Amber Oud Ruby Edition by Al Haramain Perfumes

The tester arrived with the Gold Edition and the opening is horrible, thank goodness it lasts only a minute. Then the dry-down is an elegant sweetness that not everyone will like. Very good longevity and moderate projection, 7.5 out of 10.

It is important to clarify that this is similar to the Baccarat Rouge 540 Extract, not the original. It is more delicate, feminine, and perhaps more balanced than dupes like Orientica Rouge or Club de Nuit Untold. It goes more unnoticed but has very good longevity and performance. I love all the versions; if you like this DNA, you won’t be disappointed. To those who say it smells like alcohol at first, some batches of Arab perfumes come out quickly and need to oxidise. Open them, give them about 10 sprays, and leave them closed for two months.

I have these two fragrances which are easily confused, likely due to marketing oversight or because the bottles are identical: Ruby and Rouge. Both are copies of Baccarat Rouge 540. Here are the differences: 1. Ruby is more subtle and delicate, resembling the Extract, tending towards the feminine side, and has earned me more compliments from women. 2. Rouge smells more metallic, slightly like blood (which I don’t entirely enjoy), only in the opening which is alcoholic, tending towards the masculine. 3. Both are very similar to BR540; either works well. Longevity and trail are decent, around 7-8 hours. Both give me olfactory fatigue. Which one to buy? Personally, the most economical one, as the differences are minimal. 99% of the public won’t know it is a copy.

A very good fragrance, 95% similar to Baccarat and I was very surprised. It lasts more than 12 hours, projecting beast mode. Be careful with the sprays; two is enough. It smells sweet and is very strong. At first it smells like sweet alcohol but then it fades into a rich, delicious sweetness. Uff, 10 out of 10, 100% recommended.

First, I bought a decant to try it; I didn’t vote on the notes because I feel it is an impossible whole to describe. If asked, I liked it but it didn’t kill me. Now I have never received so many compliments with an impressive fragrance from people who usually don’t notice; since I left the house, there wasn’t a single person who didn’t say I was wearing something delicious. I am unsure whether to buy it or not; perhaps it is an option for next winter. Important: the trail is impressive and lasts more than 12 hours on skin, projecting with intensity.

I recently acquired a tester with batch AHP1055. To be honest, quite disappointed. First, they let me try it on blotter and I would almost guarantee it was 90% identical to the BR. However, I returned the next day to buy it, applied it to my skin, and that is when the disappointment came. Fresh out of the bottle it is alcohol with that dentist smell someone mentioned, then nothing at all. If it projects, it has no trail, nothing to offer. I will stick with CDN Untold.

I have this fragrance and I know very well the scent it resembles, which, by the way, I love. But in the name of truth, I have one from batch 2023 and honestly, I perceive nothing or almost nothing; it feels metallic, that almond note feels very bad. As it dries down, it improves a lot, but I don’t feel it projects anything; it stays close to the skin. But I feel it needs to rest; I’m going to let it macerate for a few months; it might be a lack of that, as it’s quite oily… If it improves significantly, I’ll come back and post an update. But for now, it’s a steal for its price, aroma, quality, and longevity.

Does anyone else smell that nasty metal? I understand it’s a clone of the BR540, but that almond note is dreadful. I detect it much better in the Untold, where it settles and isn’t annoying. What a disappointment; I bought it due to the hype that it would replace the Amber Oud Rouge, but it doesn’t. It smells bad; I don’t know if anyone actually likes it. I tried it and there’s no point. It doesn’t compare to the Untold, the Orientica, or even Zara. What a pity; I managed to get it before it sold out. It’s 60ml and almost new. If anyone in Chile wants to try it, let me know and I’ll sell it cheap.

Doesn’t anyone feel an unpleasant metallic scent from this perfume? I understand it’s a clone of the BR540 Extrait, but I think that almond note went very wrong. In fact, I feel it in the CDNI Untold, but there it’s much better; it settles and doesn’t bother. It’s been a great disappointment. I bought it due to the hype of being the replacement for Amber Oud Rouge and an excellent clone of the extract, but what about it, it’s not. And the worst is that it definitely smells bad. In fact, I don’t know if anyone actually finds this pleasant. I’ve tried using it a couple of times, but there’s no point. I can’t compare it with Untold, with Orientica Amber Rouge, or with Zara For Him Red. What a shame, because it’s hard to find and I managed to buy it before it ran out. It’s a 60 ml bottle, almost unused. If anyone in Chile wants to try it despite everything, let me know and I’ll sell it cheap. Seriously.

At first, it smells very much like the Baccarat extrait (not the Rouge), but it has an unmistakable base from this house, I believe musk, vanilla, and synthetics, just like in its other siblings such as the Amber Oud Gold. Let’s call it the brand’s signature, which I actually like. After a while, that base fades and the composition gets closer to the original. How close? I’d say 95%, especially in the dry-down. It happens to me with the Club de Nuit Intense Parfum too: they aren’t exact, but they’re very similar. Is it worth buying before the original? Definitely. Is the difference noticeable blind? I don’t think so. The curious thing is that it gives me olfactory fatigue; by the hour it’s hard to perceive, but my friends can smell it quite a bit and liked it a lot, even noting the trail. In summary, very satisfied for now, will see with more use.

Very good perfume, but watch out: the Ruby is a clone of the BCR540 Extrait and the Rouge is from the EDP. If you analyse the ingredients, the differences are noticeable. Both are top-tier, but this one lacks that medicinal touch that makes the base more usable for men, whereas the Rouge stays more feminine.

A disappointment. Luckily I bought a sample before letting myself be swept away by the notes. If I had known it was another inspiration from the BR540, I wouldn’t have even tested it. I don’t know how so many people idolise this scent. It’s intense yet muffled, without identity, like a warm, uniform lump with no desire to be. I bought a splash of Victoria Secret, the Midnight Bloom, a while ago, and it smells the same. I use it to sleep because its timid aroma relaxes and doesn’t entertain. I suppose I’ll gift the decant.

@lacasitadelpan in Santiago Perfumes.