Ambre Russe

Absolutely stunning the booziness only lasts for 10 minutes or so and u end up with cinnamon ambery leather tea and patchouli reminds me of boundless without the blood orange and intense spicyness 9.5/10

now this is an entirely different affair. did I yesterday reviewed Cuir Ottoman, where that was an entirely agreeable, smooth, embalming the soul- perfume, this perfume has more fractional workings with blatant cliffs and waves. I must have bought this, with Cuir Ottoman in still the elegant elongated flacons, in 2006, this perfume already three years 'out there'. I bought them together and as soon as I, already last evening, spritzed it on I immediately recognized the smell, unique smell but not so easy-going as her sister. last night I sniffed my pulse and could easily detect the boozy opening and from there on, I recognized the whole perfume as in Dejá-Vu, fragment by fragment. this was already with the Aplomb recognition of a not to be-hidden, Leather. I suppose not so much suggested but thrown in with her full slab of Hide, the Tanning Processus, Birch, Isobutyl Quinoline et cetera. and a whole lot of smokiness. Vodka is more easily recognizable as Champagne, while in Phuong Dang's Leather Up one is hit in the face by Whiskey and Aldehydes and Loads of Leather. yet here I smelled the solely boozy feature clear and 'troubling' (to my liking). where this is also an Amber perfume in my opinion it is a Leather perfume first. Tea, Coriander, Birch, Leather and Juniper is acquanted by this Schiedam, the Netherlands born, inhabitant of what once was, for centuries, World Capital of 'Jenever', Gin, Juniper extracted Heavy Spirits. the Tea and Coriander underscore this element and their whole presence as quintet make this a quite interesting amber. the thing is, when I sniff my pulse I get a Massive Wall of Russian Leather, the Bitter Tarriness of Birch and Incense in a somewhat off-kilter qualification, but then also a solidifying machinism of Tea and Juniper. all very much 'Schiedam', the city intrinsically connected with Rotterdam. the Amber then is, I suppose but also recognizable, conjured up by Amber, Cinnamon, Tea, Juniper. any other combination would also fit. but then this is not a monotonous perfume but wrecked ( a good thing ! ) with different Characters at once. it is a kind of 'Dirty Amber'. and that is all fine by me.

Boozy spiced apple dessert. Would be great during the holidays.

This is old vibe tons of patchouli amber leather scent.

Officially the best amber fragrance I’ve ever encountered. It is incredibly unique, the champagne note is a standout! Never overpowering, but perfectly blended into the background of this masterpiece. The combination of smoky amber, tea, and cinnamon is simply intoxicating. Truly unisex, classy, and worthy of any date night or special occasion. A must have for a mature collection. 9.5/10

Fantastic. Russian. Soviet. The amber in this is sublime. How is it this cheap.

Intense, confident, bold. Unmistakably a spicy smokey amber. Some nostalgic qualities but not old...a bit like when you watch a movie shot on film and you yearn for the texture it brings to the visuals and storytelling. Wear this with red lipstick, big hair, fur, leather. Eat caviar, tell dirty jokes, laugh really loud, flirt with everyone. Don't say goodbye to anyone ...they will know you're gone because everything just got a little less interesting.

I spent years testing and trying amber fragrances. I tried countless. For an amber fragrance, this is as close as I ever found to perfect.

This is one of the better “dusty ambers” I’ve come across, though I’m not a big fan of the genre…the opening isn’t a very good boozy accord; instead of resembling vodka or champagne, it more accurately resembles acetone…not a very good opening…after about 20-30 minutes, the opening recedes into a stewed fruits accord (smells more stewed than dried)…a much more pleasant direction…finally, the composition transitions to the dusty, slightly cinnamon’d amber…this cinnamon facet makes this a more enjoyable amber than the others in its class

