Interlude Woman

(Review of a new formulation, which, as noted by others, does have differences compared to the original release) I’m usually able to see the thematic overlap with Amouage’s masculine and feminine counterpart perfumes, but with the Interludes it isn’t as obvious. Interlude Man is a cold weather staple of mine and has been since it was released, its rough bordering on cruel delivery of hot and intense smoke and woods never fails to make my eyes go wide in captivation. It delivers a story of an apocalyptic resinous-tree-forest fire in progression. In searching for a thematic connection to Interlude Woman, I suppose we have a yin and yang connection as Interlude Woman is the opposite of apocalyptic, fiery, smokey, or woody. However, this loss of the drama that Interlude Man had - or vice versa, perhaps Interlude Man gained the drama - is not a disservice to Interlude Woman. It doesn’t matter which perfume you experience first, you get an immediate sense of this dichotomy in the opening. There are some bitter and piquant sour qualities from the hesperidics and the ginger components, some powdery aldehydes that will make themselves more apparent as the perfume progresses, but what stands out the most is the marigold... or so one is to suspect. It is brief, and overlaps a lot with the greens and the bitter, earthy, citrusy notes of the other materials, but the nose suspects the floral aspect of marigold is what should be at play here and it is very likely the orange blossom and helichrysum playing upwards out of sequence. What one smells most readily from marigolds is not the flower but the plant itself, which has a very strong musky, green, “repellent” type odor, but there isn’t much of that in the opening of Interlude Woman, or at least not much that lasts long enough to be detectable as such separate from the bergamot, sulfuric grapefruit, and ginger. Instead it’s yellow floral, which marigold flowers can have a bit of, but they are quite demur about it. It becomes a bit more obvious that something is “off” as the hesperidics and ginger dry down and a honeyed melon note blooms, an effect of the honey of helichrysum and the gentle fruitiness of orange blossom. The powderiness becomes more overt here as well, significantly adding to this smooth-fruit effect. A jammy pink rose brings it home. The heart then, summarily, is a floral amalgam of pinks and whites given a good dose of melon-y fruit. Kiwi? No, not really. Kiwi doesn’t have much of a smell, except for watery melon type notes, but its flavor can be briefly green and citrusy when it hits the tongue, so while the smell of kiwi might be there the flavor is not, and to my palate the smell and flavor of an underripe yellow melon is more apt. It’s odd. Very odd. Other devotees of Interlude Woman note that this floral fruity heart wasn’t nearly as powerful in the original formulation but here is where a careful choice of words becomes very important. To my nose, this fruity floral was always present in Interlude Woman, but in the original the dank-green marigold-type facet was stronger and the floral and incense aspects stronger. These others notes have been dialed back as, perhaps, they were a bit pushy to what prospective buyers at perfume counters were looking for, and by dialing them back this melon floral heart became stronger. It might be a small or semantic difference, but it’s important and it has large implications. Regardless of how your nose perceives what is transpiring in this heart layer, there is enough of the floral components, musky greens, and earthy and resinous incense to get the job done. There is just enough tension between the pushy greens, the watery and honeyed fruits, earthy incense, and gentle florals to create the tension fitting of the Interlude brief. Maybe think of it this way: when a man wants to create tension, as in Interlude Man, he is likely to be quite direct and brash; the way a woman would create tension, as in Interlude Woman, is going to be much quieter and nuanced. Maybe that's sexist, and, if so, DM me (so I can ignore it). It’s a fascinating section of the perfume, but it does take more than a couple wears to wrap one’s mind around it. The dry down resolves the tension by going convincingly yet well-done woody amber. The opoponax carries a sort of caramel boozy aroma, the resinous benzoin leans only slightly towards an earthy vanilla/tonka aroma, and there is plenty of lightly creamy sandalwood, all playing the starring roles. The powderiness continues in the form of gentle musks. It’s nestling, caressing, easy to handle and to love, yet very nicely balanced so as to not go too far in either direction of woody, vanillic, or earthy. Now, time for a purely subjective and opinionated portion: I am a bigger fan of Interlude Man than I am Interlude Woman. I like drama. I like wearing art. I can be perfectly loving towards something rough and brutish like Interlude Man when it is compelling. Interlude Woman, at least in this new formulation (I might later add thoughts about the original, though it won’t be much different), is none of those things - dramatic, artful, rough, or brutish. But it is impeccably beautiful. Whereas Interlude Man might have just enough overlap with Amouage’s Arabian roots in its willful pushiness and bold nature, Interlude Woman reads far more like a classic French oriental/amber with its calculated, quiet, and nuanced tension. I have a place in my heart for those perfumes as well, and Interlude Woman slots right in.

