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The Library Collection

Opus I Amouage 2010

7.4 / 10 196 Ratings

A perfume by Amouage for women and men, released in 2010. The scent is floral-spicy. The longevity is above-average. It is being marketed by Sabco Group / Oman Perfumery.
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Main accords

Floral

Spicy

Oriental

Woody

Sweet

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes

Cardamom

Plum

Bitter orange

Heart Notes

Jasmine

Tuberose

Ylang-ylang Rose

Rose

Lily of the valley

Base Notes

Gaiac wood Cedar

Cedar

Frankincense Papyrus

Papyrus

Sandalwood Vetiver

Vetiver

Tonka bean

Perfumer

Daniel Maurel

Videos

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Ratings

Scent

7.4196 Ratings

Longevity

8.7157 Ratings

Sillage

7.9146 Ratings

Bottle

7.3143 Ratings

Value for money

6.928 Ratings

Submitted by Kankuro · last update on 07/23/2025.

Source-backed & verified

Interesting Facts

The fragrance is part of the The Library Collection collection.

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to

Reflection Man

Reviews

15 in-depth fragrance descriptions

12/31/2016

8.5Scent 9Longevity 8Sillage

Karenin
40 Reviews

Karenin

Very helpful Review 5

Amouage Opus I

To be perfectly honest, I’m yet to encounter a dull fragrance in Amouage’s rich collection. Without any hesitation, I’d describe a vast majority of them as (pleasantly) quirky. The Library Collection has been created with the intention of opening new possibilities for the brand and pushing the envelope again a tad bit further. Up to now I’ve sampled Opuses I to VIII and I can safely say all of them share the Amouage DNA.

The head of Opus I is dominated by spices and fruit. It’s an interesting introduction that makes one wonder which direction the fragrance is going to head down next. This becomes apparent in its deliciously floral heart: jasmine, lily of the valley, rose, tuberose, you name it. Given the notes, it’s not surprising this stage leans more on the feminine side, which might make some gentlemen feel a little uncomfortable. It shouldn’t because Opus I returns to the unisex path in its base. True, the floral bouquet never quite evaporates but it now occupies the background while the centre stage belongs to woody notes, frankincense and papyrus, creating a curious library-like aroma. Opus I is also a true Amouage fragrance in terms of sillage (with a rather intense head and heart yet a pleasantly soft drydown) and longevity (this is easily an all-day-long scent).

My verdict: Opus I is fantastic! I adore it primarily for two reasons: firstly, its oscillation between a unisex and feminine character (eventually settling for the former); secondly, its smooth and incredibly comfy base. Thank you, Christopher Chong, for begetting such an exceptional scent!

07/22/2013

10Scent 10Longevity 10Sillage

Tar
261 Reviews

Tar

Helpful Review 8

Old government building

Here comes a totally biassed review:
Opus I is called perfume, but actually it is something else. Really not a classic fragrance, rather an atmosphere of the time.
I could not identify the notes, but I have felt this scent before, when I was in an old government building. The scent of old stones, worn marble, stone staircase, aged black wooden balustrade, dust, paper. The base of it reminds me of wet rocks at the seaside.
Opus I is timeless, immemorial, it is not connected to age or gender, it is above them.
It lasts long and covers you, others can detect and identify it clearly within one - one and a half meter even after a half day. You do not have to snoope your wrists, they are enough close to feel it.

Edit: Be careful. Small samples (without spreader) are less spicy than the full bottle.

01/01/2013

7Scent 7.5Longevity 7.5Sillage

Sherapop
1240 Reviews

Sherapop

5

Don't judge this book by its cover!

I have had samples of the Amouage Opus series for quite a while. I acquired the first three way back when they were launched, then I requested IV and V, of which I have rather small samples--not the generous manufacturer-produced ones, which come in adorable little boxes and line up next to one another to look like books. Apparently there are some newer volumes as well, but I do not have samples of those. Anyway, for whatever arbitrary reason, I chose today, the last day of 2012, to open up Opus I.

To my great surprise, OPUS I smells like an old book in a centuries-old library! There is a mustiness and a bitterness and a dustiness to the opening which immediately calls to my mind the stacks in the basement at a university library--take your pick: they all smell pretty much this way!

My second big surprise was that in vague wafts, OPUS I reminds me Miller Harris L'AIR DE RIEN, which I vehemently denied smelled like a library, though that was what Jane Birkin apparently requested of Lyn Harris, back when the perfume was being designed. So now I'm faced with a contradiction: was I wrong then, or am I wrong now?????

