The Amouage Question - II. The Chong Era

Read the introduction to this series here

Read the first part of this series here

In 2007, Amouage decided to rebrand for its 25th anniversary the following year. A change of bottles, packaging, and most importantly, a new creative director: Christopher Chong. Mr. Chong, a classically trained operatic baritone, had no previous perfume experience. But Amouage took a chance on him, and the results were remarkable.

I first set out on this mission to see which era was better between Renaud Salmon's or Christopher Chong's, but what I didn't realize from the outset was the drastic and beneficial shift Mr. Chong introduced with his arrival. He crafted an identity for the house that was not really yet there, that M. Salmon immensely benefitted from when he took the reins. All he had to do was keep it going; not mess things up, while Christopher Chong had to come up with it essentially from scratch.

And what exactly did he come up with? I think the perfect fragrance to encapsulate it is the first on the list of my short reviews: Jubilation XXV Man. A deep resinous, sweet, woody signature that would be a stamp on the brand until today. Omani frankincense is the star of the show, continuing the idea that Amouage is Oman's olfactory ambassador to the world.

I chose not to include the Library Collection from this era since some were difficult to find, and also I wanted to have a similar number of Chong vs Salmon fragrances to compare. I had already sampled Opus XII - Rose Incense before starting this project, so I'm including that one.

Another note: I'm not going to be discussing batch variations as I've only had experience with one batch for the vast majority of these fragrances, and I also have no interest in tracking down specific batches to review/buy. I had enough trouble even getting any kind of sample for some of these, like Myths Man and Beloved Man. So my apologies if I complain about a scent/performance that has been reformulated.

See part I for my explanation of my ratings system. Let's get into the fragrances!

1. Jubilation XXV Man

Scent - 8.5

Just a beauty. Blueprint for many Amouages to come; like I said earlier, resinous, sweet, and woody, with a gorgeous blackberry opening. The very dry drydown leaves a bit to be desired though, and of course the performance is not great, though I don't want to get caught up in batch variations and the like.

Originality - 10

At the time, I think this would have blown people's minds. I think even now, if it's your first time trying Amouage and Jubilation XXV Man is your first experience, it will make you do a double take and go "what is that?!" Really special fragrance that stands out

Quality - 8

High quality materials are undoubtedly on display here, but like I alluded to, the drydown gets a bit dry and woody with some aromachemicals that don't do it for me. Blending is magnificent.

2. Lyric Man

Scent - 8.5

Another very well-rounded scent in the roster. Everyone insists on calling this a "rose fragrance" but it really isn't. It features a rose accord, but it is much more. Dewy natural rose with green notes, and a musky vanilla sandalwood base that is really a great composition

Originality - 9

Slightly soapy rose + sandalwood isn't new, but there are a lot of added bits and pieces that make this unique: galbanum, angelica, ginger, etc. I think the rose accord is quite unique too, not your general powdery potpourri sweet thing.

Quality - 9

Incredible blending, high quality materials. Only complaint is maybe that the rose is only the more green facets rather than like a real blossoming flower. But it works well within the context of the scent as a whole.

3. Epic Man

Scent - 9

First one of these that I actually own! Epic Man, I didn't realize it until I gave Jubilation XXV a full wearing a few days ago, is really just the more woody and resinous aspects of Jubilation with added leather and a tiny bit of castoreum. Just full on masculine energy. Like you're deep in the woods wearing leather armor about to embark on an adventure. Geralt of Rivia vibes.

Originality - 7

Like I said, this takes a bit from Jubilation XXV, and also has some old-school chypre stuff going on. But the resins are more pronounced than the oakmoss than they would be in your average non-floral chypre.

Quality - 8

Great blending and quality of ingredients as always it seems. The animalics aren't as fully fleshed out as they could be, and I feel like Epic Man would be a better scent if they were.

