New London Amouage Store

Well, today, I decided to pop in there and have a look after work. I was pleasantly surprised at the whole set-up - lots of pastels, light and green/grey hues that combined modernity with subtle hints traditional Arabic interior design. Baskets of dried fruits and flowers adorned most of the dark wooden cabinets and glass surfaces, complimenting the Amouage bottles that were littered around the two-room (but open-plan) store.

I spent most of my time talking to a nice SA by the name of Simon. We actually met before, several months ago, when he was working in the perfume section of Fortnum & Mason. He's a very down-to-earth person with loads of passion and enthusiasm. His customer service was impeccable, to say the least.

Firstly, I tried the three Opus EDPs but I can't say much about them as it's been a very hot and muggy day. However, I was able to snag a sample of each of them and will test them over the next few days.

The store also stocks all the attar oils and, after having difficulty opening nearly all of them, I was informed to be the first ever customer to open and try most of the attars in their store! Out of the bunch, Oud Al Khalood, Al Shamock and Asrar grabbed my attention the most. However, with so little vacant space left on my arms, I think I'll have to return at some point to investigate them, and the others, further.

Oh, here's some exclusive news: Amouage will be releasing a new fragrance, in their regular line, sometime towards the end of this year (Oct/Nov). Once again, there'll be a male and female equivalent available. The name of the new perfume will be 'Memoir' and the bottles will be like the previous releases but in black. Inspired by Swan Lake, the notes are still top secret...

Well, based on my fleeting first impressions, Opus II may be my least favourite. It's also the softest of the three.

Btw, the free gift with every purchase over £50.00 will be a 30ml bottle of Gold (Man or Woman) housed in an attar bottle (a la Tribute).

Based on the hot weather we're currently experiencing in London, the conditions for testing these new releases haven't been ideal. However, here are some snippets of opinions that I've formed from wearing them:

Opus I

This one is currently my favourite of the three. It's performance on the skin is extremely deceptive but in a very good way. The top notes start out rather sharp and almost chaotic before settling down. After an hour, it smells too demure to be tenacious and long-lasting but it actually is (I got at least 12 hours from a couple of sprays).

Funnily enough, although billed as a Chypre, it's probably closer to a typical floral oriental than Opus III. In addition, I felt that Opus I smelt like a richer and complex / deluxe version of Lyric Woman, when I first tested it in the store. After re-reading information about these two creations, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that they were both created by the same perfumer (Daniel Maurel). So, for those who feel that Lyric Woman is the best Amouage offering (like I once did) you'll probably love this one.


Opus II

This was the most underwhelming for me. It came across as the most masculine of the bunch but it also had the weakest sillage and longevity (3-6 hours but, for now, take this with a pinch of salt). If you love peppery and/or absinthe notes, this one may be for you.


Opus III

This is my second favourite, with sillage and longevity almost on par with Opus I (at least 9 hours). However, I have to stress one thing about Opus III: if you don't like violets, forget it! The violet note is very dominant for much of the duration, so much that it eventually outstayed its welcome. It's not that I dislike the smell of violets (quite the opposite) but, for quite a while, all I could smell was a rather linear and dominant violet note.

Once the violet completely dissipates, the fragrance has nearly reached the end of its journey with only a faint musk and woody drydown remaining, along with slight traces of ambrette and incense.

Hirch, I'm afraid my experience of violet notes are not the best but it's slightly sweet and candied (but not too much) and almost devoid of green or earthy facets. Sounds like parma-violet but I can't be sure.

Well, earlier today, it was officially confirmed that I am the first person in the world to have purchased a bottle from The Library Collection (it's on sale, in London, a few days earlier than the rest of the world). Wow!

And my purchase? Opus I

It will most certainly be inspired by this, so I've been told...

I just want to stress that Opus I and Lyric Woman are both distinctive enough to own in the same wardrobe. However, the more I smell Opus I the more it appears to have taken elements from both Lyric Woman and Ubar (reformulated), but is richer, juicier and more unisex. As much as I admired Lyric Woman, subsequent wearings revealed a certain hollowness to the spicy, milky rose composition (also, its longevity could have been a lot better). With Opus I, I'm not getting that at all - it smells more three-dimensional, substantial and complete.

LOL! Well, Pre-Jubilation, I haven't had that much exposure. However, for what Amouage is charging, you'd expect better longevity and that's always been my problem with this house... until now. I can't speak for the men's releases but their female counterparts have always had pretty decent longevity on me (at least six hours). Now, that's great for a standard niche release but not in relation to Amouage's price tag (especially when coupled with sillage).

This time round, I think Opus I and III are definitely worth the money, in all departments. However, Opus I wins, hands down, in the sillage department - it's substantial but not overwhelming or cloying.

SculptureOfSoul, I have to be honest here - I really didn't give Opus II much of a chance, to be honest. It was the only one of the three that smelt uninspired and generic. Besides, last weekend was quite hectic for me. However, there was definitely cinnamon in there and its overall composition smelt almost like a softer version of Serge Noire. As for Reflection Man, I've never smelt this one so I can't really say.

Just tested Reflection Man and I, personally, find them very different.

Reflection Man has an appealing sandalwood drydown but it ultimately smells like expensive 'alpine fresh' laundry detergent with a hint of sandalwood. Opus III, on the other hand, is primarily about violets with a fuller and richer olfactory delivery - this is no fresh scent! In addition, the sandalwood isn't as prominent in Opus III as it is in Reflection Man.

Reflection Man smells like a high quality designer scent, while Opus III smells undoubtedly niche...

I think you're right there - there is something about the drydown that's intriguing, and it certainly does have the potential to reveal other facets that are 'overwhelmed' by the chemical freshness. Compared to other fresh / aquatic scents, this is one of the better creations by far - it's just a pity it didn't rise further above this olfactory classification.

As for longevity, it's pretty good on me (at least 8 hours) but its sillage dies down considerably after the first 2-3 hours. However, there is something sensual about the sandalwood drydown that redeems the overall composition. Personally, I can't see myself owning a bottle but most certainly a decant (just to get better acquainted with it). It's definitely worth a 'neutral' rating, though.