ÇaFleureBon Behind The Bottle: Amouage Library Collection Opus V with Christopher Chong + V Draw

Christopher Chong, the Creative Director at Amouage, previewed the latest addition to the line Opus V. He also agreed to answer some questions about the Library Collection and Opus V itself as we take you Behind the Bottle for Amouage Library Collection Opus V.

Mr. Chong is a man of many talents and EIC Michelyn Camen wondered if he was aware of the significance of the number five in the arts. From Chanel No. 5 through to Beethoven’s Fifth; the number five has represented significant creative milestones for many artists.

As Michelyn asked did you feel any significance with the number 5 as it has a number of different symbology interpretations not the least of which in perfume circles is Chanel No. 5.

CC: It was very nice of Michelyn to research about the significance of the number 5. I wasn't aware of it. I'm glad to see that the number 5 has a very positive vibe. With fingers crossed, I hope Michelyn will send me more positive energy for the number 6.

In the press materials, for Opus V, it states the internet, and the sense of sharing in an electronic community, was the inspiration. Could you expand on that a bit?

CC: The Library Collection is a homage to knowledge and the art of living. Each Opus represents a form of knowledge and recollections. In Opus V, I am inspired by the form of the internet and social media democratizing how knowledge and information are shared and processed. As a fanatic fan of Facebook and Twitter, I am amazed with how instantaneous information has become. Perhaps this sounds absurd and obsessive, but having immediate access to information 24/7 wherever I am gives me a tremendous sense of liberated power. Just think about it, a single thought consisting of only 140 characters on Twitter can create a global impact instantly. I think I better stop here or else I will be going into geopolitical sphere.

With the internet as backdrop I expected to get a hint of ozonic electrical circuitry, did you and perfumer Jacques Cavallier discuss adding an “Electrical” accord?

CC: No, we didn't because I have never wanted to do a literal representation of a concept. It is more about the state of being and the spirit of knowledge disseminated on the internet these days. Even though we didn't angle the fragrance with a digital electrical accord we place the focus on the two very classical and popular notes, Orris and Agarwood as the representation of how traditional knowledge and information are shared in the modern era through digital social media. It is more along the lines of reconstructing the familiar with a new interpretation and lifestyle.

Are the Opus series going to be an open-ended kind of production with a new Opus being released every six months or will there be a conclusion? And when will you know to end?

CC: The Library Collection is an open-ended series. Each Opus represents a form of knowledge and is more experimental with the art of perfumery. We have no intention to end this collection because we feel it is important to balance the traditional artistry of our classic collection with a series that is more daring and visionary.

It is the last answer that finally places the Library Collection firmly in its place within the Amouage pantheon. While enjoying all of the Library Collection fragrances so far they all felt unlike the rest of the main collection and now Mr. Chong has confirmed they are meant to.

Opus V is really a mixture of Orris and Wood through and through. It begins with the shiny slightly metallic version of Iris, courtesy of Orris Absolute. The heart is still Orris but in the form of Orris Concrete. When I attended Esxence I had the opportunity to try some Orris Concrete and discovered this to be the ingredient which takes the sharp metallic Orris and transforms it into something soft and warm. In Opus V the Orris Concrete slowly subsumes the Orris Absolute in the top and then rose and jasmine arrive to create an intense floral heart. For a time Opus V resembles Gold a bit as the three floral notes in Opus V combine with some gusto. The base is agarwood and ambrox and I really wish the agarwood stood up more forcefully to the ambrox. As has been so often the case, of late, the ambrox steals the latter phases of Opus V.

Opus V has outstanding longevity and above average sillage.

Opus V once again shows that Amouage, under Christopher Chong’s creative stewardship, is a fragrance House with one hand steeped in tradition and the other hand typing madly on its keyboard searching the internet frontier for something modern. I’m looking forward to Opus VI.

Disclosure: This review was based on a sample provided by Amouage.