4. Epic Woman Eau de Parfum

Scent - 8.5

The only feminine bottle on this list, I admit my interest was piqued in Epic Woman since it was where Cecile Zarokian got her first big break. And I think it's a worthy creation that rocketed her into stardom. Spicy resinous rose and amber, a very unique signature that she has utilized in other fragrances like Mon nom est rouge and III-IV Tango . Gorgeous, long-lasting, and unisex.

Originality - 9.5

Original creation, spicy cumin amber and green rose with smoky Amouage incense, but it does take a bit from the Jubilation XXV amber base so not a perfect score.

Quality - 9

Blended to perfection. Only complaint is the amber can be a bit grating, probably some synthetic component that gives it unnatural longevity.

5. Memoir Man

Scent - 9.5

Another of my absolute favorites from the Chong era, and Amouage as a whole. Memoir Man holds a special place in my heart as my first Amouage, and it is absolutely exquisite. Green wormwood and basil atop a smoky frankincense fougere base. Beautiful reserved churchy incense meets hedonistic absinth, doesn't get much better than this.

Originality - 10

Haven't smelled anything quite like Memoir Man. The combination of absinth, smoke, and fougere base is utterly unique.

Quality - 9

Blended perfectly, my only complaint (and not a big one) is that the oakmoss in the base completing the fougere could pop more against the ambery base notes. The top and heart of this fragrance are unmatched, though.

6. Honour Man

Scent - 6

Unfortunately the yang to Memoir Man's yin is one of the most disappointing creations of the Chong era. Black pepper note dominates the opening, drying down to a woody frankincense, but the frankincense doesn't come across as rich and opulent but rather flat and shallow.

Originality - 5

I do see some similarities with Bvlgari Man Eau de Toilette, it just feels a bit generic, boring, and "designer"-y

Quality - 4

I think if the frankincense note was bulked up this wouldn't be a bad fragrance. Groove Xcape for example does the pepper/frankincense/patchouli combination so much better because it is focused around the base notes and amps them up. Ironically with Amouage being the masters of incense, the low quality of the incense note is mainly the issue in Honour Man.

7. Interlude Man

Scent - 7.5

Interlude takes the Amouage signature spicy woody resins and cranks them up to 11. This thing is AGGRESSIVE with its odor. The oregano note, especially on first spray, is a questionable choice. There are lots of folks who love it and I think many used to consider it the pinnacle of Chong's time at Amouage; I prefer the toned down versions in Interlude Black Iris and Interlude 53

Originality - 10

Another like Memoir Man, just utterly unique and nothing has even come close. The spices, herbs, ambery resins, smoky incense, are like no other.

Quality - 10

This thing is chock full of good stuff. Even though the opening is more interesting, the drydown also seems quite high quality. Blending is top notch.

8. Beloved Man

Scent - 7.5

Same scent score as Interlude Man, but can't be for a more different reason. Beloved is just too tame and boring, especially for an Amouage. A bubblegummy fougere, it reminds me a lot of Le Mâle Eau de Toilette, with some of the resins and powderiness found in Dia Man

Originality - 3

The main reason I'm not a huge fan of this one is the blandness and lack of novelty. Doesn't really offer anything new compared to the 90s frags it is based on.

Quality - 7

Decent quality ingredients, good blending. Doesn't really have a standout nice natural, but also doesn't have something severely lacking.

9. Fate Man

Scent - 6.5

Fate Man just smells like a spice drawer to me, and not in a good way. Just quite simple and straightforward kitchen-y spices, drying down to a slightly smoky cedarwood, that, if anything, completes the spice drawer analogy by providing the material for the construction of the drawer itself. Not sure what situation I'd want to wear this in.

Originality - 9

I don't think anything like the spices in Fate Man had been attempted prior to 2013, especially with a spice as adventurous as cumin. Saffron was also not a common ingredient when this was released, with Baccarat Rouge 540 Eau de Parfum still 3 years away. Only reason this doesn't get a 10 is the kind of generic cedarwood note in the base.

