Review of Ambre Loup by aad de gids

(2017) Calvini@Silviaci is right in saying "Amber is not listed because it's a perceptive note combining resins (labdanum) and balsams (Peru), sweetened by vanilla (and/or tonka)". Naheed Shoukat Ali, Fragrantica editor writes about 'amber': "Before taking you through the pages of history further, I must also share about amber in fragrances in between. Perfumer Adam Gottschalk writes how the amber note is obtained in perfumes, which is rather a combination of benzoin, labdanum, and vanilla which gives the feel of warm, a little sweet and woody amber and mingled with other notes it emerges with its various characters. With just a basic combination of amber and oudh in Rasasi's Amber Oudh, it gives the wearer a warmth of sweet amber laid on bitter oudh. The best I can describe the combination is as a carefully designed gold pendant hung on a heavy gold chain, that's how it feels." yet what then still is an enigma is if the real collected and petrified and millions of years old AMBER, pictured, is in itself fragrant. with the following addendum all becomes unclear again, as the clarification expressed by Calvini stays true of course, it remains a complex matter where NAHEED adds: "Amber stones are always warm to the touch and comforting to the sense of smell. Amber has not only been used as jewelry or in fragrances, but it has also been considered as a medicinal remedy for many diseases from the ancient times till now. Talking further on fragrances, in Imari, one of Avon's classics, amber has been nicely blended with aldehydes, sandalwood, galbanum and vanilla to give it a bright warm feel. Amber in DKNY's Gold is light and woody just like an amber pendant when worn around the neck, and when it touches the skin, together the heat of the skin and the amber emit a warm fragrance which is so comforting and light.". I think I stick by Calvini who sums it up crystal clear: "Amber is a perceptive note" so we make it ourselves with the (also by Naheed) aforementioned "co/notes". by the way, I love amber, I love (yes yes) Obsession (ladies) and I love "Ambre Loup". yet the strangest anomaly is that I do not get any vanilla and the oudh only in the end. (that has changed !) this doesn't matter so much bc the opening is stupefying. very tarry, spicey and this, for a long time. the labdanum then, cloves and spices, vanilla and peru-balsem build up to its royal ambery heart. such are the enigmas in perfumery. ps: 2+ hours in the oudh and vanilla appear, at my skin at least. (april 2026 new review) this perfume 'sits in my collection' since it's inception 2012. yesterday, since probably 15 years and maybe somewhat shorter, I spritzed it on again and I immediately remembered the exact smell of the perfume. only did it then still had a surprise in petto: it was the full Amber perfume as I remembered but it was dirty. this evened out in half an hour. I first thought it had gone bad. but that has almost never happened within my perfume landscape of 299 bottles. now this morning I noticed all the 'foul smell' was gone. I had it reduced to the Oud which also shapes the perfume. however now it turns out to be that precisely mesmerizing deep Amber perfume as it was in 2012. beneath I saw reviews by someone who doesn't smell a thing, and someone who reduces the Amber in the perfume to all types of Amber -aromachemicals. each person has her', his' own experience. but there is of course also the fact I have the first batch. so several variables can influence the perception. but to my experience this is one of the purest, deepest Amber perfumes I know. and apparently I love Amber perfumes since, what I still judge to be the best Amber perfume of all times (for me) (still): Calvin Klein Obsession (1985). yet this perfume is that pure Amber & Ambery perfume that sets a Standard again. and to my senses this is accomplished by all Natural Amber Materials, used by Rania Jouaneh. Labdanum, Vanilla Absolute, Peru Balm, Agarwood and the familar Amber coloured 'Glob' (sign of a by combination accomplished perfume note from Labdanum, Patchouli, Vanilla and also possible the aromachemical compounds) is even absent here. while the Guaiac Wood and Oud and Cedar (= real Cedarwood) add piquancy and further woodiness. yet to really characterize this perfume we must stress the special quality of the Ingredients which are used as also the behavior of this 'Amber-sensation' as a Fluidum, which has infinite depth and richness and seems to pulsate and soothe endlessly. yesterday I didn't mind the 'foul note' but it is spritzed free and now this is that perfect Amber perfume with unusual depth and opacity, which I absolutely adore.