Amouage Jubilation XXV Man image courtesy of Amouage with effects from pixaby by MC
Those of you who read CaFleureBon regularly may have reached the conclusion that I am something of an incense fiend. And you’d be right. I am powerless to resist the lure of fumy, resinous, balsamic fragrances (which may seem odd since I am far more likely to burn a scented candle than an incense cone). But ever since Aladdin’s cave opened to me – via Etro’s spooky Messe de Minuit – I have been utterly incapable of resisting the lure of a new incense perfume. But it wasn’t until Amouage introduced Jubilation XV Man in 2008 that I found myself practically curtseying before incense royalty.
All Amouage perfumes in the main collection contain frankincense, but Jubilation XXV Man, created by the inimitable Bertrand Duchaufour, was the first to make it the star. With what seems as many ingredients as Scheherazade had tales, Jubilation XXV Man is luxurious, complex, yet still quintessentially incense. Wearing it is like embarking on a magic carpet through a perfumed version of the Arabian Nights. The warm, plush notes glow throughout the fragrance like the rubies and topazes of Shahryar’s turban, dominated by a stunningly layered Omani frankincense. Lie back on your divan and let us begin …
Bertrand Duchaufour via Fragrance Foundation
It would be hard to describe the opening in the way of classical perfumery, so opulent are the first stages of Jubilation XXV Man. From the start, there is much going on, a bazaar’s trove of glimmering notes yet all with an uncanny orchestration that becomes more apparent over the next few minutes. First impressions bring the bite of bitter, fruity davana and juice-dripping orange and an impression of gold. The citruses are mixed by an unseen hand into an elixir of honey, bay leaf and sweet cinnamon, and just a touch of the caraway-like aroma of celery seed. But at first, I smell none of these notes separately but am struck by an immediate sensation of warmth. A moment or two later, I smell the distinctive, old paper linger of guaiac wood emerge alongside dark purple berry. I close my eyes and see silken scarves in a hundred colours flutter in the sultry breeze of the medina. Sun throws shadows onto dusty streets and a muezzin calls the faithful bleakly to prayer.
via pixaby apped
Omani frankincense, derived from the Boswellia sacra tree native to the country, is the heart of Amouage Jubilation XXV Man. Few incense perfumes can match the rich, complex resin of Omani frankincense. It has a majestic, enigmatic character that can make other incense smell like sawdust in comparison. Its aromas peel back gradually, revealing themselves slowly like a story being written. At first, the frankincense is musky, damp, and dense, unlit. But gradually it becomes smokier, warmer, drier, and, as it mixes with the woods and other resins, almost velvety.
Half an hour into Jubilation XXV, I become aware of the perfume’s rhythm. Notes swell forward quietly and then recede, like waves turning in the shallows. Now the resins move through the fragrance in a quiet procession; myrrh, with its furry, sandy aroma, mirrored by its sweeter sister, opoponax; earthy labdanum wearing sweat on its brow. The woods of the base rise to greet them, cedarwood first, then the medicinal savour of oud. All the while, frankincense spirals around all the notes with a catlike purr.
courtesy of Amouage
Some hours later, in the quiet of late night, I raise my wrist again. Amouage Jubilation XXV Man is woody and sumptuous, but with a rooty underpinning that gives it a down-to-earth quality. There’s a cola-like note in there also that may be immortelle, and a dewy rose I did not notice earlier. But what strikes me most about the fragrance now is how textural it has become. Smelling it now is like feeling the weave of silk carpet beneath my hands; the gulleys and hills of the pattern changes, the cool of gilt thread against the darker hues.
For many incense aficionados, Jubilation XXV Man is IT. The ultimate incense. The red carpet. The preciousssss. While I don’t think I will ever settle on the ONE where incense frags are concerned – I am far too promiscuous in my liking for them – Jubilation XXV has a justly deserved place on the middle shelf of my armoire, where the fragrances I wear most inhabit.
Notes: Labdanum ciste, coriander, orange, davana, frankincense, blackberry, honey, bay, cinnamon, orchid, rose, clove, celery seeds, guaiac wood, patchouli, opoponax, myrrh, Atlas cedarwood, musk, moss, ambergris, oud, immortelle.
Disclaimer: Bottle of Amouage Jubilation XXV Man generous given me by Europerfumes, USA distributor for Amouage. My opinions, as always, are my own.
Lauryn Beer, Senior Editor
Thanks to the largess of Europerfumes, we have a 50 ml tester bottle of Amouage Jubilation XXV Man for one registered reader in the U. S. To be eligible, please leave a comment saying what strikes you about Jubilation XXV Man based Draw closes March 2, 2022.
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