Spanish Amber

Take the gentle, resinous and smoky dry down of a '80s/'90s spicy oriental fragrance 12 hours later and just make that the only aspect of a perfume, and leave it completely linear, with an intimate 'skin scent' projection. As someone who loves heavier and spicier fragrances but feels frustration at not being able to use them in warmer months or during casual days, this actually has a lot of utility to me. It's a more toned down "morning after" version of your classic resinous spicy amber. I actually love the frankincense "church" vibe and find myself attracted to a lot of perfumes with these notes, only for them to be not appropriate for all but the most dramatic occasions. Every note in here has its place and serves a purpose. I was ready to buy this cheapie until... I realized this is not remotely a cheapie anymore and it's going for $100-150 for a 30mL bottle on eBay now. Jeez, no thanks. It doesn't smell THAT expensive. I'll stick to Hermes or Serge Lutens for that price. What a bum out, I was so ready to make this part of my collection. If anyone has a bottle or solid perfume to sell at a more reasonable price, please PM me!

Spanish Amber is one of my favorite scents. I have some fragrances that I only wear when I'm in a certain mood but Spanish Amber is a great anytime scent for me. It is rather dry with the resin, sandalwood, and amber being the majority of the scent. I never got any of the citrus. Its also pretty linear. There's a bit of an opening but it settles pretty quickly into its dry woody/amber base notes and stays there. For me the scent is cozy rather than invigorating, comforting rather than sexy. The lack of floral notes probably makes it read masculine for most people but, really, its a smell it doesn't have a gender. I suppose it does have a bit of a hippie vibe to it, I don't think I would choose to wear it with really posh evening clothes. I have both the spray and the solid tin. I'm currently wearing the solid so that's what this review is focused on. I wear the solid more because I think the fragrance is deeper and lasts longer but you still need to reapply every 3-4 hours luckily it isn't expensive so that isn't a problem.

This begins very bitterly sour with a hearty blast of fir and bergamot. But don't let that scare you away, because about five minutes into it those notes fade and it becomes warm, sensual, and resinous. It smells of spicy smoky woods and incenses. There is a bit of a saltiness here that is almost edible. I just want to breathe and breathe it in to the point of tasting. Warm, dry, exotic, and intoxicating aroma. So raw yet somehow sophisticated all at once. I imagine myself to be somewhere far off while wearing this. It works really well as a unisex scent. I love it on myself, but I'd also love to smell it on man. It's intriguing. I really adore this scent. Although the sillage and longevity are respectable, I'd prefer a little more power in both areas. But it is natural, inexpensive, and very much an individual. It is excellent in the spray and the solid form(although in solid form the geranium is very prevalent).

I wore this one as my go-to fragrance for a couple of years. To me, not really knowing the notes, it was a delicate incense scent, really loved it. When my bottle started getting low I made sure to get another so I wouldn't risk running out, especially in case Pacifica discontinued it as they had some others. Note: personally I prefer the spray over the solid. More recently I've gotten into fragrance as a hobby, trying many others, and Spanish Amber moved to the side. Going back to it today I was struck at first by how much dryer than a lot of my other amber fragrances, and than a lot of my fragrances in general, it is, especially at first. More hours in now and to me more sweetness has emerged. Some incense inspired fragrances lean too sour for me, but this is just right. Spanish Amber lasts well on me, and I enjoy that I can smell it on myself. I'll still count it as a "love".

An earthy scent-garden of dried herbs, resin and spices. Makes me imagine centuries of travelling nomads and tents in the desert... This is a dry and extremely earthy amber, NOT sweet, but quite green, like a sage smudge stick. When I think warm, I think sweet, and this does not convey warmth to me in the same way as L'Occitane or Yves Rocher, which I suppose are much more targeted for women. It is not smoky in a burning incense way, but fresh incense. This is perfect for a men's frag, or a woman who likes a "fresh" sort of amber. Once into the drydown, it has layers to it, it's not a uniform fragrance, although not in a poorly blended way. You can pick the distinct notes out of it, but side-by-side, evenly-matched, not in a greater-to-less type of ratio. A couple of hours in, I get a sharp, just slightly bitter soapiness. Very natural-smelling, lasts well. Really good buy.

