Earlier this year, I shared my first Roja Parfums experience with Isola Blu—a fragrance that quickly won me over. Now, as we step into fall and winter, I’m excited to present my newest obsession: ROJA Amber Aoud. This rich, complex scent is the perfect companion for cooler weather. If you’re a fan of deep, luxurious fragrances, Amber Aoud might just be for you. Keep reading to find out why Roja Amber Aoud is my new seasonal obsession and why it could be yours too.
I received the Amber Aoud coffret as a generous gift from the brand, which includes a 10ml and a 50ml spray bottle. Each size is elegantly housed in beautiful crystal bottles. The 10ml size features a sleek, elongated rollerball style bottle (though it is a spray) with a simple metal cap, perfect for travel or on-the-go use. The 50ml bottle is a true showpiece, featuring Roja’s iconic gem-encrusted cap and bears the engraved signature of founder Roja Dove on the neck, adding a personal and luxurious touch.
Key Notes:
Top Notes: Lemon, Bergamot, Lime
Heart Notes: Rose de Mai, Jasmin de Grasse, Ylang Ylang, Fig
Base Notes: Cinnamon, Saffron, Patchouli, Oakmoss, Sandalwood, Oud, Benzoin, Orris, Birch, Ambergris, Musk
When you look at the notes in Roja Amber Aoud, it’s easy to see that this fragrance is anything but straightforward. With everything from citrus and floral to spicy and woody notes, I couldn’t help but wonder how all these elements would come together. Would it be a clash of scents, or would Roja manage to weave them into a smooth, sophisticated composition? As it turns out, it’s the latter. The fragrance is expertly blended, with each note playing its part to create a perfect, balanced harmony—exactly what I’d expect from a Roja creation.
If I had to break Roja Amber Aoud down into the simplest terms, I’d call it a Rose Oud fragrance, but that doesn’t quite capture its complexity. While Rose and Oud remain dominant throughout, there’s a creamy, earthy sweetness that comes from the cinnamon and saffron. The scent opens with a fresh citrus blast of lime and lemon, balanced by a soft floral undertone. But the citrus is short-lived, quickly making way to a warm, sweet richness as the florals and spices take center stage. I can detect a faint hint of fig, but it’s not an obvious note.
On my skin, it dries down to a smooth, sweet blend of Oud and Rose, anchored by a grounding woody base. While it is not easy to pick out each individual note, their collective presence is unmistakable in this harmonious blend. The dry-down is soft and versatile, maybe making it suitable for year-round wear for some but the opening and development stages have a cozy warmth that firmly place it in the Fall/Winter category. The projection is strong, and on my skin, it lasts all day. The first four hours have a noticeable sillage, before softening to a more moderate presence for the rest of the day.
Roja Amber Aoud is a fragrance that’s hard to define but easy to love. However, due to its complexity, I wouldn’t recommend blind buying it. Instead, I highly encourage you to try a sample first to see how it works with your skin. While I’m not certain that individual fragrance samples are available on the brand’s own website, most retailers that carry Roja Parfums offer sample vials for purchase, giving you the perfect opportunity to test it out before committing to a full bottle.
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