Reviews of Jubilation XXV (2007)
by Amouage

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Jubilation screams if you’re listening. The synthetic woody-amber blows out of the bottle like a newly released prisoner with a hundred dollars in his pocket. It’s a rich woody oriental that makes great use of spices, plump fruit and incense. It reminds me of a few I’ve smelled before, but comparisons are unnecessary because Jubilation XXV is significantly better than most all of them. It’s made of extremely high quality raw materials operating on a solid and sizeable structure, but there are times when the woody-amber feels like it could turn into something burdensome. Fortunately it stays under control, rather than skyrocketing like so many woody-amber prominent fragrances do, Heritage (Guerlain) is a good example. As good as Jubilation XXV is, it still occasionally feels like it’s blowing a storm whistle in my ear in order to get my attention, and that’s been the case with almost every masculine fragrance from this house. Most of them feel glaring in their attempt to be fashionable, and often times they just feel entirely ridiculous. There’s no doubt that the orientalist Duchaufour was the man for the job, and I think if the final product would have been up to him it would have been a little less gussied up. But this is a superb effort, and there are few masculine orientals that match up.

Like all of them, you might need to give it time to fully perceive it, but in this case the amount of time probably won’t be more than a few weeks to a couple of months. I still find the woody-amber noticeable, but it’s of little concern because the fragrance is so good otherwise. It‘s intoxicating and it just smells great, it’s easy to wear, and it has very few faults. It’s a paragon of blending, and I can’t think of a spicy-oriental that I’d recommend instead of it.

A previous review mentioned that Jubilation XXV is "understated". Perhaps that's correct if you're looking for a variation of Chergui or some other nuclear type thing, but otherwise it's highly inaccurate. In Jubilation XXV, the composition is substantial, and it just stretches, sings, and excels in all areas. There are many things I like about it, but one of the most striking things about it is that much of the sweetness and depth comes from a rich-warm-sultry-and balsamic labdanum and opopanax, and there is no benzoin or vanilla to be found. That in itself is a miracle. This stuff is as cool as the other side of your pillow, and if you're talking about a luxurious spicy-woody oriental, it's damn near perfect.

JUBILATION XXV pops open with a fizz, much like uncorking a bottle of fine wine. If that carbonated whiff is the work of Iso E Super then I'm thankful it doesn't stick around - it smells too synthetic. The rummy yet dry opening swiftly recedes to herald the arrival of a sumptuous if not opulent blend of dried fruit and spices amidst smoky incense and resinuous woods. But wait - haven't I smelled this before? You bet. By Kilian's Straight To Heaven is another similar take on the celebratory toast and was released in that same year. Coincidence? Perhaps. But I figured Bertrand Duchaufour and Sidonie Lancesseur probably met and gave each other a toast in celebration of their next creation. Salut!

Natural-smelling and dusty spices? Check.
Oud? Check.
High quality dried fruits, dates and plum? Check.
Super expensive silver frankincense? Check.
Ambery, fizzy, synthetic cedar accord that costs 5 cents a litre (ie. Iso E Super)? Check. Wait... WHAT?

I can hear Amouage's creative director and Duchaufour discussing it now: "Ok, so refresh me on why we're putting Iso E Super in here? Ohhhh right, 'cause otherwise this would have been one of the world's best fragrances and we can't have that now can we?"

What a shame... I swear to God, this fragrance could have been my holy grail. Could have been the best thing I've ever sniffed.... could have should have would have... but they had to go and mix the best ingredients in the world with one of the cheapest, most chemical smelling ingredients in the world, Iso E Super. Thanks Amouage - for taking my dreams, blowing them up and then shooting them down.

8.5/10 (But could have been a 10/10 without the Iso E Super)

P.S. I'd like to give this a thumbs down just out of spite, but Jubilation XXV is still a very special fragrance that I manage to enjoy, so I absolutely have to give it a thumbs up after all. The rest of the ingredients definitely make up for that synthetic cedar accord - it's just that they shouldn't have to...!