Here is one that I don't see mentioned often, and yet I feel it is the best Amouage creation to date. I also find it curious that they decided to discontinue so many more "palatable" perfumes, yet this one is still around. Because I feel it is one of the most difficult to grasp from the house of Amouage, complex, unique, and odd. Now, as a caveat, the perfume smells like it underwent a significant reformulation around 2013-2014 because I have samples of the 2015, 2016, and 2021 versions, and to me, these all smell the same. A strong Kiwi accord that I don't like (to say the least) and just an amped-up overall fruitiness that clings to the composition (so annoyingly) throughout, with more powderiness and sweetness. My review is based on the original 2012 release, and I did compare and wore them multiple times to make sure my nose doesn't play tricks on me. The earliest issue of Interlude Woman has none of the Kiwi accord, and there is no fruitiness I perceive. It is more woody and mossy, less sweet, darker, and the castoruem note comes through in the base. It is everything I wanted Interlude Woman to be. The opening smells strongly of marigolds alongside a quick burst of ginger and faint citrus. It goes away in about two minutes and you're left with the marigolds that start to pair with a crescent note of immortelle. It is a peculiar-smelling combination, to say the least, and people familiar with these two "difficult" notes in perfumery will understand where I'm coming from. Imagine the bitter and green scent of marigolds paired with the dusty-sweet and liquorish aroma of the immortelle. Herbaceous, dusty, and dry, a peculiar combination of this caramel-like aroma from the everlasting flower and the sharp, piercing, and bitter green from the marigolds. Eventually, the immortelle takes over until it overshadows the marigold accord entirely. At this point, it combines with my favorite part of this perfume in what I would describe as the "heart of the fragrance." The "walnut" accord. I don't know if Karine intended it to be or if the combination of woody notes and other elements gave it birth, but the walnut accord is incredibly realistic (and good). It pairs brilliantly with the immortelle and complements the latter's olfactory facets. You get this dry nuttiness alongside a slightly sweet-boozy honeyed liqueur accord that bears this beautiful pollenesque dustiness. To this duo, there are woods, honey, incense, and faint resins that add their charm. Till this point, Interlude behaves like a pure Oriental perfume experience. Bizzare and enticing yet unmistakably Oriental. Here, and going into the base, is where the major shift happens. From an Oriental, it changes to a Leathery-Chypre composition that strongly reminds me of Puredistance M in the final stages. That glorious bitter mossiness combined with a castoreum-driven leather accord that pushes on the edgy and sexual side, barely warmed up by glowing resins. This shift is abrupt and takes me by surprise with each wear as I almost feel I am caught off guard. The floral and herbaceous elements disappear. The sweetness is replaced by this inky-bitter and earthy moss accord, while the leather facet is amplified by the castoreum element. From here, it wears like a proper leather-chypre with smoky and ambery touches. I am confused about why they decided the addition of fruits (mostly Kiwi) would make the composition work better. In my opinion, it makes it feel discordant and chaotic, but I can see how it might also make it more palatable for the feminine sex (toward which it was targeted in the first place). I like the reformulated Interlude just fine, yet if I was presented with the opportunity to own another vintage flacon, I might spring for it. It gathers so many accords that I love in perfumery, like the heavy use of immortelle, the brilliant walnut accord, provoking and oily leather, plenty of moss, and smoky resins. There is nothing feminine here. It is dark and brooding and makes me picture an ancient apothecary where one would find old ointments, bitter-dry herbs, medicine, resins, musty old wood, dusty and rugged leather garments, and moss creeping up the walls. IG:@memory.of.scents

