Amouage Memoir Man: Initial Impressions

[SculptureOfSoul]

It took me a few wears before I was sold on the drydown. As noted in my initial post I was skeptical of it. I actually find it very smoky and ashen. I really can't fathom how it can be said that it's not very smoky and incense-y. I'm just curious what the drydown smells like to you Cairo.

As with any of the more complex scents, they deserve a few wears before judgment is cast, if only because it often takes the nose a few wears to fully understand what is going on and see a fragrance for what it is instead of merely trying to think of it in terms of other fragrances - something I know I find myself doing (often subconsciously) on the first wearing in an attempt to better understand the fragrance.

I know it took me a few wears to love Dhofar! I hope you'll find the love with this scent. It's complexities and unique facets are a bit more 'hidden' than in some fragrances, and I really do understand how a lot of people think it is 'very similar to x or y' and yet after numerous wearings (7 or 8 now in a matter of two weeks, yikes! ) I find it more unique than ever before and truly one of the finest smoky, dark incense offerings I've ever sampled. Yes, I do see some parallels to other fragrances (mostly Dali PH and Serge Noire, with a bit of Gucci PH too), but it's far more natural and nuanced than Dali PH, and also more incensey whereas Dali is more leathery, and its more varied than Serge Noire with its transition from a green top to a grey and ashen base, whereas Serge Noire is more dark throughout and also more spice oriented (with its dark cinnamon and cumin notes). Perhaps best of all, I find the drydown to be very "thick" and full of body, unlike so many scents where the woody drydown becomes airy and ethereal. In this way, I find it similar to Epic Man - not so much in smell, but in the way it maintains its density even into the late dry down.

[RSharma314]

... I find it similar to Epic Man - not so much in smell, but in the way it maintains its density even into the late dry down.

Very well said.

Also, I'm thinking that the reason why Memoir didn't live upto thebeck and cairomerta's expectation is because they were expecting Memoir to have a Middle Eastern vibe (the traditional attars that Amouage is famous for). I think we should realize that the Amouage Attars is for a different genre (mainly for the Middle East population), and Memoir is marketed more towards the western population.

I wore the Memoir last night, and everytime I got a whiff of it, it reminded me something different everytime. Epic is pretty much linear, however, Memoir has distinct top, middle, and base accords. I also noticed that the drydown has a bitterness to it, and was finally able to pinpoint that it was Sandalwood. I have some pure 'White' Sandalwood Essential Oil (the second distillation of Sandalwood), and a phase in the drydown smelled almost like that.

[thebeck]

Very well said.

Also, I'm thinking that the reason why Memoir didn't live upto thebeck and cairomerta's expectation is because they were expecting Memoir to have a Middle Eastern vibe (the traditional attars that Amouage is famous for). I think we should realize that the Amouage Attars is for a different genre (mainly for the Middle East population), and Memoir is marketed more towards the western population.

I wore the Memoir last night, and everytime I got a whiff of it, it reminded me something different everytime. Epic is pretty much linear, however, Memoir has distinct top, middle, and base accords. I also noticed that the drydown has a bitterness to it, and was finally able to pinpoint that it was Sandalwood. I have some pure 'White' Sandalwood Essential Oil (the second distillation of Sandalwood), and a phase in the drydown smelled almost like that.

I was actually hoping it would be a cross between Derby and Yatagan. For the record I never expect an Attar to be like an EDP. I don't think Tribute or Homage are Middle Eastern scents. What I do expect from Amouage is to hire better noses and use better ingredients. The quality is no where near Kilian or Xerjoff, yet Amouage likes to think of themselves as the best money can buy. I'm losing respect for this house with each new release. With Kilian and Xerjoff, I always appreciate the quality of ingredients even if I don't care for the frag. There is nothing to appreciate with Memoir Man.

[SculptureOfSoul]

Amouage is nowhere near the quality of Xerjoff or Kilian? Hmm, I think a lot of people here would disagree with that statement, dare I say the majority (as they did on the Xerjoff thread). I'm not knocking Xerjoff or By Kilian (well, ok, the two By Kilians I've tried - Cruel Intentions and Straight to Heaven - were the exact opposite of natural/high quality, loaded with white musks, fake oud, and a harsh patchouli isolate and synthetic rosewood note, but they were both by the same nose so I can't hold them as representative of the whole house). I like a lot of Xerjoffs. They're a completely different style than Amouage - and just like Amouage, some of their scents use more natural ingredients, some are more synthetic, some more daring, some less so, etc.

