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Ambre Topkapi Parfums MDCI 2003

7.4 / 10 185 Ratings

A perfume by Parfums MDCI for men, released in 2003. The scent is spicy-fresh. It is still in production.
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Main accords

Spicy

Fresh

Citrus

Woody

Floral

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes

Pineapple

Bergamot

Lavender

Absinth

Cardamom

Grapefruit Thyme

Thyme

Cinnamon

Ginger

Heart Notes

Violet

Jasmine

Lily of the valley

Base Notes

Rosewood

Amber

Darjeeling tea Oakmoss

Oakmoss

Vanilla

Musk

Patchouli

Sandalwood Vetiver

Vetiver

Raspberry

Perfumer

Pierre Bourdon

Videos

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Ratings

Scent

7.4185 Ratings

Longevity

7.2145 Ratings

Sillage

6.1142 Ratings

Bottle

8.5143 Ratings

Value for money

5.943 Ratings

Submitted by Andi136 · last update on 11/23/2025.

Source-backed & verified

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Reviews

9 in-depth fragrance descriptions

12/28/2012

6Scent 5Longevity 2.5Sillage

Drseid
828 Reviews

Drseid

1

Where's The Amber?...

A tenuous thumbs up for this one. It is fresh, with just a hint of a "BO" note just after the opening, but nothing offensive at all like some others (maybe the cardamom?). The strange thing is while I get a bit of amber, I do not get a whole lot... Projection is below average and longevity is about average. A just good 3 star out of 5 scent at a relatively expensive price with much better values available.

07/03/2020

9.5Scent 7Longevity 4Sillage

Leimbacher
2873 Reviews

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Leimbacher

Top Review 21

Ambrierte Anti-Allüre

Always strongly in the shadow of Barbarians and Palatin,
this ambered orange dream has hardly any flaw or quirk itself.

This divine, rust-colored juice
has impressively managed
to make my jaw drop quite wide.

Understatement and signature in perfection,
this is the very calm, digestible reward.

Not at all spectacular or strong or attention-grabbing,
but in its humanly warm nature, it is deeply moving for me.

It is round, it is beautiful, it is exactly my taste,
in this tailoring, you will find not a single scratch in the finish.

A smooth, fluid weaving of all characteristics,
this intimate dream lingers long on you, even longer on your soul.

Almost like a slightly lighter, transparent MFK,
the calm tones and patience are the clear star here.

“Ambre Topkapi” is the opposite of a loudmouth and market crier,
it is surely the most distinguished guest at any celebration.

Whether as a wedding guest or simply for spiritual relaxation,
this orange embrace is the opposite of emasculation.

If one could only have three to four fragrances, the flagship scents from MDCI would surely be a noble, seamless choice,
so anyone with a full wallet or simply wanting a mini luxury collection can rest assured that I recommended it to them ;).

As my predecessor aptly described, creating such a sensitive, high-quality work of art from deodorant vibes or at least a very well-known type
must be smelled in peace, it is hard to describe or grasp.

For my taste, it comes remarkably close to the fragrance Olympus,
it is rare that I saw such a shine in my eyes after sniffing.

Give it time, it will repay you dearly and tenfold,
such a subtle seducer is hard to paint better.

12/28/2016

9Scent 7Longevity 6Sillage

Terra
646 Reviews

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Terra

Top Review

The Axe-Effect

Partially, Ambre Topkapi is described as "noble," "distinguished." I cannot follow that at all; I find it rather the opposite.

To me, Ambre Topkapi smells like the sillage of an attractive person who has doused themselves in a really cheap fragrance.

But that indeed has a great sexiness. Rarely does a young, attractive student in their early 20s buy a truly decent scent. If they use anything more than deodorant, it’s usually some drugstore bargain or a half-hearted gift from equally scent-unenthusiastic people. Often, they are fresh and distinctly synthetic fragrances - exactly the kind that quickly cause nausea and discomfort on paper as well as on my own skin. However, on the right person, this deliberately synthetic stuff can somehow be sexy.

Ambre Topkapi manages to convey this Axe-Effect to me. Especially in the opening, it smells primarily synthetic-aquatic and somewhat like shower gel freshness, but there’s also a rather authentic sweat note. It’s not unwashed sweat, but the scent of sweat that can arise even on the most well-groomed person on a warm, strenuous day.

As it develops, the citrus notes become a bit clearer and more natural. Essentially, Ambre Topkapi remains true to its character. It is neither an amber scent nor a distinctly noble-smelling perfume. The olfactory motto here is rather: Poor, but sexy!

In the base, a little vanilla and sweetness are added. But even here, it smells similar to the base of that bargain fragrance.

The big difference is that Ambre Topkapi always seems a bit rounder and more harmonious. No note stands out so aggressively; it simply smells better and more carefully crafted. Perhaps it is indeed the ingredients that are better, or perhaps they are just more carefully coordinated. Maybe I’m just imagining it. But it smells like a fresh, citrusy-aquatic mainstream cheap fragrance; just done well. Not to forget is this crucial twist of fresh sweat that makes it incredibly sexy.

Thus, I find Ambre Topkapi as sexy on me as those who naturally smell sexy with cheap drugstore bargains ;).

04/03/2013

10Scent 7.5Longevity 7.5Sillage

Adan
52 Reviews

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Adan

Top Review 17

Spicy Orange

When looking at the men's fragrances from MDCI Paris - there are officially 3 (as of April 2013) - Ambre Topkapi seems to exist in the shadow of Invasion Barbare.

I also have a suspicion as to why AT is not as popular as Invasion Barbare, but more on that later.

What does Ambre Topkapi smell like?

