SirAddy

This comment has a long history that I personally found important, because it also reflects the complexity of Amouage fragrances. It was also my first fragrance in the luxury segment to be consciously bought by me. It's a very personal thing for me. If you are not interested in all this, jump directly to "Dufteindruck".

Background:

I wanted to treat myself to a really great and noble fragrance for my final thesis. I had my first contact with Amouage at a very nice perfumery in Bielefeld. There are almost exclusively niche fragrances and many classics. I honestly have to admit Amouage didn't make it easy for me at all. Several fragrances were presented to me that day by Interlude, Jubilation XXV, Epic, Honour, Gold and finally Sunshine. Actually I have a good nose (especially because of my whisky hobby) but already after Interlude I only smelled oregano, incense and ash. The complexity and power of these fragrances overtaxed me to such an extent that I rejected them gratefully at first. I finally bought Habit Rouge from Guerlain that day. It's fantastic, but now it's more of a standard fragrance that every well-assorted perfume man should have in his collection. It's a classic. To say goodbye the nice and experienced customer advisor gave me a sample of Bracken Man, which I put completely uninterested in my backpack

Again and again, looking at the ratings at Parfumo, I went to the perfumery several times a week to try out various Amouage fragrances. I was so fascinated and at the same time deterred (perhaps also overtaxed?) that for a long time I could not even decide on a fragrance. Tests on the skin, more samples and even fillings here via souks. Nothing helped my "I-Want-Amouage-But-Not-What-What-What-Phase". Bracken, although there was a bottle in the perfumery, remained untested. Looking at the prices of the Amouage fragrances, the following thought occurred to me: "Perhaps the decision is so difficult because you simply don't like anyone so much for the money? I talked about it with friends and acquaintances. They looked similar. I'm supposed to try something else. So I gave up Amouage and didn't look for other alternatives.

Now a somewhat clichéd twist follows for which I am not ashamed, but which I find somewhat embarrassing retrospectively, since I am an absolute Fougère fan. About six weeks later, while cleaning up, I notice the completely ignored Bracken Man sample. When I opened the lid of the high-quality sample, I immediately felt like I was back on the first day in the perfumery. Due to the jerk on the lid, the first load of lavender came so energetically towards me that I first thought I had pulled off the lid with the sprayer and distributed the contents in the booth. But this time we were in my territory. I consciously read time, smelled and smelled and smelled...like a good whisky.

Fragrance impression:

Lavender and clove, green-fresh and with a cleanliness - I can hardly describe it any other way. The prelude has a naturalness that I miss in many other perfumes that go in a fresher direction. I wouldn't say the scent's soapy. Definitely I associate with Bracken Man but purity and contrary to that raw nature. Imagine being freshly washed and shaved, ready for great deeds, stepping on a forest floor covered with fern. In addition, there is a very beautiful floral-woody note, especially in the heart note, which is really fine due to the spices. Cinnamon is really perceived very discreetly, which is probably due to the patchouli in the base and the cedar wood. The latter in particular adds a fresh, woody note that slightly covers the spices. The basis one might suspect would be somewhat difficult, but this is absolutely not the case. There's really been a lot of work done here. The patchouli and musk are very well balanced in Bracken and so well integrated that they hold the whole composition together and round it off beautifully.

Sillage and shelf life are very good with this fragrance. I personally don't notice Bracken after about 1-2 hours, but after 8-9 hours and generally throughout the day, I always get a glimpse of this very elegant Fougère. Especially with authentic and natural fragrances, this is completely normal, as the nose simply gets used to it. Several people have already confirmed to me that they can smell the "liquid fern herb" on me from a good distance. Not space-consuming, but not inconspicuous either. Somewhere in between. So far I have only received compliments.

Conclusion:

The Fougère theme has been skilfully implemented by the Amouage perfumers and adapted to modern times. A perfect all-rounder who can certainly surpass himself at milder temperatures (spring, autumn). An absolute masterpiece. After this revelation I was really annoyed that I left the sample lying unnoticed in the corner for so long.