Amouage Memoir Man: Initial Impressions - Page 2

Notes from my sample purchased from Luckyscent:
Longevity: 4-6 hours
Complexity: Excellent, but beneath Epic Man
Enjoyability: Top Notch
Value: Medium to Excellent
Seasonality: Universal
Day or night: Both
Gender: Masculine but definitely acceptable on a lady
Similar in some ways to Kenzo Homme Woody, but is its far wealthier, more enjoyable brother.
Above or below Bois du Portugal: Above, but only by a nudge
Good enough to be used daily? Yes, definitely.
Buy? Yes, eventually.

I sprayed Dia Man on my left wrist and Memoir Man on the right. I still smell some resemblance. Memoir heads a little bright minty, green with the rather blatant basil. Dia's got this balmy rooty thing going on, no? Could it be the incense that evokes my associating those two? I do get resemblance, but I will not be surprised if it's far-fetched. Heck both smell divine!

Amouage drives me crazy.

Nice review and format! I want to try this one.

Scentologist,

I ordered a bottle for our home and hope to present a modified version of the above format based on the bottle rather than the sample. My sample of Reflection Man behaved differently than the bottle we purchased and it would not surprise to find Memoir Man is the same. It should be here in time for New Year's Eve.

I cannot wait and yes, it will be for Mrs. J. to borrow too.

Here are my revisions now that we have a bottle in house:

Notes from my 100ml bottle #11695:
Longevity: 8+ hours
Complexity: Excellent, but beneath Epic Man. Epic lasts forever 16+ hours easily and is ever evolving on my skin. Memoir Man seems to have 4 distinctly separate phases all of which are wonderful.
Enjoyability: Top Notch
Value: Excellent
Seasonality: Universal with a slight bias towards cooler weather. I'll have to check what it's like in August when we have our 95 degree-F days.
Day or night: Both with a bias towards day time. Although an excellent choice for evenings, there may be more appropriate fragrances in your wardrobe. That being said, the last 2-3 hours of Memoir Man are very gentle making it an excellent night time choice if lovemaking is part of the picture. Additionally, it is, in my opinion an excellent office scent should one's employer not have a no-fragrance policy like we do in health care. It is a superb choice for daytime use.
Gender: Masculine but definitely acceptable on a lady. The latter 2/3 of the dry down are very appropriate for the fairer sex. The entire course of M.M. is appropriate but the latter 2/3 is more so to my nose. And for the insecure gentlemen here, no, you'll not have the public challenge your gender stereotype if you wear it.

Similar in some ways to Kenzo Homme Woody, but is its far wealthier, more enjoyable brother.

Above or below Bois du Portugal: Above, but only by a nudge

Good enough to be used daily? Yes, definitely.

Buy? Yes.

Something surprising: This is what I would expect a Montana grain farmer or rancher to smell like in the evening after work or on Sunday. Many men up in that part of the country have a unique sense of dignity that defies common American logic.

All points subject to revision as we gain experience with the fragrance. Amouage have a winner.

I am starting to turn around on this one. I dabbed it onto my wrist, went to the gym and boy did it sing to me. I smells quite wonderfully, actually. I need to make sure this isn't a fluke. It is very masculine. the base is stunning.

It's no fluke. But that is just my opinion. A correct one, but still only my opinion. :-)

I find this scent to be the most wearable of the Amouage line, love the mint, absinthe top, the smoldering dirty cedar, dark heart, and the overdose of frankinsence on the drydown. AWESOME!!!

Memoir Man is my favorite Amouage. Ironic, as this fragrance perhaps feels less regal, less... uhhh... "Amouagey." (Admittedly, I have not yet tried the feminine versions of any of these, but I do own a few of their Attars and would go so far as to take these into consideration when making that statement.) While the incredible complexity of the Attars never fails to keep me mesmerized, I still return to Memoir Man when I'm looking to be enveloped in a scent that feels stunning from top to bottom. This is a liquid awakening.