One of the best scents i have ever worn. opens with a bitter, light brown textured coffee note with lots of dust and hints of plum/date like fruity accord and cinnamon/clove like spices. the feel is pretty refined and dynamic. under this lush accord lies a lush mid notes of patchouli, rose and fruits...under this serene accord frankincense and other accords of incense provides a certain coolness...like midnight in desert... as claimed by Amouage, it indeed is one of the best accord of frankincense one would ever experience. Top notch scent worth all the accolades and the price.

This is one of those scents: the kind that I often get stuck with because it seems so impressive at first sniff. It is so impressive – unique, rich, refined – resinous woods and incenses that cause pain because they were so beautiful – I lusted for it, and I almost dumped $290 at that first sniff. Fully ensconced in that mindset, I decide to write a review describing its greatness instead of buying immediately. I wished to show the world how excellent Amouage Jubilation XXV is. And that desire was its undoing… you see, to write a review I have to put aside my mindset and begin using my actual brain. At my second wearing I noticed the fruit / signature note and felt the first tinge of disappointment – I react to it the same way I react to the house note of Ormande Jayne: I don’t dislike it but it just doesn’t push any buttons for me. My third wearing I noticed the signature fruit note and noticed the signature fruit note, and continued and continued to notice the signature fruit note. Why, I wondered, am I noticing this signature note when what I really want is to notice the frankincense, labdanum, and gaicwood notes all those resinous treasures supposedly inhabiting the fragrance? The answer, of course, is – those luxurious, resinous diamonds and sapphires fade quickly while the signature fruit notes rise to prominence, and the fruitiness is hell bent to dominate the total olfactory real estate regardless for my desire for those richer, rarer, soul fulfilling resinous jewels.,, I tried Vibert’s suggestion of applying a heavy dose of liquid, but it had the opposite effect on my skin. The fragrance became softer and lost sillage, while creating an oil slick on my skin. …I’ve never noticed the drydown (if there is one) because after six or seven testings of two or three hours of smelling a not very interesting dried fruit note, I’ve completely lost interest, and I mean that I feel indifferent to anything connected to this fragrance. Thank you, Amouage, for making yet another one-third of a thousand dollar fragrance that I have little interest in buying…

All that being said, Jubilation XXV is a very good fragrance – the only Amouage that I might consider buying besides the discontinued Silver Crystal. JXXV is of undoubtedly high quality ingredients. The artistry of the blendings is superior. It is highly wearable and it is much more adaptable than previous Amouages: Jubilation XXV will work with jeans or tuxedos or anything in between. The quality is there... the passion isn't.

So, I took on board Vibert’s advice, about spraying liberally, and spritzed my arm at least a dozen times but Jubilation XXV hardly produced much sillage. Its longevity was admirable and most of the notes were detectable but I was still left underwhelmed. In addition, it occasionally reminded of something that I tested months ago but can no longer recall what it was.

Jubilation XXV is great for fans of Richard James EDT or any of the men’s offerings by Creed, Ormonde Jayne and Divine but, for me, it was too understated and unoriginal to pay almost £150 for a 100ml bottle. I have no reservations about the quality of the composition but, for the high price tag, I want to be blown away – literally...

[Original submission date: 05 July 2008]

Her angelic voice cut through the already beautiful darkness and took over my senses.

I don't find the sillage lacking, as many other reviewers here do. For me, it's a cool-weather fragrance: warm and rich and spicy.
Cons: - the high price
-the fact that, to my nose, it smells strongly of cloves.
Pros: - the sensual, exotic nature
- smells fabulous on a woman as well as on a man
- just a few sniffs will tell you that it's beautifully-made and expensive

I've tried this several times and just love the scent!
I can't pick out all the elements but it moves from top to base beautifully.
It has a wonderful Oud note which is what really pulls me in.

I like to keep it away from my nose, e.g. I apply to my wrist the very edge of my face, that way my nose doesn't get exhausted and instead I get to detect whafts of it every so often.

As much as I love this it has received mixed reception from mates.
One friend loved it on me. Another said politely that it perhaps "didn't suit me"; probably due to the oud which he isn't a fan of.

