As we mentioned about a month ago (prior to its announced launch), Bond No. 9 has indeed set the retail date for its latest high-end entry, New York Amber. Much like New York Oud, this is a full-strength perfume concentration (30%) obviously based around amber as a key note of the composition. Now I could simply leave the article there, but I would be leaving some questions — and perhaps misconceptions, including my own – unaddressed. That explains why I went directly to the source, which I’ll discuss more in the context of my review now that I’ve had ample chance to experience the fragrance for myself.
Bond No. 9 New York Amber (2011): Those who may have had an opportunity to try Harrods Amber will instantly recognize the composition and perhaps the notes in the scent. This is a unisex composition that shares the same notes and top/heart/base organization as the Harrods fragrance with a difference.
Bond No. 9 New York Amber
This isn’t quite Harrods Amber. The concentration for Harrods Amber stops at 18% – technically an Eau de Parfum or a lightweight perfume. New York Amber is the full 30% concentration of oils and compounds. The difference is a noticeable strength that is very akin to New York Oud, in addition to sharing many of the same touches and the Bond signature about it. I’ll review New York Oud in a future piece to share the insights. So while technically speaking they’re cut from the same template, the projection and strength in the New York Amber is much bolder, which is a befitting statement of New York against the slightly understated London version.
The amber is very strong and very rich right from the start. Key elements in the opening are pepper, saffron, nutmeg and bergamot. As the fragrance warms, the richness of nutmeg seeps in and enhances the combination of osmanthus, jasmine, and a very strong rose note to balance the delicacy of the other elements, yet add a welcome and fragrant element to the heart of the composition. The rose here is less floral and more a subtle, deep trait, not meant to brighten the composition but to set the stage in settling with the amber at the base. Once the base is reached, Oud, incense (myrrh) and sandalwood take over until the final dry-down which sets the stage for a soft musk to enter the picture until dissipation. The musk here nicely augments the arrangement and adds slight brightness to help lift and support the amber through the duration, and unlike many musk bases, this does not become an experiment in a powdery closure.
The result is a very captivating fragrance with depth and elegance well suited to evening or fall/winter wearing. It is not an amber that simply sits on its own as so many do, but one just bold enough and brilliantly executed. Like its New York Oud companion, it properly highlights the correct notes and plays out superbly on a warm skin. As I returned to it during my wearings, I c0ntinued to be drawn to the transformation and overall intrigue of the scent. Projection is excellent without being either cloying or overbearing. Longevity? How best to phrase this? I began the journey on a Saturday and without fail it took me straight through to Sunday. I’d phrase more as endurance than simple longevity as it not only transformed but withstood and challenged the wearer to be engaged without goading.
I find myself in the unique position of apologizing for anything I may have previously said about this, and having worn it, I find myself drawn to it as the weather grows colder and the seasons change. This is simply a brilliant fragrance.
Rating: 5/5. Highly recommended. I’ll refrain from citing a bottom-line on this fragrance as I believe it carries itself on its merits, and while somewhat expensive, it is truly worth the investment. General availability begins on November 1st.
The review of this now behind, I’ll turn my attention to a recent meet-and-greet with Laurice Rahmé, the founder of Bond and veteran perfumer in her own right. As we discussed various fragrances in her line, I had an opportunity to discuss the comparisons between Harrods and New York where many of the inferences were dispelled and the concentrations confirmed. While speaking at some length, I had the chance to learn her own favorites in the Bond line-up and found another surprise:
West Broadway is her own personal favorite, despite it being so often overlooked. It’s very accessible, clean, and wearable in a variety of situations, and it has an enduring quality about it. And while it’s not a huge seller, judging by availability, it has its own cult following. Keep watching and reading for a future review of that as well.
Now onto the bottom-line: I own a number of amber fragrances, including Tom Ford, Parfums d’Empire and Christian Dior among others. This is a standout by truly embodying amber by accentuating it with other subtle yet complementary elements that it stands apart as a fragrance that exudes elegance and warmth, yet augments the wearer very naturally. It’s also done very tastefully in a way one would expect from Bond’s signature. New York Amber is an understated yet bold and assertive fragrance worth of both the Bond name and New York attribution.
I'm Andrew Buck, the man behind the words. I'm a published author, project management practitioner for over 20 years, work on Wall Street, and am a fragrance aficionado. I've had a passion for fragrance for 30+ years, and enjoy trying scents and adding to an expanding and rotating collection for some time now. 
