Somebody called me the Queen of Amber once, and while I am honored, and it is very true that I love the note, I feel that I still have a long way to go to deserve that title, but I intend to go the distance, one amber at the time. 🙂
So, now that fall is here, prime amber season has begun once more, and I can take on again my quest for the crown for the perfect amber.
Tom Ford’s entry into the amber canon is simply called Amber Absolute and is what I call a perfect specimen.
Created by Christophe Laudamiel in 2007, Amber Absolute includes notes of amber, African incense, labdanum, rich woods, and vanilla bean.
Amber Absolute is a big-boned, un-subtle, but beautiful amber fragrance. It opens a bit sharp and smoky, but soon mellows into a dark brownish-golden and rich amber that has just the right balance of sweet and dry. There is no big evolution, aside from the incense smoke getting less over time. Longevity is impressive, this is a perfume for the entire day.
In comparison to other ambers, I find Amber Absolute to be the center point of reference. It sits squarely in the middle of the conglomerate of notes that constitute amber and therefore is a perfect specimen indeed, if anything, it suffers a little from lack of character. It can be called too perfect. But for me personally, there is no such thing as an overly perfect amber, in fact Amber Absolute is my point of reference, and the one amber that always, always, always works, that can be trusted at all times.
It is the Buzz Lightyear of ambers. Square-jawed, muscled, intelligent if a bit naive, highly moralistic and idealistic – in short hero material.
Amber Absolute is the Clark Kent of ambers, nice, good, doggedly loyal and with a little secret, with both feet firmly planted on the ground but still able to fly.
Amber Absolute is my hero.
Other ambers to swoon over: Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan :: Armani Privé Ambre Orient :: Dior Mitzah :: Annick Goutal Ambre Fetiche :: Frapin 1697 :: Parfum d’Empire Ambre Russe :: Mona di Orio Ambre :: Teo Cabanel Alahine :: L’Artisan Parfumeur L’Eau d’Ambre
Amber Absolute and the entire Tom Ford Private Blend range is available at www.parfuma.com.
Olfactoria's Travels 
I’m sooo impressed by this review… Your Clark Kent metaphor is just perfect! But I didn’t even need this whole review: after you mentioned Amber Absolute in your comment to my Tom Ford’s series post it was enough for me to get to the store this weekend to try it (see how powerful you are? 😉 ). I only smelled it from the bottle and got a sample but haven’t tried it on the skin yet. But I will soon.
Thank you! Let me know whether you find Clark Kent smiling at you as well when you wear it. 🙂
I was sooo waiting for this review… – thank you, B.! Tonight I have to re-test the scent, I have to look for Clark Kent in my sample bottle…
I’m glad to hear that!
I hope he is in there somewhere… 😉
Another beauty from the Private Blend line and one of my top 5 ambers. I thoroughly recommend trying Halston Man Amber – this goes for everyone reading this blog! – which is a completely underrated, resinous, powerful amber beast.
Interesting suggestion, thank you Aaron! I have not heard of this one yet.
Wow, “a perfect specimen” from the Queen of Amber is praise indeed! I’ve drained my decant of Ambre Narguile so maybe I should give Amber Absolute a try next (along with La Fumée by Miller Harris which sounds great). Love an amber with smoke and incense and love Buzz Lightyear!
And I’m sure Buzz would love you! 😉
Yum! I do so love an amber… And this one is no exception! One day I’ll have to do a side by side with Ambre Fetiche, and see who wins for me 🙂
Lovely review!
The two have very different moods for me. AF is more of a Lex Luthor to TF’s Clark Kent. 😉
Today I wore these two in parallel. While I like both and can see a subtle difference, for my nose they aren’t different enough to pay Tom Ford’s price when I can buy AF (which I plan to do soon).
Don’t get me wrong: I wouldn’t refuse a bottle of Amber Absolute if it fall from the sky (or at least came up at a good price), but if I decide to buy one of TF’s perfumes probably AA won’t be the one.
The price difference is enormous that is undoubtedly true.
I still think Amber Absolute is nearer to Armani Ambre Ortient or Dior Mitzah than to Ambre Fetiche. But unfortunately those two are not exactly cheap alternatives either…
Buzz Lightyear and Clark Kent = heehee. I prefer Clark. 🙂
I did think of you, the Amber Queen, last night when I tried Estee Lauder Amber and Ylang Ylang for the first time. I was surprised how much I liked it. I will be doing more amber exploration as it gets colder, so I will have to try this new TF.
EL Amber Ylang surprised me too, very cozy and sweet. The TF is a lot more butch, but gorgeous.
This sounds like a 1 to try, usually I stay away from amber but the note is starting to grow on me providing its quite gentle. At least TF is a bit easier to find.
Funnily, I didn’t start out loving amber either, but once I fell for it, there was no turning back. 😉
Hey…I don’t remember Buzz Lightyear being THAT handsome? 😛
Also, my sister and I used to be obsessed with Dean Cain in The New Adventures of Superman, literally OBSESSED.
Anyway enough about the boys and on to Amber Absolute, I concur with everything you say, it’s a very good amber, almost like a failsafe amber. Love this review!
Thank you, Thomas!
Dean Cain as Clark Kent – ahh, a sight for sore eyes, wasn’t he? I didn’t like smug Superman half as much as shy and clumsy Clark. 😉
Agreed, Clark had a geeky charm that was irresistible. Also, how did anyone not know that Superman was Clark Kent, all he did was take his glasses off?!
Superman was a geek! No match for the mighty!
Nothing wrong with geeks. 😉
But Clark Kent does have his own peculiar charm. I am new to this site. It is very interesting. Amber Absolute appears to be one to add to my list. I am already a HUGE fan of Tom Ford Extreme, and my friend enjoys the White Patchoulie. Many thanks for the introduction.
He does! I absolutely prefer Clark Kent to Superman!
I hope you enjoy Amber Absolute, I also hope you can still find some, since it has unfortunately been discontinued in the meantime. 😦
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Indeed!
🙂
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