Quality - 9

I'm not going to deny the quality even though I dislike the scent. The blending is a bit askew towards the spices however, I would have liked to seen more woody and smoky notes in this one.

10. Journey Man

Scent - 8.5

The most easygoing member of the Jubilation XXV Man family. Still has the deep resinous tones along with the spicy woods of that Amouage signature, but is quite mass-appealing and versatile. Peppery opening, smooth and sweet tobacco, leathery tonka base.

Originality - 7

Not going to be too high since it does share significant accords with Jubilation, plus the ambroxan in the base gives it that "perfume"-y masculine energy that is present in a lot of other fragrances.

Quality - 7.5

Blending is top notch once again, but the materials could use a little work. The tobacco is a bit too vague and hazy, more of a suggestion than a note, and the base is a bit too synthetic for an Amouage

11. Sunshine Man

Scent - 8

A sweet fougere, but with interesting top and mid notes that take it out of "just another Le Mâle Eau de Toilette" territory. Immortelle with its spicy dustiness, punchy orange liqueur. Similar to Beloved Man there's also a bit of smokiness in the base. Complex and interesting creation.

Originality - 9

Won't be a top score since it does bear resemblance to some 90s frags and does smell a bit "old-school," but the specific combination of immortelle, orange brandy, vanilla, and a fougere base is quite unique and I haven't smelled anything like it.

Quality - 9

Great blending, disparate parts come together to form a cohesive whole. Not a lot of obvious synthetics other than the omnipresent coumarin; high quality ingredients on display.

12. Bracken Man

Scent - 7

Bracken Man was one of the ones I was most excited about in this batch of samples, and the one I was also most disappointed by. It's a fougere, but with a huge clove note that dominates the opening and much of the heart. Dusty, sweetened, and spicy, I think it overwhelms the fougere composition unfortunately.

Originality - 6

The clove note is interesting, but not enough to take it out of the middle of the park originality-wise, since otherwise this is just a Fougère Royale (2010) Eau de Parfum-esque smooth fougere.

Quality - 6

My complaint here is the blending and the overpowering nature of the spicy notes and sweetness. I would have liked more of the lavender and oakmoss to come through. Ingredient quality is good, but nothing to write home about.

13. Myths Man

Scent - 8

Opens very strongly with medicinal florals, almost animalic in nature, and smoky resins. It is fascinating and interesting, but not sure I would want to smell like this for an extended period. Thankfully the opening fades away and is replaced by almost a completely different fragrance, a peppery airy leather scent that is much more manageable.

Originality - 8

The opening is quite original but the drydown is a mix of Memo's leather fragrances and Interlude Man so I can't give Myths too high of a score.

Quality - 6

No issue with the materials, except maybe the airy "perfume"-y quality of the leather in the base, signaling the presence of not insignificant amounts of ISO-E Super and ambroxan. But the blending I think is subpar; the opening is confused and overwrought, and it doesn't transition well into the drydown.

14. Beach Hut Man

Scent - 6.5

When I first sprayed on Beach Hut Man, I thought they had messed up the decants and labeled Bracken Man as Beach Hut. Super punchy barbershop fougere notes. But then I got the mint and galbanum, very green, that proved that it was indeed Beach Hut. It's a take on Eau Sauvage Parfum (2012) but more green and leafy. The reason my score is so low is the nauseating nature of the deep drydown. This lingers on skin and produces an oakmoss stench that won't go away.

Originality - 3

Like I said, it's a more green version of Eau Sauvage Parfum, just a more "natural" and "niche" variation on a designer scent. I'd rather have the Dior to be honest.

Quality - 5

There's something unnatural and sickening about the deep drydown, either a misplaced overdose or some synthetic extending the lifetime unnaturally. Either way, speaks to bad quality.

