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Dark Amber & Ginger Lily Jo Malone 2008

7.6 / 10 333 Ratings

A popular perfume by Jo Malone for women, released in 2008. The scent is spicy-woody. It is being marketed by Estēe Lauder Companies.
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Main accords

Spicy

Woody

Floral

Oriental

Sweet

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes

Black cardamom

Pink pepper Ginger

Ginger

Heart Notes

Orchid

Rose

Jasmine

Water lily

Base Notes

Black amber

Frankincense

Sandalwood Leather

Leather

Patchouli

Perfumer

Andrea Lupo

Ratings

Scent

7.6333 Ratings

Longevity

7.1259 Ratings

Sillage

6.5251 Ratings

Bottle

7.8246 Ratings

Value for money

6.6101 Ratings

Submitted by Lampe, last update on 08/19/2025.

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to

Series Three - M

Pera Eau de Parfum

Pera Eau de Cologne

Crystal Noir Eau de Parfum

Eidesis

Marc Jacobs Men

Reviews

10 in-depth fragrance descriptions

02/08/2025

7.5Scent 6Longevity 4Sillage

WolfHunter
64 Reviews

WolfHunter

1

Often Overlooked

It seems like the fragrances in the Jo Malone lineup that get all the attention are Myrrh & Tonka and Wood Sage & Sea Salt. Dark Amber & Ginger Lily is a little bit of a gem that warrants at least a sample. I was gifted this fragrance and I find myself wearing it quite often. It opens with a bright ginger note that is very pleasant. It then evolves and goes into an almost green medicinal scent that works very well over sweet florals. At the end of the fragrance, it bases out into amber and incense with only a hint of florals over the top. It’s a perfect fall fragrance for any occasion. Like almost all of the other Jo Malone fragrances, this is not a monster projector. It sits close to the skin for the majority of the wear. It does last quite a while on me. I can apply it at the beginning of a 12 hour shift and still smell it on myself when my workday is over.

There is just one odd little quirk about this fragrance. It smells way better on my skin than it does clothing. When I spray it on clothing, for some reason it develops this waxy crayon type smell and I have no idea why. But on skin, it remains true to the description I gave earlier in this review. So if you sample this, make sure you test in both clothing and skin to see what works best in you. It is pretty unisex in my opinion but leans ever so slightly feminine.

Is it a really good fragrance? Yes. Am I going to repurchase when I’m out? Probably not. The price tag is very steep and for that money, there’s definitely better out there.

03/18/2025

7.5Scent 8Longevity 8Sillage

Raluko111
400 Reviews

Raluko111

1

Another pleasant surprise from Jo.

In fall and winter, you will always find ginger in my pantry: I use it in teas, soups, curries, cakes with cardamom and saffron, ginger is just an integral part of my kitchen. The ginger in Dark Amber & Ginger is like a freshly squeezed juice, it warms me to the core, and when I wear it, I crave quiet afternoons in my living room, wrapped up in a cozy shawl, a good book in hand. It's so well balanced, the lotus and orchid were meant to be together here, to create this perfect harmony. The amber is subtle and sweet, the sandalwood, patchouli and leather more like shadows hazily combined, rather than individual notes I can distinguish.

I love these colognes from Jo Malone because, unlike her usual offers, these actually have silage and longevity.
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Toamna și iarna gătesc foarte des cu ghimbir, il beau in ceaiuri, il amestec in supe, curry, prăjituri cu cardamom și șofran, este mereu in bucătăria mea. Ghimbirul in Dark Amber & Ginger este ca un suc proaspăt stors, mă încălzește, și când il port, parcă vreau să mă învelesc cu un șal de cașmir, să iau o carte in mană și să mă bucur de frig. Il ador de la deschidere până la notele de bază: totul este atât de bine balansat, nufărul si orhideea parcă au fost menite să se îmbine in acest amestec și să il eleveze la alt nivel de sofisticare. Când notele de bază apar, este in continuare o încântare: nasul meu se bucură de dulceața subtilă a ambrei, olibanum dansează frumos cu lemnul de santal, iar paciuli si pielăria aici sunt tăcute, mai mult umbre decât note ușor de distins. Toate notele trăiesc în completă armonie, nimic nu deranjează, nimic nu pare deplasat, totul este așa cum trebuie să fie.

Am impresia că față de celelalte parfumuri Jo Malone, coloniile intense sânt mult mai bine făcute și proiectează și țin o vreme bună.

07/06/2013

8Scent 5Longevity 2.5Sillage

Palonera
282 Reviews

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Palonera

Top Review 29

Who would be so cowardly?!

Sometimes strange things happen on my skin.
Then a designated macho turns into a purring kitten, cucumbers grow on a tennis court, Mr. Spock splashes in my grandmother's bathtub, or the riddle of the scent in the stable of Bethlehem is even solved.
Nothing seems impossible, and some scent journeys entertain better than a crime scene investigation.
However, experiencing a fragrance on my skin that presents itself so completely differently than the pyramid would suggest, making me think of involuntary label deception, is something I encounter for the first time with "Dark Amber & Ginger Lily."

