Description
The collection Les Orientaistes brings three oriental fragrances inspired by the 19th century painting that presents the beauty rithuals in harems.
The oriental notes that Annick Goutal presents in this trio are amber, myrrh and frankincense.
The first one is Ambre Fétiche (Amber-Fetish), with the notes of amber, frankincense, labdanum, stirax, benzoin, iris absolute, vanilla and Russian leather.
It comes as a three-bottles collection in a leather case, that hides the three fragrances – amber (Ambre Fetiche), frankincense (Encens Flamboyant), and myrrh (Myrrhe Ardente). Each bottle contains 50ml EDP and each of them will be available separately in 100ml bottles.
The whole collection was created in cooperation between Camille Goutal and perfumer Isabelle Doyen, in 2007.
игорь84 – :
I’ve tried this several times at the Annick Goutal boutique in Paris and whatever amber exists in this fragrance has been hidden behind oriental spices and smoky notes that just aren’t – well…. they kill the amber.
Another disappointment from Annick Goutal.
Илья Васильков – :
I love amber perfumes, so I was excited to try this one as it has such a good reputation among amber enthusiasts. I gotta say, though, that it’s left me decidedly underwhelmed.
When first sprayed on my skin, Ambre Fétiche gives off a very sharp “sour” smell. As it dries down, it becomes quite powdery, and lacks all of the warmth that I normally associate with ambers. In fact, if i were to have ‘blind sniffed’ this perfume, I wouldn’t have even classified it as an amber. My husband interpreted the powdery/sour smell as “wet diaper”. I can’t say that I entirely disagree.
I’m disappointed, as I had hoped to find another amber that I could fall in love with. Ambre Fétiche, unfortunately, is not the one for me.
Lender – :
Stunning Oriental ambery beauty. The perfume opens with dense resinous notes of styrax, labdanum, vanilla, and amber. It proceeds to a brief floral resin heart of iris and benzoin and settles into a powdery patchouli, leather, geranium and vanilla. Beautifully blended with strong sillage, projection and longevity this is an exquisite, comforting, feminine leaning, animalic and exotic amber. Recommended for very bold women and unafraid men. Enjoy!
Feenrynuh – :
This has a very dry and sharp opening – the styrax and incense and leather. Then dries down more powdery, the iris is powerful afterwards. To me this is a more masculine fragrance, and the patchouli isn’t the most sophisticated here more of sharp note than cozy. Balsamics are a little lost here to me so I won’t be buying this but I can imagine days when I would enjoy it.
vaceslav8 – :
Okay so Ive been lurking around this gem for over two weeks and today I finally bought it. Let me get this straight, I adore amber/ambregris but there are some notes that harmonize with amber and some that ruin it, rose for example (it literally stings my nose). However, incense and styrax go beautifully with amber. Ambre fétiche is a harmonious, well balanced and head turning perfume that quickly made it to my top three fragrances. It opens with spicy notes and a divine incense note wirhout being overpowering. After a couple of minutes the famous amber makes its entrance and stays on my skin for nine hours or more. Its a unique and mouth watering blend with great silleage. This just might be the holy grail for true amber lovers. Not the sweet, sugary kind, its animalic and seducing! Im usually not a big fan of Annick Goutal but this one is a revelation in a whole different league of niche perfumery. Although the price is rather high its worth every single penny and if youre looking for a high class, real amber scent look no further, this is it.
vladis – :
I would name it Fucking Fabulous if i could. Harsh opening but what an amazing dry down. I would wear it by the fire place if it snows outside.
Scent 9.5/10
vidobest – :
This earns a “love” from me. I slept in Shalimar last night and woke up this morning to see that my package of Ambre Fetiche had arrived. I smeared it on the crook of my elbow and what I got in return was a lovely, Shalimar-esque amber. Polished, vintage-y, deep, spicy, mysterious, reminds me of visiting a palm reader in a bad part of town on a fall night. Halloweenish. It’s dissimilar from Shalimar in the sense that there’s much more smoke and no lemon cake note. The smoke creates a more modern feel, it might be considered challenging by some but I love it. It’s a realistic ashen fireplace smell, almost a palo santo accord. It’s a warm and smooth smoke and it makes me want to get closer. Smoldering. Just a delight. I blind bought this and what a pleasant surprise. Sexy as hell.
