Ambre Impérial

This is a very nice sweet amber fragrance with vanilla and fruity vibes. First hits are a fruity citrus from the bergamot with a hint of spice. This Act is fleeting before the main actors of Amber and vanilla take the stage with Benzoin and tonka adding some slight, dry, powdery facets in secondary roles. The citrus note from the Bergamot does come and go like a supporting actor for me for most of the scent life, and it adds the fruitiness to the sweet vanilla and amber notes. The dry down, like it says, is generic woody notes, hints of sandalwood/cedar etc mostly just a synthetic woody note that underlies the rest of the composition. But have no doubts, the heart is where this fragrance really shines and what a performance. I have had this on constantly since I got it yesterday and my wrist is more or less stuck to my nose. Ok I have to admit I am a sucker for Amber notes which might be why I like this fruity vanillic take on amber so much. The quality of ingredients is top notch. I am testing this from a small 2ml sample so not been spraying much but projection is pretty good. I can smell it strongly on me. Longevity likewise is around the 6-7 hour mark with about 5-6 tiny spritzes from the sample so I have a feeling this would perform even better with proper even sprays from the full bottle or even a bigger decant. Two other fragrances it reminds me of to some extent is L'Ambre des Merveilles by Hermes although Ambre Imperial is somewhat fuller and has better performance. The other one is Dazzle by Al Haramain and I hesitate to make this comparison coz Dazzle is more or less a cruder, ham fisted version of this but it does have a similar vibe. If sweet fruity ambers are your thing, this is one of the best ones I have smelled so far. Ambre Imperial is beautiful.

I obtained a 75ml 2.5 fl oz bottle of Van Cleef & Arpels Ambre Imperiale at a deep discount from a popular online vendor. I had originally received a 2ml sample tester prior to this with an order from the same seller. Im a sucker for a warm sweet amber note in a fragrance...and this hit the mark perfectly. The opening is a very well blended pink pepper/spice accord that adds to the warmth of the fragrance as a whole. It soon gives way to a very rich, warm , sweet , soft amber/vanilla accord that is devastatingly elegant & beautiful. Wholly Unisex..the cashmere-smooth amber/vanilla/musk accord will warm your heart and comfort you...its like wearing a hug. It projects very well, in an in-offensive manner...and has real staying power. This has become one of my-all time favorites...and i would definitely purchase more from the VC & R “Collection Extraordinare” line. Elegant, classy, sophisticated, refined, warm, comfort.. I really enjoy wearing this throughout the winter season.. Very few fragrances have brought me this level of comfort and I continue to fall in love with it time and time again each Winter! If you love amber ..you will thoroughly enjoy this composition. The Verdict : EXCELLENCE

Complex warm scent, starts slightly fresh, but always with a sweet undertone and fully develops into a delicious gourmand, smelling of a vanilla cake fresh from the oven (at least to my nose). The Tonka Bean is strongly present and who ever tasted Tonka Bean in a dessert cream or used it as a spice (like French cuisine), might agree with me that it sometimes can beat Vanilla - if you like a bolder approach and a caribbean touch. Wikipedia says, they have a strong fragrance similar to sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum) due to their high content of coumarin. Anyhow, a mouthwatering scent which develops a little powder in the dry down, but never so strong that it makes you cough (which happens to me with overwhelmingly powdery scents, I normally tend to like very fresh greenish-white flowery-scents...) In a nutshell: Smelled it and went "Mmmmh..." ..nom, nom... where's that cake, can I have a piece?! ;)

The perfumes of Collection Extrodinaire from Van Cleef & Arpels are underrated gems. Everything I’ve tested suggest qualitiy ingredients which then translates into natural executions. And Ambre Imperial is no exception. I pick up a gourmand, carmelized amber, with vanilla and benzoin. It comes across fizzy, like a carbonated cocktail with a citrus twist. The drydown smells like biscuits baking in the oven. I think this scent translates best in the Fall with a fresh outdoors or wood lodge vibe. Performance is acceptable on my second wearing; about 3-4 hours (I have dry skin). A unisex scent, going in a slightly feminine direction. What prevents this line from being “masterpieces” is a lack of something more unique note-wise, but Ambre Imperial comes close. Still, at the bargain price found on the discount sites, I’m in love with this affordable, crowd pleasing line from VC&A.

Hate at initial spray and well for the first 10 minutes or so. All i got was a harsh pepper mellowed down by a little citrus. Way too masculine and not a hint of amber anywhere! After 10 minutes or so, the magic started happening 😍 I started getting whiffs of a super soft, delicate, creamy whipped vanilla drizzled with something sweet. Like come sort of scrumptious vanilla pastry 🥮 😋 At first, I wasn’t really sure where this deliciousness is coming from and had to double check that it’s not coming from where I sprayed that citrusy pepper abomination that i was more than ready to wash off, and to my surprise and delight, it was indeed the source 😍😍 It has transformed into the coziest, most delicate amber-vanilla skin scent that I could easily see myself getting addicted to 😍 😋