L'Eau d'Ambre L'Artisan Parfumeur 1978

Fact: The ladies and gentlemen at L'Artisan seem incapable of creating a fragrance that I do NOT like - yet I was captivated by this one at the first sniff.
In that first moment, it is not the amber that knocked my socks off, although amber in all its variations is a buzzword for me in the best sense.
No - bright, green, minty nuances rise from the damp spot on my skin, and I am still puzzling after the umpteenth wearing whether this is really the geranium mentioned in the top notes or if they might have omitted one or two ingredients from us.
However, this green freshness does not last long; soon the namesake asserts itself and keeps surprising me, because unlike in most (of the amber fragrances I know), we are not dealing here with a fluffy, sweet, sometimes slightly sticky, and uncompromisingly feminine cuddly amber.
This amber has edges and corners, is bitter and profound, serious and even a bit stern.
It is certainly not a tame house cat, but rather a semi-wild predator, whose silky fur cannot disguise the razor-sharp claws.
Were it not for the vanilla with its soothing sweetness, "L'Eau d'Ambre" would have the makings of a pure men's fragrance - but as it is, both men and women can enjoy it for many hours, both on their own skin and on a close companion.
Very sexy!