Edit: I am about to go out of the house for the day and as cold as it is, I don’t want to put on a coat because I don’t want to not be able to smell my arm. This is some good stuff.
Emerloope – :
When my wife and I were planning our wedding we visited a number of potential venues. One was Syon House in south west London – a beautiful 16th century house / palace that backs onto the Thames with a view over to Kew Gardens. Stunning venue and location but we chose not to go with it because of the smell – it was like an old museum with a stale, dusty odour. This reminds me of Syon House – has a dusty smell combined with stale McVities Digestive biscuits. Not my cup of tea at all unfortunately.
andrei2012 – :
This stuff is amazing!!
I was a little afraid of the smoke before trying, but as others have said it’s not overpowering, because of the great balance it has with the Ambre, and other resins.
I can definitely pick up the Benzoin, the Patch, and the Vanilla. None of it is overpowering.
Can also pick up the flowers. Slight powder from the Iris, and slight rosey sweetness from the Geranium.
This may be the most balanced, and well blended scent I have ever smelled.
Currently my favorite amber, and I am still working on exploring this scent. Hint, hint. 😉
There is an Edit coming as I have something that sounds special on the way. Something that also sounds too good to be true. Can’t share about it until I actually have it in my hands, and have tried.
Stay tuned. 😉
Edit: Found a Amber Fetiche Parfume Extrait from 1981 at an online store, and ordered it. It is wonderful as you might imagine. Liquid is a darker and cloudy true amber color. It came in a beautiful flacon with a big capitol A on the front with actual bronze metal corners.. Very good performer.
Labdanum is the star of this show.
It is the luckiest and most prized possession in my collection.
I think something like this probably happens for everyone if you are in this game long enough. 😉
Simonagriikopl – :
A smoky, incense driven amber. I bought the 5ml splash size and instantly I regret not going larger. This amber scent is dry and long lasting, a unisex scent if you are the kind of woman who likes slightly masculine scents as I do.
eldekeels – :
I really love amber perfumes and I own a few of them but Ambre Fetiche is my absolute favorite amber perfume. It is warm, rich, medicinal and incensed amber with a great blend of leather, labdanum and benzoin playing a second role and a grown up vanilla patchouli inclusion in the drydown. I associate this smell with mages of antique wood and leather furniture, rich thick granate and gold thread fabrics and venetian paintings by Veronese and Tintoretto. Like a golden fire light in the dark, like the sun itself in the darkness of the universe. Really evocative and in my case truly uplifting. Perfect for winter early night-long dark days.
Ambre fetiche is quite bold so it is not that easy perfume to use on a daily basis in today’s perfume extra ruled and controlled landscape. That makes me crave for it even more.
Perfectly unisex, very long lasting and non linear with a changing evolution of which I enjoy all of its stages. Big sillage, be cautious with the number of sprays.
I really hope this one never disappears, it is a masterpiece.
obd132speagoessenda – :
So strong and too cloying for me unfortunately. I love the smell of amber but if I had to go with one, I’d go with Ambre Precieux by Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier.
Ambre Fetiche is more like amber on steroids to my nose. I want it to just calm down.
It definitely has hours of staying power and sillage though!
tegopauntee – :
Ambre Fetiche is a lovely amber and incense scent. It opens with a classic amber accord accented by a powdery touch of iris. Incense emerges next, followed by a leather dry down with hues of styrax and patchouli. It feels dry, despite its complexity, and ever so slightly woody thanks to the patch. Vanilla and benzoin add a touch of welcome sweetness, and frankincense a touch of smoke.
The overall effect isn’t as rich as Serge Lutens’ Ambre Sultan – still the benchmark for modern niche ambers, almost 25 years since its launch in 1993. It also lacks a novel twist, like Lutens’ touch of herbal green bay leaf. Still, the amber-incense-leather progression is different enough to give Ambre Fetiche its own distinct character. It’s a well-executed, thoroughly wearable contemporary amber.
A final note – Annick Goutal’s square 15ml splash bottles really are gorgeous.
freedom1796 – :
I think this is what Prada had as an inspiration when Prada Amber was created. They are similar in that they are both Amber based scents that combine patchouli and incense giving this scent a Churchy vibe. But Prada Amber gets a bit too gourmand and cloying and I find I don’t reach for it often because of this.
