Fruity-woody oriental with a luxurious feel and crowd-pleasing vibes - but an absurd MSRP
Intense berries with an almost thick, syrupy sweetness mingle with herbal freshness, ethereal balsamic notes, resinous depth and striking, dark woods. A very polished fragrance with a luxurious DNA, an intriguing drydown and strong longevity and sillage. "At least", because the price of €510 now is no small thing …
For Amouage's 40th anniversary, they released a new version of the successful Jubilation 25 - fittingly, the 40th also comes with a correspondingly high fragrance oil concentration. Although the two Jubilation fragrances are very similar, the 40 adds the necessary elegance, that little bit of "more" that makes you choose it over its younger brother.
But here's a spoiler: The 25 will absolutely do the job too.
How the fragrance develops on my skin:
• On first spray:
An intensely fruity opening with a green, fresh start and syrupy sweetness in the background. The green freshness even gives me more herbal, coniferous, fir-like associations. In the background, striking but still subtle, darker woods.
A very harmonious, refined opening. In fact, one of the few that feels distinctly(er) masculine to me.
Fun to wear!
• after 25 minutes:
The brief fruity opening has passed, and it fades back for now. The first few minutes of the drydown develop into something deeply green and spicy, with plenty of woods. While the 25 comes across as berry-ier here, the 40 has a more subdued woody edge and feels spicier.
• after 45 minutes:
The fruit makes a comeback! And it brings along a floral entourage with resinous sweetness.
Still omnipresent, though, is the green, herbal, very spicy note.
• after 1.5 hours:
Blackberry is at the forefront of the fruit notes. A slightly tart blackcurrant "bite" joins it. Jammy, slightly creamy.
I have to admit: The drydown is very intriguing, complex and exactly to my taste. Interesting, but not overwhelming or a flat, samey blend.
I really like the DNA!
• after 2.5 hours:
By now, the frankincense and myrrh and (above all) opoponax base are really kicking in: It's become ethereal and balsamic, with a slightly resinous background. The fruit is still present in at least a 50:50 ratio.
Elegant and unobtrusive. It gives me Parisian perfumery vibes with an "if you know, you know" factor.
Sillage is still good. Longevity: There's no end in sight yet. I expect it to last my entire workday.
• after 4.5 hours:
If you think the berries are now only subtle in the background, you're mistaken: The blackberry-blackcurrant combo is actually at the forefront. The berries almost seem "cooked down" into the perfume! I'm pleasantly surprised by its power and continue to enjoy the beautiful drydown.
• after 7 hours:
The ethereal, balsamic woody base has taken over in the last few hours. The fruit is in the background, with a warming resinous sweetness alongside it. Sillage is close to 0, now only detectable close to the skin.
• after 9 hours:
It's basically done. By my standards, I'll give it another 30 minutes, then it's all over.
What's left on the skin is a vanilla-creamy finish, subtle light woods and a touch of spice. ######
Conclusion:
Alongside all the artisanal fragrances I've accumulated over the last few months, I've been looking for a niche fragrance I could wear every day, one that's made for this time of year and can also come in more than 30 ml (lol). And what can I say: I found it! :)
I compared the 40 with the 25 beforehand, and there isn't really a huge difference apart from the price. It's the smoother edges, greater complexity and (not least due to the 40% oil concentration) better longevity that set the 40 apart. But if you'd "only" like to spend around €360 (MSRP), the 25 is an excellent choice ;-)