I'm so annoyed with myself for not trying this 2 or 3 weeks ago. "Interlude" is a fitting title for this composition as it is overwhelmingly evocative of the dry, melancholic yet warm end of summer, but not quite autumn - specifically the first or second week of September. I would have loved to wear this out on a walk, and narrowly missed a (literal) golden opportunity 😆 This smells like yellowed grasses, warm yellow florals (I use helichrysum essential oil on wounds and am lovingly familiar with the scent) and tawny resins. The opening is a bit much, I won't sugarcoat it. It blasts me with something like aciduous needles of pine or fir, and initially I was worried that I actually purchased the men's version by mistake. The kiwi (it just smells like general fruit) and citrus don't emerge until 10 minutes in, which is odd, because typically fruits are the first thing I smell in fragrances. For whatever reason it's too fiercely aromatic for me to properly smell them until it settles a bit, and it's a very masculine opening indeed. Thankfully it does settle, and absolutely glows on the skin. The fruit really is funky, and I had hoped it would be! This is definitely not something everyone would enjoy, and that's ok. I've never smelled another fragrance even similar to this, which excites me! A combo of honeyed yellow flowers, resins, fruit salad (but in a good way), soft leather and woods...it's lovely and fun. I'm a coffee drinker, and lover, but I don't smell any in here. Strangely, I'm not even disappointed, it doesn't need it, it has enough going on. It can get overwhelming. For all of the exquisite constituents, this is casual and playful. It projects decently, but I don't feel underdressed in it. It somehow manages to feel high quality, but youthful and not to be taken too seriously. It's creatively beautiful, very bohemian. I don't understand why the bottle is blue, because this is so very warm. It feels like the colors of gourds and fading leaves. Not quite full-on autumn, but fading summer. I love this. I mean, I *really* love this. I have plumber's tape around my decant and I'll try to save it until next year, but I might end up using it up before then. This truly does deserve to be worn in early September 🏵🥝

Some words which came i to my mind: Surprising Interesting Balsamic Fruity Ambery Evocative Distinct Warmth Unusual charm PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA OF SCENTS* Impossible to imagine without experiencing it! 🥝 The chaos of notes in Interlude made me so curious about it and the scent was even more than all my expectations. That chaos works perfectly. I didn’t have a patience to wait and find an older batch but I will definitely buy that one too once I will get a chance. 🥝 I LOVE this complex mix, where everything performs in a very different way that we are used to. It’s easy to detect accords but the result is somewhat abstract. Balsams and resins doesn’t feel spiritual and calming, fruity doesn’t mean playful and joyous, base with Oakmoss, Leather, Musk and Oud is not heavy and edgy. This is unique sweet and exotic addictive blend with solid rich base which I find very difficult to describe in the right way and what it deserves. I need to get the original formula in my hands even if this is already so captivating. I think that the base has a bigger role in original formula - I mean those notes are more potent. ➡️ NOTES from Amouage’s website TOP: Bergamot, Grapefruit, Ginger, Tagete HEART: Frankincense, Rose Absolute, Orange Blosson, Helichrysum (called Immortelle as well, brings note of honey), Jasmine, Opoponax 🥝 I don’t know if Kiwi has been mentioned in the official notes back in times but it’s there and imo it has an important role here. EDIT: Walnut and Coffee has been in the original notes as well. BASE: Vanilla, Benzoin, Amber, Sandalwood, Agarwood, Oakmoss, Leather, Tonka Bean, Musk, Animalic notes (I don’t find any) Thank you for reading, I hope my review was helpful. I would appreciate a lot if you want to follow me on IG and/or YouTube (English subtitles): @ninamariahperfumes It gives me a lot of motivation to write more. 🤗

