I don’t tend to like soapy fragrances, and if you asked me if I’d like a fragrance that smelled like shaving cream, I’d have to say no — but I loved Prada’s original Amber Pour Homme (2006), sometimes known as Prada Man, and Prada Man smelled, basically, like shaving cream. It’s been on my “to buy” list since it came out, but I’ve built up an impressive collection of samples and I don’t wear it all that frequently anyway. It’s not all that likely I’ll ever have to buy any.

Prada does a better job than most in terms of telling you what their fragrances will (really) smell like, and so it’s worth paying attention to their description of Amber Pour Homme Intense, which called for “a pared back roster of exceptional quality raw ingredients” and “peeling back the layers of leather and barbershop soap present in the original”. Yep, this is essentially Amber Pour Homme without the shaving cream — less fougère, more woody oriental. It’s heavier on the amber and patchouli. It’s darker, spicier, and not quite as smooth. It has a slight cocoa undertone, especially in the early stages, and the vanilla is more noticeable as it dries down, although it’s not really any sweeter than the original. Despite the heavier concentration, it doesn’t strike me as any louder or stronger, either…

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