It has been in my possession for quite a while now, the sample in the brown Apo bottle with its careful labeling - its exact origin can no longer be reconstructed, and it is assumed that after a first superficial sniff, it wandered to join its many brothers and sisters in the cupboard, only to see the light of day again yesterday.
Pandora's comment had made me crave a bit of the Far East, for a somewhat brighter incense against a spicy-elegant background, which would provide a contrast to the many aquatic and fruity-floral scents I have been encountering since the beginning of summer.
I looked forward to my journey to the land of the rising sun, dripped a little on my wrists -

and found myself under a fig tree.
Under many dark green leaves, a bit damp from the recent rain, the wood of the bark at my back and the ripening fruits above my head.
Somewhere nearby, lemon trees seemed to be standing, their scent carried over by a gentle breeze, mingling with the various fig aromas.
It was very beautiful, very soft, transparent, and a little spicy - yet not at all what I had expected, no Japanese incense ceremony and nothing that would fit the pyramid in any way.
Confused, I eyed my bottle - could it possibly contain a completely different scent than the one it was labeled as?

I decided to get to the bottom of it and wrote to some owners of the fragrance: Was there anyone else whose nose conveyed figs to them like mine did?
The reactions were quick and varied: While one experienced a fresh ginger-cardamom opening followed by a creamy interlude with a softly spicy, slightly dusty finish, the second found patchouli already dominating the top notes, pushing the actual protagonists to the side, soon connecting with incense and amber while almost completely avoiding all flowers.
A third explained my fig association as stemming from the combination of ginger and patchouli, and even the husband of a fourth complained to her that she smelled like fig when she wore "Dark Amber & Ginger Lily."
So I seemed not to be the only one smelling figs where there shouldn't be any, and apparently, my bottle also contained the right scent.
That was reassuring but also fascinating - perhaps my own impressions would change the following day?!
Yet even in the second and very careful daytime test, a non-sweet, woody-leafy fig dominates on my skin, giving no other component a real chance to unfold.
It is by no means loud or even brash - the scent stays very close to the skin for only a few hours, delicate to the point of fragility, and I have to sniff very closely to not lose it.
One could almost think it is a bit cowardly...

06/26/2021

9Scent 7Longevity 7Sillage

Llea2703
8 Reviews

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Llea2703

Helpful Review 30

Of Nostalgia and Love...

My grandma has a very strong connection to Morocco. For years, Agadir was her holiday destination. She and my grandpa went there very often, for years twice a year for several weeks.
They had their regular hotel, and all the staff and other regular guests already knew them and looked forward to seeing them again each time.
With one of the hotel staff, they built a particularly strong bond. He showed them around the city and even invited them to his home several times, until he even set up a guest room for them. For my grandma and grandpa, it became almost a second home.

Through the numerous holidays, of course, countless souvenirs came back to Germany. Moroccan garments, jewelry, bottles of argan oil, spices, even Moroccan cookies were brought back when they returned after 3 weeks in mid-December. But what has always interested me the most were the scents. This is how my grandma brought me a small tin with a piece of pressed dark amber. I loved this scent. So much so that I rubbed this little piece on my skin as a young girl to wear it as perfume. Even today, I have these little tins spread across many rooms to be able to smell a hint of it again and again.

Why am I telling all this?:
When I stood in Douglas testing the beautiful Jo Malone bottle, I was immediately reminded of it. The spices, the sweet cookies, and of course, above all, the amber!
This is exactly what this fragrance reflects, paired with soft woods and beautiful flowers. I could also clearly smell the ginger at the beginning. It was as if all these memories had been packed and mixed into a bottle.
Of course, I couldn't help but take it directly to the checkout.
This scent is so beautifully mysterious, spicy, alluring, warming, and also a little sexy. I can imagine it in any season!
Layered with "Jasmine Sambac & Marigold | Jo Malone," it creates a wonderful blend (and lasts even longer), and I can't get enough of it.

My grandparents no longer have the strength to make this journey. They are both doing well, but they miss their shared holidays very much. We'll see... maybe I can awaken a hint of nostalgia in them with this scent.

12/30/2021

9Scent 6Longevity 6Sillage

FrauMieze
245 Reviews

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FrauMieze

Top Review 18

stylish temptation

Dark Amber & Ginger Lily is one of the best Jo Malone fragrances for me.
It is incredibly velvety, soft, and spicy, yet sensual and seductive at the same time.

I can't help but strongly associate Dark Amber & Ginger Lily with a cozy, warm, oversized dark red velvet cushion that invites you to stay. This cushion is placed in an old, wood-paneled fireplace room where a fire crackles. On the table, there is a bouquet of subtly fragrant flowers.

But there is also a special hint in the air.
The scent of old pipe tobacco, dust, leather, and incense.
The scent of a past, refined event attended by well-groomed, wonderfully smelling men. Their beard oil and spicy-warm perfumes still linger faintly in the crevices of the wall paneling.
It is warm, very cozy, and calming.
Candles are burning on the tables and the mantelpiece.
In front of the fireplace lies that very dark red velvet cushion along with two old armchairs made of worn suede.
On the side table, there are 2 glasses and a bottle of good, old cognac. One bears a lipstick mark.
On the red velvet cushion, they lie, closely entwined, breathless and radiant. The 2 lovers who could not resist the delicate temptation, the atmosphere of the room....

The fragrance undergoes a fascinating development from a truly wonderful, spicy top note where I distinctly perceive ginger, cardamom, and pepper.
I can also immediately smell a delicate iris, fine, very light rose, or perhaps the feminine water lily. However, what stands out the most for me is this warm amber note combined with patchouli, leather, and incense.
This combined with the spices and flowers makes it balsamic-creamy-leathery and somehow incredibly attractive and sexy-sensual.
At the same time, it is so stylish and mature and never annoying or girly. It is never "sweet" and absolutely unisex (for bold men).

For me, it is a fragrance I wear when I want to appear confident yet attractive.

Longevity and sillage are in the good middle range. I occasionally reapply because I just find this top note brilliant.

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