Note: The review for extrait old batch ——— Mastery of chaos... or chaotic mastery? Classification: Chypre - Spicy Concentration: Extrait de Parfum Perfumer: Karine Vinchon-Spehner ⸻ A harmonious orchestra of scents. My first impression when experiencing the fragrance felt like the striking of the organ in Bach’s Toccata. An explosion of harmonious contradictions — a captivating chaos walking on a tightrope of order, like a symphony that both improvises and adheres to its musical score at once. ⸻ Top – A Fruity-Spicy Burst: The fragrance opens with a burst reminiscent of fruity bubblegum, quickly wrapped in a sharp, acidic sweetness. Bergamot and grapefruit lend a bitter freshness, surrounded by the heat of ginger and the earthy-fruity aroma of tagete, evoking dried fruit peels and creating a striking aromatic tension that ignites the senses from the first moment. ⸻ Heart – Honeyed, Nutty, Mysteriously Floral: At its heart, frankincense blends with facets of honey and nuts to form a complex core of smoke and sweetness, resin and ghostly florals. Immortelle adds an earthy, spicy, slightly burnt-sugar tone, mingling with nuances of dry hay. The floral notes—rose, jasmine, orange blossom—are not overt; they reside in the shadows like drifting silhouettes, all cloaked in golden frankincense resin. ⸻ Base – Leather, Smoke, and Amber Chaos: A dark, powerful base colored by touches of oud and leather, where labdanum, amber, sandalwood, and gaïac wood intertwine to create a smoky, burning incense backdrop. Opoponax brings a bitter, slightly sweet balsamic depth. Finally, musk, tonka bean, and vanilla soften the composition with a warm, velvety glow.

I accidentally received a coffret of Interlude rather than the Memoir I had ordered. the blue bottle was so beautiful, I thought I would test it a bit first before sending back (I had a 12 sample pack, had not been impressed by Interlude Woman at first sniff - disappointed as I loved Interlude Man - but hadn't really tested on skin properly). First impressions were, how weird, like really strong, sharp fruit flavoured tea, I'm definitely returning this. I asked my son to smell me though and my 7 year old swooned and said I smelled amazing so I gave it a bit more of a chance, I was definitely impressed by the longevity and as the first blast of juicy tangy fruit dies down a bit it becomes far more nuanced and definitely interesting. Still I thought it was too odd and I went ahead with the return request after a couple more tries. On the day of the scheduled pick up by the courier though something clicked with me and Interlude and I cancelled the return, I have come to find it absolutely delicious and intriguing and very unique. It is now my second favourite Amouage, tied with Jubilation 25 which is more typical of my everyday style. No 1 for me remains Memoir although I think that is much more of an evening only scent. Update: a year later this is now far and away my no1 Amouage with Memoir Woman no 2 and I have ordered a back up bottle as I would hate to be without. I have had a chance to try Made in UK v Made in Oman (which is what I own) and the Made in UK that I happened to try is a SHADOW, not even comparable, with made in Oman, with none of the intensity or sour tart top notes.

The current formulation (at least, the sample I got from Jovoy a couple of months ago) has an extremely loud and persistent kiwi note, and in general the perfume is VERY loud and agressive. I liked it though, and when I found a 100ml on Vinted for under 100 euros I didn't hesitate. The batch of my flacon is from 2020, and while being the same on the opening, it develops very differently. The synthetic fruit note is instead more natural smelling, and it quickly withdraws, allowing a rich mix of resins, amber and incense to take over. I get the walnut here, whereas in the more modern version I can't find it. This is probably full of synthetics, but the effect is much more old-school and natural seeming, not a million miles away from one of the old Serge Lutens ambers. While at first I thought, oh OK this is more wearable and tame than the sample I have, but I kind of like the craziness of the sample, the more I wear this old batch, the gladder I feel that I got this one. Don't get me wrong, it's still loud and it's still fruity, but it seems more classy and polished, and way less screechy and needy. The lack of top-note fanfare for hours allows me to perceive the ginger, benzoin, and leather, and overall there's a sort of cola accord that I didn't get at all from the sample. Another thing I get here which I struggled to perceive in the sample is the immortelle, which is perhaps why it put me in mind of some of Uncle Serge's œuvre. It's wondeful and maple syrupy!

