From the first spray, Ambra Mediterranea from Italy’s Profumi del Forte is intoxicating. A heady amber scent, Ambra Mediterranea reminds us initially of a more feminine, less hemp-focussed take on the legendary Black Afgano by Nasomatto, owing to the ylang-ylang and white musk. Potent smoky notes become even more evident after the dry down, however, as the scent evolves into more resinous, masculine territory with strong cedar and patchouli base notes. It’s unisex in our books, but strictly for the female that is comfortable with dark, bold, statement fragrance choices (again, like Black Afgano) – it may be too confronting for some.
While this perfume may be Mediterranean in moniker, perhaps owing to the orange top note that, for us, is barely detectable, it feels much more Middle Eastern in nature and right at home in the GCC with its lashings of frankincense. Ambra Mediterranea is perfect for an elegant evening safari amongst the dunes, a gondola ride through Souk Madinat, or cocktails on the Jumeirah beachfront looking out at the Burj al Arab. It’s a potent woody oriental with hints of vanilla sweetness that will absolutely seduce lovers of Ambre-centric, incense inspired creations and personally, we think it’s a classic. An absolute must-own in our books.
We discovered Ambra Mediterranea by Profumi del Forte via YUNIQU, a high end, niche fragrance subscription service.
YUNIQU ships worldwide (but if you’re in the UAE, remember to use a PO Box instead of a home address). Subscription pricing starts from 17.95 Euros per month for an 8ml decant shipped worldwide – save more by upgrading to two or three fragrances per month. Readers of TheLuxeologist.com are eligible to receive 25% off the first month of any YUNIQU subscription with the code THELUX25 – click here to find out more about the incredible scents available.
Notes:
Top: Orange, Coriander
Heart: Jasmine, Ylang Ylang
Base: Ambergris, Incense, Siam Benzoin, Cedar, Incense, Vanilla, White Musk
Season: Winter by the fireside and hot Summer nights (well, Winter in the Middle East…)
Destinations: Oman, Dubai, Aspen