2010's: Decade of Ambroxide. Who actually used it best?

[Darjeeling]

I haven’t really kept up with the timing of this synthetic ambergris trend and when exactly the overdosing kicked in, but I’m going to say the hype was already real well before BdC, at least here on Basenotes. Ambroxan or whatever they use plays a major role in the Creed millesime haze, and I think there’s more used in those Creeds than Aventus (to my nose at least), so the. Reed boom and GIT, SMW, Millesime Imperial, Himalaya, etc. hype has long been powered by ambroxan. Whether designers have have only recently jumped on the wagon or taken it to new levels I couldn’t say.

 

[notspendingamillion]

As a shameless ambroxan fan I've been hoping for a post like this, or trying to puzzle out for the last few weeks how to word it semi-eloquently. I hate the abomination that is Molecule 02, funny how that works. My vote is for Sauvage EDP for doing it best. Lots of others have used it so often in conjunction with sweet scents that I just can't quite handle.

 

[notspendingamillion]

Some fragrances that I smell ambrox in

Sauvage EDT
Sauvage EDP
Bleu de Chanel
Creed Aventus
Eros
Wanted
Y EDP
Luna Rossa Carbon
Baccarat Rouge 540
Grand Soir
Code Colonia
Code Profumo
Dylan Blue
Invictus
Invictus Aqua
Invictus Intense
Choo Man Blue
Choo Man Intense
Prada l'homme
Legend Night
Molecule 02
Ultra Male
CH Men
Momentum Intense
Momentum Unlimited

 

[Alonewithcologne]

Sausage EDT is my favorite. I love it for it's cold, heartless, masculine aggression. It has a strong personality and direction. Other fragrances in this category are too bland in my mind.

 

[HauteParfumGourmand]

Drakkar Noir B) using ambrox materials before it was cool!

 

[Darjeeling]

Drakkar Noir B) using ambrox materials before it was cool!

Respek :coolold:

 

[hellbentforleather]

Reed boom and GIT, SMW, Millesime Imperial, Himalaya, etc. hype has long been powered by ambroxan. Whether designers have have only recently jumped on the wagon or taken it to new levels I couldn’t say.

Yeah, this is my impression as well. GIT has such pronounced ambergris in the dry down which is more than likely just some variant of ambroxan if I'm following correctly.

 

[Ken_Russell]

From the ones can truly second Aventus and Bleu de Chanel as best or, at the very least, most efficient use of this note, so that pleasantness and performance in both are rather good for scents based on/containing this.

 

[Redneck Perfumisto]

I haven’t really kept up with the timing of this synthetic ambergris trend and when exactly the overdosing kicked in, but I’m going to say the hype was already real well before BdC, at least here on Basenotes. Ambroxan or whatever they use plays a major role in the Creed millesime haze, and I think there’s more used in those Creeds than Aventus (to my nose at least), so the. Reed boom and GIT, SMW, Millesime Imperial, Himalaya, etc. hype has long been powered by ambroxan. Whether designers have have only recently jumped on the wagon or taken it to new levels I couldn’t say.

Great point - particularly in regard to Himalaya. "Bleu before Bleu", I've called the stuff. Gerbick and I both see that similarity strongly. But I never really considered that the perfumery might be very similar!!!

 

[Redneck Perfumisto]

Some fragrances that I smell ambrox in

Sauvage EDT
Sauvage EDP
Bleu de Chanel
Creed Aventus
Eros
Wanted
Y EDP
Luna Rossa Carbon
Baccarat Rouge 540
Grand Soir
Code Colonia
Code Profumo
Dylan Blue
Invictus
Invictus Aqua
Invictus Intense
Choo Man Blue
Choo Man Intense
Prada l'homme
Legend Night
Molecule 02
Ultra Male
CH Men
Momentum Intense
Momentum Unlimited

Awesome list, and you've even got Baccarat Rouge 540, which I consider a genius use in the genre! So genius, I was temped not to include it, and keep it secret - but also so genius it's almost unique in the class. But if we're letting it in, then yes, that's my pick. The best!!!

 

[Darjeeling]

Great point - particularly in regard to Himalaya. "Bleu before Bleu", I've called the stuff. Gerbick and I both see that similarity strongly. But I never really considered that the perfumery might be very similar!!!

i too get a similarity between BdC and Himalaya. There’s something about the opening of both that I can only describe as curdled milk, due to the sharp citrus combining with a certain creaminess. Ok, my description makes it sound horrible, but FWIW I own bottles of both Himalaya and BdC.

 

[Varanis Ridari]

Some fragrances that I smell ambrox in

Sauvage EDT
Sauvage EDP
Bleu de Chanel
Creed Aventus
Eros
Wanted
Y EDP
Luna Rossa Carbon
Baccarat Rouge 540
Grand Soir
Code Colonia
Code Profumo
Dylan Blue
Invictus
Invictus Aqua
Invictus Intense
Choo Man Blue
Choo Man Intense
Prada l'homme
Legend Night
Molecule 02
Ultra Male
CH Men
Momentum Intense
Momentum Unlimited

But which ones are best in your opinion?

