Armani/Prive Myrrhe Imperiale Review

Before we get to the Armani/Prive Myrrhe Imperiale review – good news!  The lovely Samira at Puredistance read my review on Puredistance Black and is going to send me two new samples to give away to the winners of that drawing. This is one of my top two reasons why I love Puredistance – they are a very pricey perfume company, but they have zero attitude and are warm and generous. So two of you – just a sec and I’ll tell you who – will get a nice big sample! and I’ll get to keep mine.  This does give me a chance to note that the sample I reviewed before was provided by Puredistance.  Whew, disclaimer that I usually forget given!

The winners of the Puredistance Black samples are – Lauren W and ncmyers.  Just click on the Drop Us a Line at the top of the page or mail me at patty at perfumeposse dawtcome, remind me what you’ve won and send me your address. I’ll send you a quick confirm e-mail back so you know I got it, and when I get the samples from Puredistance.

Y’all were going to get the Violet Perfume Comprehensive Guide today, but I couldn’t do it without that new Mona Violette thingie, and I probably won’t have that for another week, so look for the Violet guide in two weeks!

Armani/Prive Myrrhe Imperiale is the newest release in their line.  While this one still hasn’t made it to the United States, I have finally seen other of the Armani/Prive perfumes back in the United States at Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman.  They’ve been gone from the United States for about two years, so it’s nice to see Bois d’Encens back on U.S. shelves.  I’m not sure when this newest one will get to the United States, but hopefully in the next month or two.

Notes of myrrh, benzoin, vanilla, amber, pink pepper and saffron make up Armani/Prive Myrrhe Imperiale, and it is a lovely myrrh concoction.  Goes on a little medicinal, with smooth notes of saffron and vanilla working to even it out. It balances perfectly between the myrrh and benzoin and the more mellow sweet notes, never becoming a sweet mess, just rich, posh oriental yumminess.

I’m trying to put this in some juxtaposition on my myrrh fragrance Venn diagram.  Serge Lutens La Myrrhe’s myrrh hits higher.  Annick Goutal Myrrhe Ardente hits a lower note.   Guerlain Myrrh et Delires is like desert myrrh.  Armani/Prive Myrrhe Imperiale is really oriental myrrh.  The benzoin infuses it with incense, and it never loses that medicinal myrrh note far into the drydown.

Dammit, I forgot how much I love Serge Lutens La Myrrhe!  I had read another review that said the longevity wasn’t good, and that wasn’t the case for me. It lasts hours and had a nice trajectory, retaining all the great myrrh and benzoin in the open and very slowly gave way to the softer, sweeter notes. I think it adds something to the myrrhe perfume conversation that hasn’t been said yet.

On a scale of Armani/Prive fragrances love, Bois d’Encens still is at the top, and Myrrhe Imperiale has moved into the second slot.  It’s well done and very pricey.  So if you don’t want to break your wallet’s heart and you’re a big myrrh fan, best to avoid it because of the price tag.  

So love or hate the Armani/Prive line?  Tried it, avoided it, have a favorite?  How about myrrh?  Three commenters will be chosen randomly to win a sample of the Armani/Prive Myrrhe Imperiale!

We do have samples of Armani/Prive Myrrhe Imperiale at Surrender to Chance as a disclaimer, and that is who provided my sample for review.