WHAT I SMELL: Topaze Imperiale opens with large blast of astringent alcohol, which then leads to this almost sour-smelling pine (kind of like dirty socks). Thankfully, that little spell soon moves into a warm spice that seems a bit nutty and smells brownish to me (yes, don’t ask me why, but it makes me think “brown”). After around five minutes, a little oud makes an appearance. It’s lightly chewy and again, moves out-of-the-way quickly for the sandalwood to take its place along with hints of vetiver. It’s smooth with streaks of sharpness that make it a bit lighter. Soon again there’s another change; this time a dry wood that comes into play. It’s a wood that seems to have been aged with some smoke and incense. After 20 minutes, the fragrance becomes very dry, highlighted with just a faint top layer of rose. Where before I could only think that this could be worn by a man, with the inclusion of the rose, I now think it of this as very unisex. All I can say is that Topaze Imperiale is classic and classy…and it lasts for a very long time.
From the Krigler website:
A rich mélange, grounded in a seductive Amber base, Topaze Imperiale evokes the undeniable allure of the precious stone. Intriguing top notes of Vetiver, Musk and Sandalwood lead to an addictive heart of Vanilla, Neroli and Oud before leading to the magnetic base that is accented by notes of Amber, Galbanum, Rose and Mandarin.
WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: This reminds me so much of my beloved Amouage Fate Woman, but this is less powdery and contains more of a burnt wood effect which makes this more masculine. It’s like its Amouage Fate Woman’s big brother.
THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE TOPAZE IMPERIALE: smoked, eternal, confident
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT TOPAZE IMPERIALE: I Am the Makeup Junkie
BOTTOM LINE: Thanks to the wonderful Daisy from coolcookstyle, who purchased this precious jewel at Sniffapalooza and gave me a sample. Topaze Imperiale is classic, with an incredible amount of subtleness. This is a keeper and I’m thinking that maybe it’s my turn for a full bottle??!!!
- Bone Rating: 4 out of 5 possible bones
- Scent: Oriental
- Classification: Unisex
- Expense: $245 for 50ml EdP from the Krigler website
December 10, 2013 at 8:30 am
It sounds lovely, my darling Mr. Hound. Absolutely lovely. And I’m sure you smell sexy as hell. I definitely hope to try this soon. Happy holidays to you and your handsome hubby! xoxox
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December 10, 2013 at 8:51 am
Happy Holidays to you to my dear. Have you been a good girl this year so that Santa will bring you lots of goodies?!
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December 11, 2013 at 8:15 am
I will send you a sample, darling 🙂
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December 11, 2013 at 12:11 pm
That’s incredibly kind and sweet of you! Thank you, my sweet. But don’t go to the post office until the holidays are over. It’s madness out there! lol xoxo
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December 18, 2013 at 11:20 am
After the holidays, I will get organized I swear!
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December 10, 2013 at 8:33 am
I have never heard of the Krigler brand, perhaps it’s less known or has more narrow availability.
Ack at the dirty socks part!
Later some things appeal to me (faint rose) and that scare me (brown feeling)
I liked Fate Woman but not loved it.
PS. Love the Christmas tree balls in the background and hey, the snow is falling on your blog!
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December 10, 2013 at 8:53 am
Krigler is an old American brand that is sold exclusively at the Plaza Hotel in NYC or online. That’s why it’s not that largely known. As for the dirty socks part, it only lasts a minute or so, but it was oddly strange. I LOVE Fate Woman…actually more than this, but this is right up there. And I like your Christmas theme too!
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December 10, 2013 at 8:57 am
I see, so it really has a selected distribution. I probably would survive the part if I “shut my nose” for a while.
I know Fate Woman gets a lot of love, they just don’t speak to me. Only Lyric and Ciel are my cup of tea (and the first one I have)
Thank you 🙂 I made the Christmas header myself. I just used half-products (meaning hat and snowflakes) from Google image.
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December 10, 2013 at 1:42 pm
I got a sample of this one too. I don’t remember the socks. Must try it again and see if the power of suggestion makes me smell them. I do like this one more than the other two I tried there. It a warm and fuzzy scent to me. I bet it’s great on you too.
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December 10, 2013 at 8:19 pm
LOL… the socks only lasted for a minute. What I find is that fragrances morph so quickly at the beginning that some of those funky or not so funky smells come and go pretty quickly. It was very warm and fuzzy…I like that. We have to admit that Daisy has some good taste!
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December 11, 2013 at 7:10 am
Daisy has great taste in both perfume and food.
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December 11, 2013 at 8:16 am
Aw! You two! MWWWAAAAAAHHHHHHH!
(OMNOMNOMNOMNOM)
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December 11, 2013 at 8:25 am
🙂
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December 10, 2013 at 6:42 pm
Dearest Hound
A melange indeed! Through booze and acrid pine forest to a comfortable brown then something more classic.
I’m intrigued.
Yours ever
The Perfumed Dandy
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December 10, 2013 at 8:20 pm
Mr. Dandy…you are the first to ever grace these pages with the word “melange.” I love it! Oh, and don’t forget the dirty socks 🙂
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December 11, 2013 at 8:18 am
So glad you are contemplating a bottle, dearest Hound! I’m not sure if I get socks either . . . maybe something burned or something acrid but only briefly. It’s not unpleasant to me in any case. If you get it, we’ll really be perfume twin-sies 🙂 BTW, did I tell you a threw down for Indult’s Tihota?
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December 11, 2013 at 8:27 am
I think I may hold off on getting a bottle. I just plopped down some money on a blind buy of Nuit de Noel parfum extrait. Tis the season huh? It should be here tomorrow. As for the Indult… I have yet to try any of the re-releases, but that sounds yummy. Vanilla goodness at this time of year makes everything warm and fuzzy! xoxoxoxo
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December 11, 2013 at 8:42 am
We are dangerous out there with these bottle-y thingamajiggies 😉
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December 11, 2013 at 8:44 am
As for the Indult, I am slowly working my way through a sample pack. Tihota was love (will send you a sample). Manakara was pure Turkish Delight. Wrapped in singed plastic. I didn’t scrub but came close.
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December 11, 2013 at 8:54 am
I always think it’s funny when you find perfumes in a line that are so exactly the opposite in terms of liking and disliking. If you test the one you love first, then you are all excited to test the others and you are really taken aback when you hate something. On the other hand, if you test the one you hate first, you don’t want to try any others in the line!
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December 18, 2013 at 11:20 am
Well, now I have officially worked my way through the Indult’s and find them all very, very, very sweet. Except for Tihota — which is just delicious. Tihota FTW!!!!!!!!
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December 11, 2013 at 8:50 pm
First I see a bottle that, if Idisregard the cap, looks like a bottle of whiskey – good! Then I see a picture of two ginger cats with snow falling over them – great! And then I read your review… Did you see that small but determined horde of lemmings? 😉
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December 13, 2013 at 6:00 am
I think I see a queue of lemmings going down the street… maybe they’re heading to the west coast??!
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December 14, 2013 at 2:53 am
Yep! They’ve just arrived 😉
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December 15, 2013 at 7:21 pm
Yikes…of course I rather quickly honed in on the dirty socks aspect; however, since it was only for a minute or so and the rest of the wear more than made up for it…I have to break out MY sample, courtesy of our dearest Daisy :-).
I love your ballsy background and I’ll take internet snow over the real stuff ANYTIME. It will be a massive skating rink in these here parts tomorrow morning.
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December 16, 2013 at 6:04 am
LOL… I love winter from afar or for one weekend. I could just as easily adore if from looking at it from a TV screen. Be careful out there. Don’t go slipping and sliding!
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