Arabic Papers by P.J. Crook, 2005

Orientalism is a potent term in both history and perfumery, fueled by Westernized images of seductive opulence, colonial stereotyping of a mythic territory of veiled eyes and exotic strangeness. Unsurprisingly, the designation “oriental” as a style of perfume has made some in the fragrance world increasingly uncomfortable. Rather than shy away from the controversy, Amouage creative director Christopher Chong decided to take it on, recognizing in orientalism an earlier form of “fake news.” Amouage Opus XI, the latest edition in the  Library Collection, is Chong’s riff on orientalism. Created with Firmenich perfumer Pierre Negrin, Opus XI centers on that most unique and Western-adopted ingredient of Middle Eastern perfumery, oud.

Christopher Chong and Pierre Negrin

Chong explains, “Modern-day society is constantly bombarded with information. Not always genuine, this barrage works against us to believe the inaccurate … this fragrance sheds the unnecessary falsehoods we are constantly exposed to throughout the world and instead is a manifestation of a genuine and timely study of Orientalism. It expresses the inextricable relationship between artistic representations and contemporary history.”

Agarwood resin

Amouage's oud has two faces: the stripped-down, austerely beautiful resin and its doppelganger, an amalgam of several ingredients that give an illusion of oud. Amouage Opus XI pens in a cloud of dense, vegetal notes that each come out quite distinctly in deliberate succession. The woods are turpenic, desert-dry – the smell of an old cabin where a fire has recently been lit; the unmistakable flowery-oregano aroma of marjoram is next, arcing above the woods like a vine of greenery. But make no mistake: this fragrance is about oud: medicinal, smoky, layered; revealing facets of pepper, cinnamon, musk, wild mushroom as it expands.

Rebellious Silence by Shirin Neshat, 1994

As the oud becomes more prominent, styrax initially adds a balsamic aspect that echoes the woods of the opening. This soon shifts, however, as styrax’s characteristic leather note comes forward. Smelled at different moments now, Amouage Opus XI gives off the herbal savor of marjoram, the off-sweet leather of styrax. In another second, it is completely dominated by that musky, bone-dry oud. Then the rough-hewn, smoky wood smell reemerges. Each of these notes has been quietly and adroitly delineated: each is entirely recognizable throughout the composition without ever taking away from the oud’s central position.

A Lady Receiving Visitors by John Frederick Lewis, 1874

Amouage Opus XI is compelling in its sparse beauty, its few notes teasing out the subtleties of the high-quality oud at its center. For lovers of oud and its many adaptations, it is the real deal.

Notes: Marjoram, oud, styrax, wood, leather.

Disclaimer: sample of Amouage  Opus XI kindly provided by Amouage. My opinions are my own.

–  Lauryn Beer, Senior Editor