Oriental Essence - Victoire d'Ambre Rituals 2017

Ah Rituals...
You wonderful, little oasis of everyday life...
You surprisingly fragrant niche in the once overcrowded pedestrian zone...
Why do you always take the best out of the program?

The Victoire d´Ambre was a blind purchase back then, a steal because it was on sale.
I liked the golden bottle with the beautiful wooden cap and just wanted something nice on a bad day. I had only tested the scent on a strip, not even on my skin.

Then I added it to my collection at home, wore it once and then... forgot about it.
Until a few weeks ago, it was mid-December, gray, wet, cold, and generally terrible when I saw it sparkle again.
And as if I were a magpie, I couldn't resist the golden shimmer.
There it stood, the rectangular, shiny bottle with the simple lettering and the dark wooden cap.
This was quickly removed, and with a motivated sprayer, a proper cloud enveloped me completely.
.
.
.
Wow. I had not perceived, appreciated, yes, revered what this scent can do back then!
The pyramid here pretends to be a purely resinous woody scent. But the layers are so much deeper, more harmonious, more far-reaching. Besides the resin and amber, the musk, I smell a gentle hint of bergamot, a bit of pepper, incense, wood, and vanilla. This scent is a little work of art in itself. It is warm, soft, familiar, sweet without being cloying, heavy without being burdensome.
Like a therapy blanket of scent, like a massage for the senses. The fragrance does not remind me of perfume; it reminds me of spas, infusions, oils, and well-being for body and soul.
The warmth is like no other; it has something of a fireplace evening without the smoke.
I currently prefer to use the perfume in the evenings after bathing, when I am creamed and oiled. It balances me out, grounds me in the truest sense, and gives my agitated, strained, sometimes frightened mind peace.

The progression is relatively straightforward - you get what it says, a little more, but little development, no change. The scent is there from the very beginning and stays.
I love it.
Like a long hug after a long, exhausting day, it recharges the senses.
It's a shame it's no longer produced.
Otherwise, I would have a supply that never runs out.
For tough days.