Amouage Journey: Fall Fragrances For People Who Love A Good Scent Story

If I had to guess what Amouage’s new Journey fragrances smelled like based on the accompanying film alone, I would be stumped. The short clip weaves together visions of smoke, a full moon, crashing waves, the silhouette of a crow leaping into flight and a woman walking down a corridor—all juxtaposed with Creative Director Christopher Chong in the process of conceptualizing the scents.

It’s a lot to take in at once, but no less than I would expect from the niche house. Established in the Sultanate of Oman in 1983, Amouage has since taken on an international appeal—for the right customer. According to Chong, that’s someone with discerning taste (and, I’m assuming, the budget for the brand’s high-end offerings).

Amouage Journey for Woman ($315 for 50ml, $380 for 100ml) and Journey for Man ($285 for 50ml, $345 for 100ml)

Amouage Journey for Woman ($315 for 50 ml, $380 for 100 ml) and Journey for Man ($285 for 50 ml, $345 for 100 ml)

Journey for Man and Journey for Woman are prime examples of perfumes geared toward this specific audience. They are expressive, complicated and best paired with a good story. After all, olfactory narratives are Chong’s specialty, a topic he warms to as we discuss his latest launch.

“I feel that perfume without a narrative is only about the ingredients,” he tells me, “Narrative gives it a soul that transcends the technical aspects of formulation, and gives a perfume its timeless existence.”

The Journey duo draws inspiration from Chinese cinema and Shanghai Deco, evident even in its packaging. The bottles are classic Amouage, updated with a deep red coating that looks especially striking against the 24-carat gold caps. The same themes emerge again in his scent choices.

“I was brought up with Chinese cinema, from black-and-white to modern,” he explains, “In Journey for Man, I used Sichuan pepper and incense to express shading and drama. Journey for Woman articulates the Osmanthus flower, mostly native to Eastern Asia, with a western construction.”

Amouage Creative Director Christopher Chong (Ben Rayner)

Amouage Creative Director Christopher Chong (Ben Rayner)

Both perfumes have a dusty, creamy quality, although Journey for Man delivers considerably more heat. The cologne smells of incense, bound to smoky tobacco, juniper berries and a warm, sweet, leathery base. All throughout, the Sichuan peppers deliver bursts of spice. Journey for Woman lacks its counterpart’s aggressive heat, but it brings to mind sun-warmed fruit, tea leaves and leather. There are notes of nutmeg and cardamom, but they are almost overwhelmed by the scents of jasmine tea and apricot in that heady, honeyed base.

I think you have to smell these as a set to understand Chong’s full vision—an exercise that will set you back $600 (Journey for Man starts at $285 for the smaller 50 ml bottle, while Journey for Woman starts at $315 for the same size). Individually, they are strong, standalone fragrances. Layer them, and you begin to see a picture take shape.

“I wanted to try a different form of narrative,” he says, “This cycle is based on fragments of my life and experiences. Even though it’s biographical, I still want it to have a conceptual nuance that allows wearers to form their own interpretations.”

In other words: watch the film, buy a bottle (or two) and come to your own conclusions.

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