Amouage Epic Woman: Perfume Review

As Fred R. Barnard noted, “an epic is the easiest kind of picture to make badly.” Luckily, Amouage, with its grand mentality, is exactly the kind of line that does epics wonderfully well and short stories not so much. They should therefore completely disobey Hemingway's advice and not "eschew the monumental" or "shun the epic". The new member of Amouage dynasty continues the magnificent lineage with great flair. I am almost tempted to say that, with its unapologetic sumptuousness, it outdoes its great ancestors. And that's a feat of epic proportions in and of itself, as the ancestors include such larger than life creations as Gold, Jubilation 25, Ubar and Lyric. Speaking of Lyric, to me, Epic picks up its ripe, honeyed rose theme and carries it on, embellishing the star note further, and sort of giving the idea its logical closure by making the composition darker and even more extravagantly lush. No, the two are not the same fragrances, but of all Amouage siblings these are probably the closest in spirit. The embellishments in question are oud and frankincense. The funny thing is that, at the very first sniff from a vial or a on scent strip, the scent is undeniably an oud-rose blend. As soon as it is applied to the skin, however, incense takes center stage, and I like that. There are plenty rose-ouds and not that many rose-incenses. The nocturnal, resinous frankincense note delights me with its presence for a good long while, sort of covering the rose like a black curtain. Eventually the curtain is lifted and there is the flower, sweet, over-ripe, spicy with cinnamon and geranium, brewed with black tea and vanilla into a seductive potion. It is a delicious, edible, sensual and yet appropriately regal rose. If you are looking for more oud, you will find more in the base, along with some dirt from patchouli and some more nectareousness from amber and sandalwood. Those afraid of the sweetness, note that it is well balanced by the drier, stark notes of frankincense, gaiac and oud. Cuminophobiacs, to you I can only say that there was no cumin on my skin (not that I would have minded some). All fans of the Big Perfumes in general and Amouage's decadent oeuvre in particular, Epic is a must-sniff and, as far as I am concerned, a must-have. Available at amouage.com, €195-€230, and coming soon to Luckyscent. Image credits, Miles Aldridge, Amouage.