Question:
Quote: Originally Posted by scentemental
IAre they any other fan's of this bold, original fragrance out there except me?
scentemental
from the export line I liked Douce amere best
I was wondering either why nobody talked about it... just chergui and FT

Answer:
Hey, I just sampled Ambre Sultan for the first time last night. Does anyone else notice the strong relation to Opium EDP (pour homme)? The opening of Ambre Sultan is especially reminiscant of Opium, though as it dries they diverge - Ambre into something lighter and powederier, and Opium into something heavier and thicker. I find Ambre more "polite" than Opium, though I think I prefer Opium. With both I'm a great fan of the opening, vs the the final act. Ambre is someone between Opium and Arabie.

Hey that makes me think - non linear fragrances are sometimes like a meal in all mixed up - desert and drink come first, then the sauce, then the meat, then the rice/bread/pasta...

Answer:
Opium Pour Homme stands on its own amongst the YSL offerings. Sure, it has its variations, EdP, EdT, Eau de Orient, etc., but each YSL fragrance is in no way connected to the other, except by brand name. Where as with Lutens fragrances, you get an evolvution from one to the next, it's hard to mistake a Lutens for anything else but a Lutens. Kind of like the golden age of the Guerlains. And it has been said that Serge Lutens is the house of Orientals. The interesting thing is both Lutens and St. Laurent live most of the time in Marrakech - I wonder if they are friends?
Also, the star aniseed and blackcurrant top notes of OpH would never be found in a SL.Too classic. Ambre Sultan throws in oregano to screw around with all the sweetness floating around.
Have a rambled enough yet?

Answer:
That's an interesting question. I think some designer stuff stacks up quite well against the exclusive niche houses. I like that, because then my wallet isn't always as severely punished.
I've had copious quantities of Opium EDT and Ambre Sultan in my nose. I definitely liked Opium, and it had great staying power on me. I did trade it because the wife couldn't tolerate it, though she did give it a couple of wearings before finally holding up the cross, so to speak. I miss it! This is the kind of exotic-bordering-on-slutty frag that I love!
I would say, though, that although Opium is excellent and I'm a YSL guy, SL items tend to be somewhat richer and more subtle. I'd say that Opium is a blaster, whether you love it or not.

Answer:
I do my best not to incommode those who like a fragrance, but I'm compelled to say something.

Opium and Opium Pour Homme are polar opposites in quality. Opium, in all its concentrations, is one of the finest fragrances ever created. It's a different sort of oriental (softer, less sweet) than some of the Lutens orientals, so comparing them might not seem natural. Either way, it's on par with several of the Lutens fragrances, and is clearly better than a few of them. Opium Pour Homme (both concentrations) on the other hand, is one of the most disappointing fragrances I've ever worn. It starts out with a hint of the same minty bubblegum note that works so well in Opium, though this note isn't nearly as good in Opium Pour Homme. In Opium Pour Homme, there is an intriguing, fairly dynamic interplay between notes for forty five minutes to an hour, but the development isn't nearly what one expects based upon the opening. The fragrance quickly turns into a relatively generic (for YSL especially) vanilla bomb with average construction at best. What I'm left with after an hour or so is an abundance of surprisingly unexceptional vanilla/Tolu balsam with hints of mild spice and cedar, and virtually no patchouli. It's one of the most uninspired, tedious drydowns I've experienced, and I've yet to wear it without washing it off. It's the only YSL fragrance that I truly dislike. I find it substandard and adolescent, and I'm amazed that it was ever released.

Answer:
Hey Pluran, do you think the original opium goes well on a man?

I agree with you about the men's EDT, which I think starts of wonderfully, and degenerates quickly into garbage, but I very much love the EDP, even if I don't like the later stages of it as much as the opening. I don't find it very vanilla, I find it dark and mucky, too much cedar. However, it always gets compliments, and I suspect the higher and middle notes linger around for a lot longer than I can smell them.

And furthermore, I'm not a big fan of many of the later stages of many of the lutens' either. While Fumerie Turque is heaven from start to finish, many of the others, such as Ambre Sultan which is a relative of Opium in my opinion, end off extremely powdery and dry.