FRANCESCA BIANCHI
BYZANTINE AMBER
2023
PERFUMER
Francesca Bianchi
Cinnamon
Bergamot
Geranium
Labdanum
Benzoin
Incense
Leather
Styrax
Ambergris
‘Byzantine Amber is the third fragrance that makes up, together with Libertine Neroli and Unspoken Musk, the series specifically dedicated to the glorious raw materials of perfumery, reinterpreted according to the style of the house. Byzantine Amber is an intense and decadent perfume, like a great civilization in the final phase of its splendour. Salome by Gustave Moreau is a painting that can evoke the splendour and drama of this olfactory work in images. The beautiful mosaics of the Byzantine civilization, such as those of Ravenna, have gleaming gold tesserae which are imperfect for being worn out over time. This sense of theatrical and luminous splendour accompanied by a dark and obscure side inspired Byzantine Amber. The geranium – pulpy, rosy, spicy, slightly green, contrasts with the dry minerality of the ambergris and styrax. The backbones of this work is a familiar structure, an ambery accord enriched by the spice that makes it sensual: cinnamon. This warm and shiny accord is darkened by leathery, smokey and animal aspects, which give intensity and characterize the composition.’ – Francesca Bianchi
Byzantine Amber marks my return to a more heavy, darker Bianchi after Luxe Calme Volupte, Libertine Neroli & Unspoken Musk. I mentioned before that I like the latter’s more vintage-y, mossy direction over some of the older Bianchi releases like Under My Skin & The Dark Side. I always felt they were better balanced, whereas others felt a bit heavy-handed (a trade that many Bianchi fans explicitly gravitate towards though).
My sentiment definitely remains true after trying Byzantine Amber. At first, I was relatively enjoying it. It’s rightfully compared to the labdanum heavy Chanel Le Lion, but it’s even more resinous and dense to my nose. It almost registers more as a Hindi oud to me than an amber. The two things that came to mind were the (original) Aaron Terence Hughes Oud and the oud accord in some of the most daring Mancera’s, especially Jasmin Exclusif.
This all means that it became too harsh and overbearing for me after a while. Byzantine Amber lasts and is quite linear to me, with a growing leather presence being the main development I perceived.
The scent wasn’t bad to me or anything, but it felt demanding and I grew tired of it pretty quickly. So with several hours of drydown to go, I decided to layer some Casamorati Lira over it to brighten and sweeten it up (that worked like a charm). Safe to say that Byzantine Amber won’t make the ranks of my favorite Francesca Bianchi works.