Ambré by Baldessarini

At fifteen, my mother bought me an imitation of this perfume in a neighbourhood in Santiago, accompanying me through unforgettable moments: my first love, time with friends and family. When it ran out, I kept the bottle out of nostalgia. Years later, after a year of collecting scents, I returned to that memory, took the bottle out and hunted down the original. The surprise was enormous: that ‘Baldacchio’ was actually ‘Baldessarini’, a genuine fragrance. I managed to find it second-hand during the pandemic, blind, hoping to recapture a little of that scent that empowered me. Life gifted me more: a robust, masculine, woody, liquorish and fruity fragrance, everything I remembered but multiplied in potency and quality. I now wear it only for special occasions. The spiced apple, the velvety leather, the sweet base and the sturdy woods make it perfect. It holds a special place in my collection and my heart. Note: Infinite/10. Thanks to Luis Aguilar for the miracle and to my mother for the gift.

Ambré by Baldessarini is formal, ambered, woody and fruity. The opening smells of fruit in the style of Hugo Boss, with that classic apple note and a spicy touch. Leather, vanilla and amber are noticeable at first, but after half an hour they take centre stage. As MarcusRS mentions, there is a tobacco note, but leather, amber and fruit dominate. It looks formal and suits cold or fresh weather best. Projection is moderate and it lasts 8 to 9 hours. It smells good, but I think it’s for mature men, not young ones.

If this perfume were a little more potent and long-lasting, it would be one of my top 5. Unfortunately, it lasts very little on the skin, and that is something I do not like in a fragrance.

I just tried the Ambré by Baldessarini and it has already convinced me. Its strength and that masculine air made me pay the $40 instantly. The quality-to-price ratio is unbeatable, perhaps the best I’ve tried in years. It is acidic ambered leather with a whisky-cured apple (hidden note) and a touch of vanilla; the result is robust, modern and very attractive, almost sexy. Ideal for the evening and resistant in dirty environments; the tobacco adds even more character. Although it doesn’t project much, if you apply it well before going out, it lasts 10 to 12 hours. It reminds me of Guerlain’s L’Homme Idéal and sometimes of the sweetness of Hermès’ Bel Ami, a discontinued jewel that has a great reputation on forums. In summary: highly recommended, undoubtedly the best of the brand.

At first, I thought it was bergamot and some odd green note, perhaps tangerine with red apple. But the amber takes over from the start. By six hours, it was firmly amber, vanilla and labdanum. The leather and violet phase passes quickly; on paper, the leather smells like synthetic new-car leather. By nine hours on skin, I noticed a shy woodiness, not cedar, oud, or oak (though American oak in wine gives vanilla, I’m not sure if it’s the same here). The dry-down is generic, more oriental amber than woody. I applied more than 1 ml and it lasted over 12 hours; the trail is heavy for the first hour but drops quickly to moderate and then weak, although heat activates it. Ideal for autumn, winter and evenings. This is the best I’ve tried from this brand and it delivers as a designer-style oriental amber.

My father owns this perfume, so it reminds me of him a lot. I swear that when I smell it, I am transported to his house, to those holiday days I visit, although not very often as he lives on the other side of the world. It gives me a lot of nostalgia and I miss my father very much.