Gold Man

I remember the first time I tried Gold Man, many years ago, which was during my first foray into Amouage's lineup at the time. I got a sample and remembered thinking that, one, I certainly wasn't expecting this perfume, and two, for a minute, I almost wondered if I got a sample of Gold Woman instead of Gold Man. Unfortunately, at the time I first smelled Gold Man it had already undergone a big reformulation that effectively sent the aldehydes to stratospheric levels, shrank the oakmoss into dried wisps, and made the florals less naturalistic, all of which I was able to confirm when a friend who I identified as having a vintage bottle kindly let me try his for a little while. Gold Man is powerfully floral and powdery. Anyone who thinks this is a straightforward 80s masculine couldn't be more wrong in the sense that it is certainly not a straightforward French or American masculine. Instead, expect the Arabian idea of an 80s masculine of an opulent and grand style. Well, I guess I shouldn't strictly say that. It is old school and definitely more Arabian than Western, without a doubt, but while it retains that old school vibe it has certainly been reformulated to better suit more of today's global market. Lily of the valley, rose, frankincense, myrrh, orris, jasmine, ambergris, civet, musk, cedar, sandalwood, patchouli, and oakmoss - or at least this was the pyramid when it was first formulated in 1983. In this current formulation, particularly in the first couple of hours of application, it is a powdery floral bomb. Aldehydes abound, and they are massive and room filling. That said though, for being quite loud and packed with notes that could easily be cloying it is not cloying, and despite the volume it still rings crystal clear. The florals of muguet, jasmine, and rose - especially in conjunction with the other notes - call to mind the classics of yesteryear, particularly Arpege. The more resinous and animalic notes are notably absent for quite some time, until the dry down in which those funky and animalic notes approach you at conversational volume rather than symphonic blasts like the florals and aldehydes. The performance of this perfume is amazing as it's always been, and it still has the golden light-filled airiness, breathability, and clarity that never seem to succumb to the gravitas of the perfume itself. The reformulation has knocked it a bit out of balance, but, now as it was even then when it was first released, for a Western wearer it is going to take a very confident man - a man very secure in his masculinity - to pull it off. Most won't. But that says something more confrontational about us Western men than it does about the perfume. I love it. It's a legend for a reason.

Before I start, full disclosure: I live and breathe for vintage animalics, chypres and orientals. The dirtier the better. I know my civet and musks. I own a fair share of vintage powerhouses and I ain’t afraid to stink a whole block. Shoot me. Gold, while beautiful, ain’t the beast it’s made to be. At least not today. But with that said, it’s a beautifully potent throwback to perfumes of yore. I can only imagine its beauty back in the 80’s if it smells this good today. In a nutshell, take Joy and Diorissimo, add a layer of smoky resins, and you have Gold Man. The opening is a powdery/baby oil softness that feels clean but at the same time dirty. This isn’t clean white musks; think along the lines of MKK, even Kiehl’s, but lighter. What follows is a beautiful, pre IFRA lily of the valley. Like when Lyral and Lillial were used. Its fresh, dewy, dangerous. Realistic. This is joined by a rich jasmine. Authentic jasmine. Jean Patou Joy jasmine (one of the very best ever). The heart is floral, yes. Heavy and heady, but at the same time it feels very authentic. I wouldn’t say natural, as synthetics were always used, but it has the same quality of early 19th century extraits. Gorgeous! The base that follows is slightly woody, slightly mossy, with a hint of frankincense and resins and myrrh. It doesn’t overpower. It casts a veil of smokiness like the finest orientals. Everything feels and smells top notch, naturally beautiful. The kind of artistry that was available even in drugstore perfumes back in the 50’s, the 60’s, the 70’s... One thing Gold isn’t, is skanky. I’m sure it was, once upon a time. But today, and after owning and adoring the skankiest animalics of the past in vintage formulations with natural animalics in many cases, I find this aspect very subdued. Yes, there is a shade of animal, but it purrs. It’s gentle. The jasmine is far more indolic than the musk and civettone. The lily of the valley feels more sharp. While I’d guess it’s a good reformulation, I’d classify it as a floral with shades of skank. And in that regard, it’s gorgeous! Elegant. Even regal at times. A gentle giant! And there are times it feels just right! 8/10 Based on a 2018 batch.

