I can associate this perfume with a manticore, a legendary monster with a man's head, horns, a lion's body, a dragon's tail, or sometimes, a scorpion. Imagine you are in a tavern in Esfahan, where a hunter yells at the crowd, showing a big scar that cuts his chest from side to side. You approach to listen better and notice the hunter's look of hatred and terror when he utters a word: Martyaxwar. This is the story of the manticore. According to the first writings, it is a creature having its origins in the legend of the ancient Persian cities. It is said to have a large and powerful body, like a lion, with a fiery red mane, like the flames of hell, and a redskin color similar to that of cinnabar. Its tail resembles that of a land scorpion and is equipped with a sting. What arouses the most fear is the grotesque head of the animal similar to a human face, its ears and glaucous eyes identical to those of a man. The monster's huge, wide-open mouth reveals three rows of hundreds of sharp teeth that pounce on the victim like a lethal trap, severing his head at the height of the neck still throbbing with life. It can also inflict severe wounds with its claws. The term "martichoras" means "anthropophagous" in Greek, precisely because this beast feeds primarily on men, as well as other animals.
The association derives not so much from being anthropophagous but from the multifaceted character of the body. And this perfume has so many facets that it looks like a manticore. It is the second fragrance from the Jo Malone Rain Collection that I review. This perfume is a masterpiece! It will probably be snubbed because you can find it in a Zara store, not in niche perfumery. Instead, I can tell you, try it while you are on time. It drove me crazy, and its notes blend with my skin. Are you ready to learn more about this legendary monster? Let's dive in.
Amber & Fig Cashmere is a green, aromatic, and woody scent, fig-centered, not as simple as it first appears. It opens with a burst of spicy and heady pink pepper, infused with hints of orange peel. It may be watery on the untrained nose, a wet freshness typical of violet, but this is not another aquatic fragrance. It has the odor to the morning fog and rain. I love pink pepper, which is not a natural pepper, but a kind of berry with facets of aromatic seasoning, even if not too spicy like black or white peppercorns.
Continue sexy, stimulating, and fully accessible. Fig and white woods are fabulous at heart, and that concoction handles the initial dry chord. The core here is a blend of fig ingredients to give an accord between the green leaves and the creaminess of the fruit. It also has white woods, which provide some weight to the more relaxed top note of the orange. The fig note is slightly sweet and has a natural smell, like the pulp of ripe fruit. I catch a nuance of dusty, humid, as if the violet leaf were present but not mentioned, the same one that I can smell at the opening. The intermediate phase exudes creaminess and dustiness, a kind of double cream, a panna cotta dessert, something milky and greenish at the same time. Their thick, lush leaves and fig notes create incredibly green and herbaceous scents, but this one has a proper cashmeran creaminess that provides a cozy and comforting feel.
Salty ambergris, lively patchouli, and a generous ambroxan offer an almost sweet and slightly earthy aroma in the last phase. The Ambroxan provides a dry counterpoint, and the best part is that it never gets the better of the whole thing. The fig pushes back from start to finish, and it's just an idea in this final stage. If you know the ZARA fragrances and the Jo Malone collection, you can see that what survives on the skin is reminiscent of "Zara Emotions N°02 - Waterlily Tea Dress | Zara". Attention, I am not comparing the two; I am not saying that they are similar. Instead, I want to emphasize the similarity in the trace left behind.
The monstrous creature has excellent longevity, almost a full day on me, with moderate projection and sillage, never intrusive. The overall scent makes me reach it during the warm seasons. Late spring and midsummer days are ideal, though the warm woody cashmere makes it a beautiful autumn garment. A very summery scent, the citrus notes made sparkling by the pepper, arrive immediately but disappear soon to make way for fig milk. This milky odor, vaguely sweet but not cloying, remains throughout the day together with a scent reminiscent of a bouquet of white aquatic flowers. The name is fitting, reflecting both the dominant notes and the warmth of this perfume.
And you, did you already know this fragrance? What do you think?
I base the review on a 90ml bottle I have owned since August 2021.
-Elysium
P.S. Today I could test "Eau des Merveilles | Hermès" and I must admit that even if the opening takes two different paths, from the heart onwards it looks a lot like "Zara Rain N°04 - Amber & Fig Cashmere | Zara", and in the finale, they are practically indistinguishable.
Updated on 01/09/2022
Top Notes 
Pink pepper
Orange
Thrimzakpul
Heart Notes 
Fig
White woods
Base Notes 
Patchouli
Ambrox
Ambergris
TiagoPM28
Elysium
Bimsilein
NoraTemple
Mellarius
LadyViolet
Leks
L1nda
VentoAureo
Linasname