Mark Behnke, Managing Editor

We have a draw, for Five Opus V samples please leave a comment on your favorite Amouage fragrance, about the internet and information. Draw ends April 23, 2011

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29 comments

  • Alexander Rachev says:

    I have no patience to try this new delight from Amouge! Every time this brand amazes me with the quality and the thoughtful balance between the East and the West.I'm really passionate fan of their masterpieces.I'm looking forward for a quality Orris woody scent at the moment.I tested Modoc from Xerjoff yesterday and I desided I need to find the perfect Orris scent for me ,so Opus V is absoulutely a must try!These are the two notes I'm mostly interested in at the moment Orris an Agarwood and the combination of the sounds very tempting.Even though I love the sensational effect of pure Oud it is  mostly a private expirience.I need a scent suitable for any occasion and I think this could be the right one.
    Fingers croosed,I hope I'll have the chance to test this new Amougae as soon as possible!

  • I need to spend more time with the other fragrances in the Library Collection. I applaud the creativity of CC and Amouage, even if these scents challenge me a little.  Although many of the other "main" scents are dissimilar to one another (comparing Gold to Epic for example), this collection has a more exploratory feel. I would love to try number V, particularly given its emphasis on orris.
    As for the internet and information, I love change and innovation. Watching my teenage son, I often wonder what it would have been like to grow up with today's technology. I'm curious about the sensory, neural and psychological adaptations that our brains make at various life stages in relation to technology and to the explosions of information that come with it.

  • I would love to try this , My favorite Amouage has always been the original Gold – I would love to own the original minaret bottle !!
    I see Christopher on Facebook relentlessly – he is very opinionated …I always feel one should be discerning on large public forums – so much information available not only for good but also for others to steal !
    I enjoy recieving old fashioned handwritten letters .

  • I have never tried any of the Amouage scents so I would welcome this opportunity! Thanks!

  • I have so many Amouage favorites, including Epic, Gold, Homage, Jubilation 25. I love the consistency of quality with almost the entire line. Amouage was the first to teach me about TEXTURE in a perfume.  I am so looking forward to testing the new Opus.

  • I have fallen in love with Lyric, my favorite Amouage so far.  What did we ever do without the Internet?  I can't even remember.

  • Although I've never tried any of Amouage's fragrances, I am most interested in Opus I of the Library Collection for the simple fact that I am obsessed with chypres and the combination of notes sounds fabulous…As for the internet and information- I'm a bit of a neo-Luddite- but the one thing I can't live without is the internet and the access to instant information that it provides…as a teacher, it is a great help in so many ways…not least tracking down elusive book titles I could never find in my local shop…

  • I've haven't tried any of the Amouages yet, but Opus V sounds like a good place to start. For me the internet is what led me into my perfume hobby – I was trying once again to find a fragrance that worked on me, and figured I'd do some online searching as well….. you can guess what happened next. Eventually I realized that one of the reasons I had such a hard time finding a perfume that worked was because my skin loves non-mainstream notes: iris and woods/incense smell fantastic on me, but aren't very common outside niche and the indies. Yet as Opus V shows so well, they're easy to find once you know where to look 😉
     
    I love how the internet can unite people in their passions. Computers don't replace books, but they're sure a great addition!

  • My favorite perfume from the main Amouage collection is Ubar (though Epic, Lyric, Dia and Gold also hold some spot in my heart). From the Library collection I prefer the Opus III. I was glad to learn that the difference in these two collections – the main one and the Library collection was an intentional one. I hope there will be more releases in the former but so far there wasn't a single perfume in the complete line that I didn't thought was worth trying. So I'd love to try Opus V.
    Internet brought an interesting phenomenon into the perfumery world: there are hundreds of "lemmings" born every time a new perfume from a beloved house or perfumer is announced – long before it is released or the full-fledged public ad campaign is launched.

  • Amouage certainly resets the bar for perfume excellence. Homage had me smelling all rose perfumes in an entirely new light and remains my favorite so far.

  • datura5750 says:

    This is a tough question, as I love so many of them, but recently I put on a robe I had not worn for a few days, and it smelled so good! I finally figured out that I had sprayed some Opus III on it….