The opening of Gold Man is a feverish delirium of aldehydes and rose. But not a delicate garden rose... It's a hyperbolic, gigantic rose, bathed in Omani incense and a lily-of-the-valley that shines with a dazzling, almost blinding light. Many recoil in horror, clamoring in their worldly anxieties that the beginning smells of "old luxury soap," "an old countess's rice powder," or "a feminine profusion from the last century." They don't understand the shock of absolute beauty. It's a clean opening, yes, but with a cleanliness so intense and sharp that it becomes aggressive, like the purity of a saint exposing the misery of our sins. In Gold Man there is the scent of an abandoned palace, where the cold marble still holds the echo of parties and the memory of a defunct aristocracy. But the true psychological abyss, the knot that keeps me awake at night, lies in the heart and base of this fragrance. As the aldehyde glow dissipates, the creature reveals its true and disturbing nature: its animal side. Musk, civet, and ambergris emerge from the depths. And here lies the soul-wrenching paradox: how can something be so clean and, at the same time, so dirty? So celestial and so carnal? While some smell the aroma of royalty, liquid gold, and absolutist power, others, overcome by disgust and fear, smell urine, sweaty skin under expensive furs, a caged animal in a velvet room. And finally, an almost mystical terror arrives: the projection is a force of nature, an "eternal" longevity that refuses to abandon the flesh even after a bath. It is the elixir of a potency bordering on insanity, even though the most modern formulas have been contained by the sobriety of our cowardly century. One does not use Gold Man to flaunt material wealth. This perfume is used when one wishes to experience the tragedy of excess. It is the perfume of a man who, knowing himself to be a sinner and mortal, decides to dress in the clothes of a god to defy his own destiny. It is opulent, it is baroque, it is frighteningly golden. A masterpiece that asks no permission; it simply is what it is without apologizing...

Gold Man from Amouage. This is my second favorite perfume from the house, only behind Interlude Woman. And while the latter is a conundrum of a scent that hints at the aesthetic of houses like Serge Lutens and Slumberhouse, Gold Man draws inspiration from vintage French perfumery (think Arpege), therefore not as unique, but adds in bold Middle Eastern elements such as Frankincense, heavy musks (mostly civet), ambergris, and woods. It feels and wears like a Roja perfume. It has that degree of sophistication and refinement that I have only encountered in fragrances such as Diaghilev and "M." Gold displays a prominent lily of the valley accord that is the center of the floral bouquet, supported by jasmine, rose, and ylan-ylang. The aldehydes are not very noticeable with the older bottles, apart from the opening, and I find these to smell richer, more natural, and heavier on the floral materials. The more recent bottles smell rather synthetic and very aldehydic/soapy and powdery, making it difficult to identify any particular floral accords. I assume the Lilial ban further destroyed this creation after the oakmoss ban did its part, and of course, the market demands over the more recent years. Even so, I do like the current version of Gold; it is different but beautiful in its own right. Although inspired by the French perfumery aesthetic, it feels and wears like an Oriental. The frankincense accord is prevalent and, for whatever reason, feels cold to me, imbuing a slight auster sensation. There are woods and oakmoss to ground the florals, and yes, there is a rather strong note of civet, yet nothing too crazy. It might scare off the average parfumista, but it's nothing like what you'd find in several vintage perfumes like Bandit, Femme, or modern spins like MAAI, or even Diaghilev. It's cleverly placed to add warmth and allure, next to the ambergris. A bold floral perfume that can be easily worn by men and women alike, although one has to love and appreciate florals and big, baroque vintage perfumes to warm up to this. IG:@memory.of.scnets

Almost one year after the release of Crystal and Gold - which will be known as Gold Woman - Guy Robert composed Crystal and Gold for Man, aka Gold Man. It was 1983 and thr Sulatanate of Oman decided to show how beautiful certain autoctonous oils were: frankincese, rose, and myrrh. They hired Guy Robert to impart a classical French style to the perfumes. Now, the interesting aspect is that the two scents possess essentially the same olfactory notes, playing with their ratio creating two different olfactory experience. This is classical french perfumery that resemble the '60 and the '70 with a decidely prominent floral bouquet and tons of aldehydes in the opening. They both verge to the slightly soapy perfumes, but not excessively like in Dia woman for instance. In my opinion, three are the key ingredients of Gold Man and because of the severe restrictions and bans imposed on them by IFRA after 2012, successive uterations of this scent would not be like the "original". 1) muguet (lily-of-the-valley): so dominant in the entire composition with its fresh cut stem facets, a slight baby-breath odour, and its green-powdery animalic nuances. 2) civet: it surrounds the florals here, it keeps them tight, slightly urinous and beautiful 3) evernia prunastri (oakmoss): because Gold is in essence a cyphre and oakmoss serves as the base for an interesting woody backbone. You may also add the rose which is very synthetic in current version and in general the whole flower bouquet has changed. Less vivid, less true to life. How would I surmize the experience of wearing Gold Man? Humongously animalic and richluy floral with exactly the right amount of powderiness to make the wearer distinguishable. Classical frankincense signature and rose galore. And the bitterness of the myrrh.... Expansive, huge, extremely rich and definitely ostentating. Unapologetically powerful. A signature scent!

