Néroli Amara

Neroli Amara is a masterpiece, a true reimagining of neroli. It refuses to be bound by the usual tropes of the scent. There's no sharp citric bite, no overpowering greenness, no dizzying soapiness. No, it comes alive in its own quiet way, sparkling in the sunlight like a shard of broken crystal catching a fleeting ray. Neroli, yes—but not the brash, screechy kind. This is neroli as it was meant to be: served sparkly, fleshy, soft, aside the ripe pulp of an orange, tender and almost teetering on the edge of sweetness. A blossom neither too green nor too citrus-driven, it weaves a delicate balance between the freshness of its identity as a citrus flower and the creamy, honeyed undertones unique to its warm perfume. It avoids the typical cleaning agent sharpness that so many neroli scents tend to lean into and instead cocoons itself in a golden glow, light yet full of substance. A subtlety that’s almost tantalizing in how it lingers just enough to leave you wanting more, but never overwhelming. Its accompanying citruses too are not simply loud or bitter or even just juicy, but chock full of seductive, glistening fruit flesh so irresistible. Then the depth beneath it all—this almost transparent hint of cypress you have to listen for, one elusive but essential. Like the whisper of wind in the trees, fresh but not invasive, it gives Neroli Amara a touch of nature, not a full embrace, and settles so seamlessly into the composition to give it an effortless sun-dappled grove air, where the leaves shimmer and the air tastes of warmth and possibility. The sparkle and lustre of this fragrance is really a fleeting one, but one that stays with you long after it’s passed. The way it blooms into something unexplainably addictively then sheens away, feels both too brief and eternal. There is nothing conventional about Neroli Amara. It’s not a simple freshie. It’s not a straightforward neroli cologne. Think an ever-elusive balance: bright but never harsh, delicate but never frail. It’s a scent that captures a fleeting moment, a feeling—something you don’t even know you’re missing until you find it. And once you do, you can’t let it go. Spritz, spritz, another spritz. It is, in every way, utterly captivating.

I blind bought this based of the notes, reviews and the admiration I have for this brand. And I was not disappointed. This is a soft and fresh solar citrusy fragrance. It opens with a beautiful bergamot and citrus accompanied by the mandarin giving it a juicy nuance, slightly aromatic and spicy due to the cypress and the peppers. Mid through the notes increase and stays solid citrusy aromatic. And in the dry down you get this ethereal neroli accompanied by a beautiful soft musk. The dry down is 💯 Damask by ormonde jayne which is similar to Valaya but softer and without the screechy feel. I think people are confusing between Damask and Levant. I have both and they have some similarities but they are completely different scent profiles. Levant is a sweet juicy floral with the same soft ethereal musk Ormonde Jayne does so well. Damask is the more citrusy musky profile and yes, it's exactly Neroli Amara in the late dry down. This is not a beast mode in terms of projection or sillage but the longevity is great. Projection is moderate on my skin which is a pleasant surprise considering most of Van Cleef perfumes are intimite on my skin. What a gem! My search for THE neroli is now over. At least for a year or two.

Neroli Amara is, for me, an extremely useful perfume; long lasting but not too loud, well liked by my colleagues, feminine-ish, wearable all year round in pretty much all settings and often sold at a heavy discount. This is the perfume I wear "when in doubt", my workhorse perfume, if you will. My profession and the society I live in demands soft, shower fresh perfumes and, well, in such settings I aim to please. Lune Feline, Musc Ravageur or even Tihota garners disapproving looks... Neroli Amara is citrusy, floral and slightly sweet. I get a somewhat fruity vibe. It is quite linear and both citrus and orange blossom is present from start to finish. Very "newly showered"! The neroli is super gentle and not too bitter. I get 5-6 h longevity, with moderate sillage. It doesn't hurt that Neroli Amara smells surprisingly similar to Ex Nihilo - Fleur Narcotique, which I've had my eyes on for the longest time but never LOVE-loved enough to buy at that price! Collection Extraordinaire is a pleasant collection of fragrances. They're all very French, restrained, "classy" and quite well made. Neroli Amara is no exception, in that it is easy to use and like, though never groundbreaking enough to love.

Gosh, is this glorious. From the beginning, you get a nice warm yet refreshing wave of neroli that isn't so sweet and isn't so green. Then, on my skin, this evolves into the most relaxing aromatic + musky orange blossom that, again, isn't so sweet and is just the right amount of fruity thanks to the pear. The cypress in the heart adds a nice dimension of elegance and weight to the composition and makes this unisex enough for a man to wear. Compared to Fleur Narcotique, I feel that this is more aromatic, less fruity, and overall, better. The litchi in FN really bothers me and prevents me from wearing it, since the sweet juiciness made it feel way too feminine for my liking. Yes, Ex Nihilo scents are usually stronger but the scent itself here is superior IMHO, so I will definitely recommend NA by VC&A. Plus, this will work well all year round IMO; Floral enough for spring, citrus enough for summer, musky enough for autumn, and sweet enough for winter. Where I am rn it is winter and this is working wonders for me. I get nice projection and good longevity from this and ppl really can smell this off me.

Reviewing a bottle from 2024. Neroli Amara was launched in 2018. Another gem from Van Cleefs Collection Extraordinaire. This opens with smooth citrus and bergamot and is quickly followed by spectacular orange blossom absolute. It is light and airy.The pink pepper and cedar add spice, woodiness and complexity. I don't think my description does justice to this beautifully blended fragrance. A more citrus forward and unisex cousin to Fleurs Narcotique also by Quentin Bisch. Quality - very good 5/5 Unisex- leans feminine Performance - arms length sillage; average longevity for a citrus fragrance 4/5 Neroli Amara is one of the most gorgeous citrus/floral fragrances out there. There are only a couple of negative reviews in Fragrantica out of many ( one negative review notes no citrus ??? seriously, and the other complains about the black pepper which is in fact incorrectly listed above - there is only pink pepper). Personally, I would only want better longevity from this otherwise it is perfect. 9/10