Aomassai 10
by Parfumerie Generale

I've tried many times to enjoy this more, but it's very much a neutral for me. It starts out like canned cake icing, has some middle notes that almost hint at some woody depth, but that soon vanishes and it leaves you with a cotton candy base that lasts an incredible amount of time. Even just a dab on the hand will be detectable 13 hours later.

Opens with a sweet caramel and spice over a woody background, like resin. I get a distinct butterscotch accord. This is a gourmand fragrance that doesn't become too heavy- handed with the candy. It even has a bit of a leather charactersitic. Interesting.

Many of PG's line have gourmand notes, so it's not surprising that a full gourmand would be so rich and full. Caramel and licorice are the primary notes, but as with Yohji Homme, there is a distinct roasted quality to the entire fragrance that keeps it from becoming sweet and cloying. Take Yojhi Homme, roast it for another couple hours to take out the sweetness, and you'd be close to this.

There are definitely some background notes of wood and incense that give body and depth to the Aomassai, but in a discrete way that never interferes with the gourmand-ness of the entire fragrance. The incense becomes somewhat more noticeable in the base, at which point the composition in general becomes slightly musky. Serge Lutens' Un Bois Vanille is a similar fragrance in that it recreates an aromatic atmosphere (of say, a coffee shop or a bakery), but for some reason Aomassai is less sweet and more wearable. Perhaps this is because Aomassai does not rely on vanilla or coffee notes, as most gourmands do.

I'm perplexed at the reviewer that experienced poor longevity. I literally dabbed the back of my hand with the sample vial - not even one spray - and I could smell it for hours and hours. Two sprays would be more than enough for a morning-til-bed application for me.

If you like the PG line you have to try to this - but avoid at all costs if you don't like gourmands.

Published notes: caramel, toasted hazelnuts, licorice, bitter orange, spices, wenge wood, vetiver, balsam wood, incense, dried grasses, resins (per Luckyscent.com)

absolutely lovely, thought not for everyone. suitable for colder months (i've already worn it during summer and it's fine, but the colder months and wool scarves and pullovers let the scent stand out more). imagine gourmand caramel paired with burning leaves and maybe a hint of dark bitter chocolate and woods.

This one reminds me of Ava Luxe's Crème Brûlée but is more complex and better composed, with a perfectly balanced sweetness. It's also more superior (and more grown-up) than the other gourmands of this category (Lolita Empicka, A*Men, Rochas Man, etc.). However, while I love the composition of this over Serge Lutens’ Douce Amère, its lasting power is disappointing, to say the least.

Personally, this should have been released in EDP concentration. I'm very much hoping that Aomassai will, one day, be made part of the private collection (which consists only of EDPs) - a fate that was granted to Querelle.

A favorite gourmand. I get quite a bit of licorice, but for some reason it's not bothersome to me, though I usually dislike licorice accord. Probably because it's expertly blended with nuts, vanilla, a hint of caramel, and a deep dark chocolate that comes on slowly in the fragrance's prograssion. Despite the above it is NOT sweet, so you gooey sticky sweet dessert gourmand lovers might not like it. I'm finding out that I love most gourmands, sweet and not. Extra points for creativity-for coming up with such an interesting & grownup gourmand. I understand the Angel analogy brought up by LisaWood, and I can see aspects of Aomassai where that rings true, but to me it's much better, without the skank/b.o. accord that makes Angel unwearable on my skin. A wishlist item.