Amber

Amber by Rook makes its intent immediately clear. If you look at the back of the bottle, it reads: “Saffron – Smoke – Amber.” Honestly, the review could almost end there — that description sums up the fragrance with surprising accuracy Amber opens with a sweet, radiant saffron note, but within seconds the smoke begins to rise. Thick black tar, burning wood, and lingering ash weave through the fragrance from the very start and stay for its entire lifespan. As the saffron’s sweetness fades, what remains is a dry, smoldering smoke resting on a warm, resinous amber base. The first two hours project strongly, then it settles closer to the skin. This is absolutely not blind-buy safe. It leans masculine, though a confident woman could definitely pull it off. Perfect for lovers of smoky, charred, atmospheric scents. If you’ve ever smelled your clothes after a long night around a campfire, you’ll know the vibe immediately. Don’t be misled by the name Amber — yes, it’s there, but Smoke would’ve been the truer title.

I get lots of saffron, smoke backed by yummy amber. They seem equally strong so if you are expecting Amber with add ons then you will be disappointed. This is wonderfully leathery, powdery smoke backed with a little amber/resin warmth. I can only imagine that the saffron combined with the smoke and Amber create a leather accord. Slowly the smoke and saffron ease a bit and you become aware of the Amber and resins taking centre stage. I almost get a rubber note. I think this might be my favourite stage. You could imagine this perfect autumn wear. It's again unisex. The last notes are the resin and smoked Amber. I get moderate sillage and good longevity.

Wow, what an interesting Amber. The smoke, saffron and resins are stronger to me than the amber itself! I love amber perfumes anyway but am really excited by this one. I feel as if I've been sitting next to a very sweet smelling bonfire that someone has thrown lots of resin onto. Having said that, it's not a very sweet perfume at all. I'm getting lots of compliments and interest today. My favourite of Rook's initial range. ETA Superb longevity - still a skin scent the next morning

Loving this house,Nadeem is a top bloke and I love what he's doing. Amber is currently my fave from Rook. I get a hissing Saffron for a few minutes settling into an almost entrancing sweet Amber and resin before the smoke comes to the fore. Completely agree with shushkins review, couldn't describe it better.Get this and you won't be disappointed.

I've tried all 6 of the original perfumes from this house (not his most recent ones) and Amber is by far my favorite. It's smokey, woodsy and slightly sweet. Right up my alley. Whenever I wear this my family remarks that it smells really nice.

smokey, woody, slightly powdery (saffron) take on amber. pleasant and non-offensive. turns relatively quiet after the one hour mark.

Pretty much summed up by the review below, tried them all, nothing really that nice going on. General weird mix of aroma chemicals, not balanced out very well. Everything seems to contain Oakmoss and clove which are... disgusting. Neroli is just ugh, thurible has a crazy sour clove bomb that runs through all of it and hardly any frankincense or labdanum and definitely isnt church like. One sort of smelled like pine but was mixed weird, i think with more clove and oakmoss. Undergrowth smells of Geosmin (petrichor) nothing new. Overall not to my taste one bit, not my kind of house or fragrances. Note to ROOK, try leaving out the Clove/oakmoss hits and experiment with something new or better quality.

[Amber] ⚫️⚫️⚫️⚫️⚫️ 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.

I will make a short summary of the house here, as I don't want to spam the 'new reviews' part of the page. Amber - this one I do like, it is smokey with touches of amber and...mushrooms? Reminds me of House of Matriarch Forbidden. Very enjoyable. Lasts for 6-7 hours with moderate projection. Forest - smells like a wet towel that has been used to clean the floors, and it was not rinsed out afterwards. Revolting to my nose, had to scrub it off. Neroli - it has a character of a cheap detergent that I would not use to even clean the floors of a basement. I am generally not a fan of neroli as it gives me the vibe of an older lady. This one is probably the worst neroli I have smelled. Suede - smells alright, kind of like an interior of a car. Not a new one or expensive one, just the everyday type. Would not call it Suede, but Polyester. Strangely I find it appealing. Thurible - the name speaks for itself. Terrible. I cannot explain what it smells like, but it definitely is not incense or labdanum, as I really like those notes. Maybe the clove is putting me off. Undergrowth - somewhere in the line with Forest, just with added undertone of pine. All in all, failed as a house to me. Amber and Suede seem like the only ones I enjoyed, but not enough to warrant a full bottle of either. In the end, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder (or nose in this case). As always, I suggest getting the sample set, then you can decide. Is this Beauty or is it the Beast?

This is an absolutely incredible fragrance, black tar and burning fires that can be a little shocking at first (especially with the saffron tickling your senses) but please give it time to settle, the clever pinch of tonka and resins warm it up into a sexy sophisticated burning fireside, the performance is perfect and lasts about 8-9 hours on me , good projection and one of the best amber dry downs I've ever tried , I've tried many btw ..ambre loup , aurea, Amber absolute etc to name a few. This screams frosty days , wool jumper , cosy hotel...Nice scotch in hand, my olfactive memory is very triggered by this scent, playing with tarmac after a fresh pavement has been laid, playing in the woodlands behind the council estate in Yorkshire, keeping a fire going while camping in the Scouts.

Nadeem kindly included a sample of this with my order - The note Amber can make me feel nausious, so I woukd never have picked this myself. But this was another surprise, as I dont hate it! I can smell the amber, but its more in the background and doesnt make me feel sick. I mostly smell the smoke & resins, which give a bit of a leathery vibe. Something about this kinda reminds me of a old church! Rook's Thurible is much more 'ambery' if that's your preference

SMELLS LIKE YOU WERE OUT BACK BURNING GARBAGE FOR 6 HOURS. THIS STUFF REALLY STINKS. NOBODY WOULD COMPLIMENT THIS UNLESS THEY ENJOY YOU SMELLING LIKE A BURN BIN. NOT JUST A BURN BIN, BUT A BURN BIN THAT HAS BEEN BURNING THINGS THEY SHOULD BE BURNING, LIKE GLAD BAGS AND PLASTIC. THIS STUFF IS DISGUSTING.

Gorgeous stuff..Getting lots of compliments..