Interlude Woman is another elaborate creation of house of Amouage. Packed in a eye catching dark royal blue bottle with golden contrasting details and cap! It has so many notes listed on all levels that I expected to feel a bit overwhelming. But it is just a very radiant, dense, balsamic, sweet, honeyed kiwi, with rose, jasmine, vanilla and with some unique notes. I don’t recall smelling anything similar to this. It has a certain smell that it is very intriguing and distinct to my nose. I think it could be the immortelle flower or the marigold. I am not familiar with either of these two flowers, but whichever it is, it is beautiful, thick and rich. It is so complex that can’t be put into a single category: it’s fruity and sticky sweet, bordering on gourmand, but also feels nutty and soft spicy. It’s definitely ambery and woody towards the deep dry down! It’s a lot thrown in here, but it’s an exquisite blend with excellent performance. It think Interlude would work better in the fall and winter since it’s so rich and gourmand leaning. I love it so much that I want to get a bottle even though it’s so pricey. Nonetheless, it is an excellent executed juice, intoxicating and delicious. Judging by the way the testing goes, I will end up buying most of the fragrances contained in this sampler set... On my to buy list! Edit December 2023: I couldn’t help but get a bottle of Interlude! Planning to layer it with Panettone from Milano Fragranze for Christmas day.

I’ve had to rewrite this entire review after receiving a decant of this fragrance which had clearly expired and thus totally tainted my view of it. From the decant it smelt like urine or vinegar, then kiwi and smoke. I liked the latter two aspects of it but couldn’t get over the urine in the beginning. I had such a strong feeling that the decant was off, though, that I went ahead and blind bought a full bottle. BEST DECISION EVER. In short: this is my favourite perfume I’ve ever put my nose on. I’m only 23 and I feel I’ve already reached peak perfumery heaven, how could anything top this?! Long version: this is an utterly complex yet truly womanly and absolutely sultry scent. I’m going to ignore the notes entirely and tell you that on my skin this mostly smells like an Orthodox (Eastern) church, with smoky incense and old woods, mixed with a syrupy prunes. The dry down becomes somewhat more animalic and leathery, but the syrupy quality remains throughout in equal measure. What may be perceived to many as a contradiction of notes here comes together in total harmony. Is it mass appealing? Probably not. Is it complex? Sure, but I don’t think it’s particularly difficult to wear. It is artistic, emotive even. It is complex. It is bold. It is beautiful. It is everything I want to feel like when I wear a perfume, and everything I want perfumery to represent. This will be an all timer 💙 My rating: my first ever 10/10 Bf rating: 8.5/10

I personally find this a touch more femenine than masculine as my skin accentuates the fruit and flora of the fume, but I am not one to shy away from something floral anymore, especially when it is beautiful! The opening is like a grand finale of fireworks - there is so much going on that it feels impossible to take all of it in! To the person who said this opens as an average fruity floral - you should probably make sure you have a reputable supplier or get your nose checked cuz this is magic! I can pick out a big and juicy kiwi note (it smells true to life and its tenacity is illogical) drenched in a delicious immortelle syrup with a dusting of ground coffee and nuts with just a hint of sandalwood. This phase rotates through these notes for a good hour on my skin before transitioning to an airy oakmoss and immortelle combo that is nicely accented by the walnut/coffee note and a creamy musk and sandalwood lingering about. There is a bit of bitterness that weaves itself in and out of perception and this fume, at a distance, smells quite like a rich and exotic cup of coffee. Many hours later, all that remains is a quiet and beautiful honeyed wood and musk - this is a fantastic fume and we'll worth the money as it is far more intricate than it appears. May you all enjoy the it the breaks you get and find something to indulge in! Day 27 - Reprieve Listening to: Massive Attack - Everywhen

Death by a thousand notes. Except it's a sweet ecstatic death. I turn to Amouage when I'm in the mood for a True oriental but couldn't quite jump on the next Emirates flight to go duty free shopping at Dubai international airport. This truly is one of the best frankincense and myrrh fragrance I've ever encountered. Frankincense is problematic for me because of its associations with high church incense. And the Myrrh note was spoiled for me by Annick Goutal's Myrhh Ardente whereby all myrrh has henceforth not been able to rid its association with sarsaparilla aka root beer. But Interlude Women is an expertly blended, well-balanced, deeply complex Oriental centred around these two precious resins, and uplifted by holy helichrysum. I first encountered Interlude a year ago and it has since then been on my radar. First impression is indeed chaotic. There's a lot going on. Somewhat messy in a sexy way. Like tousled hair falling across the face in an unstudied manner. It might as well have been named Tempest instead of Interlude. But I do get the disorder and respite chiaroscuro effect. Or perhaps I'm just a sucker for such marketing spiel. Despite the busyness of it, Interlude is also deeply reflective. It's encapsulates the spirit of endless adventures. But perceived from a calm centre of knowing.