Nice but very strong and cloying ^Free Palestine^

So boozy So masculine So sexy Long lasting and huge sillage👍🏻

Amber is one of those notes we see listed in most perfumes nowdays. I personally consider resinous amber to be “real amber” and i place the others in eighter the amberwoody, or simply the warm category of scents. Faux ambers so to speak. After adding Ambre Sultan to my collection and smelling other similar scents such as Ambra Aurea by Profumum Roma, i consider myself covered on this chapter of perfumery. Why search for the real deal when you already found it? Getting a decant of Ambre Russe didn’t excite me much because of this. Before i even sprayed the scent, i dismissed it thinking that it will probably be a good quality, nice amber but nothing innovative. The name “Russe” piqued my interest to a degree but again i thought “Ambre Russe? Russian Amber? Probably another winter amber, just like Ambre Sultan”. Then i thought of Opera Ruse and that for sure is a nice imagery. Fur coats, Ballerinas, Monocles, Aristocracy and all that makes for a beautiful setting. “But, but, Ambre Sultan is that already!?” once again said the voice in my mind. *Sigh* Im back to square one. “Screw it! Just spray the damn thing already and see what it is!” said another voice, so thats what i did. Yep, its a “real amber” as i define it and indeed thinking of Ambre Sultan was right. Its in the ballpark, the basket is the same but its not the same ball. I must admit i was wrong in thinking it would bring nothing new to the table. Ambre Russe is a grand perfume aswell. Ambre Russe isn’t a boozy amber but an alcoholic one. Booze to me is Cognac, Whiskey, Rum, Brandy. Alcohol is Gin, Absinth but most importantly its Vodka. I haven’t smelt any other perfume with this note so im not surprised that i missed it at first because i wouldn’t have expected it in a million years, yet the Vodka is undeniably there and not just as a guest but as a host. There’s also corriander and the spice complements the vodka note so well that they feel like you could interchange them and not smell the difference. These two at times seem to even overpower the amber and push it into the background but the amber endures and prevails in the end. Comparing Ambre Russe once again to Ambre Sultan, my experience is that Ambre Sultan is a marginally darker, heavier amber because of the amped up resins and the herbal qualities whilst Ambre Russe is more sparkling and lively. Altho Ambre Sultan is a slightly deeper and more traditional scent, interestingly its not richer then Ambre Russe. Since i mentioned Opera, to me Ambre Sultan and Ambre Russe are a pair of baritones where Ambre Sultan is the conservative singer whilst Ambre Russe likes to improvise and spice things up but without actually ruining the seriousness of the concert. They are on equal level both in terms of loudness, significance and impact on the choir. The standing ovation from the public is for both and the choirmaster is not mad eighter so everyone’s happy.

Ambre Russe — the Slavic girlfriend of perfumery, celebrated in vodka, champagne, velvet, and emotional excess. A little aristocratic, a little chaotic, always unforgettable.”

This is almost annoyingly good. It's exactly what you'd expect from a fragrance being called Russian Amber in french. Boozy, with a very strong vodka smell on my skin, sweet and spicy. After a bit the vodka is just gone, leaving an ambery and slightly spicy fragrance. It's excellent and honestly perfectly created. I think it's so good that some people might find it boring. That perfumer doesn't miss when it comes to warmer fragrances.

I was buying a piece of chocolate from a bodega and the woman behind the counter told me I smelled like “an actual angel from the heavens”. I don’t wear perfume for compliments (I only seek to scent my own life), but I can’t help but clock when it happens. I was wearing Ambre Russe by Parfums d’Empire, which, funnily enough, has a notable vodka note, along with champagne, vanilla, leather, incense and spices. Maybe more like a fallen angel, then.

Starts off extremely boozy, as to be expected with the vodka and champagne notes - which can be sickly to some. However once settling on the skin, it becomes a warm, spicy, delightful fragrance with undertones of cinnamon enveloping a beautiful, comforting tea scent. Although it started very heady and intense with the sharp vodka note, it quickly develops into something spicy, musky; reminiscent of sitting by an ashy fireplace, drinking tea (or perhaps alcohol). Ambre Russe lives up to its Russian ‘vibe’, as this is very much a cold winters night perfume to bring an air of comfort and intimacy. Only two sprays are needed with this perfume due to its sheer richness and complexity; definitely a very old fashioned and mature scent.

Reminds me of ''Le Lion'' which I love. Ι prefer Le Lion. 7/10 (I'm not a fun of amber)

Very nice fragrance, opening is fantastic - boozy notes are prominent, the stinging bitter scent of vodka with the subtle sweetness of champagne. The direction is clear, concise, smooth - as others have pointed out it is masterfully created. The opening has this slight funk for me though, this sweaty odor like quality which I assume to be the coriander or the mix of cinnamon. Regardless, the development into rich amber is fantastic and for the price point (assuming you aren't paying retail lmao) is crazy crazy good. This scent evokes imagery of sitting in the russian winter within a cabin, drinking with relatives while eating at a birch table filled with spices and... a big chunk of amber or something. You get the point.

If Ambre Sultan didn’t quite scratch that amber itch, this one will — richer, sweeter, and with a boozy twist. I personally prefer Serge Lutens but this one is really good.