Quite possibly one of the strangest things I've ever smelled, but I enjoy it a lot. Warm, dry, a fire in liquid form. Whenever I have it on I will constantly be smelling my wrist just to appreciate its depth as long as possible. I'm a huge fan of anything amber, so I wasn't surprised that I loved it. The general public has a mixed reaction to this perfume. Amber is an acquired smell, I suppose. It's not your average floral, casual scent (And I like those scents as well.) This is a rather sexy perfume, and it will give you a confident "This is who I am, deal with me" attitude, but not in an overly harsh way. I much prefer the solid perfume. There's just something a little off about the spray version. This doesn't really seem like the sort of perfume you spray. Either you use the solid version, or you dab the liquid version on.

I bought this perfume after trying it and wearing it for a day. At first I thought it smelled gross and much more like a mans cologne, but after wearing it and smelling it for a day I ended up loving it. So I went back to the store and bought it. It is definitely a more masculine scent at first but then fades slightly into a more gentle feminine scent. 1oz costed me $20.00. Which is a bit much, but I tend to be picky about perfume and I don't come across my favorite type very often so I had to get it. This is my favorite type of scent.It's not soapy. Moderately musky, strong/deep, earthy with floral and sandalwood. In my opinion the only thing that could make it better would be vanilla and/or slightly stronger note of rose geranium. Definitely noticable amber, spice, and sandalwood.

This is my Goldilocks Amber. perfection in that it has achieved some great middle ground. Natural but refined. Simple but not entirely linear. Very resinous with a natural spicy woodiness. This reminds me of Kuumba Made Amber Paste only NOT sweet/sticky, rough, or strong. I don’t really detect anything besides the amber which is golden, dry, airy and a bit smoky but nothing too intense. There is also some bitterness which I could see being unappealing to some. Not sure what to attribute it to. Reminds me of wooden church pews. I love the woodiness of this amber. I can definitely envision it emanating from a combination of trees and other plants. Would be good for camping but smooth enough for museum-hopping as well. Great stuff.

Very nice rendition of amber. I don't get any geranium or anything green. The perfume opens with a strong sandalwood note and remains woody throughout. Over time, it becomes warm and cozy, sappy and resinous, and slightly sweet. There is an incense quality that makes me think of India. I expected to write a review like this about Diptyque's (expensive) Tam Dao, but Diptyque was a total let-down. With Spanish Amber, Pacifica can humble the perfume snobs. It's a reasonably priced fragrance that can compete with (and beat out by a long shot) the over-hyped and over-priced niche boutiques. It's perfect for casual days when you want to keep it simple. Try layering with their Persian Rose or Malibu Lemon Blossom--amazing!

I've recently tried the whole Pacifica line of fragrances (at my local Whole Foods...) and have found several that I *had* to have. One of those was Spanish Amber. The best way to describe Spanish Amber is to liken it to a poor-man's Ambre Sultan by SL. It doesn't have the longevity of AS, but it is so similar (at least on my skin) that even if it means applying more often, the price difference and small purse-size makes it worth buying.

I use the solid on myself (I love the resins that make the scent smoky on me), but the spray I use in my bedroom, especially on the bed sheets. I find it to be too strong on me, but lingers beautifully on my sheets. Love it! I love amber scents, and this is the first one that does not smell super sweet (I know that vanilla is the most popular mix that goes with amber and I enjoy them), and it will be a mainstay in my collection.

Spicy, dry amber without a lot of sweetness. It smells exclusive and expensive. And yet it's not too strong or complicated. A quite minimalist approach to amber. It's perfect for snowy winter days. I just spray some on my scarf before going out and it keeps me warm all day. I also like spraying it on newly washed sheets. It makes everything smell cozy, inviting and clean. The price is amazing for something this beautiful.

"As she awaited many nights for her lover to return from the sea, she scented her body with resinous perfume. When he kissed her upon his return, the entoxicating scent from her skin enchanted him." This scent is exotic and luxurious. It reminds me of a poem I wrote some time ago. A earthy skin scent of amber that is extremely sexy. Not your everyday girly perfume, but that of a confident and beautiful woman.

