Memoir Woman Amouage 2010 Eau de Parfum

Memoir is currently the highest-rated women's fragrance from Amouage, and I believe that is completely justified. I have tested several, but Memoir is the only one that hit the mark so perfectly that I even splurged on a bottle. And that's not the price range I usually frequent (not that I wouldn't like to...)
Why write yet another review about a fragrance that has already been sufficiently commented on and from which interested parties can probably form a nuanced picture based on the descriptions? Because it truly knocked me off my feet, and that doesn't happen very often.

If I had to explain the concept of perfume to an alien or a Kaspar Hauser, I would choose Memoir as a prime example. It is so complex, so vibrant, so rich that I couldn't say, "it smells like...", but would have to surrender to: The scent smells like PARFUM, in capital letters. I find it difficult to pinpoint individual components aside from jasmine, clove, and incense because everything harmoniously blends into a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. And that might be one of the greatest compliments you can give a fragrance.

An adjective that comes to mind besides "opulent" is "majestic." When I spray Memoir, I automatically carry my head a little higher and my posture becomes a bit more upright. A prime example of how much a fragrance can influence one's mood and presence. For me, it's my "don't fuck with me" scent, reminding me and olfactorily communicating to everyone else that I deserve respectful treatment and should not have to tolerate any rudeness. Think twice about how you speak to me before you open your mouth! You're not talking to Lieschen Müller, but to a queen.

I find it difficult to describe how Memoir smells due to its opulence. What I can say is: absinthe usually smells like anise, but I don't notice any of that in the top notes. In fact, there is no top note at all. It kicks off with a powerful burst of clove. Anyone who does not appreciate clove as a fragrance component should definitely steer clear of Memoir. For me, scents often land on my wishlist simply because clove is listed as a note. And here, I get exactly what I want. It is accompanied by jasmine and incense. The classification as "spicy-oriental" hits the nail on the head. Rose and woods completely pass me by, while pepper and cardamom might simply blend into the spicy haze, but I can't perceive them in isolation.
What I find incredibly interesting about this fragrance is that it starts in a way that I would describe as rather cool and slightly piercing (the color in my head for that: Chartreuse). After about 2 hours, however, it shifts, and in the base notes, the initial coolness has transformed into a shimmering warmth. Shimmering because the scent almost seems alive, as if the fragrance molecules are swirling around me in a cloud. Does that make it Biebergeil? I don't perceive any animalic notes, but the oakmoss makes the base feel powerful and massive. You have to like that. For my part, I could just lie down and wrap myself in it. Even though Memoir is far from a classic chypre, the base has a distinctly chypre-like quality.

It lasts on the skin for about 8 hours, significantly longer on clothing and hair. The scent remnants in the clothing still smell great, which is not the case with every perfume, especially when only a bit of synthetic musk stubbornly clings to the fabric.

Is it unisex? I actually consider all fragrances to be unisex by default. But I can really imagine this one on a man. Not just for queens, but also for confident kings.

Even though Memoir picks me up and carries me away in every way as it is now, I am burning with curiosity about how it smelled before the reformulation. If anyone has one and would be willing to sell me a small decant for comparison, please feel free to reach out to me, and you will be assured of my eternal gratitude.