Starting out as a gift from the Sultanate of Oman to show what the country can offer, Amouage has a distinctly royal heritage. Sourced from the country’s rich resources – think rose from the region’s mountains and frankincense from the country’s UNESCO protected plantations, coupled with ancient fragrance-making origins – Amouage was devised in 1983 as a luxurious yet discrete showcase of Oman for its distinguished guests.
But the secret got out. “In 1985, The New York Times wrote about the Amouage fragrance, and the title of the article was ‘The most expensive perfume in the world that you cannot buy’,” Renaud Salmon, Amouage’s chief creative officer, says on a recent visit to Australia. Demand skyrocketed and the House of Amouage was born.
Since then, Amouage has been through a transformation. It’s now available in more than 80 countries and boasts 12 boutiques.
Fusing tradition and its royal roots with the best of ingredients and creativity, Amouage’s secret to wooing new devotees to its fold, says Salmon, is its modernity and ability to whisper decadence rather than scream it.
“Amouage fragrances are refined, nuanced and tasteful,” he says. “They are not overwhelming or in your face.” It’s a sentiment that reflects the nation, explains Salmon. “Oman values what they call ‘open privacy’,” he says. “It’s an awareness of how lucky they are [while still being] quite private. People in Oman love this notion that if you want to be happy, you need to live a quiet life.”
Doing things with patience and consideration is at the heart of Amouage, from sourcing the precious and sustainable ingredients to finessing of the finished fragrance – which Amouage is in no hurry to release from its Muscat-based headquarters. “After we compound each concentrate, we age it,” explains Salmon. Spray an Amouage fragrance and you will instinctively understand.
Each feels balanced and smooth – the result, Salmon says, of giving the ingredients time to come together. “Maturation is responsible for the harmony of fragrances,” says Salmon. Likewise, ageing the ethanol for six months in wooden barrels helps create the distinctive depth of an Amouage fragrance.
“It gives this subtle woodiness,” says Salmon. The latest fragrances to launch from the house represent a closure of Amouage’s stunning 12-strong, four-chapter Odyssey Collection.
The final Chapter IV, the Eternity Collection, sees the release of two new fragrances, Decision and Existence. “I wanted to talk about the end of life in a very positive way,” explains Salmon. Inspired by an intrepid hike Salmon took on Jabel Shams, the highest mountain in Oman, the fragrances came to him as he neared the desolate peak with a mix of emotions that ranged from disorientation to serenity.
“At the beginning, you’re surrounded by nature and then it progressively disappears,” says Salmon of that day in the mountains. “One of the last manifestations of life on those mountains are the juniper trees.”
Decision, a woody and spiced scent created by renowned perfumer Quentin Bisch, takes those juniper berry notes and blends them with bergamot, frankincense, myrrh, Atlas cedarwood and vanilla for a scent that feels as decisive as its name.
Existence, meanwhile, feels more ethereal. Inspired by the clouds above those soaring mountains, Bisch has created a clean and bright blend of lily of the valley with frankincense, a powdery aldehyde, rose and benzoin.
Quietly luxurious, modern and considered, the new fragrances feel incredibly wearable. “People deserve to live every single day with an exceptional fragrance,” says Salmon. “Life is short; we shouldn’t limit ourselves to nights at the opera.”
Amouage Decision and Existence EDP, 100ml, $599 each; at libertineparfumerie.com.au.