We'll just have to agree to disagree. It seems ridiculous to suggest that there's nothing to appreciate in a frag like Memoir Man though. Go put it up against 10 Corso Como Uomo, Gucci PH, the CdG Incense series, etc, and its quality quickly becomes apparent.

[cairomerta]

It took me a few wears before I was sold on the drydown. As noted in my initial post I was skeptical of it. I actually find it very smoky and ashen. I really can't fathom how it can be said that it's not very smoky and incense-y. I'm just curious what the drydown smells like to you Cairo.

As with any of the more complex scents, they deserve a few wears before judgment is cast, if only because it often takes the nose a few wears to fully understand what is going on and see a fragrance for what it is instead of merely trying to think of it in terms of other fragrances - something I know I find myself doing (often subconsciously) on the first wearing in an attempt to better understand the fragrance.

I know it took me a few wears to love Dhofar! I hope you'll find the love with this scent. It's complexities and unique facets are a bit more 'hidden' than in some fragrances, and I really do understand how a lot of people think it is 'very similar to x or y' and yet after numerous wearings (7 or 8 now in a matter of two weeks, yikes! ) I find it more unique than ever before and truly one of the finest smoky, dark incense offerings I've ever sampled. Yes, I do see some parallels to other fragrances (mostly Dali PH and Serge Noire, with a bit of Gucci PH too), but it's far more natural and nuanced than Dali PH, and also more incensey whereas Dali is more leathery, and its more varied than Serge Noire with its transition from a green top to a grey and ashen base, whereas Serge Noire is more dark throughout and also more spice oriented (with its dark cinnamon and cumin notes). Perhaps best of all, I find the drydown to be very "thick" and full of body, unlike so many scents where the woody drydown becomes airy and ethereal. In this way, I find it similar to Epic Man - not so much in smell, but in the way it maintains its density even into the late dry down.

I definitely agree with your sentiment about trying it a few times. I tried it again yesterday again with the blotter but it still didnt do it any justice I dont think. I still haven't had a chance to go to perfums raffy to try the spray of it. Dont get me wrong, I absolutely think Amouage ranks up with Xerjoff as the best perfume houses. I love amouage! Really one of the few quality houses in the market and thats why my expectations are so high for them. The drydown for me is not as ashy and smoky as I expected it to be and again I think it may be from blotting it on. The opening though is another story. It is simply wonderful. Very rich and complex. I may change my tune once I give it a real full wearing as opposed to dabbing it on the back of my hand which I think me the other problem. I haven't really tried it yet on any pulse point where it heats up and diffuses. I will get back on this as I am hoping it works.

[ccck]

I just got this, and somehow, to my nose, it seems less potent than I thought. Went with 4 sprays, and my colleagues at work weren't complaining at all. In fact I asked if I overapplied and they had to lean in to catch a whiff. Anyhow, I think my nose is a little bit off the mark today. I kept getting the pencil shaving accord, though I'm quite sure there is more to Memoir than that. At the base (about 7 hours later), I get a distinctive guiacwood note that I smell in XXV. The base in Memoir is heavier and deeper than XXV (in fact it reminded me of a less ashy serge noire).

[Kevin Guyer]

First impressions:
I finally tried the men's and women's version today and..............I am not overly impressed with either. In the men's you get mint and absinthe, big time, and lots of other notes making this one a busy bee. It does not feel dark like Epic Man, I would describe it more as juicy. The opening accord doesn't feel particularly new to me, it actually feels kind of generic/common place, considering it's coming from a such storied house. But to be honest, I just tested it on a paper strip.
The women's version had me much more interested from the get go, so I sprayed a nice squirt on my forearm and my jacket sleeve. Wow, it's a BIG TIME JASMINE, as SoS mentioned, it's that purple, grape variety of jasmine, very similar to the one used in Poison. It is very loud and I almost had to wash it off, but when the jasmine finally took a back seat the scent started to get interesting. The frankincense takes over, framed by the castoreum, rose and pink pepper - I don't really see this one as a leather, as it seems to be described.

[SculptureOfSoul]

Is there anyone who has tried both Memoir Man and Aigner Black - if so, can you compare and contrast them?

