First Impressions – Amouage

I often gravitate towards the women’s collection from the Omani perfume house of Amouage. I’ve found them more interesting than many of the men’s scents they offer in their line. So, while in the department store the other day, I happened upon their new releases, entitled the “Renaissance Collection.” The bottles are rather striking, and as is my custom, I sampled the two women’s offerings first. Unfortunately, neither perfume impressed me as much as the stunning bottles and packaging.

Amouage – Crimson Rocks – Crimson Rocks felt incoherent, harsh and sharp on my skin. I couldn’t pick up anything that particularly reminded me of rose or honey. There is a hefty dose of cinnamon spice and pink pepper. Rather basic in construction and hardly the complexity one would associate with an Amouage scent. Perhaps that is the effect they were going for, but it doesn’t feel nearly as opulent as it should. It does improve/smooth out as it goes along but takes far too long to get there.

Amouage – Ashore – Ashore feels as bland and pale as the bottle, a light mix of jasmine intertwined in solar notes and pink pepper. It doesn’t offer much development on the skin and is relatively soft and unobtrusive. Airy, safe, and rather unexciting. Not the three adjectives one would typically associate with the house. I’m quite sure it isn’t worth the extravagant asking price at full retail. Ho-hum.

I prefaced my article by mentioning how I usually prefer the women’s scents to their men’s fragrances. Therefore these poor first impressions don’t bode well, or perhaps this is where the tables turn, and the men’s collection comes to the fore. Time will tell.

Have you tried the new Amouage collection? What did you make of it?

Note: Bottle images courtesy of Fragrantica.