Muenchner

If you know the Private Blend line, you know that the name is the game.

Hmmmm, that's what you say at first when you know the line and see this fragrance; limes are usually quite fresh, and the Private Blend line is not known for fresh scents, rather heavy, dark, sweet, etc.
So can this work???


YEEEES!!! It can, and how!

Right after spraying, the lime greets you, and to my nose, there's a hint of cedar, very similar to the opening of Cedro Atlas: III Robinson by Nobile 1942, but a bit more refined and sensitive.
After a short time, lemon balm joins the lime, and a gentle base of light, fortunately, only very subtly used flowers forms as a foundation.
The fresh top note lasts surprisingly long; during 4 days of testing, it always lasted at least 5 hours!
However, after about 4 hours, you notice how it slowly fades, and the previously blooming plants completely disappear, replaced by warm woods; I think I smell sandalwood.
If you wait a little longer until the top note is gone, it blooms again, but no longer so fresh, rather mixed with musk, creating a lightly fresh sweet blend that somewhat reminds me of lemonade; I can't think of a better way to describe it.
The freshly bloomed freshness lasts surprisingly long and holds its own against the other Private Blend line fragrances.
At least 1 day; I didn't want to walk around unwashed any longer :-).

Personally, I must say that in my eyes, it is a wonderful fragrance for mixing; my tip is to blend it with Japon Noire, which becomes a bit fresher and brighter with Azure Lime, and it also gains some interesting aspects; even though the blend becomes fresher, nothing of the dark mystique of Japon Noire is lost.

My conclusion is:
A great scent that truly surprised me because it definitely brings out a side that I didn't think was possible within the Private Blend line; it also proves that every person can find at least one good scent for themselves in their collection.

In conclusion, I can only say: applause for such a wonderful and fresh scent; I wouldn't have expected that from you.

When I bought Amber Absolut, I also had a few samples filled, including this fragrance.
Unfortunately, I have to say that this one doesn't really appeal to me, probably because I've noticed more and more that I don't like floral perfumes.


Well, I couldn't have guessed that this fragrance wouldn't suit me, as the saying goes "nomen est omen," so where it says Gardenia, it’s definitely in there, at least with Tom.

The opening is, as I mentioned, Gardenia and quite rich, so it's not for people like me who don't like floral scents; I don't perceive the mentioned orange at all.
For a top note, the Gardenia note lasts a very long time, remaining throughout the entire fragrance development and is complemented by the heart and base.
After about 1-2 hours, honey, beeswax, and unfortunately also a lot of flowers mix in with the Gardenia.
If you wait another 15-20 hours and the fragrance starts to become weaker, a delicate note of incense emerges, which is not spicy or particularly incense-like, but fits well into the floral sea and helps the already somewhat wilted flowers last longer.

Of course, it’s true again that it’s expensive, has extreme longevity, high quality, exclusivity, etc., the same as with all Private Blend fragrances, so it’s almost not worth mentioning.

My conclusion: Not for me, too many flowers, but a good fragrance that will surely hit the mark for floral lovers.

Mixing: Unfortunately, I can't think of anything to mix it with; I don't want to ruin any of my 3 wonderful Private Blend fragrances with flowers :-)

So after a long period of abstinence, I'm back from the summer break.

First, let's talk about the fragrance itself:

One must say that, as with all Private Blend fragrances I have had the pleasure of testing, the name truly reflects the scent.
So if it says Amber, then Amber is indeed present!!!!
Of course, this fragrance is heavy, complex, and not for the faint-hearted or for those who simply buy what is offered as an office scent.

Those who enjoy dark, powerful fragrances that last until the next shower and are brave enough to be different from the masses will find joy here.

Unfortunately, the drydown is a bit flat; there isn't really a change in the top note, which is a lovely blend of amber, incense, spicy vanilla, and a quantum of wood. However, I wasn't particularly surprised by this, as the top notes are essentially all the notes you find in the base. Whether one calls it flat or understated is up to each individual, but that is exactly what makes it great.

This noble drop does not fall short of its colleagues in the line and fits excellently with them, which leads us directly to the next point in my comment:

Layering:

The Private Blend line was developed not only as 12 individual fragrances but also for mixing with each other.

