Nice Herb

Nice Herb chases Montale's Amber & Spices, a fragrance whose name slightly misleads - the amber sits quietly in the back while a dirty, animalic oud and a fistful of caraway do the talking. The dupe opens spiced and a little sharp: nutmeg and a soft rose set the stage before the heart turns properly oriental, with that distinctive caraway twang folding into a smoky, slightly funky oud. Where the Montale keeps its oud bracing and raunchy almost throughout, Nice Herb softens and sweetens as it dries down - PP wearers note it turning noticeably sweeter after a few hours - so the rough edges of the original are sanded into something cosier and more approachable. The base is warm and rounded: amber, ebony wood and sandalwood lending a creamy depth that the oud rides on. It loses a little of the Montale's bite and the oud reads more synthetic than the real-deal Middle Eastern note, but the overall shape is close, and PP customers who own the original report a high degree of similarity. A warm, spicy, sensual oud for cold-weather evenings, easier to wear than its bolder muse.