I was able to get a vintage sample of this and it is a beautiful fragrance. Unisex to my nose and it is something I as a woman would enjoy wearing. Upon first spray I get rosehips right up front. Which smells like a tangy rose. The LOTV is toned down and the incense is amped up unlike with Gold Woman which I appreciate very much. Softly smoky incense mingles with the tangy and tart green rose and blends into beautiful pillowy soft oakmoss and a creamy and musky civet. This is what I expected the Gold Woman to smell like to be honest. The Gold Man is muskier, bolder and less soapy than the female version. I've smelled vintage fragrances like this in the past but I can't think of their names. If you like vintage fragrances you will love this. Although I wonder what the current version is like. If it is missing the opulence that this bold musky incense floral has that would be a tragedy. I will enjoy wearing this, but my husband thinks it to feminine for him. The above accords are right on the money. Beautiful. Edit: this is definitely a bedroom fragrance. Personally I find this to be a unisex White Diamond more than a Chanel #5. Maybe because the current #5 isn't all that animalic but White Diamonds eau de Parfum still is and at a bargain price at that. Gold Man is gorgeous stuff would love a vintage bottle of this. Again, this review is of a vintage sample. I am going to pick up more of them. This is quite addictive. A more rose and incense forward White Diamonds IMO. Edit: I am going to buy a current formula sample of Gold Man to compare. I will review that as well.

Easily one of my favorites from Amouage. A very soapy, powdery, and floral fragrance that lasts literally forever on my skin (16 hours, three of them projecting HARD) and oozes class/opulence. If I had one word to describe it, it’s “regal”. It's easy to wear, at least for me! This is with the current 2022 formulation. I had a chance to test out a vial of the earlier formulation and it ended up lasting even longer on me. It's more animalic and a bit less versatile/suitable for daily wear compared to the current formulation (not quite Kouros level of funk), but it's still absolutely worth seeking out. It's basically a masculine Chanel °5. I don't see too many teens or young adults wearing this, but it CAN be worn and worn well with confidence at those ages if you exude maturity. This is a love/hate fragrance for most people, I think. I'd suggest sampling this first and if it doesn't grab you initially, let the vial or decant sit for at least a few weeks. Try out other fragrances and come back to it eventually. You'll either still dislike it or it'll hit different. That's what I did and it changed my opinion from "Well, at least I tried it. Oh well." to "I finished the whole sample and I'm buying a full bottle. NOW." Edit 10/20/23: It’s been almost a year since I first smelled this and bought a full bottle. It’s still one of my favorites and it definitely benefitted from maturing. It’s a bit less powdery than before and now the rest of the notes are all in harmony with each other. It’s smooth. Really smooth. I feel like a king when wearing this.

My take on Gold Man by Amouage: It opens very powdery with the dominant lily of the valley giving an expensive soapy feel. The rose isn’t clear or vivid as expected instead, there’s a slight herbal scent, but it’s mostly overshadowed by the lily of the valley. The incense is present but extremely faint, not the classic strong type. In the mid, there’s a strong orris root adding to the powderiness with a balsamic quality, while myrrh brings warmth. Jasmine feels secondary, just rounding out the composition. Now the base, where people are claiming that they had experienced horrors, : "CIVET". Is the civet there? Yes. Is it as animalic as described? Definitely not. It has a slight pee like feel, but nothing unbearable unless you’re only used to mass appealing scents. Here, it acts as a shadow to the lighter notes, adding depth rather than overwhelming the scent. Musk blends smoothly with the powdery notes, oakmoss brings a subtle wetness definitely not refreshing, and sandalwood adds a creamy feel. Amber is apparently there but gets masked by myrrh, civet, and musk. Overall, I find this perfume interesting. I wasn’t a fan at first (blind buy), but after spending time with it and analyzing its complexity, it grew on me. It’s not a simple scent it makes you pause and think, “wait, what is that ?” this perfume is not my cup of tea quite frankly I had purchased this because of the Civet..The perfume is great but in it's own way. Will I repurchase it? Hard to say, but the fact I’m even considering it shows how much it has grown on me.

