Reviews of Dia for Men (2002)
by Amouage

After the richness and color that is Jubilation XXV, I must say DIA for Men seems more of a 'meh' from the get-go. Everything about it feels so...restrained. I like it; there is something oddly nostalgic about the subtle powdery citrus top. Perhaps it reminds me of the powder and eau de colognes of barber shops in the 1970s.

If you prefer your scents edgier, or voluptuous, this is probably not for you. But if you have learnt to appreciate understated and refined fragrances, I think you will like the way Dia glides over you - the incense, florals and amber combo is one smooth operator, leading you confidently to a mildly sweet leather and amber drydown. The price may be a stumbling block for some of us but if money is no object, this gentlemanly scent is good to go especially for the conservative or traditionalist.

Not that keen on the topnotes, but the middle and base make up for that. Very thick, lush and exotic drydown of fruit, patchouli and a dense rich amber. Worth every penny imo as you don't need to use much for all day.

Ridiculously uncharismatic scent considering the price. It smells like a weak fruity powder.

This really is something I could imagine some cowardly safe playing designer house releasing these days.
Harmless little scent without any character. Complex and full official olfactory pyramid feels like it was almost a complete hoax.

I am kind of amused to see some reviews on this one. Amused, but also perhaps slightly confused and disturbed, too.


Again: Considering the value for the money, to me this is just a joke.


Judging by the pictures, I must admit I like the packaging very much. It’s beautiful.

One of the few Amouage offerings I would classify as distinctly masculine. Not for the price, but this is a very nice, slightly powdery patchouli/woods combo. The patchouli smells very dark, and moderately sweet. Well blended, nothing sticks out or is brash. It's a very classy scent. I wouldn't wear it due to the powder, but I think this is Amouage's 2nd best Men's scent.

Honestly, it’s a gorgeous fragrance; it is very sweet and powdery, yet spicy and masculine. Also, the sillage and longevity are absolutely outstanding. You have to really try this one because it is quite unique. I can tell you this though it is a very luxurious fragrance!!

Smells a bit like Ciel on the opening just not as harsh "not too sweet" Dia has more wood notes.

As likeable as Amouage Gold is vile. Where Gold is fussy, garish, and bombastic, Dia is balanced, poised, and elegant. It's hard to imagine when you'd wear a scent as overblown as Gold, Dia is an exemplar of versatility. Amouage makes much of its rarified frankincense note, and in Dia it occupies the place of honor. The frankincense is immediately obvious when Dia leaves the bottle, accented by cardamom, soft neroli, and a brief flash of bright citrus. The gap left by the citrus is soon occupied by some sweet dry fruit, cardamom, and gently balanced floral notes, led by peony and ylang-ylang, as Dia settles on the skin. Soon after there emerge two notes that in tandem with the incense carry Dia’s central structure: a smooth, buttery iris, and a subtly smoky leather.

It doesn’t take long for the spices round out and blend with the frankincense, iris, and leather in a tightly blended accord that is at once gentle and exotic. Dia’s heart accord is more openly floral than most contemporary men’s fragrances, but unlike Gold it eschews aldehydes and indoles, making it at once a sparer and less prissy scent.

Dia is not a weak scent, but it does wear fairly close to the skin, which is just how I like it. Though it’s anything but loud, Dia lasts for the better part of forever before entering its suave leather, iris, and amber drydown. I think that the luxurious drydown alone makes Dia worth wearing. It will persist overnight and greet you with its gentle touch when you awaken. Like all of the Amouage line Dia is costly – it was shockingly so when first released in 2002. Now that you can pay more for the Comme des Garcons Luxe line, scents from Indult, or limited editions from L’Artisan Parfumeur, Dia doesn’t seem quite as extravagant.

I dont really know what to say because you have to try it. One thing I can say is that it is one of those fragrances that will make you feel rich.