Anyway, I highly recommend you sample this fantastic scent. It is perhaps the best in the Amouage range along with Homage.

I love this - It's one of my favorites of the genre. While it could stand to be stronger, I have plenty of other scents that are stronger in the same variety and it's really nice to have something that can fit into the category of smelling wonderful but not playing first chair. I've gotten really wonderful comments about this as well as it seems to create an aura of multi-faceted scent, rather than immediately tipping people off of "oh, it's just that guy's perfume." It's blended really wonderfully and is incredibly inviting.
This is currently the only thing I have multiple bottles of.

I've tried this several times and don't remember a damn thing about it except my recurring thought of, "a basic incense fragrance costs HOW much?"

This is a frankincense foundationed fragrance for men who are unafraid to wear florals. I think that it's the sweetest Duchaufour that I have smelled so far and, after about a month getting to know it, I can appreciate the sweetness. I found my appeal for Jubilation XXV like a courtship, that develops understanding and appreciation over time.

On initial application, there is a sharp presentation of incense blended with coriander, cumin, cinnamon, mace, and a touch of oud (not quite enough for my taste.) I do like the way that the fragrance develops over time, becoming darker and more mysterious, but also much warmer. This is when the floral aspect deepens and it is a welcome addition, not clashing in any way. I smell orris and even a little violet. By the time it has completely dried down, it's practically crackling dry, a sort of incense-leather-musky combination, still maintaining the floral sweetening.

On my skin, a healthy spraying of Jubilation XXV lasts all day or all night, fading gradually and beautifully.

Thank you, Amouage, for returning to the classics again. I considered Ciel, Cirrus, Arcus and Reflection for Men and Women to be uninteresting and conventional.

The question is: why put the costliest natural frankincense in a perfume if you are goingt to bludgeon it with a standardized accord of (in my opinion unbearably tacky) fruity-floral synthetics and Iso-E-Super (if you're interested in an amplified version of that, just try Paestum Rose by Eau d'Italie, also by Bertrand Duchaufour). The other question is: why pay €210 Euros for 50ml of an experimental afterthought to a much better fragrance, where Duchaufour had already achieved the perfect balance of his favorite components (L'Artisan's Timbuktu) ?

I disagree that this scent has too much going on. No matter how much is listed, if it all goes together, and adds to the collective blend, without dissonance, I say yes. The result of so many distinct smells being proportioned as they are here, is a very pleasing one. No note sticks out, but many notes are individually percetible. None of the fruits/herbs/aromatics are mixed too heavily, they all sit behind the incense, spices, and woods. THe initial and middle stages are worth the price, but the base, not quite. SO, going back to my original point, a little MORE opulence at the base would have made this bottle worthy for me, which is difficult to do at this price with few, if any, online discounters. Overall though, wonderful scent. Amouage's best release to date.

I love this scent even though I have only tried the samples from luckyscent. I hate when I start hearing comments from people saying the store bottle seemd to be not as strong or possibly misnamed. At this price I would love clarity.

A good incense fragrance with thick layers twinged with spices and fruits. There's a nearly creamy texture to XXV. Unfortunately it's just too much and is an example of the phenomena where too many notes creates an overload that just isn't successful. I can recognize why people would like this but I don't like the aroma it creates when wearing it, and I personally wouldn't feel comfortable wearing it anywhere.

I'm glad I only had to spend $50 for a 30ml bottle because the normal price is $240+ for 50ml. At that price this fragrance fails compared to other fragrances in that price range. Now that the travel bottles are sold out, there's no reason to drop the cash for a retail priced bottle. I'd prefer to drop that money on Amouage's Lyric Men, which is as smooth as silk and very unique.

Speaking of unique, Duchoufor's own L'Artisan AdV is better and a touch cheaper, and Timbuktu even more so. It's pretty rare that I trade off a bottle like this instead of keeping it for posterity or to give away samples, but I already found a home for mine and don't think I'll miss it. This fragrance is a case study in what happens when a high-end fragrance becomes very affordable, because all of a sudden it's so many people's favorite fragrance. The truth of the matter is it's the only good niche fragrance they own.

