Bottle Design:
Åsa Jungnelius, Kosta Boda

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Black Amber Agonist 2011

7.5 / 10 172 Ratings

A popular perfume by Agonist for women and men, released in 2011. The scent is smoky-resinous. The production was apparently discontinued.
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Main accords

Smoky

Resinous

Woody

Spicy

Oriental

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes

Frankincense

Spanish labdanum Black haw blossom Davana

Davana

Red algae

Heart Notes

Frankincense

Cedarwood

Java vetiver

Tobacco flower

Nagarmotha

Base Notes

Black amber

Indian sandalwood

Patchouli

Styrax

Bourbon vanilla

Perfumer

Fabrice Pellegrin

Ratings

Scent

7.5172 Ratings

Longevity

8.0136 Ratings

Sillage

6.9134 Ratings

Bottle

8.0127 Ratings

Value for money

6.617 Ratings

Submitted by FrieMo · last update on 10/03/2025.

Source-backed & verified

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to

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Geisha Noire Eau de Parfum

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Sources d'Origine - Cuir Éternel

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Sahara Noir

Reviews

17 in-depth fragrance descriptions

09/25/2012

4Scent 9Longevity 9Sillage

Gold
726 Reviews

Gold

Astonishing Amber-Approach

Top notes: strong association of medicated treacle, kitchen herbs (thyme, pepper) and camphor. "Amber" (when it's not "Ambregris", i.e. the real animalic thing we're talking about) is a construction trying to evoke an "oriental feeling", and its main components are labdanum and vanilla. Theses classic ingredients cannot be found in "Black Amber" - at least not at first sniff. The initial sharp blast fades rather quickly and makes room for the heart, which is marked by incense and vetiver, but also by patchouli, the over-all effect adding up to an impression of moth-balls. Nevertheless, the fragrance improves a bit with time and the drydown is dark, herbaceous and spicy (cardamon?). A touch of vanilla lures in the background. This is the typical smell you find in Indian grocery shops, a mixture of curries, Basmati rice, incense-sticks, perfumed teas and washing-powder. "Black Amber" by Agonist is nothing I'd like to wear on my skin, but it's kind of interesting to watch its development from cough syrup to Indian grocery store. Astonishing. Even more so when you consider the price of this "experience": 880 Euros per bottle. A visit to your local Indian grocery store will cost you nothing.

09/15/2025

9.5Scent 8Longevity 8Sillage

popodot
13 Reviews

popodot

1

Black Amber

This fragrance is centered around labdanum and incense, accentuated by a distinctive salty and seaweed-like element. It presents an intriguing twist on traditional amber-based scents, incorporating a marine quality that sets it apart.

While I haven't had the opportunity to experience genuine isolated ambergris, I speculate that the saline note may be attributed to it.

The scent follows a fairly linear trajectory, maintaining the presence of salty seaweed in its drydown, harmoniously blended with cedar, vanilla, and patchouli in equal measure.

The combination is seamlessly intertwined, resulting in a tightly fused composition. The concept behind this fragrance is undeniably interesting, and it does possess an appealing aroma.

However, I find myself uncertain if it aligns with my personal preferences. If the notion of a woody incense with intriguing hints of salty seaweed captures your interest, I recommend giving this fragrance a try.

11/04/2014

10Scent 7.5Longevity 7.5Sillage

Meggi
1018 Reviews

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Meggi

Top Review 56

Recently, in the coziest corner of Hell

“Hey! Get up!” The command pierced through the quiet crackling of the fire like a whip crack. “You need to leave earlier today. ‘Theory of Frightening’ is all the way on the other side.” That was true. As a first-year butt, there really wasn’t anything to laugh about. Well, what impression would that have made at the Academy of Fear and Darkness? Before Rodophyt could rise, he was already kicked off the cot by the boot of the caller. Unbelievable. Everyone who had risen to the rank of Upper Butt became truly disgusting on the spot. And Sauron was no exception.

