Byzantine Amber Francesca Bianchi 2023 Extrait de Parfum

Yes, at Bianchi, they are once again pouring old wine into new bottles, but at least it's good wine. ;)

BYZANTINE AMBER reveals itself to me from the very start in its best light: Golden amber, slightly smoky, oily and luscious, kept citrusy. I don't particularly like the (piercing) smell of bergamot when isolated and used too dominantly; here it serves a subtle and skillful purpose, providing a clarity-enhancing glaze that prevents the fragrance (at least initially) from drifting into a collapsing sponginess (something that bothered me with previously tested Bianchi fragrances, except for the wonderfully hard, clearly contoured The Black Knight). Since I especially enjoy the opening, it seems advisable in such a case to primarily spray it on hair/clothing.
And I could swear, there's that obligatory iris butter from Bianchi again. ;) Perhaps it's a creamy leather note or the cinnamon powderiness combined with the geranium, or it could be due to the (overall) composition (of the resins). Be that as it may, it reminds one of other fragrances:
Statements have already mentioned the similarity to scents like "The Lover's Tale | Francesca Bianchi," "The Dark Side | Francesca Bianchi," "Under My Skin | Francesca Bianchi." None of the aforementioned completely captivated me. However, the amber note gives BYZANTINE AMBER the missing little something that I had not found in the others, which is why I prefer it more clearly.

After the (for my taste equipped with exactly the right buzzwords) press text, I had hoped for a bit more of the overall effect of the fragrance beyond the wonderful opening and I'm still not sure if I will change my mind about it and whether it can "dethrone" Ambra Aurea for me (and whether it even needs to, is questionable in both cases): I find BA not quite as opulent, decadent, and archaic as AA and as expected, which can also be an advantage depending on the occasion and taste.
If I were to criticize BA, it would be that as a concentrated resin-balm bomb, it becomes a bit too sweet and monotonous over time and that the leather (at least on me) doesn't really come through.

I have never found Bianchi fragrances to be particularly complex and refined, but rather fragmentary, rough, and coarse. This is not meant as a judgment. Sometimes one looks for and some seek exactly such things. BA fits into this style for me. A solid, beautiful fragrance, but one should not expect anything groundbreaking or can expect exactly what one is used to from Bianchi.

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With normal dosing, I am not overwhelmed by the sillage and longevity, although Bianchi's fragrances are notorious for their intensity. Here, in my opinion, there is both truth and misunderstanding/misjudgment [/misuse? ;)] present: Bianchi's fragrances are indeed extraits (hence intense), but should be dosed very sparingly for that very reason, as explicitly advised in the accompanying texts on the official site. Less is definitely more here (which is why I appreciate the small 30 ml bottles). Whether one is overwhelmed or not, I believe one has control over that here. ;)
For those for whom the perfumes are still too intense but remain interesting: By the way, there are also Sublime Oil versions of some of the brand's fragrances that have lower concentrations than the perfumes. Very accommodating. ;)