Amber Flash

Wow the reviews are all over the place. It's sweet and cozy! It's spicy and sour! I adore it! I hate it! Talk about a marmite scent. Well, I had to buy this when it came out because - well look at my user name. Amberflash has been my internet handle since the 90s and I like Tauer, so I had to see what this was about. Now, I've tried a lot of ambers. I know amber. And I think I understand the breadth of reviews here because this is much more complex than the "flash" series moniker would imply. Amber Flash opens with a blast of patchouli - the dry, earthy, dark and slightly spicy end of patchouli and it's a scent that some people don't like and find "sour". It's why the reviews of the very lovely HdP Noir Patchouli are so mixed - some people experience patchouli as earthy, oriental and mysterious and for others it's sour, damp earth or attic dust or whatever. If you don't like patchouli, or you only like it when it's toned down considerably, then you won't like this. The first 30 minutes are patchouli forward. From the beginning, though, the amber, labdanum, and benzoin are there behind the patchouli and they are warm and sweet (the vanilla helps with the sweet bit). If you're someone like me, someone who doesn't cringe when you get a blast of patchouli, then you might experience the perfume this way. The sandalwood and cashmeran also develop quickly and give a spicy, woody edge to the resins. As the patchouli calms down, the amber is allowed to take centre stage and it becomes less spiky/spicy and more lovely and comforting amber and woods. The woods are very dry. The amber and vanilla are sweet. So both elements are there at once. And the spiciness will make your nose tingle in the first hour. I'd say this is unisex but you need a confident woman to pull it off. Sillage and longevity are good without being beast mode. I like it a lot. But it's not for amateurs.

Andy Tauer is my favorite perfume designer. I always love a good amber so I did a blind buy for his Amber Flash and also the Amber Flush body oil. I was immediately hooked. For those who seem disappointed that this is a "one note" song with no depth, or doesn't evolve over time, I don't know what to tell you. I am a perfume layerer. So for me, the Amber soap in the shower, the Amber Flush in my hair (I rub into my hands then run the oil through my short spiky hair), and the Amber Flash on my skin, I can either go out like that, or I layer other perfumes over it. I have layered other Tauer fragrances such as NO 02 L'AIR DU DÉSERT MAROCAIN (which is very dry, so this combo is great)... I have even put it under Obsession... to me, Ambers, Musks and Vanillas are great bases for layering. Anything with labdanum is going to be a hit with my nose! I am addicted to this Amber. The only other Amber that comes in as a close second (in my world anyways) is Kalimantan Chantecaille which has a bit of a peppery bite to it. This Tauerville Amber has great longevity, but I keep the oil in my purse to use throughout the day. I love how the Amber smells when I turn my head or a breeze comes by. I have no complaints.

A warm, boozy, cozy amber. I like it a lot despite my issues with some other popular amber scents I've tried: SL Ambre Sultan was too harsh, Atelier Ambre Nue was too sweet, HdP Ambre 114 was nice but didn't impress me, and Maitre Parfumeur Ambre Precieux was too feminine. The only other amber-dominant fragrance I've really, really enjoyed is TF Amber Absolute, though that's very different from this. Longevity is very good and projection is moderate. Less ephemeral projection than Vanilla Flash, which I also like quite a bit. Edit: Just compared this to Maison Francis Kurkdjian Absolue Pour le Soir, as someone suggested the two are similar. They are, kind of--in the drydown at least. The MFK is stronger, more complex, and more animalic, but this one is somewhat easier to wear and cheaper. If you're looking for something reminiscent of Absolue Pour le Soir--not a replacement for it, mind you--try Amber Flash.

The fourth release from the Tauerville is a delightful gourmand, a creamy, sweet amber/vanilla pairing. It doesn't evolve much for me, generally remaining this sweet mix--the amber/vanilla pair leads to a syrupy sweetness, though less sharp than say, in 24 Gold, or Bond No. 9 New Haarlem. It's a sweetness mixed with resin, almost, as in the amber/resin quality of Le Labo Benjoin 19 Moscow Projection and longevity are both strong, comparable to Vanilla Flash. The scent isn't quite as refined as Vanilla Flash, and certainly not as much as Rose Flash, but it's a great scent and a welcome entry in the terrific Tauerville line. 8 out of 10

Basically I thought it is going to be a light amber due to the flash name. The names gave me the impression it’s not going to be a long lasting. Th fact is opposite , deep dark with the brilliant blend of notes to give the right ambient of amber that makes it wearable for every taste. It had the Booz but not animalic like amber absolute. Heavy and rich as good quality. It was my 1st trial of the flash line and no regret. I think I need to have back up bottles ASAP.