Review: Opus III from The Library Collection by Amouage (2010)

If there’s one characteristic that Amouage‘s first three Library Collection scents have in common, it is a gauzy sheerness. Opus I conjures an image of florals preserved in a delicate Japanese jelly. Opus II – perhaps the least successful of the trio – places its iftar-meets-fougère construction behind a pane of stained glass. But it’s Opus III that opts for the most appropriate and, arguably, the most sophisticated veil: a thin sheet of fine parchment.

Although iris and heliotrope aren’t on its official list of notes, Opus III’s defining feature is the dry transparency one usually associates with those two materials (think: Après L’Ondée). They’re lifted at the start by a light dose of peppery spices, whereas the presence of ylang ylang in the heart prevents them from becoming too gaunt. There is perhaps a little too much lychee sweetness at the beginning and the drydown may be wishy-washy, but the central achievement remains intact: spray some on your skin, close your eyes and imagine yourself looking through a piece of onionskin paper at a charming composition of pressed flowers. Future Opus releases would do well to follow the lead set by this elegant creation.

[Review based on a sample of eau de parfum obtained in 2010; fragrance tested on skin.]

Persolaise.