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 😍 😋

My first introduction to this collection was the Orchidee Vanille. I fell in love. A beautiful vanilla with a bit of grit. I love a sweet gourmand, but made for a grown up. I was running low and had been searching for a back up bottle, and decided to give this one a try. This is not your teenager's vanilla. Velvety amber layered with deep boozy vanilla and earthy tonka blended beautifully with citrus and woody notes. It's beautiful and sensuous, not pretty and ladylike. This is a sexy scent - male or female - this is a fragrance for anyone who is looking for something expertly made and rich. A bit more projection and longevity would be a bonus, but I love this fragrance and won't be waiting for winter to wear it. I can't wait to try the other scents in this collection.

Transparent amber and benzoin fragrance much in the vein of Hermès' L’Ambre des Merveilles. I agree with @spumyland's appreciation below. I much prefer this over Hermès' rendition. Ambre Imperial has as much benzoin as it has amber + a faint lipstick vibe (I assume iris, though not listed); but the key point here is transparency, which makes it a very welcome addition to my collection, as I am a lover of resinous orientals, but can seldom wear them to the office. This is office friendly and ELEGANT, perfect for daytime during fall, and winter, and a terriffic choice for a summer evening out, or a business cocktail. Projection: Soft to Moderate. I usually use 4 sprays, but increase to 5 or 6 of this in cooler temperature. Longevity: Approx. 4-5 Hours

Its a lightly sparkling, softly spiced, vanilla amber gourmand. I find with this one, it actually smells and develops better on clothes then skin. If I spray on my wrist I feel like its almost water and cant smell anything, but if I spray on my sweater then five or ten mins. later I can smell a sweet slightly spiced gourmand. I didn't think I liked it at first as I was hoping for more tonka and sweetness, but on my sweater its balanced as softly spiced gourmand as stated before. I think it is good for work on the colder days. I imagine this is what amber nuite smells like but I have never tired that one. pretty and light.

Blind buy. The first thing I smelled was a lot of pink pepper and bergamot, the pepper almost irritated my nose and I wanted to sneeze. But after a couple of minutes the pepper settled down and I smelled an incredibly soft, delicate, creamy vanilla amber scent. It is difficult for me to single out any specific notes, because it is a fragrance that smells just warm. When I wear this fragrance, I feel like I'm wrapped in a warm scarf by the fireplace and drinking hot tea with some vanilla oriental sweets. Very cozy, very warm, very soft. Long lasting, but the sillage is on the more intimate side.

This is so so nice on my skin. Warm sweet vanilla amber. I had a wee bit of a sample and put the few dabs on my chest, and I keep getting such lovely whiffs. This is my absolute favorite type of perfume, it slightly reminds me of 2 of my favorites (though not dupes) Guerlain Shalimar Millesime Tonka and Byredo Slow Dance. I don’t think this perfume was made to be a beast. This is more of a “I love you, come closer” kind of scent, special for you and those special people you let close. But it’s such a joy to wear. I am adding this to my ever expanding want list.

This one is a strong but sophisticated amber and woody scent for anytime perfect from autumn to spring! Or even summer in a cool weather at home, too. I love the way of appealing this scent with a bit of booziness from my wrists every time I’d like to sniff it. It is also a good compliment getter. It’d be a good idea to share with family or couple as totally a unisex experience. I love the scent gives me a deep steadiness and calmness, but it is a heavier scent so maybe not for a beginner as I first felt a little bit overwhelming.

Amber Imperial is a real unisex fragrance, I pick up a warm/sweet caramelized amber vib with a a very sutble floral tone. There's also vanilla and tonka making it perfect during the fall and winter months. Longevity and Silage is very good lasting between 6-8hrs. I enjoy using this juice with a natural aroma of notes and not a synthetic pool. There's a smig more sweet than spicy blend which I prefer with this sort of aroma. I don't over spray only one or two times depending if it's for evening wear....8/10

Ambre Imperial is like Guerlain's Tonka Imperial suitable for both genders. It blends with the skin to a very unique scent. AI starts a bit zesty but turns quickly into a warm and cozy wrap. It's the drydown which makes it similar to Guerlain's TI and Dior's Feve Delicieuse. TI has the slight bitter almond note while FD is more on the soft feminine side. All three fragrances are long lasting, warm and comforting. AI has the strongest Amber note of all which justifies its name - Ambre Imperial.

I am not into sweet scents but this one is so amazing I bought it as soon as I smelled it. Very delicate amber and the sweetness of vanilla comes slowly during wear time. Update : 31 January 2018 Bought my second bottle. Amazing stuff. Update : 17 January 2019 Bought my third bottle Update : Fourth bottle 23 November 2020 Fifth bottle July 2022 This is getting silly 😂 .. I'm stopping with the fifth update. But you catch my drift. Timeless Perfume.

This is stunning. Grand Soir who??? This amber fragrance is much more captivating than some of the "greats" that I've tried. Why isn't this revered more?? What a lovely amber+vanilla. Smells classy and well-balanced. Highly recommend for someone looking for beautiful sweet amber vanilla with a calm woody base. The spices are dialed back and not taking over, which is my personal gripe for so many amber perfumes. This is a blind buy success.

A very easy to wear amber/ vanilla with a nice classy finish that doesn't turn too simple, there's a nice woodiness to the finish. If I wanted something stand-out and unique this wouldn't be it. I might want something more unusual or edgy for evening, or something more enigmatic for daytime, but Ambre Imperial is supremely easy to wear - snug, cosy, inviting with no surprises. A perfect classy comfort scent for autumn and winter.

Beautiful and elegant. I can see how it might be perceived as masculine, but really it’s a gorgeous option for women as well. At first application it’s a woody, ambery vanilla...smooth and creamy and a little smoky, not unlike the smoky accord in “by the fireplace” but more natural, less smokehouse. This is one of these fragrances that is “unexpected” on a feminine woman, which I think adds to the whole mystique and mystery!

I just picked this up at a great price as a blind buy for fall.... I am not disappointed. It's a soft, vanilla, ambery and almost musky skin scent. Dries down to a straight up soft amber. So subtle but I can't stop smelling my arm! I am also getting a bit nostalgic with it because the initial notes reminded me a bit of the old Jean Naté body splash my mother used to wear in the 70's.

THIS IS A "SPEAK SOFTLY AND CARRY A BIG STICK" FRAGRANCE. I love the benzoin and woods in here! This could easily scare young children if it weren ́t for its transparency and for the fact it sits close to the skin. Sophisticated and assertive. I love it for the office, or a dinner date on a summer night. This is my update. You ́ll find my review from Dec 2018, 6 or 7 entries below.

Everyone knows QB is a genius. My faves are the ones he did with fellow bomb perfumer Natalie Gracia-Cetto. But there’s something about Ambre Impérial that really does it for me. It’s subtle sweet and a touch animalic with a luxe dose of amber. There’s definitely an understated elegance and sensuality to this one. It’s unique and not too much of any one thing.