I spend a lot of time under a blanket at Colognoisseur HQ in the winter. It has always had an interesting effect on the perfume I am wearing. As my body heat gets trapped, I tend to add my own natural musk as a new base note. It is not always a good combo. When it does work it is with sweet or resinous notes. When I received my sample of Aerin Ambrette de Noir I was reminded of the nights I was wearing a vanilla-centric fragrance under my blanket.
Aerin Lauder
Ambrette de Noir is part of the Premier Collection where creative director Aerin Lauder features a special keynote. Working with perfumer Olivier Cresp she does use the botanical musk of ambrette seeds. But Ambrette de Noir is equally a warm vanilla to go along with that.
Olivier Cresp
Ambrette de Noir gets right down to business. There is a fleeting floral opening which lasts as long as it takes to read this. The ingredient list says it is orange blossom. It doesn’t make much of an impression. What does is the vanilla. This is that rich slightly boozy vanilla which is given some warmth through tonka bean. This is where the ambrette seeds impart their lovely muskiness. I really appreciate the way ambrette can stay on the less dirty side of animalic musk while still being there. M. Cresp uses it as a warm skin musk. I’ve mentioned a blanket it is also like the musk given off when you take your sweater off. Once they are together this is a classic comfort accord. My only quibble is that ambrox crashes the party later causing some of the delicacy of the vanilla-ambrette to get lost under its relentless woodiness.
Ambrette de Noir has 10-12 hour longevity and average sillage.
I like that if I want to experience my scent of vanilla in a blanket. I don’t have to wait for a cold night and a vanilla perfume anymore.
Disclosure: This review is based on a sample provided by Neiman-Marcus.
–Mark Behnke
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