The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Amber Fanatic arrived in 2021 from My Perfumes Select. Olaf Larsen created the fragrance as an exploration of amber held between opposites: fresh and warm, floral and woody, polished yet faintly untamed. The official description names bold amber undertones, fresh notes, and woody notes as the central idea. Those elements frame the scent less as a single-note obsession than a study in contrast. Amber brings depth and resinous warmth, while the brighter opening prevents the composition from settling into heaviness too soon. Florals soften the middle, and musk gives the whole trajectory a close-fitting finish. The scent opens with lavender, cardamom, elemi, and amber, then moves through rose, olibanum, and amber before settling into sandalwood, musk, vanilla, patchouli, and woody notes.
The unusual part is the handoff between note families. Amber appears both high and low, giving the composition a continuous thread rather than a neat sequence of separate ideas. Fresh and spicy notes supply lift at first, florals keep the heart polished, and animalic notes introduce a darker, more tactile edge beneath the warmth. Musk then draws everything inward. Fresh notes add brightness to the composition, while the broader woody, powdery, aromatic, warm, spicy, and balsamic accords give the scent layered depth.
The evolution
The opening starts with lavender, cardamom, elemi, and amber. Lavender and cardamom bring an aromatic, lightly herbal brightness, elemi adds a clean lift, and amber immediately introduces depth. Floral notes then take over the heart, replacing that opening tension with a smoother, more polished register. Rose gives the composition a clear floral center, while olibanum adds a softly resinous texture. The composition becomes less pointed and more enveloping, as though warm wood and soft petals have filled the spaces around the wearer. During the drydown, amber returns with animalic notes and musk. This is the most intimate phase: warmer, closer, and more textured. The animalic edge supplies a dark flicker without taking over, while musk softens the finish and gives it a clean, skin-like quality.
Cultural impact
Amber Fanatic places warm amber alongside fresh, floral, woody, and animalic elements. Its character comes from the way these contrasts unfold: lavender, cardamom, and elemi create an aromatic opening, rose and olibanum give the heart a floral and resinous center, and sandalwood, vanilla, patchouli, musk, and woody notes deepen the base. The amber appears across the composition, linking the brighter opening to the warmer drydown. That deliberate layering gives the fragrance an expressive presence without relying on a single dominant note, inviting attention to how each family changes and settles around the wearer.
The House
My Perfumes SelectMy Perfumes Select is a niche fragrance house based in the United Arab Emirates, drawing inspiration from centuries-old Middle Eastern perfume traditions. The brand positions itself as a contemporary voice within that legacy, creating what it describes as bold, lavish odes to the art of fine perfumery. Its catalog spans gourmand orientals, floral jasmines, and musky compositions, released across 2021 and 2023. The brand maintains an active presence on Instagram under the handle @myperfumesselect, where it shares its aesthetic and brand philosophy with followers. The house is among independent designers, documenting its fragrance lineup and community engagement.
The Creator
Olaf LarsenOlaf’s signature technique blends rich, resinous bases with bright, aromatic top notes. He favors natural oud, frankincense, and ambergris, pairing them with cardamom, nutmeg, and licorice to create depth and contrast.
