Fiori d'Ambra

This perfume makes my stomach do somersaults. The first time I smelled it--and I sincerely hate to use this word in a review of a perfume that contains an opium flower note--it was narcotic. So good, like nothing I had ever smelled. I NEEDED IT. I distinctly felt butterflies in my stomach, I am talking about a very real physiological reaction. It was not easy to figure out what I was smelling and why it made me feel that way. It was certainly more animalic than Profumum's own Ambra Aurea, something I had not expected, and floral. Some kind of white floral with the edges of the petals dipped in freshly grated cinnamon bark. The next day I sampled again. I was truly unprepared for my reaction. It smelled they way I imagine rotting human flesh might smell. Now in my stomach the butterflies flew away, replaced by a churning sensation, like I might become ill. In any case, a physiological reaction occurred again. I could not stop thinking of that disturbing movie, Perfume, with that creepy Baptiste boy scraping the scent off of the skins of corpses, his victims. As the perfume became sweeter (I was so grateful) and the animalic notes melded effortlessly with the oils of my own skin, the perfume began to smell like the skin of a beautiful woman who wore Opium (yes, YSL's Opium) the day before, waking up the next morning with the perfume faintly lingering on her skin. Not my skin. Her skin. My skin smelled like somebody else's skin. It is so macabre [shiver]! And yet it has me hooked. Here is the description of Fiori d'Ambra, taken directly from Profumum Roma: "A candle diffuses the scent of opium and amber An elegantly unmade bed And my book on the night table. In my mind thoughts of her." Fiori d'Ambra doesn't smell like YSL's Opium, but it is reminiscent, sort of like when a popular band releases a tribute album. The same, but different. Fiori d'Ambra, like Opium, smells of amber, incense, a tad sweet, and spicy with cinnamon as the dominant spice. The difference is that Fiori d'Ambra is much less sharp, much smoother in every possible way, and animalic. It smells like Opium after it has been on the skin for at least 36 hours. And those of us who know vintage Opium know it can last much longer than that. I wonder how long it will take for me to form a solid opinion on it. Is it disturbing? Is it sexy? Is it possible to have both qualities at the same time? I don't think so. The only question about Fiori d'Ambra that I can answer definitively is: Is it forgettable? NO!

There is this belief that no fragrance currently in production could possibly smell like the hallowed vintages. There is also this belief that if you've smelled one amber you've pretty much smelled them all. Most of us with a certain level of discernment would vehemently disagree on both points, and I posit that Fiore d'Ambra would test both beliefs. My first experience with its opening startled me: a snap of bergamot made wet with saliva and cream soda. Then comes a shot and heavy, breathy vanilla, and an element that I would describe as gusset emanations as experienced during an intimate encounter. I am fascinated with notions of covering up the dirty with scented powders—times before prevalent indoor plumbing; times were human odors were an integral part of courtship. Fior d'Ambra nods at this the way that some of the Nina Riccis and Schiaparellis perfumes of the mid-20th century. I appreciate reviewer ClaireV's likening it to Youth Dew sprayed on a dirty crotch. I will also agree with her that this is by no means merely an amber. This is more about ambergris steering Fiore d'Ambra than the standard amber trichord of vanilla, benzoin, and labdanum. So its spit and salt and that obscure wet tobacco back note—that kind of ambergris effect, not Ambroxan (though who knows? perhaps some of that is hidden here as well). Yet its as soft as fur, intimate even, unlike its sibling in the Profumum Roma canon, Ambra Aurea, which propels its smoky, resinous density with bravado. It is also sweet—and no, certainly not like a "gourmand" (I've decided to put this term in quotes from here onward). It is the kind of sweet that comes in persistent whiffs like just caramelized sugar from the stove, veiled by indistinct white flowers and the inherent salacity of its musks. It's brilliance is in its feeling of decadence without overwhelming the senses. Oh heavens, this is good.

Some of what can be said about Profumum Roma's other amber fragrance Ambra Aurea can also be said about this fragrance. They both open up with a boozy and sweet aspect (which sort of smells like a ginger ale cocktail or something) which only lasts for a couple of minutes, and then they both dry down to a warm, dry, woody and cozy amber vibe with a nice touch of vanilla. They achieve this in very different ways, however. Fiore d'Ambra leans much more into a somewhat floral and sweet vibe while Ambra Aurea is much more raw and rugged, almost salty. I can sort of see why some would say that this leans feminine due to the slightly floral vibe (the name, after all, means "Amber Flower"), but to me this is still definitely unisex. It's not floral as in light and fleetingly sweet and feminine, rather the floral aspect is grounded in a rich, dark and woody amber which to me makes it feel like a thick and cozy headshop incense. I definitely get a certain hippie vibe, in a really good way. It feels warm, soft, natural, smooth... Intimate, sexy and bohemian... And I'm not even generally that much of a fan of amber fragrances! Performance is great and the longevity is amazing. Fairly linear as it dries down, although the further into the drydown you get the more it gets a kind of soft vanilla tone to it as well. Like Ambra Aurea, this one will stick on your skin until the next day, and will stay on your clothes until you wash them. It's amazing how completely different Profumum Roma fragrances are from each other, the only common "DNA" is the fact that they are all so high quality and smell so natural. BTW... Come on Fragrantica... We can all see in the picture that it's called "FiorE", not "Fiori"... Get your shit straight. :P

Fiori d ambra was my very first love in the world of perfumes, and still is! This is a piece of art. You don't wear it when doing the laundry or anything like that, that would be an insult not only to the perfume itself, but to the makers and the nose behind it. The very first time I tried it, I imagined myself on an ottoman wearing something expensive and silky, reading Baudelaire or maybe even de Sade in a room where the only light source is the fire in the fireplace. I want to be VERY clear - this is a perfume with a huge personality and soul. If you consider yourself as a person not wishing to stand out or bother people nearby, choose something else. Otherwise you will be carried by the perfume, not the other way around. Tip! Since the content of perfumes like Profumums are high in oil content, you are able to gently rub it into your skin without destroying the composition. This is possible when the percentage pass at least 20% (Profumum = around 40%). If the visible signs after the spray last at least 10 seconds (depending on how close the skin is from the bottle), then go ahead. If not, don't. Perfumes with less oils are not made for such "mechanical" impact. At last: Do not blind buy anything in this price tag level after reading reviews or descriptions, nor because somebody recommends it without test it on your own skin. The quantity of oils makes them very individual on the skin compared to cheaper alternatives.

I would like to say that this stuff is otherworldly...but it is not, because I connect this expression with something pure and innocent, angelic and heavenly. That - Fiori d'Ambra is not... as it is quite the opposite – dark and mysterious, mystic, narcotic (vertigo’s description – I really like), sensual and almost sexual... But it is also playfully winking; it is mischievous, seductive, a bit sinful and even troublesome. I would say that this fragrance will suit to both men and women and that it has the potential to develop very individually on each skin...like a snake slithering over and smoothly enveloping your body, it might warm and lift up the natural scent of human skin. I like kastehelmi’s comparison to “...dark herbal ointment on a wound..” – That is very fitting. There is fire and there is somewhat hypnotic earthy sweetness in there and an air of timelessness. Very potent, long lasting and exquisite.