Tried it a couple of times & used a reasonable amount. Problem? Couldn't get it to last more than a very few minutes.

Scent is OK (for an incense-based frag) but nothing great and at the price is going for...sorry, thumbs down.

utterly mediocre fruit and woods fragrance...forgettable in nearly every way.

The incense is so well balanced that it never takes over or fades. It is just a perfect blend. My number 1 for special occasions, such as travels, Opera nights and other concerts. It has "Adventurous, Elegant, mysterious, sophisticated, youthful...but above all Man" written all over.
Dreamy!
The honey note could be too strong for some buy in my skin it is just precious.

It has Duchaufour written all over it : That signarture insence accord with fruity accent that is so dark and solar at the same time. Also, very BD-like is the structure in powerwise : It stays very close to skin with only average longevity to it.

Quite nice and composed by the great talent, but afterall, the value for the money here is just a sad joke.
With the pyramid like that, this should have been much more interesting with greater impact. Way too quiet and conservative for my tastes.

If I want an interesting Amouage experience, I find my sample of Gold Men....

Once you try this you will not be able to go back to any other scent or house. When I put this beautiful fragrance on, I feel luxurious and confident. The longevity and silage are perfection. It is sweet, yet spicy and sharp, almost edgy. You really can feel the difference when you wear XXV as it is more refined than most, more cunning in its approach to drawing one into its notes. It is almost seductive, and, in fact, it will seduce you too.

Amouage is like caviar, it takes time to learn to taste it, to understand its value, to appreciate it and to feel its inner beauty. After years of being a loyal fan of Chanel Antaeus, it took me almost 2 years of trying and sampling Amouage. Finally I could feel the difference. There is no way back. All other fragrances can be, or are good, but Amouage is much more than just a good fragrance. Amouage is a classy part of who you can be and what you can feel. You must understand the melody first before you can dare to ask for a dance. I wear now Jubilation, Gold and Silver and my wallet is also much lighter since…

This one's a winner. I wasn't crazy about Dzongkha or even the fabled Timbuktu, but this fragrance has all the right moves. The blending is remarkably smooth, without any of the oddball notes that tend to dominate many of Duchaufour's other incense compositions. A slightly sweet floral incense that softly, yet confidently, announces its royal lineage.

I applied this today and for a long time couldn't stop thinking to myself how good I smelled, even without having to smell my wrist. That's pretty good sillage, if you ask me. Too bad it costs a fortune.

A truly wonderful incense fragrance. It is lively and fun - not dark or smoke incense but bright temple incense with lively florals mixed with the smoke. I am tempted to imagine that Jubilation XXV was a blending of the light spiritual qualities of Bertrand Duchaufour's CdG Kyoto and the floral tartness of his Timbuktu fragrances. But, I tried a blend of the two and no, JXXV has its own character for sure - more complex. When applied strongly the opening has a slightly erotic feel to it but this quickly leaves as a smokey wood, spcie and floral incense arises from the annointment. Complex but delightful. Another success story in a long series of great incense fragrances by Mr. Duchaufour. My only warning is it is quite light in its presentation. It's lack of strength is a mystery considering that most other incenses from this same perfumer are much longe lasting. But that said, highly recomended for quality of ingredients and development of notes.

Jubilation XXV was a fragrance that I really wanted to try but that didn't impress me when I first tested it. When my sample arrived late one afternoon a couple of weeks ago, I immediately dabbed on some of the juice. I could only stand to have it on for 10 minutes, as all I could smell was a strong musty odor that overpowered everything, which was nothing lat all like the sweet scent I got as I opened the vial.

Not wanting to give up on this I decided to give it another wearing yesterday, this time with much better results. The opening was much cleaner, a bright incense type note that soon developed into a spicy, rich (in both senses of the word), very appealing exotic heartnote. The drydown was equally appealling; notes of leather and musk combined with what I could best describe as a "marine-y" undernote (ambergris?). 9 hours after first application I could still catch whiffs every now and then in the breeze.

I am glad that I gave this perfume a second chance.