Interlude Woman, in my opinion, is a masterpiece of perfumery. A Chypre-floral with a sophisticated and exquisite composition that combines opulent and complex accords; highlighting incense and myrrh, creating a balsamic and very oriental smell. The opening is harmoniously citrus and somewhat spicy. The florality of bergamot intermingles with the bitterness of grapefruit and the herbal-aromatic smell of calendula, quickly giving way to an herbal and floral bouquet (jasmine, roses and sweet orange blossom) sweetened in refined honey and balsamic accords; providing a lot of warmth, depth and mystery to the fragrance. As for the kiwi, coffee and walnut accords, they are interwoven in a halo of incense, standing out exquisitely! As the hours pass, the perfume evolves, revealing woody, mossy, earthy, resinous and smoky facets, combined in amber and enveloping accords along with sumptuous vanilla and oud, which are intertwined with animalic and leathery accords. Conferring sublime drying. Interlude is an olfactory symphony that contains "countless" ingredients, but all harmonized in a masterful way. It is a luxury perfume that will make you feel elegant and distinguished on any occasion. The substantivity on my skin reaches 12 hours. It is ideal for cold autumn and winter days.

Somehow I thought I had reviewed this one already...scrolled back several years...nope. She’s a chameleon and a slow burning beauty if you “get her” - odd, intriguing and then loved to the hilt. Some never get her, others a straight “nope”, a few souls flip-flop between no/maybe/yes and then outright “it’s crap” like @RottigrlNYC (I lost count after the 4th review). So beware. My own experience was slow - a curious and respectful “not sure what this is” through to today’s deep respect and love. I have an older click-cap tester bottle which I thought I was short changed by, when I received it 3 years ago. I’m now grateful that I have it. Opens balsamic and honeyed over some green and herbal tinged notes, peppered with dry tobacco-like facets. The texture is thick, like honey and just as sweet with some boozy, dried prune-like aspects. Best in cool to cold weather where the sweetness is better appreciated and the notes open up. The dark wood and incense notes weave through breaking up the sweetness. I don’t consider it challenging but it is complex and requires patience (and for the wearer to appreciate ambered fragrances). Now possibly my second favourite scent from the house.

This is such an incredible perfume. Such a different approach from the usual sweet, spicy notes. A real gem of perfumery. When I first tried it (I had a tester), the first 5 min, I thought "interesting, but not something I would wear.". After the first minutes passed and the dried down started, OMG I was speechless. All the time I could smell sniffs of something sooo addictive, although I could not describe it. When I first wore it at work, all the office was full of this scent and I took so many compliments. What is strange with this perfume is that, first of all you cant imagine how this could smell simply by reading the notes of it. Secondly, even after wearing it, I cannot describe still now, this bubbly, slightly sweet, slightly coffee-leathery scent and which of the notes creates that scent. I cannot smell a particular note but is so well blended that the whole ingredients creates an art in the air. What I can say for sure, is that this perfume creates a bubble around you, fill the whole room, is the definition of uniqueness and is very very addictive. This is a fragrance for an experience niche perfume user. Definitely is a signature scent for me.

For me, this fragrance is a true magical potion 🪄 A scent I want to keep listening to endlessly! Each time it reveals itself in a new way, surprising me with its many facets. In cool weather it smells more smoky and balsamic, with leathery nuances and a dry, somewhat austere character. But in warm weather it transforms, becoming softer, warmer and sweeter. That’s when I especially notice the kiwi 🥝, amber, a hint of honey and vanilla. The fragrance becomes incredibly enveloping. My bottle is from 2018. I’d be very curious to smell the newer batches, especially after reading that the scent has become more dessert-like - a change that definitely appeals to me. 🖤 Interlude Woman is not the easiest fragrance, but it’s incredibly complex and beautiful, especially if you give it time to unfold. UPD. I got myself a bottle of the reformulated version. And I can say that the scent is indeed different. Specifically, it has become less smoky and balsamic, with more sweetness and lightness in its character. For those who found the old version too heavy, it makes sense to try the new one. The reformulated version is likely to feel closer and more wearable for you.

