Amber Empire
Atkinsons (2015)

Ambers, as a class of perfumes, usually smell pretty similar, or at least tend to fall into a few common recipes. As such, I appreciate that Amber Empire is trying to smell like an amber, but in a unique way.

So what does it smell like? It's kind of hard to describe. One one hand, it has classic 60's amber elements - a mix of peach aldehydes and powdery benzoin that calls to mind a classic "oriental" vibe. On the other hand, there's a very modern mix of marshmallowy vanilla, nutty caramelized Pink Sugar ethyl maltol, and pink pepper. As such, there's a unique push/pull of classic and modern that gives Amber Empire most of its appeal. But there's also a weird salty emptiness that I think may be real beach ambergris, which ostensibly adds luxury, but I'm afraid actually kind of blurs things and ultimately takes away from my enjoyment of the perfume.

In the end, something about Amber Empire makes it feels oddly salty and weak, like the deep end-of-day drydown of a better, more complex perfume instead of a complete work in and of itself. Not bad in theory, but ultimately a bit unsatisfying in practicality.