Hello PerfumePosse, Portia in the house from Australian Perfume Junkies and you already know how much I love Independent perfumers, especially the lovely Ellen Covey of Olympic Orchids Artisan Perfumes. Recently i did a bit of an order from them and have had so much to sniff and wear coming at me that Olympic Amber one got completely lost among the rabble. We had a cool snap during the evenings here in Sydney and I was looking for something quick as I ran out the door to work that would be suitably cuddly.
Olympic Amber by Olympic Orchids 2011
Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Natural labdanum, vanilla, benzoin, incense, resins, patchouli, and woods
From the Olympic Orchid Site: This was originally formulated as a base for other perfumes, but it stands beautifully on its own. A rich amber scent… a true oriental fragrance that will transport you on a jeweled magic carpet of olfactory delights.
So being totally fearless when it comes to fragrance I did 3 big spritzes as I fled the house, chest and both inner elbows without even thinking about it. Grabbed my bag, mobile, keys and about to lock the house door when WOW! I mean really and sincerely… WWOOOOOOWWWWWWW! There is an initial green, earthy patchouli rush that is fleeting before the resinous, tense minor key comes in and vibrates against the green. It is both beautiful and uncomfortable and they push against each other like bulls butting heads, there is a frisson and discord that is not awful but certainly other.
Pretty soon the incense acts as intermediary and the opening act calms, warms and begins to bloom with the labdanum/vanilla/woods coming in and making sure everyone knows they are here to stay. It is this point exactly that my eyes roll back in my head and I softly murmur WOW. Everything that is comforting, sensual, inviting, engaging and delicious about amber fragrances is in Olympic Amber. Closer to L’Eau d’Amber than Ambre Russe, it’s golden heat is intoxicating and lovely. From here on in I get a pretty linear experience and that is absolutely fine by me, perfect in fact. I was not the only one enjoying Olympic Amber though, I had compliments galore and two people asked what it was and where to find it, now that tells me even more how lovely it is. What a fragrance.
Olympic Orchid Site has:
$15/5ml Parfum Travel Sprays (which is what I have)
$25/15ml Parfum Splash
$40/30ml EdP Sprays
I hope you enjoyed coming with me on my fragrant journey today, tell me about your favourite amber scents please. It’s getting cooler in the Northern Hemisphere and must nearly be time to grab them out. I have a few that get regular skin time:
L’Eau d’Amber by L’Artisan,
Ambre Ceruleen by Huitieme Art,
Ambre Russe by Parfum d’Empire,
Trouble by Boucheron,
Coco by CHANEL,
LDDM by Tauer,
Prada Amber,
Youth Dew Amber Nude by Estee Lauder,
Nuit de Noel by Caron,
Ambre Nuit by DIOR.
If you liked this then trot over and see us at Australian Perfume Junkies, there’s always something fun or interesting going on over there.
Portia xx
Olympic Amber Bottle Photo Stolen Fragrantica
Amber Painting Photo Stolen webtreats Flickr
I’m partial to ambers. My two favorites are Ambre 114 from Histoires de Parfums and Ambre Fetiche from Annick Goutal. I call Ambre Fetiche my “hippy amber” and apply it with a light hand. Olympic Amber is one of my favorites from that house along with the Siam Proun. I’m going to add L’Eau d’Amber by L’Artisan and Ambre Ceruleen by Huitieme Art to my next sample order.
Ambre 114!! Diana, I can’t believe I missed it off my list, another excellent favourite. Went through 10ml really quickly and then forgot to go FB and it has slipped my mind.
Thank you for reminding me
Portia xx
Yeah, that Ambre 114 is nice. I’m about to place an order for a small bottle, since here in Chicagoland, USA, the weather is just perfect for warm, cuddly scents.
Yes, Ambre des Marveilles is a lovely soft skinnish amber on me, so pretty but sadly extremely short lived as a fragrance on me. Firebird Bath & Body. Great name. I’ll go check them out.
Portia xx
I love Hermes Ambre des Merveilles and also a great Etsy discovery Amber Vanilla Perfume Oil from Firebird Bath and Body…love them both!
Well you will probably go duh, Jackie b, but when I first fell in love with Ambre Fetiche, Amber Sultan et al, I wondered what the actual amber was, and the essential oil shop sent me home with Pinus Succinifera…nothing like amber.
Then I found labdanum resin and there was that warmth and comfort, is that what is in Olympic Amber?? Then I love it already!
