Reviews of Aomassai 10
by Parfumerie Generale

Opening accord is sour and watery..Like maybe damp rotten wood...it takes some time to settle to the lovely smell of hazelnuts..here im reminded of the seminal release by L'Artisan Parfumer, Mechant Loup. from here on, it pretty much smells like roasted shells with touch of spices.. after an hour or so, this scent evokes touch of sweetness and smokiness..so what was devoid of any sweetness suddenly reveals sweeter accords...i find this this pretty interesting in PG scents. seems he enjoys doing development of scent in phases. the base is pretty soft and woody with hint of sweetness from resins. stays close to skin though. i'd prefer Mechant loup over it...sorry...

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, say, Serge Lutens’ Douce Amère, its lasting power is disappointing to say the least.

Personally, this should have been released as an EDP. 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.

[Original submission date: 11 July 2008]

Parfumerie Generale Aomassai

Notes: caramel, toasted hazelnuts, licorice, bitter orange, spices, wenge wood, vetiver, balsam wood, incense, dried grasses, resins (from luckyscent.com)

On first spray, Aomassi is incredibly sweet, the main note being burnt and caramelized sugar. Under this note is something more "fresh" and green smelling--I was not sure what this could be, so I sprayed the fragrance on a tissue for slower development. The green note smells very much like celery to me, both watery and herbal. I find the smell of celery to be rather off-putting, and its presence really takes a note I find difficult (burnt sugar) and turns it into a nauseating mess. Imagine the combination of carbon (smoky, gritty), sugar (sweet), caramel (balsamic) and celery (medicinal, aquatic). I am pretty sure this is a love-it-or-hate-it combination of notes, and unfortunately, it is one that I find almost intolerable. I am thankful that there is not anything *wrong* with this accord, i.e., I have no headache, runny nose, nor any hyperosmia. I simply do not like it. And it doesn't help that it turns my stomach.

The top accord wears off after about an hour to reveal a sweet vanillic, powdery and light floral middle and base. The drydown is lovely, although not anything ground breaking. The powder is nicely subdued and never becomes harsh or sharp. The vanilla is well done, slightly woody and leathery, and does not venture into cooking extract territory. There is a tiny bit of spice which is barely perceptible. I am sure the spice helps round out the fragrance, especially since the sweetness carries all through the development. The very late drydown is faint, and smells vaguely dry, woody, spicy and powdery. Longevity is low, around 3 hours, and sillage is light to moderate. Aomassi seems quite feminine, but with its smoky and green top notes, a man may enjoy it also.

Gag! Thick and syrupy chocolate and woods. While I like gourmand scents, does something need to be this intense? And as far as I know, it's an EdT! While I find the scent absolutely delicious, it is not bearable to wear.

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.

Aomassi by Parfumerie Generale starts like a beautiful dessert, with delicious caramel, nut and vanilla scents. If you like sweet foody scents you’ll love this. It then develops a tangy aspect from aromatic vetiver and a bit of wood, as well as a dried-grass smoky aspect. This is a complex scent, with the tangy and sweet elements alternating. Ultimately the sweet wins. The promised resins and woods are under-developed in my opinion. This is a lovely scent, I’d like to encounter it on a woman (or encounter a woman wearing it...). But it is of no interest to me to wear, it is not my style.

It's a strange one.....a bit like "Angel" only less face slapping....personally more for a woman than a man in my opinion. Smell of chocolate still there 4 hours later.