AF is what I always wanted in an amber. I don’t think there is more of a perfect companion for amber than incense. Here the two are married and the result is a sacred feeling bringing comfort and quiet reflection to the wearer. It reminds me of the smell at Holy Mass. I love this sort of scent because you get the best of both worlds…Liturgical nuances and the golden caramely goodness of gently sweet amber. Very good and full bottle worthy for me.
nikolya001 – :
My original review was removed!!!??? Really!!! I had nothing good to say about this fragrance, but isn’t this supposed to be a forum for honest opinions??? Anyway, this scent is disgusting…please do not blind this!!!!
3manur – :
My fav perfume of all time ❤️
FlikZiS – :
warm, buttery, yummy, rich, long lasting
stopshopbgs – :
There’s not too much to say about this beauty that hasn’t been said before, but I’ll touch on a few points. First off, this smells exceptionally well-made. It’s blended to perfection and no note tries to dominate or feels unnecessary. It’s dry, rich, smokey and warm all at the same time. It’s super cozy, and super sexy. If you love a good amber scent, or just oriental scents in general, this one should certainly be on your radar.
icersape61 – :
This is one of those fragrances that you cannot help but fall in love with… Although for some reason I made up my mind to not love it because of the plethora of fragrances that wanted to smell like this. After having sampled almost every other amber, I think this has something exceptional about it. It really is a very well composed fragrance and really stands out in terms of composition. This makes me believe that it most certainly was a reference amber for many ambers made after it.
Quality that shines and a fragrance that pleases the senses. The name of the fragrance it very apt indeed too… But I will spare you the details about that. Longevity is good for what this is and the silage issue is forgiveable, again because for what this is. Some things you love because they become close to your heart.
Sq – :
Quality, exclusivity and excellence define Ambre fetish Annick Goutal and its absolute East footprint. A unique scent that will not give up to have in the collection because interpret my naked personality and blatant manner. The footprint of Ambre fetish I am in my essence, the way he behaves start to finish says a lot about me, and people who already knew me personally and looked deep into my eyes can prove what I say. Gross Incense Styrax (benzoin) is access and smokes with resin aspects every corner where he can achieve in his opening also shows an earthy vanilla that combined to Styrax notes making it highly medicinal (too love the result of this combination ) and uncomfortable as chokes, whips, step and crush the senses of those who use it and those who sit around too. In your heart I see only Iris, but an unprecedented Iris, without resemblance to the famous Iris Guerlain, here is a top Iris for being handmade, those used in country weddings and stealing to the attention of the bride and groom so much that perfume the environment even though he was partially open. At the base he is bitter and intensely resinous with a very pronounced eccentric Patchouli, dry and very powerful hyper, crazy that exhales, exhales and breathes wildly with no chance to repent, because even if you take repentant bath because the application did, he will not leave . There is a manly leather in his farewell that almost makes him lose his compartilhabilidade, is a Leather warming, coats and dares every move you make, delight that makes me lagrimar excitement when use when I, when I allow myself to he be taken and intensified. It is the type of perfume that are not content to dwell only on the skin, it goes to the bones, blood, joints and marrow, and nothing can change its unique way of fixing. Absolutely all!
Word of the day: endless… (day 78)
cxm100Unlogrere – :
My favourite perfume of all time, specially the old formula!!!
unsubrott – :
This smells like the drydown of Shalimar to me! A rubber tire-infused, spicy, vanilla, incense combo without the citrus of Shalimar. I kept sniffing my wrist thinking, “This smells like something I own!” and yes, Shalimar it is! That being said, this smells slightly dated, but since I like Shalimar and this, I don’t mind.
batvans – :
R-E-F-O-R-M-U-L-A-T-E-D..!!
Smells the same like before, but poor on longevity and becomes a skin scent after the first half an hour.
Sad Sad Sad.
lenich – :
Pays to do a little research.. $185 retail for this. Shipped on ebay for $72.00 NIB.
