Ambra Nera Ortigia 2011 Eau de Parfum

Ambra Nera is a lovely powdered amber, pleasant and quite charming.

It gives off a certain warmth, soft and enveloping. However, it remains rather classic, perhaps even a bit dated and 'dusty' - I often get that feeling with this brand's fragrances, as if they aim to capture an old-fashioned charm without truly reinventing it.

That said, it remains perfectly fine, without any major flaws, but also lacking in originality.

I know: names are just sound and smoke - actually.
The same names mean nothing at all - actually.
A good example is Heiner Müller and Müller-Milch or even Dr. Müller-Wohlfahrt.
And so on and so forth.
And so I thought about "Ambra Nera": pure coincidence.
Pure coincidence that there is another one, a second "Ambra Nera," the little pharmacy creature.
That little, black, wild one with needle-like claws.
Coincidence, surely.

I have now worn Ortigia's "Ambra Nera" for five days.
Five days, to not be mistaken, to not fall into the error that results from expectation, no matter how much one may try to guard against it.
And every morning it crept back, the civet kitten, so familiar to me - so warm and soft, so wild and tender, so silky black and not a trace domesticated.
It comes with every first moment, knows no detours, no shyness, cares nothing for decorum and behavior.
A little bitter, a little resinous and so erotic that I feel warmth rising to my cheeks.
Dark, bittersweet and deep - the little sister of Farmacia Annunziata, coincidence or not.

Everything that this "Ambra Nera" presents to me, once Grandpa's circulation drops have happily passed, the black amber from Ortigia gives me too - only: it is a little gentler, a little softer, it hugs closer and only growls very quietly.
It does not wield a whip and leaves no marks, at least not on my summer skin.
It doesn't matter to it whether it's cool or hot, whether the sun burns my skin or whether a fine film of drizzle covers it.
Unaffected, unimpressed, it always remains the same, darkly velvety dense and yet transparent, lighter than the big sister, whose father is unknown - yet I would bet that Mr. Villoresi has his hand in this as well...

PS: Ergoproxy - thank you!

Ambra Nera takes a while to find its line. At first, I smell something bittersweet, then I think of sweet rice pudding with an overdose of cinnamon. But quickly, a blend of amber, ambra, and labdanum settles in comfortably:

The three develop something dominantly waxy within minutes - before the situation could have seriously been disrupted by the fundamentally perceptible hint of animalic notes, which initially comes from the labdanum and less from the ambra. This hasty waxy coating against the primal instincts arrives rather early and reliably prevents any overly exposed lustfulness, much like an ad hoc liquid wax custom-made condom might do on another occasion. Just the thought of it is enough to make one cringe, right? Exactly!

Additionally, a creamy sweetness rolls in from the ambery-vanilla corner. A kind of harbinger, as it turns out, because it’s there by the morning: H-cream. Normally, I often detect such things in the presence of guaiac and/or sandalwood. Although nothing is mentioned here, my nose insists that I should trust it.

The good news is that my H-cream transforms into caramel. The bad news is that the little kitty, which may now complement our zoo, is practically drowning in liquid caramel with me - I can only sense it directly on my skin. By the afternoon, the scent increasingly limits itself to a waxy-amber base, now without any animalic notes. Towards the end, a barely noticeable, bright synthetic wood note might provide some support.

I had expected much more from Ambra Nera in light of what has been described so far. In particular, I find the fragrance of the same name from Farmacia SS. Annunziata, referenced by the esteemed Palonera in her text for comparison, to be far more successful.

I thank Ergoproxy for the sample.

Black amber and incense: how old did I have to become to enjoy the beauty of these fragrance notes in all their facets!
Longtime acquaintances are still amazed that this delicate, blonde "flower being" can be enthusiastic about these - often very heavy - fragrance creations and how well they suit me nonetheless.
Of course, my innate curiosity won't let me rest; which mother still has a wonderful scent daughter?

While rummaging through various "Departure/To go" folders, I found "Ambra Nera".
The Sicilian manufacturer has already come up with some interesting ideas for the choice of flacons: you take a second look. "Hello, who are you?"
I only know Siracusa from a day trip from Malta. Back then, on December 21, I took a catamaran from Valletta to Sicily - 90 kilometers over the sea in a vessel whose passenger cabin has an inclination of about 90° to the water surface: the handrails everywhere are necessary!
A special experience of crossing the Mediterranean in the middle of winter!
That Siracusa not only boasts one of the usual charming old towns and the "Archaeological Park," where citrus fruits lie in abundance on the paths waiting to be picked up and taken away, but also a fine perfume wizard, I did not know until today.
It was only Yatagan who made me aware of this with his response to my statement - thank you very much!
For the company Ortigia and Lorenzo Villoresi manage to create a very lovable fragrance from relatively few notes.
Please: "lovable" is not meant to be derogatory!

