Black Amber Agonist 2011

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.