I was at first surprised by how subtle Dia is—I expected something heavy and exotic and luxurious, but what I got was discreet, refined, complex, and elegant. I didn’t get the floral opening that Amouage pyramid suggests: The opening is floral, but it is both masculine and understated. The opening accord is so subtly balanced and refined that its elegant masculinity had me thinking of coughing up the money for a bottle. That thought lasted for only a short time because, after the opening, the scent moved in directions I did not to wish to go. With the heart notes come the powder and the peony—both are very prominent to my nose, and, although it is a beautiful accord, I do not find it very masculine; in fact, it brings back childhood memories of my mother’s favorite talcum powder. The mid notes last for an hour or two, and they continue well into the wood / incense base, which is refined, subtle, and very long lasting. If only the opening would have held longer…and the middle notes were less floral / powdery...

The top has a little citrus and a powdery accord, the heart fruity floral notes are subtle, not sweet and quite "french" reminding me of guerlain in a way. A really clear but subtle frankinsence note underpins the top and middle. The base woods and amber are mild and hold the smell of the middle notes well, with a gentle plumby scent blending and alternating with the amber and vetiver. Early in the drydown and also a little in the heart a beautiful patchouli note is projected which again reminds me of guerlain heritage a little. There is also some good sandalwood in this busy but balanced and uncluttered frag. The overall effect is subtle excellence and I really think the ambition of blending eastern ingredients in a western style has been realised very well.

My favorite from the house. Overall, one of my top 10 scents for sure. A blend of fruits, spices, and incense, it's perfect for daytime wear, office wear, casual wear, dinner, semi-formal wear...pretty much anything. I don't see how Amouage feels this is the daytime equivalent of Gold. They seem to be totally different to me. Gold is much messier, more sour, powderier. As with other Amouages, I can't pick out any of Dia's notes. It's not too far removed from Silver, but still much better. Not as dry and dusty as Silver and a fair bit sweeter, but still way less sweet than most new designer scents these days. Just a classy creation. Stays close to the skin but lasts all day for me. I just keep sniffing to suck this one in. Great stuff.

Many people claim to experience a celery-note in Caron's Yatagan, well Dia has a very clear one in the opening. A little weird & the cardamom further accentuates the foodlike first impression. This quickly fades though, leaving way for a soft, woody aura with a strong incense character. The drydown has a pleasant masculine sweetness to it but I think the price is hardly worth what you get. A decent juice at a perverse cost.

More so than even Gold, this is the one fragrance that makes me feel like a king. Gold is nice too, but this one is really bang on what I want in a fragrance.

Sweet. Warm and radiant like a perfect sunny day at the beach. Probably my favorite scent so far.

i dont know if my nose has something wrong in itself but i cant find anything interesting in this frag except the bottle and i dont know if i wish to spend my money just for a bottle ,i gave ita second chance but i still dont like it at all

I readily agree with vialman,Dia is top shelf.It is an oriental that is second to none.I think it exudes class.There is a hint of Ylang Ylang and subtle powder notes to this fragrance which I find superb.Very well crafted scent.I can't wait to try the other Amouage creations as this is the only one I have hitherto tried.It is now in my top 5.

I was a little disappointed when I tried Amouage Dia for the first time; compared to the extreme intense smell of the Gold edition it seemed quite, well 'harmless' to me. But first of all it develops in a most exciting way, leaving an even more detectable compositions of fragrances after a long while, and compared to Amouage Gold, that for a men's perfume really shoots a little over the mark it has a really lovable subtility with a tendency to the amber spectre.

One of the most beautiful men's fragrance creations IMHO. The combination of top quality frankincense, floral, woods and amber creates the most exotic scent I've ever worn! It's gone straight to the top of my favorites list. Worth every penny!

A really lovely, subtle scent on a foundation of smooth, subdued citrus. Of the four men's scents by Amouage that I have sampled - Gold, Dia, Ciel and Silver Cologne - Dia strikes me as the jewel in their crown. (You can obtain inexpensive sample sets of these hugely expensive perfumes from www.chantalflorist.co.uk).

Dia is to "die for"! It is Amouage's greatest creation for Men! Rich and deep, but smooth. Longlasting and sophisticated! The blend of uncommon notes makes this Top Shelf fragrance worth every penny.