I never tire of the opening - the coolest blast of rain-forest-chic and mint-tinged absinthe. This is the freshest, wettest, most invigorating top I have ever experienced. Logically, it's not for everyone, but this is the wormwood I saw mere shadows of in Fou d'Absinthe before finally giving up on that watery concoction. In disagreement with comments I have seen elsewhere - I would say that the top notes in Memoir Man are not short-lived. The frost on the trees might melt away, but the forest remains.

Perhaps what I most appreciate in Memoir is how the transition from top to base in not so much a temporal phenomenon as it is a matter of testing various depths of my own olfactory perception. [In other words, and as others have stated - this stuff delivers something new with each bit of sillage.] Several basenoters are frustrated with the latter phases. On me (rather, on my skin) those latter phases never fully isolate themselves. Yes, underneath the stunning GREEN accord lurks that endless darkness of incense, damp aromatic woods, and ash. But for me the resonating heat contributes to one beautiful balance, and 6-8 hours in, I'm merely drawn into these smoldering embers as if witnessing a battle - the heart of Memoir attempting to set fire to its own never-ending cool... unsuccessfully.

Gorgeous. Memoir man is incredible now in the cold of Prague. And I hope it to be a cool tranquilizer to sun-kissed skin under "Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars" in the Tropics. Love it. Mumify me in this stuff.

^^^^^
Nice.

We went for a 3 mile urban walk one cold, rainy PacNW day along Salmon Creek and a number of the homes in the area were burning various hardwoods in their fireplaces. The dampness of Memoir, the day, the opening of the fragrances, the various smokes in the air, the mist, the fog, the green forest we were in, and the complexities of Memoir made it one of the most intriguing fragrance experiences I've ever had. It was as though Amouage had done their product research right along the Salmon Creek Trail. Amazing. Absolutely amazing.

Wearing this for the first time today. My initial impressions echo much of what has been already said:
- stunning opening, would love to have that for hours but it fades into darkness after 20-30 minutes.
- A wet tobacco note comes to the forefront and I don't like it very much, smells a bit like the opening of Odori's Tabacco.
- The creamy sandalwood and maybe also some wormwood weave in and out and I quite like that.
- Something dark green and slightly bitter joins again, that is reminiscent of the opening. Tobacco is still there but well blended in the background. I love this stage and I'm impressed by the amount of progression there has been so far although it was a bit of up and down for me.
- Yes, there are very subtle hints of something smoky, that works quite well.
- At times it reminds me of L'Air Du Desert Marocain but with a more masculin twist, which is great. Maybe it's because it's kind of mossy, 80ies style.
- Longevity seems to be average, whish it would be stronger all around.
- Have to test this some more, not quite sure about this one yet.

Found this to be a bit nasty smelling on me when I tried this.

An amazing scent from the first sniff.

I wasn`t particular impressed.. Swaped my bottle..

I've sampled this several times.

It's on my hit list, let's put it that way.

But Jaisalmer by CDG comes first. I am addicted to that.

Wore the last of my teensy sample this afternoon. Wow this stuff is amazingly strong. Tremendous tenacity and sillage from 2 teensy sprays.

I can see how you guys are becoming enchanted with this, as well as how it could very easily overwhelm someone with its sheer force.

The sandalwood, which I couldn't perceive at all the 1st time I tested it, is VERY clearly swirling all around me now. It's not the particular sandalwood that's my favorite, but this one makes me think of sandalwood scented talcum powder...very barber-shopy.

I look forward to smelling more of this in the future, hopefully in cooler climates.

Just tried this one. I too like the opening. And I also find the base to be substandard. It's too blended and indistinct, except for the dry woody quality. I actually might prefer super-cheapo Ikon (if the opening is not taken into account). I certainly feel that I'd rather wear Cabaret, which is crisper and clearer, and again, really cheap. I'm wondering if there is a certain kind of customer they are targeting with this fragrance, because I don't see the appeal of it to the niche crowd or the general public, not that they would even consider paying the price for a bottle.

