GOLDFIELD & BANKS
TALES OF AMBER

2025

PERFUMER
Suzy Le Helley

orange blossom
moss

orris
cistus
cinnamon
musk

labdanum
new zealand ambergris
australian agarwood
vanillin
oud

‘Crafted around the purity of New Zealand ambergris, Tales of Amber is a warm, powdery and sensual Amber Extrait that captures scorched earth, sunlit resins, and mineral-warmed skin. With ambery-floral notes and oriental depth, it radiates sensuality through an overdose of Labdanum, golden, resinous, and unforgettable.’ – Goldfield & Banks

Tales of Amber is one of the more accomplished scents that joined the already crowded amber field in recent years in my opinion.

The big standout feature versus most other amber fragrances is the iris. Straight from the opening, iris is the most prominent feature to my nose. Dry, chalky, powdery iris is what jumped out to me when I first smelled Tales Of Amber on paper and on skin, it remains the star for the first hour at least. It’s a neutral iris; not overly carroty, not too rooty, but it’s all about texture.

There is more sweetness coming through soon after, but it still feels rather dry. I get a lot of the bandaid-like, plaster, latex vibe from something akin to YSL Babycat. There is no cumin or cardamom listed, but I would say that there’s a tinge of that to my nose; could be the saltiness of ambergris coming through in that way.

It takes a little while, but more and more of the ‘amber’ reveals itself. Tales of Amber grows spicy and sweet, almost fiery. This is not the most easy going amber and definitely not gourmand. I don’t really smell straight up vanilla for example; but it’s a warm, sweet spicy sensation that feels rather opulent, yet dry. A bit more daring and stark than the notes let on.

Overall, this is a solid thumbs up for me. A lot nicer and more intersteing than recent similar offering Vyrao Ludatrix for example.