An Air of Amaffi
Haute perfumery house Amaffi presents a world of exclusive, elusive fragrances crafted by renowned noses who harness some of the finest natural ingredients from across the globe
What does luxury mean to you? In the world of tangible goods, luxury is often defined by two things: a storied heritage and unparalleled quality.
In perfumery, luxury can be measured by a host of distinct factors, from how rare and rarefied the ingredients are, and the level of craftsmanship employed to blend these olfactive layers, to the concentration of such prized natural extracts that result in unique elixirs with great olfactive complexity and sillage. Checking these boxes and more is
Amaffi, which prides itself as one of the most exclusive haute perfume houses in the world—and even has a royal link to boot.
An enigmatic woman referred to as madame
Amaffi today, the president and founder of Amaffi Perfume House muses: “I consider Amaffi as the means by which great classical perfumery would be reborn. Great fragrances are masterpieces as precious as great paintings or classical play. We have worked for many years with the best perfumers in the world, and I’m proud to present Amaffi fine fragrances to Singapore’s connoisseurs. An Amaffi fragrance
is not just a fragrance, it is art”.
PRIZED POSSESSIONS
One exemplification of an Amaffi masterpiece is Power, which comes in two iterations—one for men and the other, for women. The latter is a sumptuous oriental composition, with oud making an authoritative impression alongside addictive amber, sandalwood and musk. Oud, familiar to fragrance enthusiasts and synonymous with the enthralling Middle East, is an incredibly precious, and therefore prized, ingredient derived from tropical agar trees. Its exclusivity comes from the difficulty of harvesting: only 2 per cent of wild agar trees produce oud, which develops from an infected heartwood mould that creates a dark, extremely fragrant resin. Oftentimes referred to as liquid gold, oud oil is one of the most expensive commodities in the world and one of the most intoxicating‑smelling essences. Woody and aromatic with a warm powdery finish, Power for women is a robust fragrance that promises to reign in any room—and leave a lasting impression long after you’ve left it. Fit for a queen, it comes housed in a metallic orb, hand‑finished in polished onyx enamel embellished with gold filigree ribbons inlaid with 2,026 Swarovski crystals.
That is another signature trait of Amaffi fragrances: intricately designed vessels. Each Amaffi perfume is presented in what could
only be described as an objet d’art, and so it is with the brand’s newest pair: Maracoca for women, a fresh, creamy blend radiating with notes of frangipani, jasmine, gardenia, tonka beans, rose and yuzu; and Maracoca for men, an euphoric fusion of lavender, mint pouliot, amyris, vanilla, musk and sagebrush. Both flacons sit on a vanity like sculptures, with each boasting undulating curves crafted from alabaster‑hued, high‑quality frosted glass.
Bottled in an equally ethereal flacon is the women’s scent Ariadna, from the Gods and Goddesses collection. Evoking the spirit of the Garden of Eden, sensuality and hypnoticism come in the form of a luscious floral labyrinth of tuberose, orchid, ylang‑ylang, honeysuckle and orange blossom.
And calling lucky nights out at the casino to mind, Place Your Bets comes in a bottle of a completely different spirit. The striking green‑and‑gold flacon is designed to look like a roulette wheel, housing a daring men’s fragrance composed of lavender, sagebrush, sandalwood and herbaceous galbanum with earthy, balsamic nuances.
Noted noses the world over will also tell you that the best fragrances they have ever made are those they were given free reign to create—and with no restrictions when it comes to resources. And at Amaffi, there are no limits on creativity, time and choice of raw materials from across the globe. Besides the aforementioned precious oud, only the rarest, top‑quality ingredients approved by the International Fragrance Association fuel its fragrances, including Grasse’s renowned rose centifolia, which blooms for only 20 to 25 days a year.
Ovation is a luxurious fragrance with a classic French bouquet of rose centifolia, iris and the rare narcissus absolute. Absolutes are the most concentrated variation of fragrances in the form of highly aromatic, oily compositions, and present two levels of complexity to harness: in the case of narcissus absolute, it takes half a tonne of flowers to obtain just 300ml of narcissus oil and as a result, it can take up to four years to produce enough precious oil for an Amaffi fragrance with enduring sillage.
Then there is Intrigant, an oud‑powered fragrance for men that is an intriguing dance of East and West. Enveloping its robust heart of oud oil are deeply fougere notes of earthy citrus vetiver and zesty‑aromatic elemi, before drying down to a luxuriously mossy, green and woody finish.
And finally, the Jungle Collection’s Tropical Rain and Sultry Jungle. A creative olfactive expression for men, Tropical Rain is an uplifting blend of milky‑green fig leaves, juicy fruits and heart‑warming sandalwood with the rain‑like petrichor. Meanwhile, Sultry Jungle is a women’s scent described as “the fragrance of a hot jungle”, whose invigorating floral notes of gardenia and tuberose swirl around exotic orchid oil for a lingering trail that becomes even more luminous in the heat. Both fragrances come in gorgeous gradient‑coloured glass flacons bedecked with gold‑tone ornaments in the shape of bamboo and topped with a large, hand‑polished blue or green sapphire crystal.
All 41 Amaffi fragrances hold high concentrations of precious raw materials—from 20 to 22 per cent, to be exact—and fortifying these unique blends is pure alcohol, the perfect carrier for fine fragrances, ensuring impactful sillage, stability and longevity. Included with every full‑size purchase is a travel‑size version (50ml) of the same scent—so you can always have your favourite fragrance by your side, no matter where life takes you.