Montale - Amandes Orientales

Lately I´ve read some other perfume blogs that are almost lyrical about Montale perfumes. I have been curious about them earler, and even tried a few but without being convinced. The few i´ve tried before hasn´t been some of the more well-knowned Montale´s, so I decided to order a few samples according to my own curiosity. The one´s I´ve ordered was Black Aoud, Red Aoud, Greyland, Mukhallat and Amandes Orientales. So, I have to admit that I am having big troubbles getting along with Black Aoud. On me i´t becomes strangely bland and watery, but also really strong. On the husband Balck Aoud becomes dark, velvety soft, warm and interesting! Red Aoud seem to work better on me, but even tough I like it, I don´t like it a lot, even if I think I might do that after a while. No, this far, Amandes Orientales is the one that manage to capture me the most.


Amandes Orientales is a contradictive scent. Notes of sweet vanilla and soft almond are blended with smoky notes, but on me the smoky notes turn musky, leathery and very skanky. Usually both almond and vanilla is soft, sweet, round, girly and almost innocent notes. I know that most perfume houses these days trying to come up with a grown up-vanilla scent and among others I am really looking forward to try L'Artisans new Havanne Vanille that will be released during this autumn. But before it become increasingly popular with grown up-vanillas, vanilla was a pretty, sweet and cherful little note. Almond is possibly even more so, even if we can find grown up-almond as well.


In Amandes Orientales the white, soft and sweet in vanilla and almond are working together with darkess and shadows from smoke, leather and musc. Very interesting, very well done and very sensual.


But once again, a perfumes as far away as possible from western pop-sensualism with teenaged RnB singers that preen in to short dresses in video after video. Amandes Orientales make me think of the sensualism you can find in arabic women. With or without veil, hijab or a like the eyes of an arabic women can be one hundred times more sensual, expressive and interesting than the whole little cutest western pop-princess. Well, no I wont discuss the political, religious or feministic aspects of the veil, hijab or burkha I stick to the shallow and estetic aspects right now. And really, I can´t think of any other garment that emphasize the eyes better than a veil.


In Amandes Orientales the almond and vanilla represent the practical, casual, sweet and well-knowned things while the animalic notes become a part of seduction, laughters in darkness, warm skin and caress. Amandes Orientales has more than it´s share of dark, vibrant and luring notes. If you like perfumes like Musc Koublai Khan, Dzing!, Kama, Rasa, Musc Ravegeur, Silver Factory and alike you must try Amandes Orientales! Amandes Orientales is as unexpectedly dirty as Silver Factory, but in a totally different way.


This can be quite and experience if you expect something sweet candied vanilla with some smoky notes as I did. I wan´t at all prepared for the animalic notes in it, so at first I tought it smelled bad. Interesting ok, but also strange in bad way. A little if you think you will drink a glass of cool grape juice, and instead have a glass of oak-aged Bordeaux from 1969 or something. Well, the Bordeaux is much better but if you expect grape juice you might not appreciate the Bordeaux fully.


Now, when I know what to expect from it, I like Amandes Orientales better for each time I wear it. Of course, if you haven´t tried anything from Montale yet, I think you should give some of the Aoud scents a try, but don´t miss Amandes Orientales.


A big plus for the staying power, over all Montale seem to make perfumes that are really longlasting. The aoud scents last for + 20 hours, or even more, but I usually take a shower and put on something else during that time so exactly how longlasting they are I´m not sure of. Amandes Orientales stays on for at least 10-12 hours. The sillage is a little below medium, but I dab it on so I think it could be better with a spray.


Do you have any Montale favourite? Or do you have any tips on how I can be friend with Black Aoud?

Pic: Arabic eyes