Joshua Kennon

As I mentioned in the Amouage Jubilation XXV review yesterday, one of the Amouage fragrance samples we received from the company, which is the official perfumer to the King of Oman in the Middle East, was Amouage Reflection for Men.  I said that if the Jubilation XXV was the King, then Amouage Reflection was the Crown Prince; a younger, fresher version with the same sense of wealth and luxury captured in a bottle.  I happen to be wearing the Amouage Reflection for Men today so I thought it might as well be a good time to write a full review, while it is fresh on my mind … er, polo shirt.

The Rich Middle Eastern Influence Is Evident

Like its brother, Jubilation XXV, the Amouage Reflection for Men is rich, warm, and full of opulence.  The ingredient list, however, doesn’t have the frankincense and myrrh found in the other, but instead boasts rich cedarwood, jasmine, vetiver, and more.  Here is a breakdown of the fragrance notes:

• Top Notes: Rosemary, Red Pepper Berries, Bitter Orange Leaves
• Heart Notes: Neroli, Orris, Jasmine, Ylang-Ylang
• Base Notes: Vetiver, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Cedarwood

It is definitely a younger fragrance, although anyone could wear it comfortably at any age, male or female (as most of the high-end buyers of these products know, there is no gender to scent, it is entirely a marketing ploy that is less than 50 years old).

The cedarwood, as a base note, lasts longer than almost everything else, at least to both me and Aaron, so it is a nice ending once it has worn down and only a faint hint remains after hours of wear. (more…)

Today, the postman came bearing gifts; specifically, the package of fragrance samples I bought from Amouage, the official perfumer of the King of Oman in the Middle East.  They shipped from the retail boutique in London via Royal Air Mail and arrived far sooner than I anticipated.

My family came over and we broke out the Amouage fragrance box, going through each one and deciding which were our favorites.  Some were not our cup of tea.  Others were out-of-this-world amazing.

One of those we adored was Amouage Jubilation XXV.  Katie Puckrik, a fragrance reviewer, was right on the money when she said it is a veritable treasure trove of expensive ingredients straight out of the Bible.  It’s like King Solomon decided to commission a perfume for men and capture the essence of wealth, power, and wisdom in a single bottle.  As a westerner, it is completely different from anything I’ve ever experienced, especially given I tend to prefer the high-end French perfumers such as Creed fragrances.

When you look at the Amouage Jubilation XXV ingredient list, it isn’t difficult to see the what Puckrik means.  This list of notes would have been at home in Psalms or Proverbs.  As she put it, this is the stuff that the three wise men may have brought to baby Jesus.

• Top notes: labdanum ciste, coriander, orange, davana, frankincense, blackberry
• Heart notes: honey, bay, cinnamon, orchid, rose, clove, celery seeds, gaiac wood
• Base notes: patchouli, opoponax, myrrh, atlas cedarwood, musk, moss, ambergris, oud wood, immortelle

Amouage Jubilation XXV Is Like Christmas and Cash …

My first thought when I put on the Amouage Jubilation XXV was “Christmas and cash”.  It reminds me of giant pine trees, shopping in Bergdorf Goodman for gifts, with tens of thousands of dollars in your pocket, dividends rolling into your brokerage accounts, and investments growing in value throughout the world.  That may not make sense, but it just made me think of wealth.  Not gauche cash, but instead, sophisticated, confident, well-established review-your-real-estate-investments-as-you-wear-a-cashmere-sweater-by-the-fireplace-in-Aspen money. (more…)