Retail… Smh. Talk about a profit. Makes me wonder what profit is behind the xerjoff, clive c., kilians, creed etc…
Nyuta – :
This fragrance, for me, has two distinct phases. In the opening and first 3-4 hours, it is a lovely resinous and vanilla amber with a slight powdery edge. I find it somewhat similar to Ambre Sultan during this phase.
Afterwards it becomes smokier, more austere amber with the incense being much more forward, though the amber persists.
A lovely wintertime scent for amber and smoke lovers.
alexandru.cebotari – :
This one really grew on me.
Wow, what a beautiful Amber. It’s powdery and just very warm and well done. Definitely unisex but it leans a little masculine on my skin and I’m a male. I really like it.
When I found Tom Ford – Amber Absolute, I knew I had a gem. The best of the best Amber period. But, I seem to compare all Amber scents to that one and was always let down. I quickly realized how different Amber can be done. I then blind bought boss velvet Amber, which is the opposite of that, then I got a sample of this which is like in the middle of them and finally my last favorite Amber fragrance which is Ambre Russe which is a boozy Amber, also different.
This is a dry, powdery, smoky, Amber with a tinge of sweetness. It seems to act best in cool weather and has its days where it performs better than others. It’s definitely worth looking at, especially if you are a fan of the Amber scents I enjoy as well mentioned above. It’s not my favorite Amber scent, but it’s on the list.
8.5/10
For a more simple review. Here.
Perfect
Unisex
Great blend and balance of notes
Great price
BEASTMODE longevity
Good projection
Great Amber scent a must try/have
Compliment getter
A+
alexandrma2011 – :
I fell in love on first sniff.
Smoky, warm, rich, resinous. It smells like you just came in from the cold, in a beautiful leather jacket, now you are sitting by the fire and the heat and soft light is soothing you. And to complete the experience, you sniff on a bottle of double strength vanilla extract. It is dry, perhaps the most all-encompassing, velvety fragrance I have ever smelt. It makes me feel warm on the inside, like I am wrapped in a big fluffy heated towel. I think it’s incredibly sexy too, it’s not just soothing, it smells confident and “badass”.
Even with its enormous strength, it’s not overpowering at all. Use just one spray to last for hours. It is decidedly unisex.
This may be my new favorite fragrance…simply incredible.
sow432Negeltzex – :
Chimney smoke on a cold January night and a about a hundred freshly blown out birthday candles off of a gigantic burnt almond torte. This is the ultimate cozy, smokey, winter, amber.
Gooqpu – :
From the collection of Les Orientalistes, inspired by beauty rituals in the harems, Ambre Fetiche opens with a sensual, opulent incense with smoky notes, leathery and a warm, dark, dry amber, creating a decadent and luxurious atmosphere.
A pinch of Russian leather brings elegance, Animalic touch and dark, playing with chiaroscuro. Round fragrance spices and colored by a fragrant patchouli, reminding Ambre Sultan resins.
Very complex, in layers that cause rich hues.
Duration and impeccable sillaje monstrous.
Goutal can play with the dreamlike, innocence and sensuality to perfection, by converting to a decadent Ambré Fetiche unique and unrepeatable fragrance.
Byredo imitated such as 1996, but never equaled because the initial idea and the class was Goutal Genius.
An oriental opulent, rich, that transports you to the heyday of the Alhambra.
A true masterpiece of perfumery to take into account !!
Rating: 9
artimoahka – :
Got this as a generous sample from a wonderful Fragrantican.
I’m a huge amber lover. This is thick, warm,resinous amber. But,it’s a little too dry for my taste. I don’t know if it’s my chemistry or what. But it doesn’t have that wow factor for me. I can see why many like it, but I do not feel this is for me.
The longevity is minimal on me and the sillage is okay.
kopenbl4 – :
Eurghh. Take all things cosy and nice, benzoin resin, sweet vanilla and other ambery nice comforts with a smooth rich floral.
Mix them all up and take them to a house rooftop. Then chuck them into the chimney.
Go into house, pick up sticky ball, coated in hot chimney ashes, take breath,,
Yea,, that Niche vibe again. Always raiding chimneys.
My rating: 4/10.
Scent quality: 8/10.
REC – :
Update…
My review is based on the concentrate version.
Several stores where I live brought back Annick Goutal’s fragrance. I have been waiting and hoping that Ambre Fetiche was being added to the line. Unfortunately neither store brought it in so I decided to make a blind purchase, I bought it online and just received it yesterday.
