....I have finally found my way to Prada. Until recently, I only knew Luna Rossa... I thought it was really good for a mainstream scent last winter, although I wouldn’t necessarily need it again. Somehow, I stumbled upon Infusion D'Homme, which is currently my absolute favorite and go-to fragrance... at least in the hot temperatures. From Infusion, it wasn't long before I got to Amber Pour Homme... due to the apparent soap-like quality, I ordered APH blind... it's still at a comparably reasonable price level.
I am wearing APH for the third time today... now for about 5 hours at 33 degrees, and the other 2 times all day in the office at more moderate temperatures well below 30 degrees. Left hand APH - right hand Infusion. Well, let's see how similar this soap ballet is.
APH starts off very similarly to YSL La Nuit Homme... the first note is dominated by a spicy-sweet cardamom note accompanied by a hint of bergamot and an even more subtle hint of neroli... YSL, in my opinion, does not have that (neroli).
For me, APH is not immediately classifiable as a sweet or fresh scent... this is part of its great appeal and attraction. I don’t notice much of the seemingly dominant soap yet, and I trust my cleanliness weeks enough to sniff out Mr. Clean immediately. In Infusion, this floral-green-vetiver soap is much more pronounced and shapes the entire fragrance development until the end.
With APH, it’s more like the soap reappears in the background but then disappears again after a few seconds... as if it keeps losing the battle against the other essences. In APH, no note can really assert itself... rather, all notes get a very reserved place in parallel. Just after 10-15 minutes, the sweeter notes like vanilla, patchouli, and sandalwood get a bit of a lift... but the soap note timely dims the sweetness again. I can’t find many parallels to Infusion... except for the very slight piercing (not negative) note when taking the first deep breath... and both are immediately recognizable as very noble... among the 2 best mainstream scents with niche quality. APH is, for me, the darker, warmer, and more sensual version of Infusion and is the perfect companion for the evening, whether for leisure or business. It can be worn year-round, and even in heat, it doesn’t get sticky... but it’s also not a refreshment like Infusion despite its clean image and radiance. I can ideally imagine it for spring, autumn, and winter.
The longevity is suitable for a 6-7 hour workday and has a sillage that is noticeable but never intrusive or causes raised eyebrows among colleagues or clients.
Conclusion: APH will certainly be a permanent candidate in my collection... I still find Infusion a bit more extraordinary... but more for daytime. I am happy every day that I discovered both and that they are both in my collection.