This is a great (and very affordable) amber fragrance. It reminds me of a lighter, softer version of Prada Amber. It's a sweet, warm, earthy scent. The amber and resins are definitely the most noticeable notes to me. I prefer the intensity and complexity of Prada over this one, but this is still a wonderful perfume and a great alternative for those who find Prada either too strong or too pricey.

I first bought the solid perfume. The fragrance is delightful, although it has a discreet sillage. I then bought the spray perfume. But what was my surprise! Suffocating, aggressive and vulgar. Am I the only one with that impression? I threw away the bottle, then I bought three other small tins of solid! (Pacifica products are vegan and cruelty-free. I appreciate that!)

I love this fragrance, but not to wear. I spray it on my sheets at night and it makes me feel restful. There is an element of Catholic Church incense with the warm, rich amber. The candles bring more sandalwood into the mix. Excellent for meditative time.

Warm, sweet, resin & sandalwood. This is my first resin-y fragrance. It had to grow on me, but now whenever I smell it or wear it, I feel a warmth in my chest. It is comfort and confidence, like the first sip of whiskey.

Warm, rich, heady, lightly smoky, with just a touch of sweetness. This is absolutely an incredible amber for the money. I think I will be reaching for this gem quite often.

A lighter, more subtle version of Benefit's Under My Spell Noelle. It has a feminine sweetness but with a deep, strong heart that gives it oomph.

Rich, spicy, sexy, mysterious Scent. Nice Summer Night wear and Winter Day. Amber is Very Rich. Not for most People.. Very Moody~~~~~~~ Scent

This is the loveliest natural amber in existence! Looking for a spray bottle for a decade now, if anyone has one please PM me!!

lovely warm, spicy, incense-y scent, natural, and easy on the pocketbook. lasts and lasts on my skin.

Anyone selling the spray version? Please contact me :)

I really love to burn copal, amber and patchouli resins along with palo santo in my apartment as a certain kind of spiritual cleansing. This really reminds me of the odor that is left behind. Smoky, Incense-like, dry. I love how the citrus top notes compliment the sandalwood, resin and amber. Just lovely. If there were a tonka note in it, this could be a close runner up for a signature frag. One thing I dislike is how strong the geranium note is. It makes this a little soapy and totally detracts from the woodiness, in my opinion. Sometimes this note stands out to me so much that I am not sure that I like it anymore... But yet, I am lured back! The dry down is so nice... Mainly, Spanish Amber stays on the shelf most days but every once in a while when I am craving the dry, smoky incense, I like to layer it over a powdery, sweet lotion. Some days I find it a bit too masculine or old lady-ish. Other days I spray it on and feel like I've been sucked into another time and place. Maybe an ancient Byzantine church or the like. An elaborate, beautiful sacred space.

This really smells like amber resin ("real" amber is fossilized tree resin, the amber that is used in perfumery is actually a resin made up of several different components like benzoin, labdanum, vanilla etc). Nonetheless, "Amber" smells wonderful to me and this perfume smells just like it! It's a warm sweet honey amber smell. Also, this smells nearly identical to Sergen Lutens Ambre Sultan. I actually prefer this one as it doesn't have the sharp too sweet note that Ambre Sultan has (and it's much cheaper). If you love amber, you can't go wrong with this one. If you've never tried amber, you can't go wrong with this one :) Probably the best representation of just amber that I have found.

I smelled most of the Pacifica line while at Whole Foods last summer, and my favorite is Spanish Amber. It's soft, warm, resinous,and well made. I love it. You wouldnt think that something this affordable would smell that good and/or be made with good ingredients..but it does and it is. I have also tried the mediterranean fig (too sweet), sandalwood ( too bitter), and tibetan mountain temple ( too weird and sharp), lemon blossom ( too boring) and the gardenia ( too headachey strong). The Orange Blossom and the Mexican cocoa is very nice as are a few others, but it's Spanish Amber for the win. I'm on my 2nd bottle

I have the solid, and definitely enjoy the scent, but it reminds me more of an expensive candle or room fragrance than a perfume. I get why someone mentioned spraying it on their linens. On me it's spicy, dry and smooth, without much of the earthiness others describe. I layer it with a dot of one-note white musk perfume oil, and together the result, to me at least, seems much more like a scent for the body. Not surprisingly, the solid has soft sillage. On me it lasts about 2 hours, but it's easy to carry the little solid around and reapply.

