Au Coeur du Desért 
Tauer (2016)

I initially enjoyed L'Air du Desert Marocain more than this, and due to it being a bit cheaper, that was my preferred choice. LDDM is a great scent, but I started to appreciate ACDD a bit more. That sweetness of the original is toned down a bit, and some dustiness appears. And that's not a bad thing since it makes the composition a bit more balanced. However, I feel like this one sits a bit closer to the skin, but that's not a bad thing. You don't want this choking everyone around you. It's a scent that you enjoy for yourself.

It's not a blind-buy, but it's also not going to be polarizing. Unless you dislike leathery amber scents, I think this will grow on you. It's not really animalic or fecal, so I wouldn't worry about that. Give it a chance if you don't like it the first time.

The best use of amber that I have tried; smokey, airy, and very light on the sweetness. Easing off the vanilla, and keeping the amber from being heavy/suffocating, is what really makes this fragrance shine.

Very grateful for the partial sample I was gifted by a gracious BN'er!

This is definitely FBW for me; I had given up on my quest for a good amber fragrance, but this is exactly what I was looking for.

4.5/5.0, until I can acquire a bottle for a full test drive.

The opening blast is a feast of amber - rich, intense and with a slightly sweet hint. There is whiff of citrus traceable in the first moment, but the amber rules the roost, and continues doing so for near the whole development. There is evidently a considerable contribution of a patchouli component, adding a dark and smoky effect, although it is not extremely harsh, like, for instance, Tom Ford's Purple Patchouli. Still, it has its edginess and crispness.

Down the track some nonspecific woodsy impression comes and goes, but a times touches of a cypress shine through. A touch of a very artificial ambergris makes an appearance at times.

I get strong sillage, excellent projection, and seven hours of longevity on my skin.

As a amber scent this is very niche, including in the way the patchouli is applied. The rest is less impressive, but the performance is very good. Is displays considerable similarities with L'Air du Desert Marocain for the same House, but is a bit less nuanced than L'Air. Overall 3.25/5

Smells just like LADDM. They just toned it down a bit. I have to give it a thumbs up just for those reasons.

This opens with effervescent spices & incense, topped with citrus. There's a powdery softness to it, so that it feels light & airy, not heavy or dense. It begins to sweeten a little ten minutes in, & as it evolves there's smoky labdanum, a touch of cumin, woods, & a subtle hint of something like camphor or menthol. Around ninety minutes in, it's less bright & more intimate, with leather, patchouli & ambergris in the base. From here it slowly fades, until twelve hours in it's barely there.

I don't dish out five stars easily, even to my favourites, but this one is really beautiful! I could hardly stop huffing my arm while wearing it. It's meditative & soothing, very present but not loud, & perfect for a late summer/early autumn day. It's almost ten years since I tried LDDM, but I'd say this one leans more feminine, & where LDDM was dark, this is brighter. It's like a dust devil swishing around you in a sunlit desert landscape, rather than a sandstorm blasting your senses & blotting out the light. To make something so deep & resinous feel so gentle is a very clever trick. Masterful work!