Top Notes 
Grapefruit
Frankincense
Italian bergamot
Sage
Amber
Ambrette
Aquatic notes
Black pepper
Peach
Pink pepper
Saffron
Philippine elemi
Heart Notes 
Geranium
Honey
Lily of the valley
Magnolia
Rose
Tea rose
Freesia
Jasmine sambac
Caramel
Coconut
Leather
Base Notes 
Musk
Patchouli
Ambrox
Cypriol
Sandalwood
Vanilla
Gurjum balsam
Vetiver07/14/2025
RobinParfum
13 Reviews
Translated
Show original
RobinParfum
2
The bottle - a painting: but can the contents keep up? A journey with many stops guided by the ambery notes
A few months ago, I was shown Durra Ambre in a niche perfumery. With everything around it, the bottle, the leather case for traveling and of course a test on the skin. I was hooked - until I found out about the price: I put it out of my mind...
A few months later, it was still on my mind and after another skin test, I was spontaneous enough to buy it (I convinced myself that I wouldn't buy another perfume for it next month)...
Unpacking it was a real experience... really a 10/10, just like the bottle. But now to the contents: what does Durra Ambre smell like?
With the flood of fragrances listed, I, like many others, am overwhelmed and it is sometimes very difficult to perceive individual notes. Nevertheless, I want to do my best.
In the opening, Durra Ambre is very strongly ambery. I also perceive fruity, sweet and slightly fresh notes. As individual notes, I perceive amber, saffron and a hint of grapefruit (at least I suspect so). Then the fragrance notes all blend together and I don't know which direction it wants to take. Slightly fresh and aquatic to floral-sweet and oriental notes. Amber, pepper and ambrette are very dominant. This phase is actually the weakest of Durra Ambre. Everything is a little too much.
After 30 minutes, all the fragrance notes have settled and the real journey begins. The strength of the amber is softened by aquatic notes. The amber is no longer completely overwhelming, but it is close to the limit. The result is a marginally lighter, fruity-sweet fragrance that takes an aquatic-fresh direction. Unlike many other aquatic notes, however, there are no salty notes here.
The floral notes make their appearance in the heart note. The rose is particularly striking for me. In addition to the rose, I imagine I can smell a little honey, while there is also a little pepper. Overall, the Durra Ambre is much softer. The fragrance is still ambery, but now in a soft, enveloping and very pleasant and well-balanced way. The rose also gives the impression of a very clean fragrance. Hard to put into words and definitely one of the strongest phases! After around 5 hours, the base note is added and it becomes even more difficult to analyze the fragrance's progression and individual notes. Sandalwood, vanilla and a light leather note stand out in this phase. Nevertheless, the D.A. remains a clean scent, with no note pushing itself to the fore but always alternating beautifully. From this point on, the fragrance becomes very warm and slightly creamy despite its clean note - the term sensual is probably the most appropriate. Ambry at its best!
As the fragrance progresses, the light leather note remains, but stays in the background. Completely different to an Ombre Leather, for example. The vanilla and creamy sandalwood create an ambery bubble around the wearer. There is also a slightly earthy, almost chocolate-like note from the patchouli (I guess?).
Even after 10 hours, the Durra Ambre is still clearly perceptible, but no longer fills rooms. Sandalwood, vanilla, leather and the occasional rose still dominate, resulting in an interplay of light, leathery, earthy, woody, creamy-sweet and yet clean accords. The rose keeps everything very clean and everything becomes lighter, so that it almost becomes slightly fresh. As I said - very difficult to describe.
The longevity and sillage are outstanding, the sillage is almost too strong for my taste in the first hour.
At times, Durra Ambre can be too sweet, too oppressive - not a fragrance for every day, but definitely a good choice if you want to stand out. You definitely have to like sweet ambery fragrances, these notes run through the entire fragrance. I actually find the opening and the first 1-2 hours to be the weakest phases, but after that it gets better and better.