“Well, Garmotha, did you splash around in the volcanic lake too long again yesterday? Letting the Black Smoker tickle your backside? And secretly sniffing some weird Kokel stuff?” The next kick hit a smear troll girl (diminutive form inappropriate) in her wrinkled behind and propelled her out of a pile of prickly bushes. She was a softy and liked to be comfortable at night. In fact, she liked it cozy, as she called it: The earth wall with thorny plants around the little camp had been her idea. And she had also set up the smoldering tree stumps. Garmotha cursed quietly, picked a hairy, sticky lump from her fur, and stuffed it into her maw. Then she speared a massive chunk of resin on a stick and held it over the fire. “Breakfast?” she called over, but Rodo was on guard. He had learned by now that offering smoked resin to smear trolls was considered a mating proposal, and he hadn’t forgotten the sight of the last one who had just been hungry. “No, you piece of filth!” he replied, both textbook and truthfully, “I’m just shoving a bar of pressed tobacco in.” They offered nothing to Sauron. The guy fed on darkness and was always stuffed in the morning. No chance to butter him up.

Chewing, Rodo sat in his favorite spot. He indulgently held his head in the smoke of the fire and only turned away when his left eye started to water. About fifteen meters away, he could now make out half a dozen figures in the twilight, strangely costumed, marching by in single file. They all looked tense and kept glancing around attentively. Humans! And could he even see those pointy plastic hats on some of their ears? Those were definitely more of those damn fantasy role players. My Satan, not even at breakfast could one have peace from them! The group marched off into the mist, and Rodo began to count. Usually, it took almost exactly until one hundred before the screams came. Then the frontmost one had run into the Lightless Ambysser and became its hors d’oeuvre, immediately followed by all the others as the main course. These ones were doing it better - first, they only needed to get to eighty, and second, shortly thereafter, a single figure actually hurried back, clutching the stump of its left arm with its right hand. Unbelievable, it had really been lucky!

The others were basically lucky too. Because those whose path didn’t lead into the entrails of the Ambysser usually ended up later in the Sweet Swamps, which attracted humans with their vanilla-candy-like stench - apparently, they were into that sort of thing. Whoever got caught in the gooey mass was held fast and slowly decomposed. Tonight, on the way back, they would stroll past there and take a whiff. Maybe there was even still a twitching remnant of the little Hmpf they had tossed in for fun three days ago. The thought of it already sent a pleasant shiver down his spine.

But now it was time to get going. “Theories of Frightening and Tormenting for Beginners and Advanced” was indeed a stupid subject - why couldn’t they just leave that silly writing alone and simply enjoy the matter? - but the lecturer was, after all, the director of the academy himself: His Most Illustrious Cruelty Malefactus E. Fistofeles. And he was about as patient as a berserk elephant with festering hemorrhoids. Moreover, he had a highly individual sense of humor: Those who arrived late or didn’t pay attention always got to participate in a spontaneously inserted practical part. And passively, which gave the antiquated term for it - namely “suffering form” - a whole new meaning every time. At this memory, Rodo finished his meal and quickly got up.

07/23/2017

9Scent 8Longevity 8Sillage

Can777
257 Reviews

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Can777

Top Review 34

The Rejected Light

There you stand before me, telling me your story of sadness and drama. You reach out your hand from the darkness and pull me down into your exile. Bitter-sweet is your voice and dry its sound. Shreds of light are still visible on your garment. Remnants of your old life. Memories cling to you like shadows. Resinous and smoky are your tears; I wipe them away with my hands. They no longer wanted you in the light. You were not welcome in the sweet glow of warmth. You had frightened them with your otherness. The fire you have ignited does not burn bright, but saturates in your world. Smoky melancholy is your counterpart. Now your time has come. Come with me into my world.
There is enough space for you on my skin. To me, you are sparkling and beautiful like a black diamond in the moonlight. You are dark, glittering, and unique in your rarity. You are home!