The aroma of amber and incense with Styrax and frankincense makes it a very sophisticated/classy..for the winter months aroma.
After a good hour the aroma of leather combined with frankincense/incense has a really desirable/sexy blend.
Longevity and Silage is excellent lasting over 8hrs being a EDP.
Finally,
I own several fragrance and Ambre Fetiche completes my collections. Ambre is perfect and best during the evening/tuxedo wear. This fragrance is sexy/luxurious. 9/10 worth having in your collection.
jamaqasi – :
patchouli and leather (and geranium) is what set this apart. the actual central syruppy amber accord of labdanum benzoin and vanilla is generic (even though the benzoin representation here is high calibre) its the surrounding frilly notes and atmosphere that make this special. this perfume has a narcotic opium effect, allure and quality to me, i cant describe it, even in warm weather its addicting to my nose i just need to smell it again every time . but better in snow. that dark sour edge is very unique and instantly recognisable. its got quite a kick aswell. bravo annick goutal, a very worthy entry to be among the ranks of amber offerings!
I personally think it’s perfect on any cold day, dabbed on lightly as a beard scent. It goes the distance.
idnicniconboul – :
Before applying it, try to think. How many times would you like to spray? Now, divide the number by 3.
You just overdosed it. I warned you.
In the beginning, I smell dark amber and leather. That part is wonderful. Soon, however, the vanilla dominates. If you happen to sit on the train as I did today morning, people will stop talking and start looking around and sniffing. Either be bold or don’t look at them at all.
As time goes by, Ambre Fétiche becomes linear. The amber itself is darker than the Montale: Blue Amber’s. I’m not talking about the whole fragrance since it’s sweeter than Blue Amber.
The amber has similarities to Ambra Nera’s amber, however, Ambra Nera is more like a room scent than a body scent, unfortunately. Ambre Fétiche has nothing of Ambra Nera’s candle store impression.
Based on my memories, the closest match is L’Artisan, especially in the dry-down phase. I don’t remember L’Artisan having the leather notes though. If you have problems with the overwhelming sweet vanilla either don’t bind-buy it or don’t overdose it. I’m telling this because when I put it on my arm from a sample vial, three times, it seemed to be weak. Then I made the serious mistake of spraying it from the bottle on my neck, more than 0.5 times.
Also, let it dry down because the darkest part (which I prefer the most) is the beginning.
It’s a good scent. It’s not as complex as my favourites and it’s a bit sweeter, but for any amber lover, it’s must to try.
tanaev.tolik – :
@modernfumie; as far as I know it’s not discontinued. I’m not sure about a reform with the new packaging, but it’s still available. The discontinued one I believe is Myrrhe Ardente or Encens Flamboyant. But I’ll bet my bottle that’s it’s not even reformulated!
iksodys – :
I love ambers, and this is my HOLY GRAIL. Smoky incense, sweet vanilla, and carnal leather, this fragrance has it all. Except top notes- it’s totally linear. No matter! With a base like this, who needs ’em. I always scoffed at “back up bottles” but I am sorely tempted in this case. It will be a sad day when I run out of this discontinued fragrance.
As an aside: this is my boyfriend’s favorite fragrance in my wardrobe. He considers my wearing it an act of seduction, and he can identify it at first sniff.
—
EDIT
@Alex1984: what a relief! Not discontinued, just hard to find. Whew.
duh845speagoessenda – :
I smell lots of incense, labdanum, amber, vanilla, leather and patchouli. The patchouli is quite intense and adds a really earthy root or soil scent to the mix which cuts the sweetness of the vanilla and amber. It’s a fairly linear fragrance but every time I wear this it somehow smells a little different to me which probably depends on how much I apply. When I wear this there is always the smell of incense, vanilla and leather, but sometimes I get mixed-in smells of Indian spices, sometimes a cigar pipe, sometimes a head shop, and sometimes I smell fresh soil.
This is a pretty heavy perfume even if you dab it on lightly. It will even last you through the day and into the next morning if you don’t shower before going to bed. I’ve been wearing this the past couple of days to work and I’m sure I’m offending someone, but I don’t care because I love the way it smells.
