Black Forest or Black Forest Elixir?
They share a name, but they are two different Al Ambra perfumes in two different bottles. One note links them: ambroxan.
| Black Forest | Black Forest Elixir | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Extrait de Parfumprinted on the label | Extrait de Parfumthe shop and the brand's own product page |
| Size | 50 ml (1.7 fl oz) | 50 ml (1.7 fl oz) |
| Top notes | ||
| Heart notes | ||
| Base notes | ||
| Scent families | citrus, orientalthe shop's classification | citrus, floral, oriental, woodythe shop's classification |
| Listed for | unisex | unisex |
| Projection | lightaccording to the brand | moderateaccording to the brand |
| Suggested seasons | spring, summer (according to the brand) | spring, summer (according to the brand) |
| Bottle | Cobalt-blue glass, black-and-gold label | Matte black, green forest label |
How to tell the bottles apart
Black Forest is the cobalt-blue bottle with a black label printed in gold. Black Forest Elixir is the matte black bottle with a green label that shows a forest. If the word “elixir” is on the label, in small letters under the name, it is Elixir.
The notes compared
Black Forest and Black Forest Elixir have one listed note in common: ambroxan.
Only in Black Forest: grapefruit and woody notes.
Only in Black Forest Elixir: aldehydes, white peach, bergamot, mandarin, orange, orange blossom, ambrette, lily of the valley, vetiver, mahonia, musk, akigalawood, vanilla and patchouli.
Black Forest has three listed notes, one per layer: grapefruit, ambroxan and woody notes. Black Forest Elixir has the longest list of the four scents in this guide. It opens with aldehydes, white peach and three citrus fruits, has white flowers, ambrette and vetiver in the heart and ends on musk, ambroxan, vanilla, patchouli and more wood.
Al Ambra's own pages describe them in different terms as well: Black Forest as a fresh citrus-and-wood scent that stays close to the skin, Elixir as a clean, aldehydic floral with a soft musky finish and a moderate projection. So Elixir is not simply a stronger version of Black Forest; going by the notes it is another kind of perfume.
Which one should you choose?
Both are extraits de parfum in 50 ml bottles, both are listed as unisex and the brand suggests both for spring and summer, so none of that separates them. The notes do.
If you want a short, dry, citrus-and-wood scent with little sweetness, the notes point to Black Forest. If you want flowers, a soapy-clean opening and a soft vanilla and musk base, they point to Elixir. The shop lists no sample of either, so the note lists on this page are what you have to go on before you order.
Read the full pages: Al Ambra Black Forest and Al Ambra Black Forest Elixir.
View Black Forest at the authorized sellerView Black Forest Elixir at the authorized seller
No prices or stock on this site. The shop shows both.