I miss amber – the note, that is. It used to be one of my favorites in perfume, but since moving to the West Coast, I find it harder to wear here, as with most Orientals. It could be a bit abrasive, so I probably need to find one that’s softer around the edges.

Nicolai Parfemeur’s  Amber Oud may fit that bill. I don’t know why I don’t explore this house more – their perfumes are very well done, and they have a nifty 1 oz bottle for a lot of their offerings, my preferred size and price point. Amber Oud opens with a blast of amber. But it comes with a lavender note that makes the initial blast so palatable, giving it a coolant factor. The result is a warm cozy gauzy amber feel. It’s very well balanced – it feels warm but never hot – and the spice and sweet intermingle together well. Curiously, though, even though there is oud on the name I couldn’t detect it much, which is a good thing. The amber here is the star of the show, and it’s a shy but confident. This could be my Southern California amber.