. Upon first spray it actually smells realistically like when youre mixing all of the liquid parts of a cookie batter together- it reminds me of the smell of mixing melted butter and vanilla extract and sugar together- but in a much more realistic way than you might imagine and not a gourmand or overly sweet mass appealing way. Its kind of strange but kind of pleasant at the same time- and over time starts to form more of a “green” note to me somehow. The actual amber accord i detect alongside that just isnt to my personal tastes, you’ll have to smell it yourself to decide, but i also dont feel like it complements this other melted cooking liquids accord i mentioned that well. On skin this starts to take an overly incensey turn which i also dont love in general, but especially for a fragrance thats meant to be amber centric. This is well made, with great materials used as everything from this house ive tried is. But i still dont love this, though hopefully others out there do. To be clear im not critiquing this because it took creative liberties with the idea of an amber- most ambers since the popularity of the great ambre sultan have done that. But i feel like- out of any sort of context of judging this as an amber this still does feel very flat in the base to me- and just feels kind of strange- there is some sort of soft and almost citrus-y warmth there, and on paper it does develop to come off in a buttery aromatic way that i do find beautiful- but its just not a homerun base musk and doesnt complement the more oriental amber note and makes the rest of the scent feel fine because the other elements dont carry it for me either. The on skin direction this goes is overly head shop-y for me as well which felt like a theme with a few of the samples i tried from this house unfortunately. Still i dont mean to deter anyone, they are definitely worth checking out and supporting

Wow, such a beauty. When I first tried this on my skin it started out a bit sharp and medicinal, but with further tries I see that you need to wait about 15 minutes for this beauty to begin to reveal itself. The woodsy notes (which smell very cedar and Olympic forest to me) blend with the other notes to create an entrancing and enchanting smoky resin with just a bit of vanilla to make the final drydown soft incensy smokiness. With each passing hour, Olyympic Amber becomes more beautiful. It seems to belong in the spell of a sorceress, a very beautiful one, who uses this scent in some ancient religious or celebratory rite. I can see this as the scent of the lovely dragon queen Daenerys in Game of Thrones. This scent seems appropriate for the Dothraki rituals that always seemed to feature incense and smoke and for dealing with fiery and smoky dragons.

I just bought a travel spray of this and I think I might like the FB.. Maybe I don’t know what amber is supposed to smell like but this is how I imagine it. The strongest note is pure e.o. of frankincence, in my opinion, or the smell frankincence resin has when it first hits the charcoal and is emitting white, sweet, fragrant smoke, not the smell it gets when it turns black and makes a sour, burnt smell.. Then there is plenty of warmth from vanilla I believe.. love it! Very impressive longevity and sillage as well! My only critique is just how realistic the smell of frankincence is. This is its beauty and its flaw also- in the realm of perfumery where it’s all about compositions, à la Chanel #5.

كما تفضل سابقا اخي وصديقي العزيز شريف عبدالمنعم في تدوينة سابقة بعنوان "شقي العنبر" وكيف لجأ العطرجية الى استخدام اكوردات من اللابدانوم والراتنجات كالبنزوين لتخليق نوتة العمبر الغالية الثمن ، في الحقيقة لقد استفدت من هذا المقال الجميل اللابدانوم والبنزوين الراتنجي واللبان العطري والقليل من الفانيليا والباتشولي ، الإفتتاحية رائحة بخور اللبان مايلبث ان يتحول الى عطر عمبري سويتي دافيء ، عطر جميل المكونات ويشبه في بعض مراحله هواء الصحراء المغربية ، مع انه من اجمل عطور هذه المجموعة لكن لارى اي داعي لاقتناؤه لوجود عطور كثيرة في هذا المضمار ولن يضيف لك اقتناءوه اي جديد ، الرائحة شبه مألوفة ، افضل عطورهم من ناحية الثبات والفوحان متوسط.

An Ambery Eiderdown expertly toasted evoking nostalgia of One Thousand and One Nights. A golden sundance of florals capitulates in the wake of buttery vanilla which stimulates the senses in a manner only foody notes can do. Shaved wood chips drizzled onto a candied base of patchouli adds a comfort level that's not only pleasing but intimate. Heaven isn't hard to find, just go straight and make a left....and there it is, Olympic Amber.

This perfume reminds me of Revlon Fire & Ice. It is warm and bold, and was originally designed as a base for other perfumes of OLYMPIC ORCHIDS. What I like is a certain thickness and lasting power, like perfumes should be made. Little wafts of honey and continuous elegant vanilla make it a wearable perfume, best suited for the Fall and Winter season. It feels like a niche scent with a statement.

Wonderful, grounding amber. On me, well balanced, comforting, fuzzy smooth like a Cashmere sweater. Starts with a sweet-tart incense and balsam, then a deep, deep honey with pepper notes. The phenolic patchouli and faint, salty vanilla bring the lasting end. Deeply comforting. This is a perfume for a windy day walk under a half-sunny, half-clouded sky, lakeside.

Harsh opening. Dry down is churchy olive brine and recently sanded resinous wood warming in the sun. No sweetness, which I appreciate. I want to spray this on my jacket for a cold hike in a forest.

Lovely Amber. Strong herbal and almost animalic opening in the best possible way. Dries down to a wonderfully balanced amber with just the right level of spice and sweetness. Very very good

My first impression is that there's a mushroomy vibe that immediately reminds me of Profumum Roma's Thundra. I'll have to give it a proper wear to fill out this review later.

Why does it call amber - I don't know. I can not smell amber in it. Nothing sweet, just an unpleasant pine incense smell. Scrubbed it off.

More medicinal than sweet but still very syrupy. Spicy, thick resins layered on rich woods. Lasts well, good for cooler months.

Smoky amber... Nice but not for me. Too much like a lot of others scents out there.