Amber

[Amber] ⚫️⚫️⚫️⚫️⚫️ (This review is identical to the one I left on the now discontinued version of Amber but everything I’ve said is still relevant and applies to this current edition which is readily available on Rook’s website.) I am already very familiar with Nadeem’s work as I write this. I’ve tried almost everything from his range (excluding forest and undergrowth) and I own several bottles. I have to say I’m bowled over by almost every release. Although Rook is a niche house from the UK, Nadeem draws from his Jordanian heritage to create very exciting perfume. Amber was the one fragrance I was most keen to try when picking up few samples year or two ago, as I enjoyed the genre at an earlier point in my fragrance journey. As soon as I sprayed Amber on my forearm I was completely blown away. I was overwhelmed as it wasn’t at all how I envisioned. What I was anticipating when compared to the fragrance I received caught me completely off guard and it was very exciting. Amber opens with a fire, woodsmoke and masses of saffron which initially could be perceived as rich, stewed fruit or a syrupy cognac. The fragrance is a beastly smoke and suede animal with saffron steering the fragrance away from being too dense and heavy. As unruly as it sounds it’s very well disciplined in its execution. The smoke never gets too overwhelming and the fragrance is rough without feeling incomplete or unfinished. In order to pick this fragrance apart, you’d have to study it for days on end as the blend is superb. Nothing feels out of place. Everything meshes together beautifully to make a cohesive interpretation of amber. Nadeem didn’t fall victim to the narrow road that is the typical vanillin, labdanum and patchouli blend. Rook’s Amber does away with the traditional amber tropes and makes you completely reconsider the genre. His interpretation focuses on his perception of fossilised tree resin and not the note the industry is familiar with. This is a much welcomed approach and Rook’s interpretation proudly sits as my benchmark amber due to this innovative perspective. With Rook’s Amber I picture gathering around a bonfire amongst friends and family. Where the humidity of the day subsides and the primary source of heat becomes the captivating amber dance taking centre stage. Hot embers drift across the evening sky without a destination in mind and the fire cracks and snaps with energy. A scene of warmth, whimsy and the smell of smoke that hugs your jacket. This fragrance came into my life at a time when I was reflecting on who I was and the person I wanted to be. When at my most conscious of how people understood me. It was this growing awareness of my identity that led me to Rook Perfumes. All that I am cannot be projected through a generic high street fragrance when there’s so much more to say. We are all a kaleidoscope of emotions, habits and interests that cannot be expressed through a single perfume, let alone one that has been focus-grouped to appeal to the masses. Nadeem’s fragrances resonate with me. They make me emotional in a way that a beautiful song makes you feel when you’re sat alone in a dark room, putting life on pause for a brief moment. Whenever you press your nose against your fragrant skin, sounds become muted and busy thoughts leave your head as you slowly slip into the story unfolding on your skin.

Tried my Amber sample right before bed and was kept awake for an hour bc of this gorgeous scent...I didn't want to fall asleep I just wanted to revel in it's beauty. This fragrance smells like a vision of a strong beautiful horse rolling around in a clover field at dusk. It's not terribly animalic, still that's the visual that comes to mind! It has a strong but soft smell, like nuzzling into a gentle hug from someone much bigger than you. It's incredibly sexy,,,, I'd love to date someone who smelled like this! I plan on buying it for myself as well, but it's just one of those scents you would love to associate with a lover. It has power without being overpowering. I am honestly *very* confused by some of the feedback from other reviewers on Amber, I do not smell 'heavy smoke', I do not smell 'old perfume'. Maybe I just have the right skin for it, maybe y'all need to let your testers macerate? I think its perfect and I wouldn't change a single thing about this fragrance. 10/10.

Wow, what an interesting and beautiful fragrance. There’s something ethereal about it, the way the smoke has this fresh and ozonic effect, far from that burnt campfire effect smoke can sometimes have in a fragrance. I love the saffron too. It’s hard to see why it’s called Amber, but that’s fine! Actually, it reminds me a bit of Dervish from La Curie. Both of these have this exhilarating outdoorsy effect.

When you hear amber you expect a cosy scent. But this amber is bracing and fresh. It's the scent of a fire on a cold winters day. When I first tried it, I ordered a full bottle on the spot. I cannot abide the gloomy and depressing English winters, but my fireplace and wearing this scent are the two things I can actually look forward to in the winter months.

This has to be the smoothest smoky perfume I've ever smelled. There's a sort of leathery, suede quality to it - which is probably what, to my nose, gives it some softness