This is one of the best amber fragrances on the market for me. Boozy in the opening, but in a way I haven't encountered before. It has a distinct tart / sweet edge to the boozy notes followed by ambery, resinous, slightly vanillic & spicy facets. As others have mentioned, the blending here is the real star of the show. Nothing sticks out, beautifully smooth. The fact you can buy this for $100 on discounters is incredible as it easily stands up to MFK Grand Soir, MPEG Ambre Prexcieux, PR Ambra Aurea, and the other "GOAT" amber scents. I highly recommend sampling the entire Parfum d'Empire brand!

An objectively beautiful creation, initially very boozy, but after about 15 minutes it reveals more amber and resinous facets. Incredibly well blended. It feels truly opulent, making the name a perfect fit. A previous review mentioned he could smell 30% of Pardon. I kind of agree, but keep in mind that both fragrances are totally different, but there is a slight similarity to my nose

Parfum d'Empire is very less spoken brand, Truly underrated and under the radar. This brand uses most natural elements in their blend making. I own 6 till now, want to add few more. Below are my favorite list in order. 1. Cuir Ottoman - Slightly powdery Iris, resinous cozy suede amber with new leather 2. Azemour Les Orangers - lighter version of Les Indemodables Chypre Azural. But I enjoy both. 3. Aziyade - unique date syrupy vibe 4. Ambre Russe - Spicy, warm, slightly boozy, at times slightly gourmand and very elegant [ At time this becomes Top 1 and sometimes down to 4 - Its been like aa shuffle game] 5. Immortelle Corse - Initially, I felt what is this non-liner profile. But after let it settle down for 4-5 months. Now it is unfolds its honeyed, spicy, and slightly saline nuances, evoking sun-heated herbs, dry earth with slight sea breezes. 6. Fougere Bengale - Yet I need to understand it. For now, it is darker spices + syrupy sweet. Prominent Papery Tea and mint, Ginger and Patchouli play a hide and seek. Better to sample before buying full bottle. Awaiting to hands-on un bel amour d'été.

Ambre Russe stands as one of the finest boozy fragrances money can buy. From the very first spray, it intoxicates with a rush of vodka-like clarity, quickly softened by the deep warmth of amber, spices, and resins. The effect is both extravagant and perfectly balanced a fragrance that feels like an opulent toast in a candlelit hall, yet never descends into heaviness. Over the years, the bottle and design have gone through countless changes, but the scent itself has remained gloriously untouched. That, in itself, is a rare fortune in today’s fragrance world, where reformulations so often strip perfumes of their soul. Here, the soul remains intact bold, luminous, and utterly unforgettable.

To me the opening is already mostly amber, but a bitterish amber that leans away from vanilla and towards labdanum, ...or something else. Indeed, some of that bitterness may be from that leather accord. The bitterness could even be called nutty, most similar to hazelnut, at least among common nuts. The listed top note of vodka seems meaninglessly bizarre. Of course, many (all?) perfumes might remind one of unflavoured ethanol if smelled immediately after spraying. I sprayed again to test: for a brief few seconds the spray smells unremarkably fruity, then the bitter, nutty amber. Later, that always delicate tea note accord, lightly spiced (cinnamon, coriander), and sweetened (the amber, but now with vanilla!). The leather has faded away (all the better...). The drydown continues to get more ambery, still with a spicy, anisic tang. It's the best part, as one might expect from an ambre scent. The amber accord is one that can be kept simple, but of course, all manner of complications and nuances can be added as well. Do I find this to be an exceptionally pleasant amber? Somewhat, ...but after the diasgreeable opening, it becomes good enough. Later: I just smelled my hand again an hour or so later. The deep drydown is rich and strong, like an amber should be. So, despite my misgivings about the opening, that should weigh heavily in its favour.

This is an excellent unique take on amber. It's bright enough with the champagne, vodka, juniper, and tea to be be worn in spring and summer in moderation. It's warm enough for cinnamon and amber.The leather, birch and incense take the egde off of the richness of the amber. Its smooth and well blended. Great performing compliment monster. Top tier fragrance.

This is good! Though I recognise I am not the target group. It's hard to describe the scent. Very high quality. Bit sweet. Delicate well crafted concoction. The Vodka is unmistakably there. That and the leather are the only things that really pop out at me. Has some dustiness from the cinnamon. Really well blended. To my nose. It's faintly reminds me of Pardon from Nassomatto. Like 30%.