Skydiver88 – :
This is a lot of things all relating to oriental. It’s a dry amber, a chocolate patchouli, a powdery leather, a smokey vanilla, and a labdanum with a velour texture. This is a burly fragrance laden with gourmand notes which somehow manages to not smell all the way edible(which is a good thing). Not really in the mood to bloviate but it’s like this….I don’t know what you have in your collection and i don’t know what you want in your collection but you NEED to add this to your collection. For less than $100, you get 16hrs longevity and 47 compliments. That’s a good value if i had to say so myself…and if you’re gonna purchase Ambre Fetiche, grab the elegant ribbed bottle as opposed to the ubiquitous square flask. It looks better for your collection.
SoornemeefE – :
This is the richest amber I’ve ever experienced. HEAVY!
Just look at the top billing of resins: Benzoin, Styrax, and Labdanum. Coupled with rich incense, vanilla and leather, it’s all a bit much at first.
It takes a while, but once this dries down the heaviness lessens and you can start to pick out the floral elements (but they do remain cloaked by the incense, vanilla and leather).
For me, I’d prefer the vanilla toned down a bit more. Otherwise, this has much appeal if you’re partial to amber focused fragrances. The composition exudes quality, one thing I really appreciate about the house of Annick Goutal. Unfortunately for them, there’s an abundance of their products available in the auction channels and you can pick up AG fragrances for quite a bit less than retail.
Nrikesss – :
This and Tauer’s LDDM are the most non traditional ambers on the market. Both are in my top 10. Very long lasting with above average sillage up to 6 hours. I can’t add too much to what’s already been said but I will say this. If you are a fan of smokier scents such as LDDM and Memoirs of a Trespasser then do youself a favor and blind buy this. Don’t even hesitate!
Emillalgaxiff – :
Ambre Fétiche is indeed much more close fragrance to Miyako Annayake than Ambre Sultan. Yet hinoki wood in Miyako makes the difference.
As for Ambre Fétiche…It reminds Church not in an incense way, but in wax-smell way. When I was visiting monasteries, lots of them earn their living on producing herbs and candles, monks say prayer on each candle, endlessly, while making them, so if you ever been in their candle workshop you could connect Ambre Fétiche with that ancient, natural way of candle-making, warm melted wax, the real wax, not this coloured plastic we used to see in Yankee’s ones)
Its quite linear scent, but with nice depth and thickness so lovers of amber and natural wax, those who love resinous aromas and ancient-feel – that’s your type of juice. And mine as well, as a blown out candle mist.
Gusarwuszc – :
Amber Incense…
I call this one the “dirty” amber. For me it is a very “real” amber, not a sugary, clean one, not a sweet cloying one. This one is sheer, it’s full, and it doesn’t hold back. Incredible value for money!Ambre Fétiche opens up with all the resins you could think of: Benzoin, Styrax, Labdanum… followed by Leather and Incense, with an Amber-Vanilla touch to everything. It is multi-faceted, it can be sweet, it can be dirty, it can be rough, it can be smooth… and as the fragrance progresses, it shows all these different faces. I really admire it. I admire it for it’s ability to challenge me and envelop the senses with it’s warm, golden aroma. It’s very lush, and also at times dry, and at other times sheer.
A note I especially like is the Russian Leather aspect, sort of like the leather you would find in a vintage fragrance. This is leather which has been “cured” with birch tar, but it doesn’t overwhelm the fragrance. There is enough sultry Vanilla and Labdanum to keep this from being too mouth-wateringly dry or harsh. This is especially prevalent in the dry-down, which leaves the skin smelling warm, sweet, and dusty, like smooth warm leather dusted with powdered brown sugar. The dry-down is the best here, especially as some might find the opening a bit harsh.
Overall, a wonderful value for money fragrance. Two sprays are enough to last you up to six hours, and on clothes this lasts longer. Sweet, smoky, resinous. For all lovers of (true) amber, you should check this one out. Ambre Fétiche has the ability to smell ancient but modern at the same time. Wonderful stuff!
vanka62 – :
Very dark, incense amber. Very well done but challenging to wear. It smells moldy on my skin.
brovka1979 – :
One of the best amber scents (with a strong character) I’ve smelled.
