Amber

I smelled Rag & Bone's new line on paper in the store and of the eight scents, I believe I was most drawn to Amber, especially considering how season-appropriate it is in the cooler weather, but also since it's a note that I've been loving more and more as of late. Rag & Bone's Amber is certainly dominated by amber, but the booziness created by the combination of rum, cognac, and plum is a pleasant sweetness that provides a sustained brightness to mi that is only countered slightly by tobacco and oud in the dry down. The oud is barely noticeable at all, and the tobacco is rather subdued, especially relative to the sweet, boozy notes. The amber itself seems detectable from the opening so I'm surprised it's listed as a base note, but its lifespan in the fragrance does far exceed the rum, cognac, and plum, so it's appropriate in that respect as a base note. Amber is a tough sell at $140 for 50ml, even for a solidly-performing EDP, and even as a slightly more versatile option, as this fragrance, while certainly cold-weather-leaning, is nonetheless probably workable for a warm weather night as it's not so heavy-handed with the darker notes, as the case is more or less with Tom Ford Amber Absolute and By Kilian Amber Oud, a couple of my amber favorites. Rag & Bone's Amber is most analogous to Tauerville Amber Flash (also EDP concentration), however, and in that respect, the price points are very different, as Amber Flash is $65 for 30ml and Amber is $140 for 50ml, so in a smaller quantity, Tauverille's pricing is still better. Overall, I like this one a lot, and in the absence of other amber-dominant fragrances, I might be more inclined to spring for it, but given the current climate of amber availability, I won't be opting for this anytime soon. While pleasant, it's simply not unique enough to merit the price tag. And it's possible that like as with niche quality fragrances launched by other retailers primarily of apparel, these may not have a long shelf life and may go on clearance soon enough (I'm thinking of the Coach Leatherware trio, in particular). So keep watch. 8 out of 10

BOOZY, SPICY AMBER. This unsigned beauty opens with a rum accord supported by multi-faceted bergamot and cut by a savoury saffron, that deepens into an amber with plum-y richness and faint oud, all resting on a vanilla & liquidambar base with tinges of tobacco. I went crazy for this scent from first sniff, but that was before I had smelled similar scents, since performance is underwhelming. However, performance improves to average with dark storage following first sprays. The liquid turns to the darkness of aged vanilla. Contrast to Bentley for Men Intense: These are near identical with similar boozy amber vibe, to the point I would call this a dupe of BfMI. BfMI has a stronger performance, but this is the closest scent that I've smelt to Amber Rag & Bone. Contrast to Moustache EDP Rochas: These are different, and Amber Rag & Bone is more similar to Bentley for Men Intense, but there is a similar overall vibe of rich benzoin with trace tobacco. Amber Rag & Bone has a more forward vanilla in the opening and takes a few weeks/months of dark storage after first sprays to develop performance. Moustache EDP has a spicier opening and outperforms. Contrast to Ambre d'Alexandrie Boucheron: These are different, but they share a similar boozy, plum-y, near-raisin amber. Ambre d'Alexandrie is a little less spicy, and outperforms. Overall: average performance with storage after first sprays, and a beautiful scent profile. I still love this scent, but it no longer has the power to make me crazy. It's a little overpriced for the performance, but nevertheless it's a love. Enjoy!

This is my favorite scent in my collection. I had a sample of this years ago and never really went through it quickly, but rediscovered it this year and ended up buying a full bottle. I think Amber to me captures so much of what I want out of a late night barroom scent — sweet without being cloying, projection with intimacy, decent longevity, and an undercurrent of complexity that makes the hours you spend with it enjoyable. This led me to try Genmaicha from R&B as well (which I unfortunately like notably less but still a good one).

A warm, syrupy amber. Sweet but not cloying. It's a delicious cold weather scent. I imagine dusk in a desert city. Sipping on something dark and boozy. The earth beneath your feet is still warm but the breeze has cooled. A staring stranger. The sky on fire as an enormous sun glows right at the horizon. Overspray this and you're dripping in honeyed plums. Did I say cold weather? I would happily radiate this in the heat. Choke every sorry soul that passes. Make 'em beg for death.

If you like scents like Jazz Club, Kate Walsh's Boyfriend, or generally that unisex, heavy amber/vanilla vibe, masc meets femme fragrance, you'll like this. It is definitely boozy, and dries down to a sweet tobacco vanilla. This is the type of unisex fragrance I love. Vanilla and amber with no florals. I do think it's overpriced. We should be getting 100ml for that price imo.