Ambre Eau de Parfum by Molinard

If I had to define it, it has two sweet yet slightly dark sides, among the most elegant I’ve tried. First, the ‘propolis’ as my partner calls it: the mellowness of geranium and benzoin at the start, with a lavender so subtle it smells coniferous. It’s a sweet tree that reminds me of The Hour of the Malachite or the Holly Ring from Cultist Simulator, that deity of vegetal fertility and generosity. Then, as it dries, the clove takes over, with orange, and smells like a cake. It’s on the edge of being edible because the incense balances it; it’s syrupy, like a cinnamon roll where the cinnamon is replaced by clove, but without that artificial, greasy taste. I think we all need something sweet, even those of us who aren’t. For us, Ambre de Molinard fits perfectly.

I would never dare to look her in the eye, the infatuation is total. My parents and I have just moved into this building a few days ago. She lives in Flat B on the top floor, I in Flat A on the second, and at fifteen I had never experienced this before. From the street I see her terrace with exuberant, leafy plants, mysterious and impregnable, just like her. The first contact was by the scent she left in the lift. Leaving home on the first day of school, with my spirits on the floor due to the new teachers and classmates, a mix of fear and anxiety clouded my mind. Suddenly, as the door opened, a breeze of celestial scent kissed my face and made me tremble from head to toe. Since then I have been in love, without knowing who carries it or if it is real. I went up and down several times unable to stop inhaling that smell that subdued me. At first it reminded me of my grandparents’ house in Valencia, with bergamot, orange trees, lemon trees, and lavender; my luminous, free summers, far from the concrete of Madrid. After that citrus splendour came an enveloping embrace of amber, incense, cloves, patchouli, and vanilla that set my blood on fire, made my stomach convulse, and almost gave me a dizzy spell. I had to leave my bag and lean against the wall not to fall. Sweat on the forehead, shortness of breath, shivers. I longed for her and feared seeing her, wanted to speak to her but didn’t know what to say. Her scent was like the cinema screen when Gilda takes off the black glove and throws it in my face, as if that slap made me abandon a long childhood and awaken to a constrained adolescence. I arrived late and dazed, with a bad look in front of teachers and classmates who called me a freak, but at least I knew her name. In the entrance hall, on the notice board for Flat B, I read: AMBRE DE MOLINARD.

How cool it is to read what fragrance someone else has said, perhaps before buying it or comparing it with the emotions it has already awakened in others. With this intense cold, I love using amber scents, that note that always evokes opulent and warm atmospheres. It’s a pity that the Ambre EDP by Molinard has no reviews, because it’s a good perfume that deserves to be known. According to the blurb, the opening has citrus notes, but in my opinion they are drowned out by the spices and a very nice resinous and balsamic scent that appears shortly after. The amber, incense, and benzoin settle in a distinct, persistent, and slightly sweet way; that warmth and velvety sweetness are the most beautiful moments. When the resinous phase calms down, a light musk appears with a milky sandalwood and a soft tonka; I notice less patchouli than in other proposals. The perfume is soft but notably resinous in an attractive way, with a light sweetness that rounds it off like a luminous halo and makes it very seductive. It is more discreet and less clogged than other options, maintaining doses of class and elegance. You feel it, but it’s not invasive; it’s more intimate and very sensual, because its maximum splendour arrives when you take off your clothes and the perfume remains there, fused with the skin. On my skin it lasts 5-6 hours, a performance that can be improved with a few extra sprays on the clothes. Without a doubt, it’s a very good amber fragrance with good quality and price-to-performance ratio. Definitely a serious candidate for this winter season when you dress like a bespoke suit. Molinard is another house to discover, with interesting proposals and prices within everyone’s reach. Courtesy of Josesan.