Nice surprise to see this thread pop again - it's exactly a year since I bought Memoir Man and Woman - I can't believe how time flies.

Home early and just blasted on a generous dose of Memoir Man - today it somehow feels like Autumn is getting closer. It's been interesting contemplating this thread and charting people's comments over the year.


I'd like to hazard a sort of a reply, or at least an observation, to the questions SOS and Bigsly pose - which kind of overlap for me and I think are food for thought in light of the seeming homogenisation of the industry ( you know, "let's all do rose/patch, okay now let's do an oud, right then, let's reinvent the fougere with a twist" etc.)

Firstly, regarding the 'Amouage-y ness' of it all. On the one hand, if you put the Attar line to one side, I wonder what this is exactly? Despite what a lot of people say I don't perceive this as a particularly Middle-Eastern or Arabian styled house. Ciel? A garrigue-ish aromatic fougere. Gold Man? An opulent masculine floral in the French tradition. Reflection? A smooth, sheer luxe masculine taken to the max. But XXV, you say? Well, yeh, incensey but really just Duchaufor doing his thing. And so on. The money is there in the ingredients, not least the frankincense and a few other goodies, so that's a clear thread running though them. The word opulent often comes up with Amouage, so perhaps Memoir Man (and Honour Man, for that matter) being a little introverted, come across as less 'Amouage-y' in that sense. I think maybe this is what Sculpture is alluding to?

Overall, though, what I see as a defining characteristic is a sense of no-hold barred exploration, and a creative evolution, made all the marked since Christopher Chong came on board.

I think the arc from Lyric - Epic - Memoir - Honour is incredibly interesting (and I would reference both the Man & Woman in this as I haven't seen any house so consistently and diligently labour over the 'pairings relationship' for a while). For a start, there's the conceptual side - the musical references, and more to the point the actual character references. I can understand some finding it all a bit artistic but grant Amouage the fact that they have stood behind a Creative Director who is asking the perfumers he is working with to interpret something far deeper than a geographical reference or "today's woman" or whatever. He is peering into his characters souls.

And then, along with all this plumbing the depths conceptual stuff there seems to be a completely out of whack with the zeitgeist approach to the actual scents. Quel horreur! I mean florid prose is one thing but how can I possibly wear this to work?

The Lyrics certainly don't mince words, especially Woman. Epic is weirdly compelling and solitary - Silk Road herbal / medicinal to me. Wormwood and mint on ashes for Memoir? Positively Heathcliffian in it's descent into darkness. And Honour is another odd one - beautiful creamy, fragrant peppercorns, florals and then a strange woods thing that I haven't had time to figure out yet?

None of this is exactly gonna wow the Sephora crowd. Which brings me to:


What a question! Who exactly is this stuff aimed at? You know what I think? Anyone who is interested. Simple as that. We seem to be on a run with the paired line from Amouage where exploration is happening . . . in public. (Malle seems to do this too, BTW, following his muse and/or nose). There's no commercial logic to it that's for sure. And there's no uber-cool edgy hip factor thing going on (Classical Opera and Ballet dancers!!!???).

It's that rarest of things IMHO, creativity. There is no 'market demographic'.

I see people here with a favourite or two or three who also throw their hands up in horror at some of the others in the line. I personally love a few, respect a few and have zero interest in a few. So be it. But I'm so glad to see Amouage trying to bring something different, unusual and unexpected, to the table at a time when so many perfume houses seem to be in limbo. I like artistes who take risks.

Tried today for the first time. Its well done, immaculate.

I usually favor fragrances like this which are designed and implemented with restraint. At no point of its development does it seem chemical, or unpleasant.

But it does leave me waiting for a punchline. I might have found it nicer if there was a more pronounced absinth, and less dryness. I find it a stretch to call this a woody fougere. Lavender and vanilla are listed, but I really can't detect them.