There is a massive whack of natural labdanum resin in the Olympic Amber, yes. You will LOVE it, that’s my bet anyway.
Portia xx
I am looking forward to trying this one!
And I MaryP am looking forward to reading how it went for you.
Thanks for dropping by.
Portia xx
I am ordering this and I’ll let you know, it sounds amazing! I adore ambers, and I forgot to mention that my favorite amber (right now) is Laboratorio Olfattivo Alambar.
Well, Portia, once again your review makes me very curious to try a new perfume. In this case, Olympic Amber. I don’t have much experience with amber perfumes, but the way you describe Olympic Amber makes amber sound luscious.
I’m adding an update: I just ordered The Perfumer’s Perfumes discovery set from Olympic Orchids – this includes Olympic Amber. This is all Portia’s fault and has nothing to do with the fact that I’m weak when it comes to perfume.
EXCELLENT!! Martha, I do hope you LOVE these amazingly beautiful fragrances. Do come back and tell me how you went please.
Portia xx
I’ve been wearing Enslaved lately and it turns into a powdery amber that I just love. Amber is my comfort scent – definitely going to have to try Olympic Amber!
Hi there Elizabeth C,
Amber is a wonderful comfort scent for me too. I find it blooms even more lovingly in warm weather.
Portia x
Wow what a great post! you make it sound like this one is giving you an orgasm….I think I’ll get the handbag size!
Ha ha ha Jenny, maybe not an orgasm but it is pretty special.
Portia xx
Thanks for the review, Portia! This one has been on my list of things to try for quite awhile. Ambre Russe is my favorite amber closely followed by Ambre Sultan but I was looking at amber scents earlier today and realized I’ve never tried Maitre Parfumeur et Gautier Amber Fetiche which sounds gorgeous, too. The price point of Olympic Orchids is really good, a 5ml decant lasts a long time. How long does Olympic Amber take to get to the good stuff?
Hi there Rosarita,
Ambre Russe, I LOVE IT!! What a fragrance. Like fabulous pipe tobacco, mmm mmm mm. I love Ambre sultan too and have a sample of Ambre Fetiche that keeps getting overlooked in favour of the others.
You know, since I wrote this post I’ve realised that I have a large selection of ambers in my collection. I love it more than I knew.
Portia xx
I’ve never tried this brand but I love the idea of reasonably priced purse sprays – I may have to check out the web site. My favorite amber is SSS ambre noir.
Hey there Bastet,
If you love the SSS Amber Noir then you MUST try the Olympic Orchids range. They are very different but both houses share a love of beautiful originality.
Portia x
BTW, Portia, we’re celebrating Halloween today and this scent would be perfect for it! To greet the trick or treaters today, I’m wearing Serge Lutens’ de Profundis, SL’s Encens et Lavande, and the appropriately eerie Ormonde Jayne Woman (all in one dab amounts). Hope I don’t smoke out the co-workers today with my slightly spooky scentings! 😉
Yes Ann,
We have had our first ever Trick or Treaters tonight. poor girls, three of them about 7 or 8 years old, turned up at the door as I was leaving for work dressed in High Halloween with enormous hair and loads of glitter. I opened the door and screamed in my DEEPEST man voice. HAVE SOME CANDY GIRLS. Well they screamed like crazy for about 3 seconds before one of them started laughing, and then they were hysterical. Took their candy and ran back up the driveway to their Dad laughing and talking excitedly.
I think we’ll have a bunch next year.
My wear for Halloween was Le Temps d’Une Fete (Time for a party) for my first gig, then vintage Bellodgia parfum (for Bella Lugosi) and VC&A Feerie (For obvious reasons). It was fun picking them and Bellodgia and Feerie worked splendidly together spicy, candied carnations, jasmine and violets.
Portia xx
Howdy, Portia!! Yum — today’s post is mmmm … mmmm good!! This Olympic Orchids one sounds a treat — must try it ASAP. I love many ambers, but probably my faves are Armani Prive Ambre Orient, Christian Dior’s Mitzah (some patchouli here but still mostly amber on me) and the lovely Mona di Orio Les Nombres d’Or Ambre.
Hey there Ann, you have named three lovely ambers, the only one I don’t have FB of is MdO because I have a hefty decant from a split and though I love it other ambers get sprayed before it. Do you ever wear L’Eau d’Amber by L’Artisan?
Nice to see you, as always.
Portia xx