An opulent elixir, as passionate as the Slavic soul. Ambre Russe opens on my skin with so much depth, complexity and nuance that I couldn’t stop sniffing my arm. The very first thing you detect is citrus note like that in really good champagne. It is light, fresh, fruity-sweet, and absolutely sparkling. It soon follows one of the best vodka note I have ever smell in perfumery: pure, almost crystal clear and surprisingly beautiful. The alcoholic blast is accompanied by: treacly cardamom; slightly woody-citrusy coriander; endlessly spiced, rich honey, the slightly tarry aspects of the birch tree; browned, aged leather; and, finally, rich synthetic ambergris. The leather here is how I like it to be: a tiny bit fetish, rough, and smoky thanks to the birch tar: this is how a cuir de russe should be done! And then an herbal tea and stewed fruits to complete the atmosphere. It drydowns to a smokey ambery base. It really conjures up Great Mother Russia. Bravo Corticchiato! Consider following me on IG @alexolympia6

This has notes of communism, reminds me of Vietnam and Soviet Union. I understood why now after thinking about it, it has a very strong vodka smell along with herbs and spices that give of a very medicinal/old shop type of smell. This is not for me but definitely a masterpiece.

An amber for people who don't care for ambers. Me! There are three reasons why Ambre Russe sticks out in my mind when recalling ambers of the last few decades that I believe are very good and quite unique. The first is the way this perfume opens, which I will get to in a second. The second is that it is indeed an amber, but the facets of amber that are hard for me to like after being worn out by them over many years, namely the sweet vanillic balsams, are not as thick and impenetrable as they are in most ambers. The third is the texture of the perfume, which Marc-Antoine Corticchiato achieves in that most lovely and classical of perfume styles of being very rich but with a swirling and airy quality that sits very lightly on your skin. The second and third points go hand-in-hand, and more on those later. So, first, what does it smell like. Parfum d'Empire and Corticchiato tell you right from the start they mean to do something different, and the opening is about as direct of a statement as you can receive to this intention. The mixture of rooty and potato-ey vodka, the effervescence of champagne's white grapes stripped of all sweetness, seed spices and red tea is... well... you're either going to love it or you're going to hate it. For me, it was instant love. It is intoxicating. Which, I suppose, is appropriate given how boozy it is. It's so boozy, funky, and dry that it comes across as downright rude; my eyebrows went up as soon as it went through my nostrils. Imagine talking to a wealthy, well-dressed, very charming and eloquent gentleman but something is off about him; his appearance and demeanor are alluring, but then he steps one foot closer to you, you get a big whiff of his large liquid lunch of clear liquor and you realize he's quite drunk. Now you're not sure whether to keep talking to him, or gracefully exit. He seems harmless, and even intriguing, but he's a loose cannon so your guard is up. Fortunately for those whose flight response is their modus operandi, this opening doesn't last that long, but I have to admit I wanted to keep smelling it for hours. It was beyond intriguing, maybe, partly, because it's also a bit off-putting. Unlike the hot breath of a drunk well-dressed Russian oligarch though, the opening is very smooth, suave, dry, and seamless... but to call it inviting would be a slight misstep. As I said, this (unfortunately) fades very quickly and goes immediately to an amber base. Far more familiar and comfortable than the opening, the amber hits all of the "correct" notes in the standard amber melody with a couple of very nice flourishes and a classical texture. There are plenty of typical balsams and the dose of sweetened vanilla, but - thank you very much, Mr. Corticchiato - he doesn't shy away from incense smoke. Ambers should have a smokey element to them, but not many do anymore. Ambre Russe makes sure it's there, but without clubbing you over the head with it, like you've just walked into an old church where they burn pounds of the stuff. Lurking a bit in the background of the amber is a touch of leather as well. It's a soft, well-worn and gentle leather, not a new, freshly-tanned, animalic leather. Later on in the dry down the incense is all that remains and takes the forefront, quietly and calmly leaving a cold and smokey trail of frankincense for you to follow. Top marks for the amber tweaking, but what I like about it the most is that texture: it manages to be rich, vanillic, slightly sweet, balsamic, earthy, animalic, smokey and a bit leathery, but never does it feel like it's crowding your olfactive center or sitting on your skin like spilled paint. This texture is so light that this could actually be an amber you could wear during the summer - shocking! 21st century perfume houses, take a lesson from Ambre Russe, please. Ambers can be light, airy, breathable, penetrable and swirling like a warm cloud, while also being rich. Quit giving us ambers that are like a massive fart in an elevator. I said at the beginning this is an amber for people who don't care for ambers. I'm being fatuous but I also think there is a valid point to be made along those lines. Why I find Ambre Russe to be great is that it does an exemplary job of bridging the modernity, novelty, and challenging aspects we hope to get from new age niche perfumery with the sensibilities, craftsmanship, and familiarity of classic styles. It's a different, fresh, and most welcome take on a very old genre that is expertly composed. Superb.

Captivating, sparkly opening auguring vintage opulence. Later, apple pie with vanilla sauce and a cup of spiced tea. Meh...