At first, you can smell a decent dose of Dihydromyrcenol. It is a very characteristic citrus note, I would describe it as fresh, citrusy, somewhat sweet, and maybe even slightly powdery.
This citrus note can also be found immediately in the top note of Chanel Allure Homme and also in Cool Water.

The base of amber, musk, and vanilla gives this citrus scent a richness, making this orange-like fragrance richer (especially since musk and amber in combination are said to smell like human skin).

However, what might disturb most people in AT are the spices. I think it has to do with the entire heart note, as AT contains a very spicy accord; some people say it smells like sweat.
I can agree with that, it was the first thing I noticed about AT after that extremely fresh, zesty start. I am sure that cardamom is also included here.
And indeed, the note breakdown on the MDCI Paris website confirms this:

"Bergamot, grapefruit, pineapple, melon, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, ginger, basil, thyme and lavender"

On my skin, however, this spiciness is absolutely within limits; not even I (and I have my nose closest to the source of the scent) find it unpleasant or too sweaty. On the contrary, I envision juicy oranges and grapefruit sweating together in 38°C heat under the blazing sun, exuding their essential oils and traces of cumin.
My girlfriend described it as follows: Smells like having sweated all day and then covered up with fresh deodorant. (Note: From a distance, she does not perceive it as sweaty).

But that is precisely what I find extremely interesting about this fragrance.
This spiciness is subtle and underlying; smelling it has an intimate quality, like catching a whiff of someone's body odor whom you've had your eye on for a long time (such a light hint of body odor from a hot girl certainly stimulates the imagination).

There is a different contrast between clean (freshly showered) and dirty (having sweated all day), both in absolutely tolerable measures. When I smelled Ambre Topkapi, I thought to myself: "This will be my Bigarade Concentree!"

For me personally, Ambre Topkapi is the more interesting fragrance compared to Invasion Barbare, although it does not perform as well as IB. On me, AT lasts about 8-10 hours, leaving a nice scent trail in which AT will only be perceived as a rich citrus scent.

And similar to Batucada by L'Artisan, I find that AT reaches its zenith in the height of summer: at 38°C heat and blazing sun!
Anyone who likes Jean Claude Ellena's Bigarade Concentree and/or Declaration by Cartier should definitely try Ambre Topkapi, but those who are sensitive to scents that have any hints of body odor, sweat, or old skin... well, they should still test it. :)

08/13/2012

7Scent 7.5Longevity 2.5Sillage

ParfumAholic
257 Reviews

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ParfumAholic

Top Review 13

Understatement in Perfection

Here it is before me - my first test sample of the luxury brand "MDCI-Parfums." Since I really like the concept behind MDCI-Parfums and the fragrances are made with very high quality (I won't even start talking about the bottles), my expectations are set very high. When you also consider the price (for a refill bottle, the "savings version" without bust, beyond 200 €), everything has to be 100% right.

As I am known to be an amber fan, it had to be Ambre Topkapi. Very carefully, I apply a few drops to my wrist and eagerly await what is to come.

Initially, I perceive a pleasant freshness (primarily ginger and thyme), before the woods join in very subtly and then the black tea becomes quite pronounced. Up to this point, I find what is happening on my wrist rather unspectacular. Where are the amber, musk, and vanilla? After a disappointing hour, finally a hint of amber (very light and subtle) and a bit of vanilla. The components mentioned in the fragrance pyramid, jasmine and musk, I can hardly detect at all. When does the "wow effect" come? Unfortunately, not at all for me, as the scent remains exactly the same (static), not even changing minimally. The longevity is decent, but there is no trace of sillage.

So here I sit now, with one of the most expensive fragrances on my wrist, pondering to myself. What comes to mind?

Initially relatively little, but then, quite suddenly, this adjective appears before my mind's eye:

* d i s t i n g u i e r t

*

According to Duden, "distinguiert" means: "distinguished by choice, especially in clothing, manners, etc., setting oneself apart from others; emphatically noble."

Exactly this is what this fragrance expresses: I am noble and so expensive that only those who can afford it can and want to wear me. I am not a bargain, not made for the mundane masses, and can only unfold in an appropriate context. I can afford to be arrogant because I am successful.

I see this fragrance clearly on men, specifically older, very successful, and thus very wealthy men who have found their style and definitely do not want to stand out. I primarily see the executive floors of well-known companies and banks, where such men are found in muted colors with a penchant for absolute understatement.

The fragrance is certainly very well thought out and crafted, very refined and unobtrusive, but I definitely feel too young for it (even though I have already passed 40).
We will not come together, as we live in different worlds.

More reviews

Statements

29 short views on the fragrance

Superfrede

4 years ago

7Scent

4

A fresh sandalwood that unfortunately disappoints. Smells ok, but very similar to many other mainstream fragrances.. boring and uninspiring.

Tombbb

5 years ago

6Scent

3

Very fresh and citrusy, with a tiny bit of aquatic, all embraced by more heavy, woody scents. Similar to popular mainstream masculine frags

Batmanacci

2 years ago

10Scent

1

Underrated and one of my absolute favorite Pierre Bourdon fragrances.

Ragas

14 days ago

6Scent 7Longevity 6Sillage

Boozy fruity, flowery scent. No amber. It’s ok but not worth the money

Bastian

5 years ago

7Scent 7Longevity 7Sillage

15

13

Fruity fresh start.
Spice takes a back seat.
No big surprises.
Still not bad.
But I don't need it.
MDCI..*

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Parma

3 years ago

7.5Scent 7Longevity 6Sillage

10

11

Soft (slightly ambery), sweet-spicy-woody scent with a nice shower gel freshness. Has a bit of a fougère vibe. Base with distinct red fruit. Charming.

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