Overture Man by Amouage

A complex Amouage fragrance. Not for everyone; you need some perfumery experience to digest this Overture. It starts citrusy but quickly dives into dense spices. The opening isn’t chaotic, but soon a rough leather emerges with animalic notes that take centre stage. Geranium, myrrh, saffron and incense come and go. It’s a masterpiece, luxurious and unique, but it sacrifices versatility for the general public. It’s a personal treat for the connoisseurs. Longevity and sillage are immense, over 12 hours, potent for the first 8-9. Ideal for cold weather. In short: masculine, rough, top quality, but most won’t appreciate it.

Not one of my favourites from the house, although I did like it. It has that resinous, smoky DNA loaded with spices. The opening is a spicy explosion, difficult to decipher, with a juicy citrus and a smoky base. There’s something metallic, and on my skin, I don’t detect any cognac. As it dries, the spices change, some come and go. The resinous facet gains body, becoming heavier and filling until the end, where smoke and leather dominate. At some point, past the hour, I detect an Interlude vibe, just vibrating. I see it as a wearable oriental, not overly complex. Within the house, there are things harder to wear. It requires formality; dress elegantly. It’s not for everything: office is okay, formal night is better. Nothing youthful, something mature. Projection and performance stay close to the skin. Standard price. Masculine. I liked getting to know it, but I wouldn’t buy it. Edit: the best part is the dry down, very good. The opening is what I dislike the most, a sweet citrus that penalises.

An amber fragrance. In my opinion, it reminds me of Andy Tauer’s Desert Air and Bentley for Men Intense, but with an explosive cumin/origan note at the beginning that makes it disconcerting. The dry down is elegant and refined (once the cumin fades), but it takes quite a while to arrive. Ultra potent.

I’ll start by saying: wow. Interlude has been and is my favourite fragrance of all time, and in Overture I find the same longevity, originality and projection, although they are different scents. It’s an olfactory experience I thank Amouage for. If you can afford it and are looking for an autumn/winter scent that says ‘here I am and I am better than you’, this is the option.

Amouage and their compositions… I remember when I met Jubilation XXV I thought: wow, what a spectacular and elegant fragrance. I have more Amouage fragrances but I can’t stop thinking about Jubilation XXV. Just as Jubilation smells like a powerful and elegant man, this Overture Man smells like a powerful, elegant and rough man. It’s the millionaire brother of Jubilation, but this one is more for riding a Harley Davidson touring with brown seats and a brown jacket. It’s the most masculine thing I’ve tried; in my experience, I put it on and feel powerful, it lifts the spirit incredibly. It has me in love. I understand they say it’s complicated to wear, but it’s my night signature. I love it.

Mysterious and enigmatic, its notes do not fight for the spotlight but each has its moment to shine. It evolves with an exotic, animalic opening and a note I cannot identify but which captivates. Then the resins dominate, myrrh and frankincense with mastery, blending with spices such as cumin, ginger, cinnamon and saffron. In the dry down, I perceive cardamom or a subtler cumin, with sweet touches and a warm wood that persists. It is not an easy or versatile fragrance, but it attracts attention in a captivating way. It is not One Million; you do not smell like sweet dancing on the dance floor, but mysterious in the corner of the table, attracting glances and curiosity. It smells elegant, not scandalous. It has a cold and dark phase, ideal for winter, although it depends on taste if you use it in the heat. Fragrances are for personal enjoyment; it reminds me of Baccarat Rouge 540, but without the airy consistency of the latter. Overture projects in a very airy way, despite expecting something heavy. On skin it lasts half a day, on clothes all day; even the laundry basket releases the scent. Amouage rarely fails on longevity. The only problem is that they are like art: some are only to be appreciated, difficult to wear casually if you are not used to oriental profiles. Overture is strange but usable. In my opinion, it is for going out at night on cold days, with a leather jacket or elegant suit, although it does not prevent using it casually or in the office. Personality makes it work; I remember a colleague who wore vintage Chanel Anteus, animalic and mature, but it suited him incredibly and we all associated it with masculinity and attractiveness. I tried it and they told me it smelled like an old man without a bath; fragrances help, but if you find one that highlights your personality, you have found gold. Nevertheless, if you like it, let people say what they want about you. Longevity 10/10, Projection 10/10, Versatility 6/10, Originality 10/10, Captivating 10/10, Price 8/10.

Overture Man is above all a beast of an aroma in its performance. It opens sharp, spiced, slightly acidic, but above all very resinous, liquorish and animal. The first two hours can be suffocating, especially with the cumin, saffron and cognac. Then it balances better with the emblematic resins, sweetens and becomes more elegant and wearable. It’s supposedly inspired by the audience’s reaction and the loneliness of a man in a theatre, and it takes me there. However, it’s not just any play; it’s tragic, carefree and provokes emotions: impact, melancholy, apprehension, compassion… just like the perfume. It’s probably one of the best in projection and longevity I’ve tried. I’d feel it’s a crime to take it out of the cold. I see it as more masculine than feminine. I like the proposal because it steps out of the strictly oriental to give a complex alcoholic twist, with an evolution that makes it kinder, but it’s not my type. Note: 7/10. PD: thanks to Juan Antonio Lobos for gifting me some ml to try it.

Overture Man is an olfactory beast. It opens sharp, spicy, slightly acidic, but above all very resinous, liquorice-like and animalic. The first two hours can be very intense, especially with the dominance of cumin, saffron and cognac. Then it balances better with the house’s emblematic resins, sweetening to become more elegant and wearable. It is inspired by the audience’s reaction and the loneliness of a man in a play, and it takes me right there. It is not just any play: it is tragic, carefree and provokes emotions such as impact, melancholy, apprehension and compassion, just like the perfume. It is probably one of the best in projection and longevity I have tried. I would feel it is a crime to take it out of the cold and I see it as more masculine than feminine. I like the proposal because it steps out of the strictly oriental to give a very good and complex alcoholic twist, with an evolution that makes it kinder, although it is not my type of perfume. Note: 7/10. PS: Thanks to Juan Antonio Lobos for gifting me some ml to try it.