What a crying shame that Gold got discontinued. I was very lucky to get one of the last remaining bottles. Very lovely fragrance! It's like baby powder and a 1920's or 1930s men's fragrance with a middle eastern temple screaming in the background. It does transform to something different... something sultry and earthy in the bottom. Sillage and longevity are off the charts as I sprayed this on a tissue that sat on the counter, and could detect it from several feet away, for well over a day. I tend to prefer statement maker fragrances, so this fits the bill. Is it feminine? Well, it might have been considered that in 1983, when men's fragrances were butch to the max, and women's frags like Opium, Obsession, and Paloma Picasso weren't far behind. In 2024? I think it's unisex, leaning masc as baby powder is a universal scent, but it has that more masculine myrrh and base. I don't smell the old lady connection some people make at all, but I do get the Chanel No 5 connection. Having said that, it's no where near a dead ringer. Gold is missing that cold, fizzy, zingy, some might think off-putting citrus and aldehyde start Gold a great suit and tie, wedding, or nice meal out fragrance for a clean-shaven man during fall or spring. Use only a small spritz on each pulse point and perhaps one to the neck. I don't recommend for casual or every day use. If you want powder to the max every day, hit up Le Male or Prada L'homme. I'm single-handedly blaming this fragrance for me newfound obsession with middle eastern fragrances.

I heard so many things about this perfume and I was never able to buy it because it was just way too expensive and I had other fragrances on my list which I wanted it. 6 months back I was travelling back home and I went through Qatar where I smelled it for the first time and I loved it so much that I ended up buying a bottle. This is a very oriental type of fragrance, its very Arabian, it smells like luxury, it smells regal and I have not come across throughout my search anything close to it, or any company who have cloned it. This is a complex smell and a very high classy smell, its an experience. Now, I dont know how good is the non magnetic bottle / vintage versions are compared to the magnetic bottles, but let me tell you the made in Oman version is very potent, even though it says EDP, its well deserving of that label of EDP. Coming to the scent profile, this is one of the most bossy smells you will come across and the first time my wife smelled it, she said I smelled like a shiek (an Arab leader, in particular the chief or head of an Arab tribe), and this really stands out. I cant do justice to it when describing its notes, but I will try. So the opening is very bright floral, which follows into a powdery florals and settles down into powdery amber with a very small animalic hint. I usually wear it with my Thobe (which is a traditional clothing). If you can smell it somewhere, do it, but dont blind buy it because some people complain that its too powdery and sweet.

It is amazing how a scent with this level of complexity manages to work as a coherent composition. The blending here is a work of genius. There is so much going on in Gold Man that it takes time to come to grips with all of it. Wearing this scent is a voyage revealing new delights as it moves through an all-day-long, kaleidoscopic progression. There is an early aldehydic phase with white florals that inspires comparisons to Chanel No. 5, but which is somehow also masculine in feel. There are rose, incense, resinous & powdery notes that slowly reveal themselves. There is an animalic phase that in the current formulation (IFRA) suffers from the absence of the original formula's civet but is still convincing enough in its synthetic version to clear away any doubts as to the labeling of this fragrance as a man's scent. It all could have been a mess, but instead, it is a masterpiece. This fragrance is a necessary experience for those folks who wish to know and smell the remarkable things a truly talented nose can accomplish when working with a well-funded and daring niche fragrance house. Do sample Gold Man. Do not buy it without wearing it for a full day first. If you like it after a day wearing it from your sample/decant, you can buy it knowing that you will still be discovering aspects of this remarkable composition during many future wearings. Presentation is beautiful, as with all Amouage products. Projection is strong. Spray sparingly. Enjoy!