Memoir Man isn't the sort of fragrance I'm enjoying these days, so please take my opinion with a grain of salt.

My bottle arrived 2 days ago. Here`s my impressen after first wearing:

-Longevity: 8-10 hours.
-Sillage: Moderate
-Occasions: Day and night, but most formal, and when you want to make an impression or get noticed. Not for the most casual events.
-Attire: From urban/stylish-classic to formal suit and tie. Def. NOT t-shirt, caps and sneakers..
-Age: From 25 and upwards.
-Gender: Masculine. Not even unisex.
-Complexity: Great.
-Season: All seasons, except for the warmest temeratures of summer.
-Ranking in the Amouage line: Dia is still my crystal clear favorit from Amouage, but I think Memoir is a better scent than the new Honour. I will place it as my second favorit just above Ciel.
-Cheaper alternatives: Not completely similar, but Gucci Pour homme?
-My grade: 8.
Recommended: Definitively!

Memoir is one of my favourites. On my skin I get a pronounced spearmint vibe that has a delectable transparency about it. A very classy scent for a man and different from a lot of fragrances out there. This one will make an impression.

I tried a sample of Memoir Man recently and I must have had a skin chemistry issue with it because I got a great opening that had me ready to hit the "buy button," and then all of a sudden it turned super-sour to a hideous burnt tire rubber smell that just overpowered and permeated the rest of the scent for the duration (and not in a good way like Bulgari Black). I could not get it off me despite how hard I tried and it lasted and lasted... Oh well, still Dia and Jubilation XXV from the line so far out of the ones I have tried for me.

Further impresssions:

If this is a fougere, then I'm Madonna.

According to my neardenthal nose this opens interestingly but soon after becomes a dry sandalwood. I wish there was more green, instead of the dull charcoal. This had the potential to be a better Fou d'Absinthe...

Hello, I have been reading the boards for a long time. This is my second post and I wanted to use it to say that I also fell in love with Memoir Man last year... and also to revive this great thread. I wanted to use my first post to do this but accidentally posted to the wrong thread like a goofball on an iPhone!

Anyway, thanks to all here for your guidance through the years!

double post

Welcome, srellim1.

Coincidentally Memoir Man is my SOTD - still as good as it was when I first bought it, nice in the colder weather, actually.

I think that it was the beautiful description in the original post that made me have to revisit and ultimately buy a bottle. To my inexperienced nose there is nothing quite like it.

How does this compare to Wonderwood? Any one try both extensively?

Thanks for your great review

I find them quite different, hedonist.

Memoir Man has a real personality going for it - the shift from dark green absinthe into smouldering ashes is very Heathcliffian for me. I think it's a unique piece of work, artistic and quietly satisfying.

Wonderwood (which I don't own) is nice enough but when push comes to shove it seems to me to be a sort of Remix Compilation of a few of the CdGs - take a bit of Palisander, Hinoki, Sequoia etc. etc. and there you have it. Nothing wrong with it, but it doesn't bring a hell of a lot to the table that wasn't already there IMO.

Thanks mr.reasonable.

I can see how you find a lot of resemblance from other CDGs in WW. I also get some hints of Ouarzazate in WW.

I'll need to try Memoir Man again. Does it have oud in it? If so, is it prominent?

No oud at all Hedonist. A much underrated fragrance IMO.

To me they smell nothing alike, and Wonderwood is light years better, IMO.

Memoir definitely smells unique, but that burnt rubber accord I get on my skin after the fresh, amazing top notes is overpoweringly loud, sour and bitter, and makes the scent unwearable in my case. It could be a skin chemistry issue with me, but if not, then Memoir may be my least favorite of the line.

Thanks for the input drseid. Have you smelled Gomma and/or Eau du Fier?
Is the burned rubber accord similar?