This is simply one of the best scents I have encountered after Creed. It is so fresh, you can 'taste' the smell for hours and hours. I highly recommend Jubilation - The only issue I have is the price, it is quite expensive. A marketing suggestion - lower the price and see your sales going up!

Thumbs up all the way!!!

A sweet woody scent which stays pretty much the same from start to finish. I prefer the younger Reflection scent than this one. This smells a bit like a cigar box.

Wow, Vibert hits it right on the head:

"Liberal application improves Jubilation's longevity as well. The luxurious drydown persists for hours and hours and is without question this fragrance's best feature. Oudh, myrrh, and opopanax engage in a complex dance upon a stage of leather. The medicinal astrigency of oudh and myrrh offer a perfect balance to the sweet opopanax."

I've spent a lot of time with Amouage's new Jubilation XXV. Why? Partially because others have been so divided by it (indifference to adulation), partially because it's one of those complex yet understated fragrances that I need to spend a lot of time with, and mostly because everything I've tested lately has been utter tripe. Jubilation XXV may not be earth-shattering, but at least it's not utter tripe. So...

Though it's not concise, I'm going to recount my evolving thoughts on Jubilation XXV. I started with my usual sparing application on the back of one hand:

First off, Jubilation obviously comes from Bertrand Duchaufour, the same nose that gave us Timbuktu and Dzongkha, and it seems to be another stage in Duchaufour's exploration of incense. Jubilation starts out as a spicy incense blend, including frankinsence and myrrh along with cinnamon, coriander seed, cloves and maybe even a slight touch of oudh. At first it reminds me of Dzongkha, but it starts out sweeter and less smoky. Floral elements are clearly present, but they are closely blended and hence difficult to distinguish and identify.

Jubilation grows smokier as it develops, and soon reveals a very dry leather note. At this stage Jubilation aligns itself somewhat with Durbano's Black Tourmaline, though it's much less smoky and obviously more floral. It dries down to a base of leather and incense with a healthy dose of iris root that again brings Dzongkha to mind. If you enjoy Dzongkha or Black Tourmaline but want something just a bit more easy to wear, I expect you will like Jubilation XXV.

My second round with Jubilation involved side-by-side comparisons between Jubilation XXV and a couple of other well-regarded incense fragrances by Duchaufour, plus a full day's wear on my neck, chest and arms. This exercise grew into a meditation on the entire Amouage line:

When Amouage first emerged oh those 25 years ago, it was noted for (OK, notorious for) outrageous pricing, rare, high quality ingredients, engaging noteworthy noses, and ridiculous snob-appeal advertising. The fragrance market has since changed, and so has Amouage. Thanks to the current craze for "prestige" designer scent lines, you can now pay as much for scents from Comme des Garcons, Armani, Hermes, or Christian Dior as for Amouage Gold or Dia. Meanwhile Amouage moved (stooped?) to chase a younger, hipper market with "clean, fresh" scents like Arcus and Cirrus. These were less individual than the earlier offerings, and even eschewed or downplayed Amouage's signature frankincense note.

Last year's Reflection duo were a positive development. They were composed by outstanding noses (Roucel, Sieuzac), showed much more originality than Arcus or Cirrus, and won some favor from bloggers and critics. (Pace Luca Turin.) Now, hot on their heels come the two Jubilation offernigs, the first since a new artistic head announced a major change in direction for the house.

So how does the male scent, Jubilation XXV, relate to the rest of the Amouage line? For starters, the frankincense is back. With a vengeance! Like the early Amouage releases, Dia, Gold, and Ciel, Jubilation also has a kind of blatantly floral heart that is uncommon among men's perfumes.

Jubilation bears little resmblance to Gold, whose abundant aldehydes, sweet heady white flowers and civet speak to me of potpourri in a litterbox. It is also a much thicker, darker, and woodier fragrance than the bouyant and well-named Ciel. Jubilation XXV is a more closely related to Dia for Men than of any otehr Amouage offerings. Yes, Jubilation is thicker, sweeter, and more opulent than Dia, but their frankincense/floral/leather accords run parallel, if distinct courses. With Reflection, Arcus, and Cirrus, Jubilation has nothing in common.

