Meander by Amouage

Meander is good; I liked it. It comes out sharp and aggressive, dominating the sandalwood and vetiver, but within 30 seconds the aggression fades and it becomes soft, moving into carrot seeds with earthy and incensed touches. I suppose the lily root pushes that earthy part, and over time the cyperus gains importance. It’s curious that at some point it smells like the latex of office socks. I don’t detect the rose, pink or black pepper, and the narcissus leaves me in doubt due to that faint aroma.

Amouage Meander is from the new generation of the brand and it shows. It’s pleasant, opening citrusy and spiced with a very marked seed note that gives way to an aroma between pepper and cardamom (unlisted), very similar to Cartier Declaration Essence. As it dries down, resins become apparent, but it never loses that fresh, spiced, green character with great presence. It’s one of the few Amouage fragrances wearable in heat (not extreme), looks versatile, performs well and is unisex. It’s easy to wear, a good entry point to the brand. I like it, it might be worth it, but with the Cartier mentioned it would be redundant given the price, so I recommend trying both. Rating: 8/10.

Amouage’s Meander smells like a new generation of the brand, and it shows. It’s quite pleasant, with a citrus and spicy opening where a seed note is very prominent, settling into a scent between pepper and cardamom (unlisted) that makes it very similar to Cartier’s Declaration Essence (Nivek mentions this below, and the association enlightened me, as this does not smell of cumin). As it dries, some resins become apparent, but it never loses that fresh, spicy character, slightly green and with great presence. It is one of the few Amouage fragrances usable in warm climates (though not extreme heat); it appears versatile, with good longevity and quite unisex. I think it is easy to wear and understand, a good entry point into the brand. Finally, I like it, I believe it can justify its price, but with the aforementioned Cartier, it would be redundant to own both, especially given the price difference, so I recommend trying them to decide. Rating: 8/10

Incense rules, but without being heavy as in Interlude; it is subtle, like the smoke of a stick rising among tall pines, mixing resin, green, incense, and the forest’s humidity at dawn after the dew. The opening is fresh, not citrusy, but fougère that becomes incensed. It lasts 7 hours on my skin without issues. Perhaps I would not wear it in summer heat, but otherwise it is very versatile. I tested it in store alongside Enclave from the same brand, one on each wrist. At first, Enclave pleased me more; it was more fun and casual; but Meander, with time, proved more generous and elegant, not only because it lasts longer, but because of that mystical character. It is a masculine fragrance that could appeal to those who love the classics of the 80s, although in this case, that eighties style is overflowing with a layer of gentleman’s club from some Arab emirate.

On my skin, the opening is a bomb of freshly cut green woods with a spicy touch of carrot seeds. It does not smell of natural wood, but rather synthetic or varnished, yet that does not stop it from being addictive. As it dries, vetiver dominates, along with a soft incense and those carrot seeds. It projects well and lasts until the next day. The truth is, Amouage is not living up to the hype. They have undeniable execution and quality, but unfortunately, they do not enchant me for the price. Only this and Bracken deserve spending a fortune. Meander is totally unisex, very pleasant for temperate climates and relaxed moments. I would love to smell it on a man and note the differences. Pleasant: 8/10 Interesting: 7/10 Versatile: 8/10 Original: 6/10

It didn’t blow my mind, but I certainly love it. It is very pleasant and enjoyable. It is true that it has a 90% similarity to Cartier’s Declaration Essence, but here the quality is through the roof; it feels of much greater weight in every sense. I see it as very masculine; I cannot imagine this on a woman. What I perceive most is the frankincense incense, pink pepper, black pepper, iris root, and the sandalwood that gives it a very rich woody touch. I think if you have Cartier’s Declaration Essence, everyone will think you are wearing Amouage’s Meander without any doubt.

A beautiful fragrance under the new artistic direction of Amouage. One can expect the odious comparisons after the passing of Mr Chong, and although I think Interlude Black Iris was dispensable, we don’t underestimate the new fragrances of Renaissance. Meander is very good. The incense and sandalwood are the notes I perceive most at the start, and little by little it mutates into an extremely elegant fragrance. It’s not a beast like Journey, Interlude, Opus VII or Gold, nor does it need to be. Not always is it desirable or convenient to wear an opulent powerhouse. Meander fulfils its purpose in situations where you want to wear a great perfume but more discreetly.