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Shalini Amorem Rose & Aftelier Antique Ambergris ~ fragrance review

Posted by Angela on 17 September 2018 11 Comments

Sometimes transitioning to autumn feels like falling off a cliff. One minute, you’re sleeping with the fan pointed at you. The next, mornings are downright cool, and you’re liberating your wool from the basement. In other words, it’s time to dig out an amber fragrance. Two new amber-friendly fragrances to consider are Shalini Amorem Rose and Aftelier Antique Ambergris.

Shalini Amorem Rose was conceived as “a poem dedicated to the greatest love stories.” Perfumer Maurice Roucel composed the Parfum, and its notes include Bulgarian rose, saffron flowers, Baltic amber and mahogany wood. More than rose, to me Amorem Rose is about amber — amber tempered with rose and saffron.

A halo of neroli crowns Amorem Rose before the fragrance turns decidedly sepia-toned. At first, saffron’s medicinal tint led me to suspect this was another oud fragrance created to woo the Middle Eastern market. When I realized what I was smelling wasn’t oud at all, my nose skipped the saffron and honed in on the amber. Rose became only supporting cast.

Amorem Rose’s amber is bright and barely grounded in wet, neutral wood. A restrained herbal cast lends a tinge of an autumnal garden. The fragrance’s rose is ripe and slightly faded, as if its petals were picked and left to condense an afternoon before being pressed into service. A hint of pique — incense and jasmine? — leavens the composition with a sharp tingle, especially as the fragrance digs into its heart.

Mostly, though, Amorem Rose is rich with gutsy amber, even if rose casts a stained glass light over it. Amorem Rose lasts at least half the day on skin. If you’re not a huge fan of amber but are intrigued by Amorem Rose’s combination of rose and saffron, try L’Artisan Parfumeur Safran Troublant for a vanilla-focused version and Neela Vermeire Créations Mohur for a creamy, spice-inflected take (the Extrait is especially dreamy).

Now for Aftelier Antique Ambergris. This fragrance — sold exclusively in solid form — includes notes of antique ambergris (more than a hundred years old), antique civet, aged cypress absolute and coumarin. Its amber is soft and velvety, with a far-off hint of the ocean.

In brief, Antique Ambergris is a kitten’s paw of a fragrance. I’m not talking about its dose of civet, either, which is gentle enough to go undetected. Cypress adds only the dullest backbone. Antique Ambergris is a breath of honeyed warmth that smells rich and luxurious and distinctly not set to challenge you. Snickerdoodle cookies seem to be baking somewhere nearby. Someone is waxing old wood in the next room. The radiator is set deliciously high.

Antique Ambergris is no diva. In fact, it almost seems to beg for a fragrance to layer over it. If not, Antique Ambergris is happy to provide the warm, soothing bath you might long for when October’s rain sets in.

These fragrances don't come cheap. Shalini Amorem Rose Extrait is $500 for 50 ml and $3,000, if you want it in the limited edition Lalique hirondelle bottle (not shown). An 8 ml spray sample is $150. To buy Amorem Rose, visit Bergdorf Goodman, Aedes, or Indigo Perfumery. Aftelier Antique Ambergris solid is $15 for a 0.25 ml sample and $350 for 8 ml in a sterling silver compact. For information on where to buy it, see Aftelier under Perfume Houses.

Note: top image is light threads [cropped] by Pea Chesh at flickr; some rights reserved.

Possibly of interest

Eris Parfums Mxxx. ~ fragrance review
Maison Francis Kurkdjian Grand Soir ~ fragrance review
Aedes de Venustas Cierge de Lune ~ fragrance review

Filed Under: perfume talk
Tagged With: aftelier, amber, maurice roucel, natural perfume, shalini

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11 Comments

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  1. Jonette says:
    17 September 2018 at 4:16 pm

    I always love your writing, Angela! You made me long for the Shalini — such a lemming! Then came that throwaway line, “These fragrances don’t come cheap.” What followed nearly made me fall off my chair!

    Nope. Not even a sample. Sigh. I’m feeling very poor indeed, despite my Amouage and the other expensive (to my pocketbook) frags in my perfume closet. For a moment, though, I was enjoying a lovely amber dream.

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    • Angela says:
      17 September 2018 at 5:03 pm

      I completely understand! Sister needs to buy groceries, after all. There are lots of terrific–and less expensive–amber fragrances on the market, fortunately.

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  2. Emilie says:
    17 September 2018 at 6:58 pm

    Oh! The antique ambergris sounds so unique and lovely to me (I’m not always that adventurous with animalic scents so the disclaimer of it as a ‘kittens paw’ is a definite plus for me!) but I don’t think I could pay that much for a little tin.

    I’m still tempted to get a sample but it’s always a bit of a tease buying a sample of a gorgeous fragrance you can’t a full bottle (or compact) of.

    That said Christmas is around the corner and I have been somewhat, relatively good this year ;)

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    • Angela says:
      17 September 2018 at 7:09 pm

      Antique Ambergris is definitely soft and soothing, but it’s a luxury item for sure!

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      • Emilie says:
        17 September 2018 at 9:01 pm

        For sure!

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  3. hajusuuri says:
    17 September 2018 at 9:00 pm

    Antique Ambergris sounds so wonderful. I just checked to see how much the shipping cost is and egads – $8.45! In any case if any reader in the U.S. would like to get in on a samples order, I’m happy to consolidate. Your cost will be :
    cost of sample (doesn’t have to be Antique Ambergris)
    + $8.45 or actual shipping cost / # of items
    + $2.62 (waived if you’re expecting a freebie from me)

    Note: I tested the shipping cost calculator with 10 Antique Ambergris samples and the shipping was still $8.45 but this could be different based on the mix of items in the order

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    • Angela says:
      17 September 2018 at 9:14 pm

      Aha! A crafty way to save a few bucks!

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  4. gunmetal24 says:
    18 September 2018 at 2:41 pm

    I have a sample of Antique Ambergris which i scooped up together with another Aftelier purchase. I need to study this one more, its nice but very very soft. I know its made of previous materials and such, but I can’t help feeling underwhelmed from the big picture point of view. I suspect this one will probably appeal to the hardcore fans.

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    • Angela says:
      18 September 2018 at 3:04 pm

      There’s definitely nothing earth shattering about Antique Ambergris, true. It’s simply soft and comforting and pretty–no gigantic revelations.

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  5. nozknoz says:
    18 September 2018 at 9:11 pm

    That antique ambergris is tempting!

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    • Angela says:
      19 September 2018 at 12:37 am

      It won’t surprise or challenge you, but it’s nice!

      Log in to Reply

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