Ambre Russe
Parfum d'Empire (2005)

Don't know what to say really, it's rich like one of those old school scented balms, full of musk, some amber(gris) and indeed a quite modern touch of a cocktail evening party. Must be those top notes, the coriander and the tea.

Not bad, sort of mixes old and new together. Would have liked it better had it been less balm like, it would do just as well if not better had it been less waxy smelling and more liquid of you catch my drift.

As is, it does require some age to pull it off in my opinion. Certainly a pleasant smell though but not mindblowing.

The opening is fine, a flourish of smells. But they inevitably fade out leaving a dry woody Amber; with incense, a touch of dried fruit, and a note of burnt sugar like immortelle.

It’s not bad, but personally I won’t be wearing it.
Nothing against Ambre Russe, it’s a nuanced work... it's just that I think there’s something lacking with the Amber genre in general.

Not sure what that would be though...

not a bad amber , but not one of my favorites...one reason is I love powerhouse type fragrances and this one is pretty laid back and discreet...it is a nice classy amber with nice little tastes of incense and booze...the tea came across to me with more of a tobacco flavor...dusty and dry...very elegant and wearable...not a sweet amber...boozy notes are laid back , but very nice touch...a little smoky and woody...very nice , but not for me...

If most ambers came dressed like this one, I'd have no problem with them. This is sassy, bursting with energy and exuberance, and offers the wearer a buffet – or should that be orgy? – of olfactory delights. Wonderful booze, wood and leather notes dart around a voluptuous central theme that seems equal parts dates and other dried fruits, benzoin and ambergris; the spicing is light and similarly kinetic, displaying a deft touch. There's a sultry, skin-like saltiness about it that I find irresistible. When I wear it, half of me goes ‘yum' and half ‘mmmm' – this is both tasty and sexy; that's two hungers addressed in one fume.
Ok, it probably wears better in colder weather, but that's not really a drawback for those of us who rely on more than one perfume all year round. Fantastic.

When I first put this on, I was trying to work out what this particular note was that was teasing my nose. Then I looked at the notes and realized what it was: vodka, with a herby note. I got to sample a beautiful gin on Christmas Eve – it's a deep petrol blue in the bottle and in the glass, but when a tiny splash of soda water is added, it turns a gorgeous violet colour. This reminds me of that – the alcoholic tang of the gin but with a yummy fresh herbal/floral note. It's warm and smoky thanks to the amber and incense and leather, but the spices lift it and give it a lovely kick. Sadly, longevity isn't great, on me at least – barely two hours. Glad I got to try it though. While it lasts, it's lovely.

Ambre Russe is a perfume of (sadly) unknown niche house Parfum d'Empire. Its founder and “main nose” of the brand is Marc Antoine Corticchiato, perfumer dedicated to the extraction of scented oils from natural materials. Aside from growing raw materials on Madagascar and creating inspiring and descriptive perfumes, he is also a lecturer at prestigious Ecole Internationale de Parfumerie de Versailles (ISIPCA).

One of the things I particularly like with Parfum d'Empire is the way they use natural materials. Although it is well known that synthetic aromachemicals are considered the skeleton of the perfumes while natural ones are the “meat,” the skill and knowledge of MA Corticchiato give the impression that every perfume is 100% natural. Although that is not possible or appealing to anyone, except maybe an isolated bunch of hippies drenched in patchouli, MA knows his stuff. The doom of most niche perfumer is for them to sometimes fool around. But not our hero. He knows his goal and that is creating perfumes inspired by the scents of great empires through history. And he's doing a hell of a good job at it!

Just like the name says, Ambre Russe is an ode to amber. This is the most sensual, most eatable, most erotic amber there, and certainly my favorite. One can say it is hyperthrophied but I think is just apostrophized. The expansive sensuality of amber in Ambre Russe would be too much, over the top if you want, it the amber wasn't given the soul in form of frankincense. Passion without the spirit is empty, like perfumes a la Scandal by Jean Paul Gaultier or Aoud by Roja Dove. But you don't have to worry about that with Ambre Russe. The combination of leather, Russian tea, spices and amber…this divine, sensual amber will not leave a void but will intoxicate the senses and seduce the mind. Another advantage of this perfume is its paradigm linearity that could teach a lesson or two (or thousands) to many. What you sense at the beginning is what you will smell the entire day…Yes, its longevity is extraordinary. The perfume lingers and lingers even when all Duracell batteries, guaranas and African plums in the world give in. And the satisfaction is 100% guaranteed. The reason for low birth rate in this country in my oppinion is not the bad economic situation but because they are not importing Ambre Russe anymore.