 

[Norstrøm]

I must be the odd man out, I never really got ambrox from Bleu (EdT), especially not an overdose of it, and I have had perfumery as a hobby for years and usually think of myself as decent at detecting it and other materials in fragrances, but I do recognise it as a progenitor for the modern fresh-but-not-in-a-classic-citrus-way style of masculines, built more on woods, some aromatics and fresh AC's.

Different noses I guess, I have some things I am anosmic to, but ambrox was never a problem, I have worked with it for years, I even still have a couple of bottles lying around for reference, though I quit the hobby, as my wife has a sensitive nose. Perhaps they use an analog with a similar smell, but one I cannot detect?

 

[notspendingamillion]

But which ones are best in your opinion?

As a shameless ambroxan fan I've been hoping for a post like this, or trying to puzzle out for the last few weeks how to word it semi-eloquently. I hate the abomination that is Molecule 02, funny how that works. My vote is for Sauvage EDP for doing it best. Lots of others have used it so often in conjunction with sweet scents that I just can't quite handle.

I think that Sauvage accentuates the ambrox better than others. It gets my vote for best. But it isn't the best overall fragrance on that list. Just like something that has vetiver in a supporting role wouldn't be considered in a best vetiver discussion. You ever watch "Beat Bobby Flay" or "Chopped" when they yell at the contestants for not highlighting the chosen ingredients? That's what I'm thinking. But I do think the ideal amount is turned back a bit from those levels. I think Kurkdjian has probably done the best job of using this in BR540 and Grand Soir (also I've heard in Petit Matin, though I've yet to put my nose on it).

Best lettuce dish - Ceaser salad
Best ambrox frag - Sauvage EDP

Best use of lettuce - garnishing a cheeseburger
best use of ambrox - supporting in BR540/Grand Soir

 

[Redneck Perfumisto]

i too get a similarity between BdC and Himalaya. There’s something about the opening of both that I can only describe as curdled milk, due to the sharp citrus combining with a certain creaminess. Ok, my description makes it sound horrible, but FWIW I own bottles of both Himalaya and BdC.

Fresh, cold cottage cheese hits the brain with "cold, fresh, white, chalky, dairy, calcium, opaque" - I totally see it. There is bad curdling, but there is good curdling, too!!!

 

[Redneck Perfumisto]

I must be the odd man out, I never really got ambrox from Bleu (EdT), especially not an overdose of it, and I have had perfumery as a hobby for years and usually think of myself as decent at detecting it and other materials in fragrances, but I do recognise it as a progenitor for the modern fresh-but-not-in-a-classic-citrus-way style of masculines, built more on woods, some aromatics and fresh AC's.

Different noses I guess, I have some things I am anosmic to, but ambrox was never a problem, I have worked with it for years, I even still have a couple of bottles lying around for reference, though I quit the hobby, as my wife has a sensitive nose. Perhaps they use an analog with a similar smell, but one I cannot detect?

This is what always tempted me to invest in a GC!

 

[Kotori]

Re: 2010's: Decade of Ambroxan. Who actually used it best?

My problem is I've always enjoyed "high art" and pop culture equally, so I was doomed to enjoy barnyard ouds, florid chypres, and mall scents all the same. Something literally has to come across like it was done without any care or feeling for me to hate it, regardless of year or category. My number of "red" reviews is relatively small compared to "yellow" and "green" ones.

Me, too. Same problem. I’ve found my people. I’ll add that I also dislike fragrances that give me migraines, though I understand it’s me, not them.

Please don’t burn me at the stake, but my favorite is Sauvage (EDT, first release). The Montblanc is also nice.

 

[otterlake]

Re: 2010's: Decade of Ambroxan. Who actually used it best?

I will be very interested to see how he 'keeps it niche".

As will I. Tauer has an interesting nose.

Tauer wrote that he had found there was a massive difference between grades of ambroxan, and that the high-grade stuff was really interesting to play around with.

 

[Zgb]

To me for now, Prada Luna Rossa Carbon is the best, more tamed, smoother take on Dior Sauvage.

However the most elegant of them all, that is all the "ambroxides", would be Bleu de Chanel.

 

[crashtestbrummie]

..."cold, fresh, white, chalky, dairy, calcium, opaque"...

This is relevant to what I was about to post when I started reading the thread.

I wore Dior's Bois d'Argent yesterday and, as I do sometimes, I read up a bit on the scent while wearing it. I found a mention on here that BdA contained 13.6% Ambrox and I've found this mentioned elsewhere, both here and here. The latter article makes the claim that 40% of the perfumes in the past 30 years have contained Ambrox and cites Bois d'Argent as containing an overdose of the stuff.

I've always enjoyed Bois d'Argent for its persistence and this could be why. And the quote above contains words that I could apply to the Dior perfume. Van Cleef & Arpels' Bois d'Iris has a similar feel to the Dior and lists ambergris as a note, which would be represented by Ambrox again which explains the persistence of this one too.

If the links are based in fact then the Dior would be an Ambrox bomb too, hidden in plain sight. Makes you wonder where else it's used and not noticed by most.