A nice amber if you prefer them woody and less sweet. It's smoky with somewhat of a "pencil shavings" vibe hanging out in the background. I was excited to see elemi in the note pyramid, but unfortunately I don't pick it up at all. The overall impression is (smoky, but not incense smoky) amber, sandalwood and a twist of bitter bergamot. Standard unisex Oriental fare.

The opening of this strongly reminds me of Ambre Sultan. The heart retains this heavy amber/lightly vanilla combo, and the drydown is reminiscent of pencil shavings - but in a good way. Light sillage, decent longevity. Worth more than its price point, think I might have to spring for a rollerball of this.

I find this Amber rather dry and almost more incense than amber. However, amber is not a note I have explored very much, and it may be that I just am not familiar enough with amber to judge correctly. I do have Prada L'Eau Ambree, which I like very much, and this is a very different scent.

Not wild about the citrus/piney opening on me, but the drydown is the pleasant amber that I hoped for. As others have said, staying power is not so great.

This is my favorite of all Pacifica scents. Only wish they continued to make a body butter with this scent.

I am trying to expand my fragrance repertoire. I bought a few of the Pacifica scents at a local store. Was not expecting much with Spanish Amber; so I got what I expected, which is not much :0( As a previous reviewer cited, this is a very basic, very boring "middle-of-the-road" amber scent. Smell it, apply it, smell it...that's it. Nothing special, nothing outstanding. For me, this scent had zero sillage, zero staying power just like all of the Pacifica scents. This fragrance is not one that will get comments from others. There is not a lot that can be said about Spanish Amber. I'm sure there are 100's of average Amber scents for sale just like this one from Pacifica. The Pacifica brand of scents remind me of something a bit more exotic than cologne or perfume one might by at The Body Shop or a similar retailer. Like three other Pacifica scents that I recently tried, Spanish Amber ended up for sale on eBay. Did not like it at all. Would never buy it again.

I was testing this at whole foods when I ran into my massage therapist and she raved about how it smelled on me and insisted I should buy it. I normally wear citrusy and sweet young scents. This smells like a hippy's poncho. I don't hate it to the point that I can just toss it...yet...but the bottle is still almost full after about 7 years. I keep trying to find a scent it melds with that's more "me". I think I'd like it more if it weren't so strong and long lasting (weird, I know). It can be downright nauseous when it's hot and humid out. I think my love of the scent of Nag Champa is what it reminds me of that I have a soft spot for that keeps me from getting rid of this.

Another one of my 'perfume addiction' purchases that does NOT work with my chemistry. It makes me smell like a musty oriental knick-knack store... Are you the Spanish Amber lover? Want a nice, sprayed once, w/original box, 1.2 oz = 30 grams bottle? PM me with details. The only thing I can't remember is if this bottle had a topper of any kind... I bought this last year, used once, and did not revisit until now while cleaning out my 'fume cabinet. It does not seem to have come with a topper though, just the box. --------------------------------------------------- Update: Perfume no longer available; it has found a good home :)

So, I originally tried this in a little incense shop, and I was baffled, I couldn't smell anything at all. I thought the solid perfume tester was off, all the rest I tried were fine. I was still curious, and I love a lot of Pacifica's fragrances, so I ordered a sample. Turns out, it smells... exactly like the incense shop, maybe with a little bit of citrus. Not quite sure how I feel about it. I like the scent, it's rich and a little spicy, it reminds me a bit of the holidays, it really would make a pretty candle, but I don't think it's something I can see myself wearing. Update - I just tried the solid perfume on skin, and sadly it still registers to me as home-fragrance-perfumey-smell, but it actually has a pleasant, sweet coconutty undertone that I didn't pick up on before, didn't expect that at all. It also layers really well with salty/gourmand cocoa scents.

The solid form is my signature scent. On me, it blends in with my skin and leaves it with a vague warm, earthy, and spicy veil. I also use a touch of it as a hair dressing. No, it does not last all day, neither is it noticible from beyond personal space. Instead, it is more like an addition to my natural smell, rather than a perfume, which is what i prefer. The solid tin is the size of a lip balm, so i don't mind having to carry it to reapply. I do like that it isn't loaded out with vanilla, like so many ambers are. This is drier and earthier, but with enough flower to keep it light. If you are looking for a heavier dose or one for evening, this is not for you. But it is lovely as a daytime standard.