[SculptureOfSoul]

Would anyone mind comparing this to Kyoto, too? Somehow Kyoto has slipped under my radar for a long time. It seems like the two scents may have a fair bit in common.

[Scentologist]

I will have to stick with Epic Man. This one satisfies me thoroughly.

[Sandy]

Is there anyone who has tried both Memoir Man and Aigner Black - if so, can you compare and contrast them?

Interesting question, regarding that I own Aigner Black, have a sample of Memoir, and tried them this week a left hand / right hand way two days.

The top notes of Memoire are much more interesting. If it didn't change that much it does, there would be no question which one the winner is. Black is very dark, really black at that phase, almost makes me cough when applying, while Memoir is green, albeit a bit dark green and friendly, captivating. But this phase doesn't last long, not more than half an hour. And then Memoir turns into a rather faint, hollow sweetness. Actually I don't find anything interesting in it. On the other hand, Black would loose its too strong top notes and turns into a real, but not harsh leather, with a very little sweetness on top of it.

So taking everything into consideration, in my view Aigner is the clear winner.

[Descartes]

....

[fumes4ever]

I'm very surprised not to find any comparison to le labo vetiver of which this is a more complicated version. once again a perfume house piggybacks on another's creation! well c'est la vie du nez. but I have never smelled arpege... which I see here may be the original original? hard to imagine this as the famous womens perfume of which it's said, "promise her anything but give her arpege"

[Sloan]

The drydown of Memoir Man reminds me of Douce Amère and Lolita Lempicka Au Masculin.

[rickbr]

I didn`t go so much interested with Amouage Memoir Man. It doesn`t convince me at all. I do think it has coeherence on the green, aromatic, incense aroma. But this is not the memorable phoenix-inspired aroma that i was expecting. The ideas here look to me like recycled ones built around the incense and wormwood accord. It sort of reminds me off tobacco-wood fragrances, like Jil Sander Scent 79 man and the fragrance created for the germany store first in fragrance. They all relies on the tobacco-dry woods at their bases, and because they use the same notes with the same proportions, it ends smelling close when they get at their drydowns. I get more the tobacco, amber, musk and guaiacwood here with a few quotes for the sandalwood aroma to give a discreet milkness, very hard to get. The opening is really wormwood inspired. Not a sweet one, but a greener, bitter one, with a mint edges and a soft, incense on background. But the lavender here kills the accord, and gives a poor balance to the overall effect. What really disturbs me in this one is that there`s something here that has to me a fragrance close to that car scent tablets of generic green aromas. Few fragrances bother me when i`m testing them at skin and i don`t like them; amouage memoir gave me this sensation. If this is a phoenix, is still on ashes.

[SculptureOfSoul]

Rick, I understand all of your objections - well, most of them. I've not tried as many fragrances in this vein as you and others - maybe if I had I wouldn't find it as original as I do, but I still, personally find it well balanced for what I'm looking for in this kind of scent.

The only thing I can recommend is giving this one another wear or two if you haven't already. My initial impressions were only lukewarm regarding the dry down but it grew on me after the 3rd wearing.

Of course, if you just don't like it, you don't like it. I totally understand that! (I feel that way about Invasion Barbare's dry down.. I just can't seem to get the joy others do out of it. Oh well!)

[rickbr]

Rick, I understand all of your objections - well, most of them. I've not tried as many fragrances in this vein as you and others - maybe if I had I wouldn't find it as original as I do, but I still, personally find it well balanced for what I'm looking for in this kind of scent.

The only thing I can recommend is giving this one another wear or two if you haven't already. My initial impressions were only lukewarm regarding the dry down but it grew on me after the 3rd wearing.

Of course, if you just don't like it, you don't like it. I totally understand that! (I feel that way about Invasion Barbare's dry down.. I just can't seem to get the joy others do out of it. Oh well!)

I don`t fully hate it, but there are some things that leaves me uncomfortable here. I just wished that they have found a way to increase the incense without going on a too gothic direction.

What i like here: the wormwood, mint, incense
What i dislike: the lavender and the sort of generic tobacco aura
What i cannot detect: the leather, oakmoss, vanilla, rosa - they seem lost on my skin.

It`s not a bad fragrance, but the price tag and the initial press release made me expect much more.It`s what kills this one for me. I wouldn`t mind to see someone wearing it, but i cannot see myself reaching for it...