"Ambra Nera" surprises with a start of well-aged woods, not particularly exotic, but rather of local origin. The little nose registers this with delight!
From the broadly listed "spices," I recognize a fine hint of nutmeg; a fragrance note that I really like - not just in the kitchen!
A bit of bay leaf and a few basil leaves have probably been added: my senses signal this to me! Sicily - I recognize you!
So the first acquaintance has already been a success: we both like each other!
The earthy darkness of vetiver (in my imagination, it is always a very dark, slightly damp dark green with a mossy surface!) meets spicy cedar - what more do I need to be stirred?
The cedar! Not only does its wood shavings help excellently against moths - a blessing for my wool and cashmere collection! - its scent immediately transports me to the south - towards my felt home!
For it is well known by now that I was thrown into the "wrong chimney" decades ago!
Patchouli, this golden shimmering, always slightly floating fragrance beauty, concludes this rather extraordinary heart of a fragrance: spices and woods; typical representatives of a rich base note - what comes next?
So far, I am delighted with the fragrance progression: so simple and straightforward - without ifs and buts, with natural grace!
In "Ambra Nera," I encounter a problem-free, simply beautiful fragrance creation that brings joy.
The base note mentioned here raises expectations: what will be presented to me?
But yes: labdanum - my so cherished cistus never disappoints me as a resin!
A soul-soother of a special kind: a smile returns; the prevailing sorrow of the days seems to be forgotten for a moment.
What a herb - what a resin!
Galbanum is also an equal partner here: together they create a harmonious conclusion to this charming, albeit unusual fragrance weave.
It has also been managed to use musk so skillfully that a blend is created that is indeed successful: it does not overwhelm - it only delights.

For me, the acquaintance with "Amber Nera" is a gain.
Especially because it is a fragrance being without the expected weight and power, it is so sympathetic to me.
"Ambra Nera" protects and warms, embraces and comforts - without making great demands itself.
With a longevity that matches the lightness; it meets my expectations.
A good, skillfully crafted fragrance composition does not need to waft around me for hours: sometimes a hug that is present for a few hours and simply caresses is enough.

I can imagine that "Ambra Nera" could be a successful entry into this "darker side" of fragrances. Those who dare to try it take no great risk.
It does not demand - it gives!
It is not loud - no, light-footed and quiet!
It does not dominate - instead, it embraces!
Yet it is full-bodied and composed with much empathy: a friend who is there when you need him!

After several years, many fragrances that I thought I absolutely had to have, because they seemed so wonderfully unique, have shown their mundane side and lost their uniqueness for me.
And so I experienced this with "Ambra Nera" by Ortiglia. At the beginning, on Parfumo, during my first exploration of new perfumes, "Ambra Nera" was one of the first amber fragrances of this kind. I was so excited. It became one of the first objects of my desire.
However, since I do not spontaneously acquire everything I wish for, whether because I have no money left for it or because the object of desire is difficult or even impossible for me to obtain, I could not find "Ambra Nera" back then.
And with the number of tested fragrances, "Ambra Nera" kept fading into the background. Temporarily, I removed it from my wish list after a renewed test.
I have since tested many fragrances of this kind and own some similar ones.
However, while going through the old notes of my first perfume notebook, "Ambra Nera" came back into focus for my desires.
As luck would have it, there was also an auction for a bottle on the bay.
Of course, I checked what "Ambra Nera" would cost if I could buy it regularly in stores before bidding. I found again that it was not available at least in Germany and online.
But the starting price was moderate. I knew how high I could go for a half-filled leftover bottle.
I also looked at the pyramid, read the comments, yes, I still wanted it, definitely.
And I won the bid. It was a real success when I could unpack the beautiful box with the fragrance.
The slightly raised metallic-orange of the motif fits wonderfully with the black-brown background. The bottle with its light orange perfume and the same motif in dark brown on both sides is somewhat bulky, also in handling.
The liquid is clear, flawless, the bottle like new. The content shown in the photo was actually even more abundant.
I found the batch number on the bottom of the bottle and on the box. I had thus made a good purchase.
But now for the longed-for fragrance.
Yes, it is the perfume I have desired for so long, my memory was correct and yet not quite.
The opening begins with resinous amber notes, moderate spiciness, and a slight woodiness. A fresh green scent follows, which I attribute to vetiver and lighter patchouli.
At the beginning, I could not determine all of this here yet. But green and slightly fresh, spicy, etc. I had noted very correctly. I also described the slow transformation, the progression.
However, the fragrance seemed to me at that time to be more expressive and distinctly sweeter and more lovely.
The longevity and sillage I perceived at that time generally as much weaker in fragrances.
Now, however, I find that "Ambra Nera" indeed has no great sillage and a mediocre longevity compared to other similar fragrances.
Gradually, "Ambra Nera" also becomes a bit sweeter now, I perceive earthy iris powder notes, as well as moderate labdanum sweetness. Just as noted back then, only it does not delight me nearly as much now.
And with the enchanting balm that remained in my memory, nothing will come of it, even though "Ambra Nera" becomes moderately balsamic with a creamy hint.
An overall quite nice fragrance. A scent that I like to wear, even in summer.
Then "Ambra Nera" becomes spicier again, I smell slight clove notes, the previously diminishing sillage increases again, a pleasant fragrance.
Compared to other similar fragrances, "Ambra Nera" is now a pretty good one for me, but no longer the top-notch fragrance of the balsamic amber-resin scents.
And then comes the actual drawback for me; after a few hours, a light mix of ambroxan and coumarin remains, very little and only perceptible on the skin. This is also the case again now during the renewed wearing for commenting.
I did not notice this back then and also during repeated testing, nor could I notice it. I lacked not only practice but also knowledge of such synthetic fragrance notes.
Of course, it is possible that I am not always equally receptive to the allure of "Ambra Nera," that it may behave differently later.
As I just notice in these old notes and those I have from the renewed testing in Parfumo of fragrances tested back then in comparison, I do not always perceive fragrances in the same way, even if not completely differently each time.
Basically, I often took "Ambra Nera" as a benchmark for this fragrance category.
And now I must once again realize: Memories are plastic, especially with fragrances and scents.
No, I am not disappointed. Only the enchanting magic that I felt for "Ambra Nera" back then has not returned.
Nevertheless, or precisely because of that, "Ambra Nera" remains with me, because this perfume not only enchanted me back then but also taught me to love this kind of fragrance.