The equilibrium between amber and incense is well done. Vanilla in the background is decent. It’s not church incense but rather a balmy combination with a bit of smoke. The ingredients gives you an impression for a good warm qualitative fragrance. Thus good for autumn and winter.
But when you are not the fan of a balmy oriental scents, you can be disappointed.
Would suit both men and women. Definitely for an evening, I wouldn’t wear it everyday as the intensity is strong but on special occasions.
drej8 – :
Frankincense is a tricky note. Too much of it and you’ve got that unmistakable “church smell”, too little of it and it can be confused with other incense notes. I recently sampled Tom Ford’s Sahara Noir and it felt so old and dusty to me, with sharp dry frankincense dominating everything.
Then in comes Ambre Fetiche. I love a good amber. Temper it with some spice, incense, and leather and I’m won. Annick Goutal struck a phenomenal balance with this one. You can certainly make out the frankincense but it does not overpower everything else. The smoky quality is countered by a soft vanilla and amber that keeps it from becoming a campfire, like SSS Fireside Intense.
This is a rich fragrance that is most suitable for cooler months. It is marketed as unisex, but I find it leaning decidedly towards the masculine side. It’s sweet in the beginning but that abates a bit into the dry down. Amber, incense, vanilla, leather… and not much animalic to my nose. My bottle has the 2nd graphic change as shown in the details above, which has a more masculine appearance compared to the previous label. It matches the sample I got from last year (prior to the label change) so it doesn’t appear that any reformulation has taken place… yet! There is yet another label change, which does not wrap around the bottle. I have no idea of this means a reformulation has been done. Overall, a solid 8/10 and higher if you get it on discount ($170 for a new bottle is a bit much IMHO).
xxxjjjxxx – :
This is a beauty – this one always makes me feel like I’m in a magic place – great for escapism. It is incense laden and this makes it a great amber. It does feel quite rich and fragrant but is not syrupy and dense in the manner of other great ambers (this is not a bad thing it is a great point of difference). This has a slightly lighter touch but is quite a sexy perfume. Definitely is a unisex one and I would love to smell this on a man. It also works well layered with Encens Flamboyant – for a more intense incense experience.
sakartvelo1801 – :
Reminds me of my German grandmother who lived in a wooden house with lots of hidden treasures. It was a slightly spooky place but that’s what made it so special. She was a vegan and her kitchen was full of surprises: foodstuffs, seeds, nuts, sachets of this and that and everywhere was this talcum powdery smell. Her spice rack was enormous and everything was intriguing from a tactile point of view, or it just smelled good and interesting.
I think of “Ambre Fetiche” as a tamed version of “Shalimar”. The latter might have more fun and is arguably younger in attitude and appeal, but A.F. has got more wisdom, zen, and is perhaps more reflective, sensitive and calm, yet still warm and hospitable. Just like my granny.
Linear in development but oh so lovely warm and reliable. Just like your favourite winter cashmere sweater that your granny knitted for you.
10/10 for a masterpiece of memory-lane. They don’t make grannies like this anymore.
BTW this is equally wearable by men who “have seen it all, been there – done that, and have nothing more to prove”. The old and wise caterpillar, sitting and smoking atop the mushroom (Alice in Wonderland) would smell like this!
yuliya-richi – :
Just got my sample yesterday and tried it this morning. Full bottle worthy to say the least. Amber, spices, smoky, a touch of leather. I honestly cannot add more to the positive reviews here, but I will definitely be buying a FB as soon as I can. Can’t get enough of it.
Кэп – :
This is an amber that works better for me than most. My skin has a tendency to really amp up sweet notes and turn most ambers to syrup.
When I saw this contained notes of leather, styrax, iris and incense I was pretty sure they’d be able to restrain the sweetness and make this fragrance wearable for me.
Well, it is wearable. In fact, I like it. Yet, it’s just a bit too sweet for my taste still. I like my ambers really dry and powdery (L’eau Ambree) or sheer and woody (Scent by Costume National).
The beginning is definitely syrupy sweetness. I’d say this lasts close to 30 minutes. Simple syrup and incense. Eventually, Ambre Fetiche does get somewhat drier. The styrax really stands out to me and gives it a woody character (styrax, to me, smells like tree bark, cloves an