Man Amber by Halston

I’m winding down my reviews from the latest batch of fragrance samples I’ve received recently (although, I hope to buy some more scent to try out soon). One of the most interesting scents that I ordered seemed to be Man Amber by Halston.

I had no idea really what to expect from this cologne and reading the list of notes that were included grabbed my attention, since the looked different from many other scents. In this post, I want to give an overview on how it smells, performs, when it should be used, and if I think that Man Amber is worth a buy.

What does Halston Man Amber Smell Like?

Notes include: amber, geranium, bergamot, oud, musk, myrrh, oud, thyme

Click here to try: Halston Man Amber By Halston For Men Edt Spray 4.2 Oz & Eau De Toilette .25 Oz Mini

My Full Review

Update: I wrote this review many years ago and am updating it to fit the newer layout of the site. I’m pretty positive that this got discontinued a while ago.

Upon opening, it becomes very clear that Halston’s Man Amber is quite a unique scent. Just by taking a look at the notes, one can see that there is going to be something different about this cologne.

First, let me state that this fragrance has very limited use and isn’t going to appeal to everyone. The opening is a dry warmth with woody and smokey undertones. The myrrh note is quite distinct and prominent, even if it has ‘amber’ in its name.

I do enjoy scents that have amber as a note, so I was looking forward to seeing what this one was all about.

I’m not a big fan of oud scents. However, I think that it fits well in Man Amber and doesn’t distract me from the overall fragrance. To me, the wood notes give it a similar aroma to a cask, with the same smoke laden scent and added warmth and sweetness.

This is a fairly linear scent and most of what you get is myrrh, amber, and oud.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, it does well, but Man Amber is on the softer side of colognes. So, a pretty moderate start, before it settles into something light.

It actually has good longevity and I got 6-8 hours out of it. That’s fairly good, but many of these types of fragrances will hit the 9+ hour range without question. This one is pretty moderate based on that metric.

To me, this is built for casual to semi formal wear in the winter. I wouldn’t wear it on a warm day and it doesn’t feel like much of a nightlife scent, in my opinion.

Overall Impressions of Man Amber

Is Halston’s Man Amber worth a buy? That depends. I think that it smells good, but it doesn’t totally fit my style or tastes. I can appreciate this fragrance for what it is, but it really doesn’t appeal to me.

However, I know that there are plenty of people who would probably love this cologne. If you’re a big fan of oud or amber, this might be a good bet for you to try out. Also, if you just want something outside the norm.

The myrrh is a wildcard, as to whether or not someone will enjoy this scent, as it is the main attraction here. Overall, it is a good performer at a really affordable price point.

Best Men's Colognes

Best Men’s Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with different fragrances, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, I have written hundreds of reviews and other pages about perfumes and colognes.