So far, I have only been able to test Amber in layering with Tobacco Vanille and Japon Noire, but I must say it performs wonderfully here.

The amber notes are clearly present and smell lovely, however, they do not overpower the delicate plum and sake notes as one might expect; instead, they highlight and enhance their mythical effect. The amber from Amber Absolute is smokier than that in Japon Noire.
Tobacco Vanille also harmonizes beautifully with the scent; the sweet spiciness of Tobacco Vanille blends wonderfully with the dark, mysterious aspect of Amber Absolute.

In summary, it can be said that the Private Blend line is excellent for mixing. Not only do the already great fragrances expand into further nuances, but one also has the opportunity to personalize the already very individual scents even more.
I personally must confess that since I started the layering test 4 days ago, new ideas for combinations keep shooting through my mind, only held back by my limited financial means and the difficulty in obtaining samples.

Thanks to Hermessenz for the sample.


This scent is extreme; it floods large spaces without any problems, and unfortunately not with a subtle aroma. No, it’s more like a thick fog in which bearded men, in the style of the robber Hotzenplotz, wander around with thick wooden clubs, hitting anyone who isn’t impressed by the fog hard on the head, just to make sure they notice the scent.
That is already the main problem; the scent itself is typically Mugler, but we’ll get to that later. In my opinion, it is unbearable because even with very sparing use, it floods every room in seconds, pushing aside every other scent, and no one can escape this aroma. When I tested it, not only did my hand smell extremely of it, but also my entire room. The battle against this “scent” is exhausting and ongoing; in my room, you could only ventilate it after 2 hours, lighting matches and using other perfumes to smell a partial victory. On my hand, I had to use a mixture of 4 different shower gels, all-purpose cleaners, and scouring milk to get rid of the “scent.”

The scent itself is typically Mugler; it is very similar to the normal Angel, except for the fact that the already extreme sweetness of Angel is significantly intensified by the liqueur aroma. This is somewhat unbearable even for me, a person who usually has no issues with sweetness.
The drydown would actually be great, with wonderful notes of jasmine, plums, roses, and patchouli, but unfortunately, you can’t enjoy it because of the incredibly piercing sweetness.

Unfortunately, Mugler has not succeeded with Angel Liqueur in the way it did with Pure Malt; with Pure Malt, the spicy whiskey note pleasantly softens the sweetness of Angel Man, improving what is actually a pretty good scent.

I will give this scent a 30%: because it is not only, in my opinion, unbearable, as it drowns, knocks down, and destroys everything in its vicinity, but also because the smell has become far too extreme, simply an overly strong sweetness that completely nullifies any hint of an otherwise wonderful “Mugler drydown” and pushes aside every other note.

Thanks to Hermessenz for the sample!!

Montale fragrances are always an experience if you like Oud.


I tested White Aoud simultaneously with Aoud Leather, and I must say that I like White Aoud significantly better.

Right after spraying, a beautiful hint of rose and jasmine greets you, okay maybe a bit feminine but not too much.
This note lasts about half an hour, then the Oud, which you wait for in every Montale fragrance, beautifully comes out, mixed with saffron and vetiver.
I find this note particularly wonderful; the floral note from the beginning is still lightly present, mixed with the spicy note of Oud and the green, it's simply marvelous. I would say it resembles an Arabic winter garden where scents from the adjacent manor waft in, really great.
In the base, there is a bit of smokiness from the manor, thanks to amber; the gardeners are just starting to repot the flowers, thanks to patchouli, and lastly, something is probably being baked in the kitchen, thanks to sandalwood and vanilla.
In short, the heart note reveals some earthy, smoky, and slightly sweet-warm elements, a fantastic blend, perhaps a bit unusual due to the floral note, but still very lovely.

I would categorize this fragrance for the colder seasons, as its creaminess and warmth provide perfect protection against cold weather.

The longevity is also impressive, lasting 7-8 hours, quite different from Aoud Leather by Montale.


All in all, I decided to give the fragrance 80%, as it is a very good scent, beautifully unusual, you can smell the high-quality essences, and it is a great perfume work. I can't point out anything negative, but I feel the urge to give it 80% as it just falls short of fragrances that receive 90% or 100%.

Overall, I would recommend everyone to test this fragrance, as even though it contains Oud, I would clearly classify it as unisex.