La Yuqawam Ambergris Showers

I was honestly not expecting this to be as good as it is. This without any doubt is many peoples signature scent. As a heads up the box is plastic now. This is why the fragrance has become cheaper. I bought both bottles from the same website. If Rasasi is listening, make the boxes cardboard and keep the design, this way more people can enjoy these fragrances Also remember the bottles aren't 100% filled up. If Armani can do it with their Aqua Di Gio Profumo (2015 era), Rasasi can too! Using other fragrances to describe this one. This is predominantly Ralph Lauren - Polo Green (1978) for the strong green aspect of it and the tobacco. However, imagine mixing in some Issey Miyake - Nuit D'issey (EDT) where the dark earthiness and the sweet and sour citrus that lingers throughout the entire wear of that. Finish that off with a subtle bit of Nuit D'issey Parfum for a cold and spicy fragrance that doesn't go into full blown shower gel territory. I usually don't like numbers but 55% polo green 30% nuit d'issey (edt) 15% nuit d'issey (parfum) - a faint dark blue spiciness mostly This is very unique, it's like walking at night time through a field with grass, there's a cold rain. You can smell the wet soil as your shoes step into the damp earth. There's a faint spiciness in the top notes and the sweet and sour tangerine that stays with you through the entire wear. I can only detect the wet tobacco when you smell it up close to where you sprayed it but if anything smell it in the air like everyone else. With a lot of imagination there's this almost, sports like scent to this. The violet leaf isn't gasoline like as everyone will quickly fahrenheit, it's not feminine type of violet leaf either like Roberto Cavalli Uomo (2016). If anything it supports the other notes like how it's used in Ganymede by Marc Antoine Barrois (Paris Corner - Celestial). Longevity - you'll get at least 8 hours out of this, it sticks to clothing for days. Perhaps the original La Yuqawam could be a bit longer lasting. I imagine by a negligible amount. Personally I like the scent of this more and if this was also a Tom Ford fragrance clone it would have sold better as most people probably don't know Memo Paris. This was so good I checked out their whole catalogue on here. Compared to the original La Yuqawam. This is so different that they could have been in entirely different collections, the leather isn't as strong in Ambergris Showers, there's such a small amount of the original La Yuqawam scent profile, which is understandable as they are both cloning entirely different fragrances. there's this faint irish spring soap like scent profile to this, I haven't put my finger on which exact one but it's there. Age wise this is more mature, at least 30 or 40. This was never designed to be a clubbing fragrance, this can be formal, for the office, worn by a powerful CEO or someone confident. This is something to wear going out at night with friends, for date night I'd probably wear something else unless the person likes more old school fragrances. A few people mentioned this is difficult to wear but I disagree, compared to the original La Yuqawam, Bentley For Men Intense or Caron Pour Un Homme (1934) they are much harder to wear.

I've had this fragrance for just slightly over a year now (got it back in August of 2017 from Notino... when it was still online in the US -- RIP). Since I got this fragrance, it hasn't changed one bit to my nose. From day one all the way until now (with multiple wearings and testings), the smell is exactly as I remember it on first impression. Which in of itself is odd, as the vast majority of fragrances I buy and try do change drastically to my nose over time (sometimes changing a lot from month to month). Some I hate at first then end up loving. Some I love, then end up hating. Either way, MOST fragrance I have change to my nose as time passes (likely based on my diet, environmental surroundings, other fragrances coloring the scent, my sense of smell maturing/changing etc etc). But still to this day Ambergris Showers smells exactly the same to my nose from the very first day I received it. What does it smell like to me? Well, that is a bit hard to explain. Best imagery I can come up with is if you were walking along the beach in a remote area (perhaps on an abandoned island -- Think Survivorman) and happened to stumble across an old shipwrecked wooden chest that has been soaking up the humid salty breeze of the ocean for decades. You open the chest and get an antiqued woody oceanic smell that is slightly salty. Ambergris Showers to me is a photo-realistic woody-oceanic smell without using the common salty accord (like D&G LB Eau Intense) or the dirty-ocean accord (think Bvlgari Aqua scents). It manages to capture an antiqued dry-salty woody smell that perfectly evokes the smell of the ocean in the air (like you are standing near an old wooden shipwreck on the beach that has been there for years). It's as if you found that old pirate treasure chest on the beach, took it home and smelled the wood after it has dried. Of all the fragrances I own (which is far too many) and of all the fragrances I have tested, this one is surprisingly unique yet still somehow familiar and totally wearable. It is an accord-style scent, so feel free to layer it to experience a completely different take on your favorite scents. I live about 15 minuets away from the beach, and grew up here all my life. The smell of the ocean is not foreign to me (wind direction for my city brings the ocean air right over us -- Mediterranean climate all year), and Ambergris Showers is bar none the best version of an oceanic smell I have encountered yet. Drift-wood plus salty-oceanic smell as if you were standing right on the beach getting sprayed with the oceans mist at sunset while standing near a bunch of drift-wood or are on a pier.

