Alameda

I have a tiny little .75ml sample of this, and have been wearing it a lot over the past couple of days. I am finding this to be a very interesting fragrance and wish I had a larger sample to test it better - less than a ml in a tiny dab bottle I worry I am missing some notes or not getting a full "dose" to really explore this. However that is all I have to go from, and the only place I can find selling a full bottle it costs over £100, so the sample will do! So I have worn it a few times now and been fascinated by it. I didn't know the notes before I tried it, and would have guessed at lily, castoreum, iris, bergamot and rose - so I wasnt' far off! The lily in this is thick and sweet, almost but not quite over ripe, this effect being enhanced and played upon by the bergamot and castoreum (which on me either goes full on nether-regions or almost sickly sweet), so this produces a really sweet ripe effect - not candy sweet, sugar sweet, not at all, but I can't think of another way to describe it. The orris and rose is probably what made me think rose-iris, and adds a really nice playful lightness. the rose is light, as is the patch, and I didn't really get a lot of amber at all. I also thought I might have smelled a little almond or heliotrope but they are not listed notes, however the dry down was /almost/ slightly gourmand with a sweet ripe almond type hint to it. I find that even from the tiniest of dabs this has really good longevity, lasting about 8 hours and has good sillage even from dabs. It doesn't smell like anything else I have tried so I would love to get my hands on a 5ml decant to get to know it better!

By SA's comments we should imagine oriental exotic garden... and exotic is really the right word to describe this perfume. It's unusual, different, strange... but extremly sensual and seductive. It has candied patchouli in his heart....I noticed tiny similarities with Eden Cacharel and Angel TM and then I remembered that both of them have sweetened patchouli as the main note. Angel has Patchuli and chocolate, Eden has patchouli with mimosa. Alameda is more softer, dustier - sweet patchouli with iris and rose. And you can't miss it's wonderful animalic base where castoreum evolves step by step like some sly feline pretending to be noticed. I love this perfume!♡

I can't really review this yet as I don't have a sample, BUT, it's a beauty. I smelt it in Selfridges this weekend and it moved me enormously. A great big buxom amber with some intense, dark facets and a slightly chewy gourmand edge. Magnificent! I will ensure that next time I give it ample wrist space and a more accurate review. PS. The description says it's a floral chypre, I would say that despite the bergamot/patchouli note, it's an oriental.

Somehow, you are in a church, where the heady smell of incense (or is it the lily?) wafts gently all around you. Perhaps this church sits in an enchanted forest where candied patchouli fairies have danced overhead while dusting you in a sweet rose powder. You catch the slightest hint of animalic with a touch of amber. Is it possible to be both saintly and sexy at the same time? I'm not sure but this perfume pulls it off regardless.

I am very brave and I have used this scent on my neck at first. It is a wonderful perfume, but now I am a bit surprised because i didn't check the ingredients before application. So, i felt a very strong cinnamon together with the amber and a hint of patchouli :) I like this perfume. Good sillage, perfect longevity (about 12-13 hours) and fantastic oriental scent for autumn and winter.