The Merchant Of Venice
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
Plum's jammy warmth arrives first, supported by bright bergamot that cuts through like morning light through amber glass. The geranium adds a slightly peppery, almost rosy texture, creating an unexpected freshness that belies what's coming.
The sandalwood emerges with creamy, almost buttery qualities, whilst patchouli and cedar build a woody density that transforms the fragrance into something decidedly earthy and grounded. The spice accord gains prominence here, and the amber begins to crystallise, lending a warm, resinous backdrop.
Myrrh and labdanum dominate, creating a slightly bitter, incense-like warmth that prevents the vanilla and oud from sweetening the composition. What remains is a subtle, skin-scent affair—woody, faintly spicy, with amber glowing softly beneath like embers in a brazier.
Ottoman Amber is a fragrance that smells like you've wandered into a spice merchant's vault during golden hour. The opening salvo of plum and bergamot arrives with unexpected freshness, a citrus-tinted sweetness that refuses to let this become another predictable amber, but within moments you realise this is merely the doorway. Dalia Izem's construction pivots swiftly toward the woody heart, where sandalwood, patchouli, and cedar create a dense, almost architectural framework—these aren't whispered notes but structural pillars supporting everything above and below.
What makes this distinctive is how the base notes don't soften the composition but rather amplify its complexity. The myrrh and labdanum add a resinous, slightly bitter edge that prevents the vanilla and oud from tipping into gourmand territory. Instead of caramel sweetness, you get amber with textural depth, a scent that feels simultaneously warm and austere. This is jewellery-box amber rather than comfort-fragrance amber—precious, slightly enigmatic, demanding your attention.
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4.2/5 (97)