Fresh zingy opening, that will quickly go down towards a stunning bitter green iris-y/juniper-y/smok-y birch tar (aka "leather+mate"). The drydown will round a bit the edges with some styrax and probably a (small) hint of vanilla, without ever falling into the sweet territory thanks to a pinch of nutty/salty vetiver. Taken on its own, it's beautiful. Had I to compare it to Memo Irish Leather (MIL) I have to agree that this one is extremely close to MIL, that I am wearing on the other arm while I am writing this review and it follows perfectly the different stages of the original. If any differences, it might be the very early opening (basically, just the 5 first minutes - aka: who cares). Note that if you hated MIL, you will also hate that one. Also very close from Dunhill British Leather (with Dunhill BL being maybe a pinch more interesting than both the Memo and Rasasi). There is definitely no real ambergris in that one (as expected in a $50 fragrance), but I can definitely spot some saltiness in the base (vetiver? ambroxan?), and so can I in Memo IL. Fact is that both RLYAS and MIL are blends of aromachemicals that could have been marketed as salty/ambergris or as leather fragrances... ahhhh, the power of suggestion :) La Yuqawan Ambergris Showers is indeed very close to Memo Irish Leather, in structure, and I can hardly spot any differences in scent or quality, not even by sticking my nose on my skin. Difference is only the price (4 times less expensive)... what is it not to like? Memo Irish Leather is the only Memo fragrance I might have considered to buy if the pricing was a bit more democratic. Here Rasasi is offering niche quality for affordable prices and gives a lesson of marketing, demonstrating how luxury brands (Memo) make a premium by offering something that could be done for much less. To note that RLYAS's presentation (simple but very elegant looking wooden box with magnetic top and heavy glass bottle) looks great. Honestly, I would have felt an idiot to spend Memo's price tag given the nearly perfect copy made by Rasasi, just for a leather-covered cardboard box (what one is really paying for with Memo's premium). Highly recommended! Good job Rasasi! Fresh days, 30+ Edit: my nose was right to detect a "bitter green iris-y/juniper-y/smok-y birch tar", as it appears, after checking Rasasi's website, that there is iris listed in the base notes, missing on Fragrantica's pyramid. This iris in here reminded me of the dry/green iris note in Lutens Iris Silver Mist.

I am delighted to see a 2nd review for this wonderful creation. I blind bought Ambergris Showers and picked it up from the courier today. I decided to order based on the votes/the 1st review below from @TheFragrantPrince likening it to Memo’s Irish Leather. Thank you kind people for voting, and commenting! I tested Irish Leather a month or two ago and was really impressed with it but sillage and longevity were not that great – having in mind Memo’s price tag, I was wondering if there’s any point in saving up and buying it. Then I read about Ambergris Showers, searched for videos on Youtube (1. they were not that many; 2. they were not that enthusiastic) and... finally decided to order, come what may! This is one of my best blind buys ever! I am so thrilled to have found something as good, if not even better than Irish Leather. To me, Ambergris Showers has a bit more depth, a bit more character and definitely better sillage and longevity as compared to IL (I can still detect it on my skin after taking a hot shower). It’s hard for me to describe the scent itself, I lack the vocabulary for such an evocative and unusual (at least to my nose) fragrance – it’s dry, clean, bitter and herbal but in a very refined way – it just keeps a perfect balance – it’s ‘perfumey’ enough but still naturalistic. It fills my lungs with air – I attribute this to the galbanum. :) It has a bit of a non-sugary, flowery sweetness about it as well, I suspect the violet leaves have that softening quality. Is it a safe blind buy for ladies? Probably not – as it might not cater for the needs of those searching for a decidedly feminine, voluptuous type of fragrance. It’s perfect for me though – I find my peace and quiet in it. :) I guess it might be easier for gentlemen to wholeheartedly embrace it even though I would not say it’s necessarily better suited for men. ;) 10/10 in my book as well!

Rasasi's Ambergris Showers is a very nice take on adding fresh aspects to a leather base. Contrary to many reviewers, I can see why the scent is named Ambergris Showers. Many assume Ambergris = Ambroxan, but that is not true. Ambroxan alone does not give a full Ambergris smell, missing out on animalic aspects (I do have white Ambergris tincture from Ireland and the molecules Ambroxide, Cetalox etc). Real ambergris smells strange, and I am sure most people would even say it smells nothing like they have imagined. To me there's certainly a feeling of Ambergris in this fragrance, over a leather base. The real thing of course not in there! Guys, I mean, come on...Do you really think real ambergris is used in mass produced perfumes today? But yes, this is a leather fragrance above all. I've always found leather fragrances hard to wear on a daily basis, but this one you can easily wear in every occasion and climate. This weekend I wore it day and night full on. Daytime temps reached 28 degrees and sunlight was strong , where nights dropped to 15. It worked on both times, all occasions. Sightseeing, terrace sitting and then fancy casino scene and finally a techno/rave club. I think this beats the Tom Ford leathers hands down, and competes with Memo leather line. The performance was AMAZING. It goes 8 hours easy with 3-4 sprays (neck + under shirt) and even when you think it's not there, if you shake your shirt (like you do when it's hot), then you create a scent bubble all over again as if it's freshly sprayed. Very good addition to any collection especially on leather dept. this is one of the best out there. AND ONCE MORE, THE NAME OF THE FRAGRANCE IS JUST FINE. Price is quite OK for what you get, blind buy worthy if you are into leather notes with a fresh feeling.