Amber Oud Ultra Violet

The name suggests oud and amber. What actually arrives is a big, creamy white floral. Ultra Violet opens with rose lifted by ginger and bergamot, a combination that gives the first few minutes a slightly fizzy, peppery brightness. That fades quickly and tuberose takes control, joined by jasmine and a general white-flower accord that is lush, buttery and unapologetically old-school feminine. Underneath, oak, musk and patchouli give the composition a warm, faintly animalic floor that keeps the flowers from floating away. The dry-down is soft, skin-close and slightly powdery.

If you are expecting the smoky, resinous oud of Al Haramain's Amber Oud Gold or Carbon Edition, adjust your expectations. This is a floral wearing the Amber Oud name because the line has become the house's flagship, not because the fragrance is oud-driven. Nothing here is widely regarded as an homage to a specific designer original, and it would be inventing a claim to name one. What it does share is DNA with the classic tuberose heavyweights, so if Fracas or Gucci Bloom appeal to you, this sits in that neighbourhood without copying either.

Performance is moderate. Expect six to eight hours with sillage that is noticeable for the first two or three and then draws in close. That is a step down from the Amber Oud line's masculine entries, which are known for brutal longevity, so do not buy this expecting the same. The upside is that it is more wearable in warm weather than most tuberose fragrances, which tend to turn syrupy in humidity.

It suits women who like their florals rich rather than fresh, and it reads dressed-up: dinners, functions, evenings, occasions where a soft cotton-and-citrus scent would be underdressed. Younger wearers who prefer sugary gourmands may find the tuberose too grown-up.

Worth knowing before you buy: this is a recent release with a relatively small number of Fragrantica ratings behind its score, so the community verdict is still settling. Al Haramain has been producing perfume since 1970, longer than most of the houses it now competes with online, and the Amber Oud family alone runs to well over a dozen editions, which is worth remembering when you are trying to work out which bottle is which.