The Library Collection

Opus I Amouage 2010

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7.4 / 10 187 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

Lily of the valley

Base Notes

Gaiac wood

Cedar

Frankincense

Papyrus

Sandalwood

Vetiver

Tonka bean

Perfumer

Daniel Maurel

Videos

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Ratings

Scent

7.4187 Ratings

Longevity

8.7148 Ratings

Sillage

7.9145 Ratings

Bottle

7.3141 Ratings

Value for money

6.821 Ratings

Submitted by Kankuro, last update on 11/13/2024.

Interesting Facts

The fragrance is part of the "The Library Collection" collection.

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to

Reflection Man

Reviews

5 in-depth fragrance descriptions

07/22/2013

10
Bottle 10
Sillage 10
Longevity 10
Scent

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.

12/31/2016

8
Sillage 9
Longevity 8.5
Scent

Karenin
39 Reviews

Karenin

Very helpful Review 4

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!

01/01/2013

7.5
Sillage 7.5
Longevity 7
Scent

Sherapop
1239 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!

09/02/2019

8
Scent

Entenradio
2 Reviews

Translated Show original

Entenradio

Top Review 14

Op! Opus

It's very good, Opus I! No disco scent, most tangible of the entire Opus range, it makes slight reverence in the direction of classic French chypre, which is amplified by the Amouage sound. The first stage: cardamom, orange, ylang-ylang, roses plus wood. At first glance, you think it's not a "real" Amouage. .....But..... he's got two DNAs, a French one and an Arabic one. The European wins. The second stage: Duet incense and papirus. Some perfumers hear burnt car tyres, glowing tree leaves, bazaars or whole spice shops. For me they are old books, a lot of books...library :) The bottle is super photogenic, my absolute favorite. For Amouage lovers: test it at all costs.

09/09/2024

Stivenson
1 Review

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Stivenson

2

Holy Moly

My first review. The fragrance is worth it!
I was confused at first...then thrilled! After the first spray, I was about to wash the perfume off. It was very intense and somehow not mine...I thought.
I felt the same way when I sprayed on Alexandria II and Diaghilev for the first time.

So, back to Opus I: After 20 minutes, you notice the incense clearly but not obtrusively. There is also a sweet note. I thought it was honey. But there is no honey in the list of ingredients :)
After about 2-3 hours, I almost only notice the incense - very cool.
The drydown is really nice. I don't want to miss it anymore.

The durability - brute, locally 10-12 hours. You can still smell the fragrance very clearly on the collar of your shirt the next day.

This is not a fragrance for little boys, but for men, from 35-40, who know what they want. Perfect for business meetings, for the opera, the theater but also for evenings when you go to an upscale restaurant with your loved one.