I got this for myself but decided although it's uni-sex I think I'd prefer smelling it on my boyfriend than on myself, to me it smelt very sandalwood vanilla but when I suggested he try it he didn't really like it, he said it smelt like 'soy candles' and he could mostly smell the geranium. Anyway I was wearing it for a while to decide whether I liked it or not and eventually I realized it smelt just like those little gummy coca cola bottle lollies and now that is all I can smell! So not necessarily a bad thing but I don't know if I want to smell like coca-cola lollies, but still if I try and block out the coca-cola bottle lolly smell I still think I would like this if I smelt it on a man.

After reading Sterling Maidens review I decided to get Spanish Amber myself, since I love SL Ambre Sultan but was a little depleted in the pocketbook right now:)Took a chance and purchased unsniffed. Spanish Amber is a LOVELY scent, very warm and spicy (what I love in a scent)and the price is fantastic!! Not only did I get the spray,but also got the solid so I can carry it in my purse. If you love Ambre Sultan or just spicy amber scents give this inexpensive beauty a try. I don't think you'll be sorry.

Spicy, seductive, somewhat... Biological Amber. As others have said- there's a Catholic mass vibe, for sure, but I also note a kind of sweaty body funk that's a little nasty and a little fascinating; definitely balanced out the ecclesiastical tendency. Like the reviewer before me, I owned this long before I started thinking critically about fragrance. I think it got it for sale at my grocery store. Smelling it critically, I'm pleased to say that it's pretty, interesting, and still very likeable.

I try to love this one, but to me it smells like a Catholic Church - this is why some say it is more of a room spray. I really don’t hate this fragrance but I wish they’d reformulate and take out the citruses and geranium/replace them. There is a quality to this fragrance that is a little off putting and I think hard to pull off. I imagine it being worn by a tarot reader in a new age shoppe - I think I would like it in this setting.

I love this perfume! It has a powdery and slight vanilla scent on me. It reminds me of allspice, which has a warming property to me I wouldn't wear this on a hot summer day, This is one that is to be worn on a cold winter night. It reminds me of sitting by the fireplace with a nice night cap and listening to jazz with not a care in the world. Very nice fragrance! I will keep it in my collection.

I love amber but am not too fond of the solid version I have. Perhaps something happened during shipping - no one else has mentioned salty in their review. This one smells so salty it reminds me of Thierry Mugler Woman Womanity. Perhaps I should try it again in a different form. I love several other Pacifica fragrances and layering them. Amber & salt. Better on my partner.

After reading the notes listed above I'm starting to understand why I was so confused by what I've been smelling. Maybe its the geranium or maybe its the fir resin, but this scent is too earthy for my skin chemistry: on me this just becomes a spicy, sour, dirty smell. So sad! I gave it away to my friend and it smells gorgeous on her, almost like incense.

Steady Amber... As soon as I smelled this, it immediately reminded me of Ambre Sultan by Serge Lutens , but only in the opening. It consists of a linear, true-to-form amber which stays throughout. I think it is a fantastic value for money fragrance. If you want a fragrance which smells like straight amber, with no extra surprises... choose this one here.

Actually smells very different from Ambre Sultan to me (though I love it as well). I get a very mellow, rich deep amber with woody notes. It almost feels vanillic without in any way being vanilla, it's that smooth and soothing. Lovely and cheap as dirt! I love a beautifully constructed, affordable scent and this has all that in spades. Fantastic.

I have the solid of this and found it a bit dissapointing, I really cannot get much of a smell out of this but what I do get is pleasant and unremarkable. I have just bought Ambre Sultan and it is in a completely different league although I would like to try the Pacifica spray to see if this is more similar.

It's probably the best one from Pacifica. It's pretty linear and does not evolve in any way, so it's kind of reliable. But for some reason, it's always make me feel sad and deprived.

A gorgeous Amber scent that is comparable to Hermes Ambre Des Merveilles, but the problem is the longevity is so saddening, doesn't last more than 10 mins.

The soap and body lotion are great too. I find Pacifica fagrances are very clean and simple and last longer than many expensve perfumes.