Overall, a unique fragrance that still flies relatively under the radar. Definitely not a blind buy and better to order a sample in advance. I'm a little surprised that this is only the second review I've written. You can get it for about 400€/ 90ml... some Xerjoff's are significantly more expensive per ml...
Still not a 10/10 for me, sometimes it's just too oppressive - but I still love it, just because of the bottle. I don't think I need to say any more and just hope that what I wanted to say has come across.
Thanks for reading & happy sniffing!
A few months later, it was still on my mind and after another skin test, I was spontaneous enough to buy it (I convinced myself that I wouldn't buy another perfume for it next month)...
Unpacking it was a real experience... really a 10/10, just like the bottle. But now to the contents: what does Durra Ambre smell like?
With the flood of fragrances listed, I, like many others, am overwhelmed and it is sometimes very difficult to perceive individual notes. Nevertheless, I want to do my best.
In the opening, Durra Ambre is very strongly ambery. I also perceive fruity, sweet and slightly fresh notes. As individual notes, I perceive amber, saffron and a hint of grapefruit (at least I suspect so). Then the fragrance notes all blend together and I don't know which direction it wants to take. Slightly fresh and aquatic to floral-sweet and oriental notes. Amber, pepper and ambrette are very dominant. This phase is actually the weakest of Durra Ambre. Everything is a little too much.
After 30 minutes, all the fragrance notes have settled and the real journey begins. The strength of the amber is softened by aquatic notes. The amber is no longer completely overwhelming, but it is close to the limit. The result is a marginally lighter, fruity-sweet fragrance that takes an aquatic-fresh direction. Unlike many other aquatic notes, however, there are no salty notes here.
The floral notes make their appearance in the heart note. The rose is particularly striking for me. In addition to the rose, I imagine I can smell a little honey, while there is also a little pepper. Overall, the Durra Ambre is much softer. The fragrance is still ambery, but now in a soft, enveloping and very pleasant and well-balanced way. The rose also gives the impression of a very clean fragrance. Hard to put into words and definitely one of the strongest phases! After around 5 hours, the base note is added and it becomes even more difficult to analyze the fragrance's progression and individual notes. Sandalwood, vanilla and a light leather note stand out in this phase. Nevertheless, the D.A. remains a clean scent, with no note pushing itself to the fore but always alternating beautifully. From this point on, the fragrance becomes very warm and slightly creamy despite its clean note - the term sensual is probably the most appropriate. Ambry at its best!
As the fragrance progresses, the light leather note remains, but stays in the background. Completely different to an Ombre Leather, for example. The vanilla and creamy sandalwood create an ambery bubble around the wearer. There is also a slightly earthy, almost chocolate-like note from the patchouli (I guess?).
Even after 10 hours, the Durra Ambre is still clearly perceptible, but no longer fills rooms. Sandalwood, vanilla, leather and the occasional rose still dominate, resulting in an interplay of light, leathery, earthy, woody, creamy-sweet and yet clean accords. The rose keeps everything very clean and everything becomes lighter, so that it almost becomes slightly fresh. As I said - very difficult to describe.
The longevity and sillage are outstanding, the sillage is almost too strong for my taste in the first hour.
At times, Durra Ambre can be too sweet, too oppressive - not a fragrance for every day, but definitely a good choice if you want to stand out. You definitely have to like sweet ambery fragrances, these notes run through the entire fragrance. I actually find the opening and the first 1-2 hours to be the weakest phases, but after that it gets better and better.
Overall, a unique fragrance that still flies relatively under the radar. Definitely not a blind buy and better to order a sample in advance. I'm a little surprised that this is only the second review I've written. You can get it for about 400€/ 90ml... some Xerjoff's are significantly more expensive per ml...
Still not a 10/10 for me, sometimes it's just too oppressive - but I still love it, just because of the bottle. I don't think I need to say any more and just hope that what I wanted to say has come across.
Thanks for reading & happy sniffing!