[rickbr]

Rick, I understand all of your objections - well, most of them. I've not tried as many fragrances in this vein as you and others - maybe if I had I wouldn't find it as original as I do, but I still, personally find it well balanced for what I'm looking for in this kind of scent.

The only thing I can recommend is giving this one another wear or two if you haven't already. My initial impressions were only lukewarm regarding the dry down but it grew on me after the 3rd wearing.

Of course, if you just don't like it, you don't like it. I totally understand that! (I feel that way about Invasion Barbare's dry down.. I just can't seem to get the joy others do out of it. Oh well!)

Hope that you are right about it, i`ll try it more times on skin to see if it gets better.

[SculptureOfSoul]

I don`t fully hate it, but there are some things that leaves me uncomfortable here. I just wished that they have found a way to increase the incense without going on a too gothic direction.

What i like here: the wormwood, mint, incense
What i dislike: the lavender and the sort of generic tobacco aura
What i cannot detect: the leather, oakmoss, vanilla, rosa - they seem lost on my skin.

It`s not a bad fragrance, but the price tag and the initial press release made me expect much more.It`s what kills this one for me. I wouldn`t mind to see someone wearing it, but i cannot see myself reaching for it...

Sadly, there's NO oakmoss listed on the packaging for either this or Memoir Woman. Now, they may be using one of those new synthetics that doesn't need to be listed in the ingredients, but I feel like if oakmoss is listed as a note they should be using at least SOME real oakmoss. It kind of pissed me off when I got my package and saw that.

For me, the lavender is kind of the saving grace to the composition as it mellows out the tobacco and dry incense and woods just enough so that they aren't scratchy and annoying. I do get something else dark and smooth, it almost smells like a hint of castoreum, and that too, saves what could otherwise be an unpleasant base.

I can imagine that not liking the lavender though is pretty much a deal breaker. Anyhow, hope it works for you.

Oh yeah, one thing I noticed is that.. well, we got our first snowfall the other day and the top notes of Memoir Man really work very well to make the scent "blend in" to the cold atmosphere. The mint and greens really work synergistically with the cold air to enhance the wintery vibe of the opening. It seems silly but, to me at least, when a scent works synergistically with the environment it can really enhance my appreciation of it. With Memoir Man, I can spray it on shortly before leaving and the opening notes will mesh with the cold air as I head out in the cold to work or school, and then upon arriving, the scent starts warming up just as I will be. Fantastic!

[rickbr]

Occured me now that Amouage Memoir Man has some similarties with another fragrance too.
Memoir Man and Byredo Baudelaire has the same inspiration, and a sort of tobacco woody aroma in common. But Baudelaire seems more generic than Memoir Man i think.

[jenson]

how did i miss this review! the only amouages i have sampled are XXV & Lyric Man... about time.

Kyoto and Aigner Black smells poles apart..i coudl tell that.. if you have got a chance to sample Christian Lacroix Tumulte, then thats what Kyoto smells like overall. Aigner Black on the other hand has a soda like dose of Anise.. it's lovely.

Whenever i see the word Wormwood, the only scent that comes to my mind is Ungaro I. However I isnt exactly greenish...

[RSharma314]

Whenever i see the word Wormwood, the only scent that comes to my mind is Ungaro I. However I isnt exactly greenish...

I was curious about the similarities between Ungaro I and Memoir Man because of the Wormwood as well. However, after I tried both of them side-by-side, the Wormwood in Ungaro I is subdued with the other notes it contain - you have to think about Wormwood when smelling Ungaro I to realize it is one of the notes. Memoir Man, on the other hand, has a very true Wormwood essence, especially in the top notes when you initially spray it on. If you have ever smelled Wormwood Essential Oil, you can undoubtly distinguish it in Memoir Man. Ungaro I then takes a completely different aspect, however, Memoir Man goes through a green phase which I absolutely love.

