Thé Amara Van Cleef & Arpels 2023

This fragrance is basically all I want from tea and green scents to be, in a bottle. It's like mixing Armani Privé - Thé Yulong Gold Leaves, Wūlóng Chá Extrait de Parfum, and "Un Jardin sur le Nil | Hermès" altogether but only take the best parts from each of them.

Fresh, calming, no sharp edges. The sillage is moderate, not too weak, not too strong. At the beginning the citrus is stronger, I also detect some sweet floral. It gets greener as the time goes, also earthier as well because I started noticing the green tea note even more in the dry down.

Surprisingly this lasts for a long time! I would say 5-6 hours on my skin, and for a couple of days on my clothes. Not a monster like Wūlóng Chá Extrait de Parfum, but that's what makes this perfect to wear in any occasions.

One of the most pleasant, easy going scents I have had the chance to try. It is refreshing, light, and uplifting. It is hard to say whether any notes are immediately prominent but it kind of reminds me of those cucumber water dispensers they have at hotels in a good way. Unoffensive yet intriguing and lasts at least 6 hours on my skin. The musky base at the end is a great way to end the journey through the greenish, clean freshness. Unisex leaning feminine, would be great in an office or to set the mood for a lazy summer day.

Sometimes I think the market for tea fragrances must be saturated by now.
And yet, here I am, once again convinced otherwise by “Thé Amara” from Cleef & van Arpels: There is still room for improvement!

“Thé Amara” - that sounds good, but what does it mean?
“Amara” = "bitter" in Italian/Spanish or also “eternal beauty” in Arabic; these are just two of the meanings.

Both apply here, as the fresh mint that runs through the entire fragrance can be a bit bitter, and this scent is truly “of eternal beauty.”
The encounter, the interplay of colorful scent blossoms that climb and bloom wherever they can, and the noble, fragrant roses is magnificent:
Here reigns the pure, intensely fragrant floral summer!
It unfolds with the entrance of fresh bergamot aromas, the scent-dominating fresh, green mint, and pink pepper, and immediately delights upon contact with my cool skin: I can also easily imagine this in a cup!
Tea in summer - not only in North Africa is it “the secret” against the heat, and I won’t give too much away: It really helps, especially the mint cools!
The base presents itself with the wonderful scent of cedar, which never fails to enchant me, and a warm hint of aromatic musk.
That’s quite skillful!

This perfumer creates dreams, as I read - yes, this fragrance masterpiece is truly a dream!
A dream of a lived, enjoyed summer, of lingering in a personal feel-good place, all through just a few spritzes from a classically beautiful bottle!

Whether in the cup or on the skin: I am already looking forward to the next tea enjoyment!
And of course to summer!

The lovely Serenissima has, in her infinite kindness, also gifted me a sample of this fragrance.
You have found exactly the right one. I am thrilled.

The scent is so much "my type," yes indeed!

Here comes the "garden feeling" immediately. One feels as if they are in a garden, the grass has just been freshly mowed, the herbs are freshly picked, the mint is going into the tea bowl, it smells everywhere, it’s green and sprouting and thriving, the vase with fresh roses is ready, it is a delight.
I didn’t even notice that Cashmeran was included; I always thought it was my nemesis. It must have been used very sparingly. I mean to say: I didn’t notice it.

So my dears, this perfume is so green, fresh, at the same time floral, pure and clear, it has enchanted me from the very beginning and it remains so. The progression changes only minimally; this combination of mint, bergamot with rose and cedarwood is irresistible. At least for me.

What am I supposed to do, I am not allowed to receive any more samples. If I were to buy all the wonderful fragrances that I like so much, I would be broke by now.

Thank goodness it is so expensive that I will think it over multiple times before considering it at all ;-).

The scent was a blind buy because I was looking for a specific perfume that I missed with my choice of Thé Amara.

However, I was greeted by the freshest and cleanest scent I have ever smelled.

Almost daily, I sit to study in an old magnificent library building, in whose courtyard, according to a friend, one feels like in Oxford, and I am sure that Thé Amara is the right scent for this place. Citrusy, fresh, noble, and after about 30 minutes after spraying, also unobtrusive and discreet. The scent motivates me, it is serious and clears the mind. I also wear it for jogging and to the gym.

The bergamot stands out to me the most, with the tea being secondary. The sillage is only strong right after spraying, then it fades more and more.
So, the performance is really mediocre.

But that is exactly right for the library. You don't want to disturb anyone there, but if someone should come closer, you smell clean, fresh, elegant, and tidy.