For a seriously luxurious fragrance experience, Lowndes Street's Amouage shop really is the crème de la crème.
Founded 25 years ago on the request of the ruler of the Sultanate of Oman, the idea behind the brand was to reflect the rich heritage and traditions of his country by creating the finest, exotic and unusual perfumes as gifts for his honoured guests. The intention was also to inform the world of the spectacular ingredients found in Oman - the rarest frankincense from Dhofar, in the south of the country, and the rarest rose of all; the rock rose harvested high in the mountains overlooking Muscat, the country's capital.
Today the house is dedicated to developing new and exciting products of the highest quality, using only the finest ingredients available. I recently met with Creative Director Christopher Chong, who explained to me the rich heritage behind the brand and how he creates the iconic scents.
The latest addition to the collection is Opus V, the fifth fragrance in the Library Collection of Opus scents. A floral and woody fragrance, Opus V opens with top notes of Orris Absolute and Rhum, paying tribute to haute parfumerie whilst remaining germane to modern day living. The raw and classical beauty of Orris and the seductive resonance of Agarwood strike a perfect balance whilst the juxtaposition of Rhum and Rose in the top and heart notes expresses many nuances. The fragrance is rounded off with an opulent leathery and woody base.
My favourite scent of the collection is Dia, a heady blend of top notes of fig, cyclamen, bergamot, tarragon, sage, violet leaves followed by heart notes of peach blossom, rose oil, orange flower, peony and orris and ending on base notes of white musk, frankincense, vanilla, heliotrope, cedarwood, sandalwood, gaiac wood. Delicious.
The store itself is modelled on an English study - when designing the stores, Chong is keen to reflect the traditional interiors of the host city, so no two will ever be the same. Parquet floors, leather bound books and open fireplaces all lend themselves to the subtly refined atmosphere of this premium brand. For more information visit www.amouage.com