[rickbr]

It seems that memoir man has an excellent sillage and longevity. I sprayed my sample on me at 7:00 am, and when i got at home, 8:00pm, my sister told me that my smell stayed during all the day on the kitchen. She told me: "that Hermés you wore today got impregnated on that point of the kichen" (she pointed to where i was standing when i sprayed memoir man). She thought it was Eau des Merveilles, her favorite.
Memoir Man has the same problem as Opus II has to me, which is execution problems. I love the way they open on skin, but what comes next in both is not memorable. They created a dark concept, based on a black swam, which is not achieved. It smells good, but it lacks something. Maybe they should have explored more the smoky, resinous aroma of the incense in contrast with the wormwood and mint, and really used the leather and moss at the base to make the tobacco woody aura less generic. It would have been terrific, but they way it is present it`s just great. I can see that it`s pleasant, but i don`t see myself spending 300 dollars on this one. I hope that it satisfies someone more than it satisfied me...

[SculptureOfSoul]

I actually do get a fair bit of smokiness in the dry down of Memoir, and it is that contrast - the contrast between the "living" opening notes and the "dead" and ashy dry down - that made me admire this scent so much.

Glad you gave it a second chance Rick, even if it didn't lead to love.

I'm kind of baffled at how someone could think this was Eau des Merveilles, though!

[rickbr]

I actually do get a fair bit of smokiness in the dry down of Memoir, and it is that contrast - the contrast between the "living" opening notes and the "dead" and ashy dry down - that made me admire this scent so much.

Glad you gave it a second chance Rick, even if it didn't lead to love.

I'm kind of baffled at how someone could think this was Eau des Merveilles, though!

I was quite shocked too, because i didn`t saw anything in common between then. I don`t know if she was talking about Eau des Merveilles or Elixir, since she wear and love both. The only thing that could get close to the fizzy woody aura of eau des merveilles is the guaiac wood, but the notes is wrapped in an ambery woody tobbaco aroma at the base, so it doesn`t make it similar of the woody aroma in eau des merveilles (or even at elixir des merveilles)

[the_good_life]

I received a sample of this a short while ago and must join the thumbs-down camp. The bittergreen top is the most interesting part, but doesn't hold out more than 30 minutes on paper, while never really coming to the forefront at all on my skin. What follows is ashy blandness, which, Memoir indeed, recalls a number of dark dry masculines built around smokey clove-lavender-burnt herb-woods accords. Ho hum, and for the price tag, ho ho ho. From memory I'd say Ronaldo Esper Memories - oops - or Léonard pour homme tread similar territory. I can also get something similar from Dirty English (one of the few more interesting and daring designer scents of recent vintage) for a lot less money. Or something, in my opinion, much better and more saturnine, like Morabito Or Black. And I can get a better-made green-incense-woods composition from Bogner Black Forest (deceased). So, while Memoir is not a fall from grace, it's sobering that what used to be a good designer scent in terms of construction and quality now sells as a $200 upward niche (Aventus, most By Kilians, oh, take yer pick) while most current designer stuff (due exceptions noted) now appears to my nose to be $1 / hectoliter swill. Today you would stick something like Ténéré in a gaudy crystal flacon and sell it as a Marrakesh lux spa for $1000 a bottle.

[mikeperez23]

I have tried this twice now, once on the plane to NY last week, and the other time tonight.

I must echo everyone's comments above, that the top notes are just wonderful. Bottle those up, sell them, and I will pay top dollar for that instantly. They can call it Memoir Summer or Memoir Cologne.

But as Memoir Man dries on my skin, it moves oh-so-quickly into ashy woods/fougere territory. A category that I love, but that ultimately I am very happy with say...Yatagan, at it's incredibly affordable price point.

Oh, and I sprayed my sample on, not dabbed.

[MFJ]

On the back of a recent Amouage binge, I managed official samples of the Men's and Women's. And while the men's worked well enough to warrant a full bottle purchase (I am expecting it this week!), I wasn't as impressed with the women's as I was with the men's. I keep smelling strong resemblance with Dia men (Dia less sweet), when I sprayed that side by side with the Memoir Men. Not my fave Amouage, but FBW, at the moment.

The bottle is admittedly too kick-ass for me to overlook. *sigh* Plus an SA was telling me how Amouage prices will go up next year (I suspect to make up for the poor currency), I should get my hands on what I want by Xmas. I sure know how to justify purchases.

[SculptureOfSoul]

Dia Man and Memoir similar? Hmm, I don't see it much at all.

Anyhow, Memoir is a grower. It's not a scent that immediately wows, but I find that it is actually far more complex than it first appears and that its charms reveal themselves after a good number of wearings.

[MFJ]

Probably my imagination, must retest again.