It was Birgit’s review that piqued my interest in Alahine; however, I was skeptical about my need for another amber oriental fragrance (I have more than a few). I asked, in the comments section of her post,
How many orientals does one gal need?
followed by her matter-of-fact response:
I find a good answer is always “One more!”
In this instance, I have to agree.
A sample of the extrait soon made it’s way to me from Austria (thank you B!), and it was love at first sniff. The kind of love that says, “get out of my way, good sense—you are not wanted here!” and initiates an immediate search for a bottle. A more reasonable person might have acquired a decant from The Perfumed Court, or the Posh Peasant, but no, not this perfumista. This was a full-on bottle lemming.
Birgit mentioned that it reminded her of Amouage Epic, and I agree with her assessment. It’s not a smell-alike by any means, but the seamless quality of the materials, and the smooth, suede-like character could cause you to mistake this for an Amouage (read: deconstructing the perfume seems like an exercise in futility).
Abigail (from I Smell Therefore I Am) called Alahine
a velvety amber, that is the most sophisticated and deluxe amber I have ever smelled.
I find Alahine to be a transparent, delicate, and, yes, sophisticated amber. Alahine’s oriental vibe derives its warmth from sparklingly sunny days, whereas Ambre Fetiche’s warmth comes from being curled up in front of a well-stoked fire wrapped in luxurious furs. Admittedly, you’re talking to a woman who thinks Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan is a pale little thing, so it’s possible that Alahine is a powerhouse amber.
The EDP smells… beautiful. Yes, the extrait is smoother, but I actually don’t find the same kind of difference you’d find between say, Shalimar extrait compared to the EDP. To me, those aren’t even in the same category, whereas the EDP of Alahine is almost indistinguishable from the more concentrated version. In the far dry-down, it reminds me of JHAG Calamity J, which I think is the combination of amber, iris, and skin musk. Musks are difficult for me—I tend to either love (Tabac Aurea) or hate (Mure et Musc) them, and the musk in Alahine falls into the “love” category.
Alahine smells of good ingredients and classic perfumery. As simple as that sounds, it’s refreshing.”
Angela—from Now Smell This
$110 for 50mL at Luckyscent, though I bought my bottle from an eBayer for less than $50 shipped (she/he still has a few bottles available, so hop on over quick if you’ve been dying to get a bottle of Alahine!).
beauty on the outside 
Arrgh! This is a pingback lemming!!!
I just recovered from wanting Alahine, now your write such a great review. No way I can pass on an opportunity like that. Please check your email, Dee! Help an impoverished, embargoed Austrian in need! 😉
Pinkgback lemming! And, “an impoverished, embargoed Austrian in need”! You are hilarious today, my dear B.
All is well, check your email! 🙂
Congratulation! I’m happy for you.
I like Alahine and recently got myself a decant. But of course now I wish I got that gorgeous bottle. Well…
I’m pretty pleased that I found it for such a steal—this is something that is swoon-worthy and highly wearable!
Ohhhhhhh, Alahine. I wasn’t expecting to love it, but boy, did it ever sack me like a 300-lb lineman.
I got a tester bottle (100ml for about $80) from Parfum1 for Christmas 2009, and I’m still ecstatic about it. You’re right, it’s so smooth and seamless, a heavy satin wrap.
I didn’t see a reason to upgrade to the parfum, either. It’s beautiful, of course, but I was perfectly happy with the edp.
Alahine, the 300-lb lineman! That’s such a funny image, but I know what you mean. My thoughts, when approaching it, were, “I really don’t need another,” but then I wore it for a few days, and my sample ran out… and then, in comes the eBay troll.
Mals, you got a great deal! 100mL for $80 is quite a steal—you should still be ecstatic about it!
If someone gifted me the parfum, I’d be thrilled to accept it, but like you, I am perfectly happy with the EDP 😉
On your tout, I have purchased a bottle from you Ebay source! Looks like she still has a few bottles left! It sounds wonderful, hope I love it. 🙂
*your Ebay source
Alice, I hope you love it too! It’s a beautiful fragrance, and the great thing about it is that, if you don’t like it, you can sell it on eBay and make your money back!
The seller (I think her name is Maria) ships really quickly, so I hope you’ll let us know when it arrives and what you think of it!!!
🙂
I will let you know. I’m in love with amber…almost sorry to see cold weather go… (not really, just not sure I can find a Springy scent I love as much!).
Wow, she is a quick shipper! My bottle (with 4 little samples) came today! It is so rich and full. There are no sharp edges…a beautifully crafted scent. Love at first sniff! 🙂
Alice, I was really happy with my experience too! She’s very professional.
I’m so glad that you like the Alahine—it’s stunning, isn’t it? I really think that I’ll wear it well into the summer; I’ll just use that trick of spraying it behind my knees so it’s not too overwhelming 🙂