Sorry, I can't comment on those two as I have never smelled them before. :-(

Nothing alike Hed. Memoir is one of those fragrances that personally I'm not able to describe. Sort of smoky leather fougere with a severe character. On top of this I get a dark green aromatic presence (wormood/basil/mint) that adds a mysterious and intriguing juxtaposition. Enigmatic to say the least.

I find Memoir Man has way more going on. It lacks the peppery aspect of Wonderwood and smells much fuller.
My personal experience with Memoir was that I didn't like it at first, and now I couldn't do without it.

Well we'll have to do something about that don't we


Thanks for elaborating. How does it compare to Or Black?
I know I can just go out and try it (today also, the department store is 5 minutes from my home) but these questions will help those who are interested in Memoir but don't have access to Memoir or Or Black or other comparatives.


Thanks. I'll definitely try it soon.
Have wee bit of a cold now.

SoS, I love what you said and how you said it! A TERRIFIC 3-liners! (if it makes any sense..)

Wife: "Dear, did you leave the stove on? I thought I smell gas."
Me: "Hey that happens to be my favorite Amouage fragrance."

There is definitely something mysterious going on in Memoir Man. Like a petroleum vibe.

I'm not so good in scentific and analytic (objective) comparisons but overall I'd say I don't get many similarities bewteen the two. Or Black (which is another favorite of mine) has a strong saturine power, is boldly mossy and definitely less intellectual (to say it with SoS's words). Memoir is more restrained and less expansive while still mantaining a considerable unsettling/misterious character.

Second time in one hour I hear the term petroleum vibe....alfarom just mentioned it in private chat... Arghhgh my weakness


I can understand that. Thanks.


The way you expressed it just now is one of the primary reasons people gravitate towards perfume forums.
Otherwise we'd be stuck with marketing jibberish and clinical note pyramids.

Or Black is predominantly a birchtar/leather and incense fragrance in my book. I don't get any leather in Memoir Man at all. They definitely share the dark/brooding vibe as well as incense and some smokiness but that's about it for me. Memoir is much "greener" and is constantly changing back and forth while Or Black slowly fades from the heartnotes to the basenotes (the current version seems to do this significantly quicker and is overall a bit brighter, IMO).

I love Memoirs topnotes and I am intrigued by its concept and development but the woody base is where it kind of falls flat for me. I can't help it but I feel it smells increasingly plastic in its late drydown.

Nasenmann, can you believe that since you sent me the 50ml of the current formulation of Or Black, I haven't compared it with my vintage bottle yet? Thanks for reminding me of that

If Memoir stirs up your emotions, you need to smell Epic. Inspired by the "ancient Silk Road from China to Arabia". Which is a perfect description.

This one did nothing for me though I only tested it quickly in a store. I need to re-test this one.

Okay, I think we're getting a little ahead of ourselves here. Lol Spitualistic? C'mon Sculpture! Lol It's a good fragrances, I will admit. Upon initial application, I wasn't too thrilled with it, but it soon really grew on me. But we're doing a bit much with some of these adjectives here. lol

While I am fairly new here, I love these descriptions/adjectives. I find it to be quite spiritual....and creamy.

I think SOS is a master scent critic. It's not easy to express yourself the way he does.

I never tire of Amouage Epic Man, it just seems to get better and better the longer you own it. Wore it today and i cannot stop sniffing my arm even 14hrs after spraying.

I think "spiritualistic" is an appropriate adjective to describe Memoir. Scents are often incorporated into spiritual practices. If oils, smoke and incense can touch someone at a spiritual level, why not a fragrance? We are writing about something invisible, so we write what we feel.

I think so too. Very spiritual and grounding -- bringing a sense of calm to my urban life. I love wearing it out on cold misty grey days.

I've seen mention of a burnt rubber accord a few times in this thread... and honestly today was the first time I picked up on that. I always smelled something way back in there that I didn't agree with... but found a deal on Memoir, jumped on it.

It's a burnt, almost greasy smell... but it's only in the transition from top notes to mid-notes for me. Then it's gone. That's the only part of the scent I dislike.