armani prive: 10 posts

Star rating: 5 stars–outstanding/potential classic, 4 stars–very good, 3 stars–adequate, 2 stars–disappointing, 1 star–poor.

If Ambre d’Orient explored amber in the opulent and gilded interpretation, Oud Royal wraps it in leather and dry woods. While the boldness of oud, a natural raw material of striking richness and complexity, is the axis, around which Oud Royal revolves, the strength and persistence of amber makes it more of an animalic amber-leather composition. The surprises do not end here. As the fragrance develops, instead of a brash and animalic, it becomes smooth and seductive.

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The Arabian Tales still retain perfumery under their spell… L’Artisan Traversée du Bosphore took us on a journey to Ottoman era Istanbul. By Kilian Rose Oud suggested the heavily embroidered silks and glittering gold bangles of an Indian wedding. Frederic Malle Portrait of a Lady transformed English roses into a Moorish garden. Even ordinarily minimalist Diptyque presented Eau Duelle as a silver foil decorated sweetmeat. Now, we can add three new chapters to the 1001 Nights with a trio from Armani Privé La Collection des Mille et une Nuits: Ambre d’Orient, Oud Royal and Rose d’Arabie.

Ambre d’Orient was created by Firmenich perfumer Fabrice Pellegrin, who is also responsible for the aforementioned Eau Duelle, Thierry Mugler Womanity as well as two terrific (though now discontinued) L’Occitane fragrances, Amber and Cinnamon Orange.

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Star rating: 5 stars–outstanding/potential classic, 4 stars–very good, 3 stars–adequate, 2 stars–disappointing, 1 star–poor.

The fifth Armani Privé fragrance, Cuir Améthyste, does not engage in any subtle interplays. In fact, subtle is probably the least appropriate adjective to use in describing this fragrance. From the dense tangle of powdery violet notes to the opaque vanillic-ambery base, Cuir Améthyste moves with a heavy step.

It might be surprising to discover that Cuir Améthyste is composed by Michel Almairac, the same perfumer who created the serene minimalism of Bois d’Encens and its more ornamental sibling, Gucci Pour Homme (2003). …

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Star rating: 5 stars–outstanding/potential classic, 4 stars–very good, 3 stars–adequate, 2 stars–disappointing, 1 star–poor.

Experiencing Armani Prive Bois d’Encens is like stepping inside a dark cavernous church, where the first sensory impression is of incense. The smell of incense burning inside golden censers, embracing the stones, and creating a pale mist over the altar. The resinous richness of incense is almost overwhelming, yet suddenly as one gets used to it, the scent begins to appear as a soft comforting presence; something that retreats into the background, yet remains near.

Similar transformation takes place in Bois d’Encens, a fragrance created in 2004 by Michel Almairac. The layering of notes results in their gentle peeling away in order to reveal a sweet base of silky cedarwood. …

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Star rating: 5 stars–outstanding/potential classic, 4 stars–very good, 3 stars–adequate, 2 stars–disappointing, 1 star–poor.

Armani Prive Ambre Soie conjures a sensation of bittersweet chocolate melting on the skin, as the composition warms up after the initial scattering of sweet and earthy anise notes. It alternates between hot velvety and dry powdery aspects, underscored by cinnamony sweetness.

Created by Christine Nagel in 2004 for Giorgio Armani’s exclusive collection Armani Prive, the composition presents several facets at once. Its sheer darkness is juxtaposed with spice dusted flower petals, without being evident whether one is feeling a sweet bite of clove or peppery warmth of carnation. Creamy, almost lactonic note smoothes sharp spicy edges into a soft mélange. However, there is an element of candy-like sweetness that strikes me as somewhat stilted, lending an opaque quality to the middle notes. It lightens as time goes on, losing the candy-like simplicity and revealing a chocolate touched by incense aspect of benzoin.

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