Stop the press!!! Amouage ‘Gold’ man is a masterpiece with the best silage and longevity of all time. Understand firstly, that I’m female, and I have owned ‘Gold’ woman (around 6 months ago). But with the woman version, my love for it ended as we weren’t quite compatible, (Gold woman was just too reminiscent of No.5 whom I’d loved, lost and long since buried decades ago). I had previously ruled-out trying the men’s range for the same reason that I wouldn’t go through a toilet door marked ‘men’. But my boyfriend had picked it up and declared that it smelt like soap. I’m a sucker for soapy florals so I smelt it and instantly fell in love. It was the kind of love that I didn’t have to try with, the man version of Amouage’s ‘Gold’ just fitted my body chemistry. I usually harp on about the notes, but I’ll leave that for others. I feel it’s fitting to romanticise about this precious jewel of a scent so I’ll end by telling you this story; Yesterday I was walking through the white-washed cobbled streets of Ibiza’s old town and a man approached me. He explained that his girlfriend had been too shy to ask what fragrance I was wearing. I shot a knowing/smug look to my boyfriend then told the man of Amouage ‘Gold’ but stressed the importance of the man version over the woman. For me, this moment was recognition enough, to honour an outstanding and timeless fragrance masterpiece.

As the first men's fragrance by Amouage, Gold Man set the scene for just how revolutionary Amouage's scents would end up being. A completely new theme for a men's scent in the early 80s, Gold Man bears a close resemblance to Chanel No. 5, at least in the opening stages. But do not be fooled by the development of this scent, which is so drastic, it could easily be classed as 3 scents rolled into one. The opening is full aldehydes and florals. Jasmine makes an early appearance whilst slightly veiled by the aldehydes, but the rose that introduces the middle stages takes the scent into a completely different direction. It's almost as if the Chanel No. 5 has been spiked with roses. Some more powdery notes enter at this point, before musk and frankincense join to create an opulent and long-lasting dry down. Older bottles had a nuclear civet note from about the mid point, which contrasted beautifully with the rose. This has been neutered in more recent bottles, but the overall aldehydic, soapy, floral-musky accord is largely still intact. A scent that is sure to turn heads (sometimes for the wrong reasons), it is one that simply must be sampled thoroughly before committing to a bottle. Ladies should not be afraid to wear this one, as it is largely unisex, perhaps leaning more to the feminine side of the spectrum.

Gold Man first came to me as part of an Amouage sample set. I initially enjoyed it but felt it might suit my partner better. She loved it too, but ultimately found it too masculine, despite its beautiful floral notes. Months later, after exploring a variety of other fragrances, I returned to Gold Man and fell in love. I now truly appreciate its artistry, and it has become my signature scent. The civet note was a bit gritty at first, but after about 15 minutes, it softened. It’s around the one-hour mark that Gold Man truly reveals its brilliance: complex florals layered over a warm, woody base with a touch of musky spice. The civet remains, but in a much subtler, more refined form adding just the right amount of animalic character to this sophisticated composition. Wearing Gold Man makes me feel like I’m worth millions, freshly bathed in a luxurious blend of flowers and fine oils. I now fully understand the royal, opulent aura this fragrance evokes. That said, I’d never recommend any scent as a blind buy, and this is no exception, try before you commit. The projection and silage are impressive, though it seems to have been slightly toned down in recent years compared to its legendary “beast mode” reputation. Still, it remains a commanding presence.

When I say that Amouage Gold Man smells heavenly, radiant and ethereal I don't just mean that as a compliment. That's what it actually smells like. Blaring aldehydes, powdery florals, and a beautiful resinous incense base with a bit of an animalic kick. It's as if someone took Chanel no 5 and compressed it until it exploded into a supernova. The result smells like a bubble bath, fluffy clouds and rays of sunshine. It's soapy, musky, androgynous, unapologetically retro but familiar, squeaky clean and incredibly comfortable. You might think that the prominent civet note could make this a bit dirty, but it doesn't, it just adds a touch of warm human presence. Amouage Gold Man is one of the greatest scents of the 20th century, and it's one of the rare ones that managed to stay alive and kicking despite the IFRA restrictions. This is easily on same level as stuff from Roja yet it costs a fraction of the price, and it's still recognizable as an Amouage thanks to the beautiful incense in the base. This is certainly not for everyone, but if you have any kind of interest in perfumery then this is a scent that you should at least try, even if you suspect it's not for you, because this kind of stuff is extremely rare nowadays.