Conclusion
Black Amber by Agonist is certainly not for everyone. But it is a fragrance that tells a story when you let it and listen. The story of an unwanted child who was sweet, but nobody wanted. Thus begins Black Amber. Sweet and bitter. Over the course of the young fragrance, it is characterized by a life of spice and ecclesiastical smoke, in which it lingers for a long time. Age makes it a wise but grumpy scent of black amber and patchouli. A lonely but strong fragrance. Even in its longevity and sillage, it feels rather closed off and reserved to me. It is well-worn by both men and women, if one appreciates its dark-melancholic nature.
I do!

I thank Meggi for presenting a fragrance that seems made for me.

05/13/2014

5Scent 7.5Longevity 5Sillage

Pluto
353 Reviews

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Pluto

Top Review 30

When does the Amber come?

Last week, I received fragrance mail four times in two days from dear Parfuma(o)s, a lot of samples and kindly also some decants. Where is this all leading? Perhaps eventually to ruin, because the scents I have "taken to my nose" so far have been very nice, except for one.

Now I come to this one scent, Black Amber by Agonist. Until the test, this fragrance was unknown to me, but I had added it to my watchlist some time ago, surely because of an interesting comment. So I sprayed two strong spritzes on my wrist without any reservations.

This scent starts harsh, unwelcoming, very bitter and resinous; I almost think I can taste the bitterness of Black Amber on my tongue. The greeting is unfriendly, don't come too close and leave me alone, as if I had arrived just before closing time at the registration office. The name is well chosen; I have rarely found a scent darker. It stays that way for a while, and then the incense comes, crashing over me like a tidal wave and burying me beneath it. Phew, what a smell, sacred, sharp, and penetrating. But that's not enough; now the comrade named tobacco joins in and intensifies the smoky, bitter scent even more. But somehow, this makes me like Black Amber a bit better. And then I wait for change, for spicy warmth, for a ray of light, for the amber; it must be in there with a name like that, right? No, I wait in vain; Black Amber has become calmer, but all I perceive are tobacco and incense, that's it, even after hours.

The longevity is very good, the sillage (thank God) is not too heavy. When and who can wear this scent? To be honest, I don't know; I wouldn't want to wear it, except maybe when visiting a cathedral or for a Pentecost procession; I would be curious to see the face of the clergyman when he catches a whiff of my scent. I have nothing against dark fragrances; they can be herbaceous and bitter, even austere, but with this scent, I would feel depressed, like being locked in a dark dungeon, without hope for the smallest ray of sunshine.

Dear Angua, thank you for the sample; I almost believe you love sending me fragrant challenges.

More reviews

Statements

47 short views on the fragrance

Saradonin

2 years ago

8Scent 8Longevity 5Sillage

1

Liquorice, resins, woods and candle smoke. Fascinating fragrance.

Tanelv

3 months ago

7Scent 9Longevity 7Sillage

Dark and dry, summer night with the bonfire. Sophisticated in a medieval way.

Hermesh

10 years ago

9Scent 7.5Longevity 7.5Sillage

Versatile and beautiful: resinous conifers with some greenery and beautiful modern incense, which brings a pleasant dry touch.

Chizza

5 years ago

6Scent

19

15

Unfortunately, ingredients like vanilla spoil the incense for me because it smells sweet, powdery, and very strong. Not necessary.

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Estefania

5 years ago

10Scent

17

11

Alone in nights
In withered arbors
Torn already
on all sides
Pollen
at the sea's edge
Blown away
In eternities

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Can777

8 years ago

9Scent 8Longevity 8Sillage

18

7

Exiled from the realm of light and reborn in darkness. An embrace of bitterness and harsh thoughts. Melancholy.

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Azahar

8 years ago

8.5Scent 8Longevity 8Sillage

15

7

In a line with incense reference fragrances (Avignon/Cardinal...)
The boss will ask again who set the trash can in front of the office on fire
But beautiful!!

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