If Jubilation marks a change for Amouage, it's more of a course correction than an outing in a novel direction. Maybe this is what disappointed those critics who expected something radically new from Jubilation. The more positive responses may reflect Jubilation's depth, its exceptional blending, and its high quality ingredients. I find it no coincidence that Amouage discontinued Arcus and Cirrus when the Jubilation siblings appeared. Jubilation XXV and Jubilation 25 make both of them look like anomalies in the house history. What of Jubilation XXV itself? I started out ambivalent. If Jubilation was going to win me over, it would do so gradually.

Like it or not, Amouage's first scent, Gold, was a blockbuster release - potent, in-your-face, and unapologetically flamboyant. (Think Kouros, Kingdom, or Angel.) It was too limited in distribution and too expensive to turn the tide of perfumery, but you new whether you liked it within minutes of putting it on. It's no surprise that coming from Bertrand Duchaufour, Jubilation XXV is a very different kind of animal. It is understated, though complex, and eminently wearable. It somehow manages to have persistent sillage with very moderate projection. It works like an olfactory shadow that follows you at a distance.

In an attempt to break my ammbivalence, I finally took a deep breath and poured what remained of my expensive sample down my right arm, where it left a persistent oily stain. (High concentration?) Applied generously, Jubilation XXV becomes an entirely different fragrance. First off, it reveals previously hidden top notes. Fruity top notes - especially blackberry - over the heavier cinnamon, cloves, and incense. There's also patchouli. Lots of patchouli, which was very inconspicuous in lighter applications. The listed bay is also much more present in the heart, along with the floral notes, spices, and a very well-blended honey/patchouli/frankincense accord. With generous application the ambergris in Jubilation XXV packs a lot more punch, and lends the fragrance a warm, sensuous, yet slightly "dangerous" animalic glow. When applied without timidity, Jubilation XXV reveals itself as an impressively rich, deep composition.

Liberal application improves Jubilation's longevity as well. The luxurious drydown persists for hours and hours and is without question this fragrance's best feature. Oudh, myrrh, and opopanax engage in a complex dance upon a stage of leather. The medicinal astrigency of oudh and myrrh offer a perfect balance to the sweet opopanax.

Jubilation is by far the darkest men's scent in the current Amouage lineup. It's also heavier and sweeter than any Duchaufour scent I can recall, except perhaps Mechant Loup, to which Jubilation bears no other resemblance. In fact, Jubilation's closest kin are not Duchaufour's earlier incense compositions, but Amouage's own drier and more slender Dia, along with certain woody, incense fragrances like Divine's L'Homme Sage (minus the saffron) or even Andy Tauer's L'Air du Desert Marocain. While it's no Patou pour Homme, I do not blush to compare Jubilation XXV to New York, Havana, Chergui, or Fumerie Turque in its of depth and complex structure. In one respect Jubilation XXV can indeed stand up to Patou pour Homme, and that's in its superb blending. With its velvet smooth accords and seamless evolution Jubilation XXV might just become a locus classicus in modern fragrance blending.

Jubilation XXV is not a revolutionary fragrance or a blockbuster release. But provided that you wear enough of it, it is an easily wearable and distinctive scent of obvious high quality. Along with the recent Reflection, I believe Jubilation XXV represents a return to form for Amouage after a string of less-than-distinguished releases. Jubilation XXV is one of those scents like Santal Noble, Iris Bleu Gris, Cuir Mauresque, and Muscs Koublai Khan, that have crept up on me slowly after making an indifferent first impression. Appreciating Jubilation XXV requires more than cursory acquaintance, along with expectations untainted by the hoopla of its advertising copy.

Now that the rest of the fragrance world (for better or for worse,) has caught up with its pricing, the house of Amouage may become more relevant than it once was. One can now spend Amouage prices, if not more, on a fragrance and get far less in return. If Amouage maintains its commitment to top-flight ingredients and continues to engage noses as accomplished as Bertrand Duchaufour, it may become a house to watch over the next decade.