Suddenly I find myself in a Bedouin tent in the middle of the desert, wearing the finest silk robes, surrounded by a harem, and wearing this insane floral beauty. I am at once regal, sexy and powerful. The best opening in a masculine, ever! But like a modern day sword in the stone. Are you brave enough to wear this many flowers? Definitely challenging but worth persevering with. It's so insanely good. Glorious, bombastic, totally show-offy. It smells like so many things: a floral, a chypre, an oriental, (and a woody-floral-musk). It opens exactly like Chanel No.5 but the civet turbocharges it to ungodly (or godly!) proportions. The myhrr, patchouli and incense darken everything, making it a bit more serious and preventing it from being just a crazy floral. The civet also brings everything together and focuses the extravagance of the florals, the regalness of the balsams and gives it some raw, animal, sexual power. There's also more than a hint of some wonderfully extravagant, old-fashioned, female floral aromachemical, but it's just brilliant here - the whole thing's too heroically insane and powerful be old-womany. Truly excellent. A masterpiece.

Amouage's current blurb: Overflowing with Omani Rock Rose, Hojari Frankincense, and Golden Ambergris, Gold Man distills the most royal riches of the Sultanate of Oman. This line is crucial to this perfume, so today I focus on the balsamic side of this gem. The first time I put my nose on this, I thought, Huh... wet incense stick? Yes... Those who, like me, enjoy those standard Indian rolled incense sticks and ever used water to douse one halfway through the burn will know what I am talking about. I later realized that this was a shallow assessment. After maybe the 3rd wearing of my sample, I realized that the balsamic blend of these 3 ingredients gives such a depth and richness that is simply stunning and very dynamic depending on the amount you spray and the environmental conditions. Now that I have had the bottle for more than a year, I can say this is an exposition of high-grade hojari frankincense (Fragrantica says myrrh) that creates this undefined sweetness/smoke/mystery/introspection/class. If you love resins and incense... sample/buy this.....seriously.

Rumoured to be the signature scent of Vladimir Putin, i had very high hopes from the fragrance that started it all for Amouge. Not only did it live up to those expectations but it surpassed them to a degree that it has become my most favorite Amouge fragrance out of their entire range. Now at first, due to its "baby powder" opening i was like, really Putin? This is how you like to smell? But as soon as it opens up, it displays various facets of Classical Chypre giving nod (actually its more of a headbutt) to fragrances like Chanel No. 5. Gold Man is a scent of power and authority. It is not to be worn casually or by an ambroxin-head. It is classy, sophisticated, ultra rich that, in my humble opinion, can give Roja's Chypre, run for their money. I'm not sure about the batch of this particular bottle or reformulation scenario but this performs exceptionally well. All you need is 3 sprays to dominate the space you are about to occupy. It may sound exaggeration or a fragrance crush but my dear fellows, this is one of THE best Chypre fragrance i have ever worn.

5/5. Plain lily-of-the-valley on women is perfect. But developing it for men mostly has been a fool's errand. This combo of notes also is discordant, by itself. HOWEVER it is the perfect adjunct, to brighten up your favorite fougere or chypre. Then its animalic notes get blended down to where they should be, while overall perfectly male, fresh, and basically unique to you. Ask your lady friends -- comps. And I say a similar plus for a women, to add to a spicy or sophisticated scent like L’Air du Temps. Thus if you will own only one scent, this is not it. But by your third bottle, you should find this quite useful. Simple jasmine can have a similar role, but this is more complex. A 1-to-1 layer may be too much, but then still very nice to mix liquids, proportion as desired, before a single spray. If you enjoy the YouTube reviews of @acsmellsgood (not me !), he also has a top review mentioning as "French-style mens". Speaking strictly just for myself, of course, as always. No point in comparing with vintages, which are not longer available.

My very favorite fragrance and nothing will ever replace it. Gold Man is the epitome of men's fragrance and Guy Robert was a genius. As the story goes, Sultan Qaboos had this fragrance commissioned (as Amouage's first fragrance) to be a gift to other royalty and aristocratic visitors to his country. It definitely smells luxurious enough to associate it with something a prince or a king would be wearing. Explosions of heady yellow floral notes, Amouage's signature incense and myrrh, and powdery civet. The civet is never overpowering or pissy/animalic. Wearing it is a joy. Sillage is explosive and longevity for me is 12+ hours with a long lasting skin scent. Gold Man has the best performance and sillage of any fragrance I own, outperforming even my oud based fragrances. Such a unique and beautiful experience. I try to only wear this when I'm dressed to the nines or for very special occasions. Be forewarned, a lot of people associate this scent profile with baby powder or even grandmother. Like all Amouage fragrances, testing is a must!