15. Figment Man

Scent - 9

I knew this would happen with at least one of these discontinued frags. I really like this one and wish I had gotten it before discontinuation. Just some gorgeous animalics on display here, like something you'd find in an indie fragrance, but blended expertly unlike most indie fragrances. Dirty animalics meet filthy earthy woody notes, just great stuff.

Originality - 9

Some accords in this bear some resemblance to Terre d'Hermès Eau de Toilette but other than that it's a unique creation. Stinky animalics made almost fresh and uplifting, before descending into earthy depths.

Quality - 10

Like I mentioned, the quality here is phenomenal, whether it be the blending, which cohesively combines the animalics with notes that accentuate them, or the materials themselves which really seem like they are of the highest order.

16. Imitation Man

Scent - 7.5

Ah, the weirdo of the bunch. And with Amouage, that's saying something. So head-scratchingly complex. Nutmeg, violet, iris, leather, resins, woody notes, animalic notes all in equal measure. Worn this one 3 times and I still can't make out if I actually enjoy the scent or not, which is why it's getting a middle-of-the-road score

Originality - 9

Though the combination is unique, it does take accords from other Amouage frags to combine them, most notably Fate Man's opening spices.

Quality - 6

I'm going to give a low score for quality because I think the complexity doesn't translate into a beautiful whole. It's a lot of different things smushed together and doesn't really come together if that makes sense.

17. Portrayal Man

Scent - 6.5

Like I said in my review, I mostly just get a smooth violet leaf scent from Portrayal Man, and not much else. The vetiver is there but way in the background and I have to stick my nose where I sprayed to realize it's there. Just too simple and linear for an Amouage frag.

Originality - 2

Not unique at all, very similar to other violet-leaf-forward frags like Fahrenheit Eau de Toilette and La Fenice pour Homme

Quality - 5

Blended well, seems cohesive, but don't really notice any better materials used than a designer or cheaper niche frag.

18. Overture Man

Scent - 10

The creme de la creme. Overture Man is my personal favorite fragrance of all time. It is the Charizard of Jubilation XXV's Charmander; the final evolution of an already fantastic scent. Utterly complex, utterly unique, and I think, not even that difficult for non-fragheads, in a way almost mass-appealing. Boozy, spicy, resinous, woody, animalic, leathery notes come together in an indescribable cohesive way. Like drinking the most complex and wonderful aged cognac of your life.

Originality - 9.5

If I hadn't given Jubilation XXV a full wearing for the first time in the last couple of weeks, I would have given this a 10. It does share some of the DNA. But the added boozy and animalic notes set it apart significantly.

Quality - 10

To make something so complex smell so good requires an expert hand, and Fr. Vinchon-Spehner blended this excellently. Materials are top quality as well.

19. Opus XII - Rose Incense

Scent - 8

It is what it says: rose and incense. Green, light rose combined with woody, sauna-like incense. It's very nice, but doesn't have that extra spark to set it apart

Originality - 6

Shares significant DNA with other rose/incense fragrances like Portrait of a Lady Eau de Parfum and Epic Woman Eau de Parfum

Quality - 9

Blending is top notch and the materials on display are also excellent. Of course, you can't go wrong with Amouage's incense, and the rose note is very natural and green, like you are smelling the plant in its entirety rather than sticking your nose down the flower and getting those jammy sweet notes.

So there you have it, my thoughts on 19 of Amouage's classics. My thoughts on the discontinuations: I really can't blame them for most of these since they're either very polarizing and difficult, or on the other end, bland and kind of boring. I think maybe Myths Man was a mistake to discontinue as I don't really find it that difficult like Figment Man , and is also not as bland as some of the others like Beloved Man. The only one I feel like I really missed out on was Figment Man, but I don't think it is worth the prices it is going for after discontinuation.

Average ratings for the Chong era are:
Scent - 7.9
Originality - 7.4
Quality - 7.7

What are everyone's thoughts on the Chong era of Amouage and discontinued fragrances from this era? Is this truly the golden age and we are in the decline? Or was it just the beginning? Leave a comment below!