Sonoma Scent Studio: Fireside Intense and Ambre Noir

Sonoma Scent Studio is a small perfumery founded in 2004 and located in Sonoma, California. The focus is on drier, earthier scents, with head perfumer Laurie Erickson deciding in February of 2007 to phase out the sweet gourmands on the product list and concentrate on the types of fragrances she felt best displayed her talents as a perfumer.

There are still florals and ambers in the product lineup, and many of the fragrances utilize sweet notes such as vanilla, tonka bean, tolu and spices, but these are added with subtlety and don't overpower what appears to be an intention to evocate the rolling hills and old growth forests for which Northern California is famous.

There's also a regularly updated blog to go along with the website, and it's a good read, offering a peek into the mind of an independent American perfumer and the growth of an artisanal perfumery.

So how are the perfumes themselves? I tested out two of them today: Fireside Intense and Ambre Noir. I have two more to test tomorrow (click to see next day's review).

FIRESIDE INTENSE: this smells exactly like its title, a charred wood and warm smoke fragrance without a hint of flowers or sweetness. There's even a deeply salty quality at its heart -- kind of peaty, as if some of the logs tossed onto the fire were covered in peat moss.

Absolutely linear in its composition -- it starts smoky, burnt and peaty and stays that way throughout its healthy lifespan. Could easily be worn on its own, but can also be used as a layering fragrance for when you want to dial down the pitch on something you presently own.

Fireside Intense should give Christopher Brosius a run for his money. Apply with a light hand, however, as you could easily smoke out a room with one spritz too many.

AMBRE NOIR: the website states that this particular fragrance was recently reformulated so that it "has less cedar, more incense, and is smoother than the original but is still dark and labdanum-rich," which is a pretty spot-on summation.

It starts off a bit unimpressive, but after about twenty minutes, the whole thing perks right up and develops into a surprisingly attractive amber, smoke and oakmoss scent. I kept thinking that Ambre Noir is what Neil Morris' Burnt Amber tries to be, but fails (and yes, Tara, I think you'd like it quite a bit).

There's just the tiniest bit of rose woven into the incense and a smooth patchouli in the base that adds a hint of dust and dry earth, enhancing the musk and encouraging the warmer side of the oakmoss to reveal itself. There is, however, a powdery-sweet tilt at the drydown (goshdarnit!), but overall, the sugar, smoke and resins are nicely balanced and the fragrance avoids straying into syrupy-sticky territory. I would think this could be a fall/winter favorite for a good number of female incense/amber fans.

The prices for Sonoma Scent Studio fragrances are ridiculously reasonable, especially for a small operation such as this one. One ounce of Ambre Noir is presently $50.00 while one once of Fireside Intense goes for $47.00, with each product offered in less expensive half-ounce sizes, as well. There's a sample program, too, with 1ml sample vials ranging from $3.00 to $3.50 a piece.

Note: Sonoma Scent Studio is not an all-natural perfumery. Ms. Erickson states: "Synthetics can extend the lasting power of natural oils and work together with them to enhance the scent; the combination of naturals with a light touch of synthetics often makes the best of both worlds . . . We rely on natural oils for many of our woodsy base notes because they are so beautiful, but we only use sandalwood that is grown in plantations as a renewable resource and we don't use rosewood, which is endangered and can easily be substituted with other accords. We use synthetic musks, castoreum, and civet to avoid the cruelty issues associated with animal versions of these ingredients."