Azzaro pour Homme Amber Fever
Azzaro (2018)

Azzaro Amber Fever is a 2018 release that is part of the Sensual Blends collection, fitting a resinous mix, with a bit of a sharp honey, sugary blend with just a hint of provocative herbal spiciness in the form of an opening of clary sage. Then its dry down has the more understandable mix of resins as well as cocoa. So it achieves the sweet, resinous dominance (frankly, almost too sweet) with just enough of a counterpunch from the onset in the opening with the clary sage. It strikes me as a logical formula, putting just enough contrast into an otherwise fairly homogenous blend of notes that get grouped together quite often (gourmand / resinous.

Amber Fever's concentration is EDP and it performs quite well, and, like many Azzaro fragrances, is available at a very reasonable price–in this case, only $31 on FragranceNet, a real steal.

It's definitely just a “like” not a “love” but it's enough of a bargain that I'd suggest fans of sweet, ambery fragrances give it a shot if they get to try it, or feel inclined to do a blind buy.

7 out of 10

Amber and cocoa with questionable sage note which I don't feel. Not a bad scent, but considerng the type of scent, it could be a bit stronger and more concrete. Thick and warm, dry and waxy or resin like. Doesn't feel like something new, but rather smells like something modern 10 years ago, whatever that means.

Very calm and decent but not quite playful. Cozy and inviting in a warm way. Reminds me of Azzaro PH Intense 2015., but stripped from spices and boozy notes, thus the playfulness.

Too calm for this type of scent. Now, if it were aromatic, as if it'd have healing properties. Being the way it actually is, it loses itself in meaning and direction. It has a predispostion for everything, but does nothing, as if it's inert.


Originality 5/10
Scent 6/10
Longevity 8/10
Projection 6/10
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62,5%
subjective impression 6/10

Nice. There's no way you can go wrong here for $30 and it seems like Amber Fever was definitely one of the better men's designer releases to quietly emerge in 2019. Its performance is decent–not great, but not terrible, as it works for about 4 to 6 hours, projecting at a steady, medium reach for a few hours before fading and resting close to the skin. So what does it smell like? The best way I can describe it is that it's a dark, sweet amber-based fragrance, in the vein of something like D&G The One EDP, with a spicy edge, that has subtle notes of chocolate and an even more subtle hint of Cola. Indeed, there's something about Amber Fever that reminds me of a dessert-like soft drink–a chocolate egg cream or something along those lines. But it's not over-the-top or literal in any way, it's just the particular way that the Amber is spiced which gives it that effect. I might even go as far to say that Amber Fever is like a more mainstream, less-polarizing version of L'Instant de Guerlain Extreme. While it lacks the intense patchouli kick of the latter and seems devoid of citrus for the most part, it works with the cocoa note in a similar fashion, creating a sort of dry, earthy-but-fizzy chocolate kick. I don't think the two are necessarily that similar, but if you're familiar with LIDGE it can help give you an idea of what AF smells like.

Amber Fever is medium-bodied and has a rather dry, lightweight presence that works in its favor. It's easy to wear in all climates and never feels heavy or sticky or thick, and therefore won't bog you down if you accidentally apply a little too much or wear it when it's hotter or more humid than ideal. I'd consider The One EDP its main competition, and if Im being honest, I probably like AF more. My issue with The One EDP is that sometimes the Amber/tobacco blend smells almost too sweet, and even oily. The dryness of Amber Fever on the other hand, keeps it from becoming like that, and although it gets sweeter over the course of a wearing, the bitter, earthy cocoa in its opening keeps the sweetness in check. If I have any criticism of AF, it's that it becomes a lot sweeter as it develops, losing some of the favorable balance I just spoke of. Still, its sweetness never becomes overwhelming or cloying, and I'm sure plenty of people will enjoy this part of its development, as it definitely gives Amber Fever some romantic appeal, and some of that ‘come closer so I can smell you' allure characterized by popular “date scents.” At the same time, the fact AF doesn't take itself too seriously, or project too thickly and powerfully at any time, makes it fine for wearing casually, whether to work or just hanging out.

In conclusion, Azzaro Amber Fever is a solid release and a good choice for an inexpensive scent that is warm and sweet, but also somewhat unique in its addition of a chocolate note and the nice balance it creates between sweet and earthy-dry. Its medium to light bodied density makes it easy and fun to wear, and it manages to avoid some of the pitfalls of its main competitor, The One EDP. At its current price point it's worth exploring Amber Fever to see how it works for you. Final rating, a solid 8/10 and a definite thumbs up.

Tried all of the line, and this one reigns supreme. Perfect date fragrance for warmer climate, but could easily work in cold weather too. Imagine CK in 2 u, but more modern, that's Amber Fever. The cocoa note is more superior here too. Surprisingly not too much chemical crap, or fake woods in this one. This won't blow anyone's socks off, but it's certainly good. It does remind me a very small bit of Azzaro pour Homme, as does most of the line, but I can't quite pinpoint what I'm smelling that recalls it.

Similar to: Ckin2u, Just Cavalli, 125 Years Your Companion For Life (Victorinox).

Warm, almost boozy vanilla and amber in the opening. Not getting much of the original Azzaro pour Homme in the opening. That comes later with the clary sage in the drydown and provides some nice freshness. Still feels more modern than old school but it's still a nice nod.

This isn't overly heavy or sweet. Quite wearable and versatile, although I'd say it's probably best for cooler weather given the emphasis on the smooth and warm amber.

Performance is good with moderate projection and longevity into the 8 hour range.

Another daring jump for Lorris Azzaro! Amber Fever is rich, comforting, and a wonderful rethink of the now legendary Azzaro pour Homme original.

Clary sage has its own leathery, lavenderish amber quality that is a great element for Amber Fever. Cocoa adds a warm, gourmand chocolate powder that is slightly aromatic in its own way. Amber holds this all together, with a touch of honey sweetness.

I'd label this an aromatic oriental, with none of the dna of the original (the Hot Pepper (purple bottle) flanker, also by Azzaro, also departs totally from that dna). It envelopes with a warm goodness that just feels great.

I applaud Azzaro for this and the Hot Pepper flankers: Courageous departures from the tried and true ApH formula, keeping the bottle designs yet filling them with new concepts that actually work well.