Oh well, I was a different person back then. Today, OPUS I does smell like a library, and it does remind me a bit of L'AIR DE RIEN. The two perfumes are really quite different, but the je ne sais quoi musty-old-pages quality binds them together.

In contrast to L'AIR DE RIEN, the bitter, wood-splinter opening of OPUS I is rather off-putting, and it, too, reminds me just a bit of another perfume: Clinique AROMATICS ELIXIR, which I have fallen in love with despite the harsh chamomile-clary sage opening. My impression is that the people who hate that perfume have never waited it out to the drydown, which is truly divine.

Does the same thing happen with OPUS I? Yes, and no. Yes, the perfume becomes less bitter and stern, but, no, the depth and wonder of ELIXIR never really arrives. Instead, OPUS I becomes less pungent and more likeable as it develops, not really changing so much as it fades.

There are two diametrically opposed prejudices working simultaneously here: on the one hand, we all know that Amouage is an überluxury house, so we expect excellence. The ingredients are always top-notch, and OPUS I is no exception to the rule. On the other hand, for the same reason (the elevated price), we always expect more from a perfume of this type in terms of its composition.

Don't judge this book by its cover, just decide for yourself whether you like this odd assortment of notes which conspire to re-create the scent of an old library--or not. OPUS I is unique, and I am happy to have experienced this perfume, but I'll satisfy the craving to smell it again, if and when it ever arises, by spending a day in the stacks!

07/23/2025

8.5Scent 8Longevity 8Sillage

Evannell
38 Reviews

Evannell

1

It's not Reflection. But it's not not Reflection.

I get a one week old grave vibe everytime i spray this. A new grave on an old cemetery. White flowers dominate the opening, and they stay with you throughout the whole play, they just calm down a bit after 15 minutes. That's when Opus I gets that Reflection vibe. It's still more of a funeral than Reflection though.

Later on some additional notes come to the surface. It gets more woody and the white flowers finally let the rose in a bit. Overall, changes are slight, but they are there. And for the whole time you get that impression of it being "old". All is old here. Old flowers, old wood, old paper. And that's what i appreciate the most with Opus I. Just as i do with Beauté du Diable even though they're not similar to each other and tell different stories.

A few weeks ago i was on a tram home from work. Some young girl passed me and she waved her hands as if she wanted to get rid of some flies or mosquitos. Fck her, the smell is amazing.

06/19/2011

8Scent 10Longevity 7.5Sillage

Turandot
840 Reviews

Translated · Show original

Turandot

Top Review 31

Did I search for this? Maybe my holy grail!

Well, after Kankuro's explanations, I don't expect a chypre scent. I didn't know it was supposed to be one beforehand either. So I approach the fragrance with an open mind and am - thrilled. This is something for mother.

Cardamom and plum - spicy, dark-fruity and despite the green pomelo note, without acidity, that’s my first impression and it immediately captivated me. It's delicious without giving an edible impression. It whets the appetite for more and it does not disappoint.

The cornucopia of flowers that is poured out in the heart note enhances the "grand" impression of the fragrance, but it does not change it, as the cardamom from the opening remains, all the way into the base. I like that. A theme with variations but no change in mood. On the contrary, it becomes increasingly voluminous, as the woods combined with a fine note of incense bring another increase, so that I actually perceive the base as a climax and not as the conclusion of the fragrance.

I confess, the perfumer Daniel Maurel was previously unknown to me. But with Epic Woman, he has created a fragrance that I rated 100%, and that is a very rare occurrence for me, as I always want to leave a little door open for improvement. But Opus1 will not be far from that. To my great joy, this is also not a fragrance that I find wonderful but does not suit me; no, I can even imagine Opus1 as a scent for every day. It fits my way of life like a lid fits a pot. That’s me, and that’s how I want to be. It fits with the fine spicy note in winter, the dark fruitiness feels energetic in summer, the flowers provide elegance but are kept in check by the woods. No direction predominates, everything is in balance. So I’m completely satisfied, and actually, I could log off from Parfumo now...;))

No, I’ll stay a little longer and give it 90%. You never know, but Opus1 is going on the wish list, and right at the top. I’m already starting to save; maybe I can treat myself to the perfume for Christmas.

Addendum April 2017: In the meantime, the fragrance has become far too loud, too heavy, too oppressive, and too voluminous for me. Today it would only receive 70%. But since I have changed and the fragrance has not, I will leave the ratings from back then as they are.

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