Ambre Russe

An amber for people who don't care for ambers. Me! There are three reasons why Ambre Russe sticks out in my mind when recalling ambers of the last few decades that I believe are very good and quite unique. The first is the way this perfume opens, which I will get to in a second. The second is that it is indeed an amber, but the facets of amber that are hard for me to like after being worn out by them over many years, namely the sweet vanillic balsams, are not as thick and impenetrable as they are in most ambers. The third is the texture of the perfume, which Marc-Antoine Corticchiato achieves in that most lovely and classical of perfume styles of being very rich but with a swirling and airy quality that sits very lightly on your skin. The second and third points go hand-in-hand, and more on those later. So, first, what does it smell like.

The discovery continues for the Perfum D'Empire. This time it was Ambre Russe. One to the wrist, one to the chest. No boozy start to me. Instead, lovely cinnamon came out with a bit of amber and coriander. Pretty much a moody and melancholic EDT for the chilled evenings. Projection and sillage is not as good as Eau De Gloire. My wife didn't like it as she found it unoriginal. To me, it is both modern and vintage smelling. But the next day frankly all I got from the shirt was a faint cologne smell associated with elders. It has a good start and middle phase but a disappointing base. I suggest to those who seek Musc Ravageur also try this as they are a bit similar if not the same and this is half the price of it. As in all other perfumes within the range, the quality of ingredients is top-notch and natural smelling.

Starts off extremely boozy, as to be expected with the vodka and champagne notes - which can be sickly to some. However once settling on the skin, it becomes a warm, spicy, delightful fragrance with undertones of cinnamon enveloping a beautiful, comforting tea scent. Although it started very heady and intense with the sharp vodka note, it quickly develops into something spicy, musky; reminiscent of sitting by an ashy fireplace, drinking tea (or perhaps alcohol). Ambre Russe lives up to its Russian ‘vibe’, as this is very much a cold winters night perfume to bring an air of comfort and intimacy. Only two sprays are needed with this perfume due to its sheer richness and complexity; definitely a very old fashioned and mature scent.

The first thing you smell when you spray Ambre Russe is vodka, and it is strong. But it burns off within just a few breaths, leaving a tangy tea and leather combination of notes that feature a musky, slightly floral blueberry type aroma and an acidic burst of lemon. These must be facets of the smoky black tea leaves note, and all that tangy tea goodness pairs with a well worn boot leather accord to make a surprisingly peppy and intriguing yet smooth perfume. These notes are accented by pine and clove that together feel a little like salty licorice to me. It’s not a strong element, there’s just the edge of it, but adding it into this perfume is an unexpected little thrill of unique beauty.

Ambre Russe is a departure of sorts from the mossy chypres that I've come to associate with Parfum d'Empire. In a nutshell, AR can be described as a dry leather-amber scent with a boozy opening. It is satisfyingly on-theme - a classical amber scent that features a Russian leather note prominently...but also led by vodka. It is slightly austere despite its ambery warmth - the slightly sour harshness of the vodka opening followed by the old-fashioned resinous amber drydown makes for a challenging scent overall, but I really like it, especially after the vodka dissipates. I like a classic amber scent at the best of times, and this is a lovely one, featuring a creative twist.