  • Christopher is indeed someone who is of this 21st century. One fo the few 'note' ables that is just like us!!!  since his page is open ,not locked like mine, he is a whole lot better at communicating one on one and he should be applauded. You want 140 words. ain't easy. trust me twitter hones your mind and writing skills ahh yes i tweeted this but how many of you noticed. alot of noise on twitter. CC cuts thru scent clutter

  • As a new mother, the internet and the information and misinformation available on it scares me.  Particularly as my son will probably be more computer savvy before he is 5 than I will ever be.  My favourite Amouages are Epic and Lyric (the women's versions) which are almost old fashioned in their plushness and richness and depth.

  • I, for one, love the 'opinions' of Christopher!  I have been accused of being opinionated myself.  I find that Christopher is one of the few that interacts well with his public whether it be by Facebook, Twitter or whatever in a way that makes one feel he cares about what his public thinks and likes.  I feel he is very sensitive to the needs of others and interprets his feelings in his creations.  I can hardly wait to sniff Opus V just to see how well I know that Orris and wood will combine in their marriage.  Christopher, I love sipping my coffee in the morning and enjoying your 'opinions'…….

  • taffynfontana says:

    Amouage has beautiful creations that seem to envelop me with pure luxury. My absolute favorite has to be Lyric although I am really excited to try the Library collection. Thanks for the draw

  • My favorite Amouage fragrance is Gold for women.  I adore it!
    Internet is my place of work and leisure.  I do a lot of work online and I turn online for fun as well, the way I do now.  Without Internet I wouldn't become a perfumista I became and wouldn't learn so much so fast about perfume.  For me, Internet is an amazing source of information.  Well, yes, one can go to reference libraries for information as well.  But Internet brings immediacy to information, and I do like to be informed on the things that interest me.  If there is too much information, I will portion out and become pickier, but I still like to have it available.

  • I can't say which one is my favorite because I haven't tried any of them, unfortunately. Bud I'd love to try this one just because I love orris 🙂
    I can't imagine the world without internet nowadays. Almost all the information just a few clicks distance… And it still has so many things to offer. It's a window to the world. I admit that I'm almost addicted to travelling with "street view" maps! 

  • Strangely enough, my favorite is the Memoir Man and Woman. Not so much because of the quality of the perfume but because of their concept and how it hit home. And since for the draw one is to comment, I got the two bottles from London even before luckyscent had 'em. Long live the newsletters!

  • Michellle Hunt says:

    Sadly, I have not had the opportunity to try any of the Amouage fragrances, though Opus V sounds like it could be a contender for a favorite, as I do love Orris. 
    I love the internet, I love to learn and it is an incredible tool!  Though it does tend to pull you in…a good old fashioned comb through the library has a different kind of satisfaction!

  • I adore Lyric woman and Memoir (woman and man). Jubilation 25 is right up there too for me. I love the richness and depth of the perfumes. Would love to test this one as I am a huge fan of orris. As for the internet, well…how did I used to shop/get information/communicate before it/??

  • As always with a new Amouage, I'm very curious to try this new Opus, and the combination of  Orris and Agar/Oud seems so unusual. I think my favorite Amouage is still the one I discovered and bought first: Jubilation XXV. Simply an amazing scent.
    As for the internet: well, as much as I curse the addiction to it sometimes, it would be hard to imagine life without it., and it's hard to remember life prior to 1995, when it was still in its infancy. What will we see fifteen or sixteen years from now that we can't imagine?
    Thank you for the draw opportunity.

  • Hopefully not yet to late for this one.  Dia Man is my Amouage of choice, at least so far, and one of my Top 5.

  • Newby here! I got a sample of Opus V at Sniffapalooza – never tried any Amouage. Now helplessly in love with Opus V. Enveloping, metallic, floral, oudh–crazy about it. However, I’ve learned to be careful where I wear it as it seems to be a love it or hate it kind of scent.