Amber Skies

Amber Skies is another of Abbey Perfumery's deliberately sparse compositions, three materials with nowhere to hide. Jasmine opens it, and the brand specifies Arabian jasmine, which is the sweeter and more heavily indolic variety compared with the jasmine grown in Europe. That gives the top an immediate richness, almost fleshy, that a lighter jasmine would not. The heart is a cashmere accord, which is a texture rather than a smell: a soft, slightly powdery musk whose job is to blur the edges of the flower and give the whole thing a woolly quality. White amber finishes it, warm and golden rather than dark and resinous, and it is the reason this reads as comfortable rather than heady. The overall effect is much softer than the name suggests, closer to a skin scent with a floral top than to a bold amber. Performance is moderate and it sits close after the first hour, which suits it. Autumn and winter are its best seasons and it works for both office and evening, since it is warm without being loud.