Some back story: I accidentally purchased Amouage "Imitation" and really disliked it...returned it. Initially sniffing "Interlude Woman," I thought, "WOW...this is nice and (thankfully) smells NOTHING like 'Imitation' the perfume I just returned." I very much like Interlude Woman! Okay, I actually LOVE it but my husband detests it. Go figure. Marigold ALWAYS scares me off, as does immortelle. And there's SO MUCH going on with this fragrance. So, the opening and mid-notes unfold in a very dry, warm, hazy, dusty, hypnotic sort of way. There's lovely florals, hay, dried grasses, immortelle, LOTS of honey, fruit (kiwi). Not sure what walnut might smell like in a fragrance but I do not detect much nuttiness. Despite the presence of honey, this perfume is never thick, syrupy, or cloying. LOADS of seamlessly blended tonka, amber, resins and woods appear in the dry down, which definitely balance out sweetness from the honey. And all of this loveliness is supported by a backbone of exquisitely blended oak moss and eternally radiating smoky incense. I LOVE IT!

My interpretation is a little weird (like myself). Interlude Woman smells like a toxic cycle you couldn't break. It's got mundane elements and patterns you've acknowledged countless times, like kiwi and Coca-Cola. But that familiarity and something 'toxic' or strangely noxious in this scent, which I'll mention later, draws you back in — not necessarily in an alluring or bewitching way. Realistic juicy kiwi (which puts me off at first) wrapped with radiant aromatic marigold and honeyed immortelle. Altogether, it smells apricotty with a hesperidic quality. However, those vivacious elements are suddenly met with a curse: Medusa's eyes that turn them into a cold stone. The structure and components can still be apprehended, but the livingness inside has gone. This scent is vibrant and scrumptious but bathed with that dusky noxious aroma & a stone-cold gloominess. Meticulous, paradox, mythological, a bit melancholy fruity amber. P.S. This would be the scent of Boa Hancock if you read/watch One Piece, LOL

Sweet sandalwood incense with a touch of fruit and chestnut. Years ago I owned incense that was made from sandalwood chips formed into a bar shape. What the scent was doesn't matter, because the burning sandalwood itself ingrained in my memory. Interlude smells much like it - not incense resins, but the smoke produced, along with the unmistakable sandalwood. At first sniff Interlude seems linear and basic, but the honey peeks out after a bit, and the scent develops more. It is both warm and acrid tartness; feminine softness and strength. It blossomed in cold weather, but I'm eager to see how it would be in the heat. I enjoyed it quite a bit, but the price tag is steep. I will stick with a decant, but am glad to add it to my collection. Edit, 7.5 years later: I have obtained a small bit of Kalimantan Oud oil and it has this nutty, honey, floral sweetness that reminds me of Interlude. I think Interlude is almost like a perfumer's vision of this type of oud.

This fragrance is truly underrated. It feels elegant and sexy, perfect for a classy evening out—a date, the opera, ballet, an orchestra, or a beautiful dinner. It’s sophisticated and has so many layers to it. It starts with a soft mix of incense and light bergamot, then gradually unfolds into something unique: warm walnut and a surprisingly refined kiwi note. It’s hard to imagine kiwi as classy, but somehow, it works perfectly here—you really have to try it to understand. As it settles, it becomes a blend of rich amber, coffee, benzoin, oakmoss, and wood, all coming together in a smooth and balanced way. It’s one of the most beautiful scents I’ve ever smelled. That said, it’s not a fragrance you’ll instantly fall in love with—it takes time to fully appreciate its depth. This isn’t a scent for a young girl; it’s made for a real woman who is wise, confident, and effortlessly classy.

It opens with a green tart fruitiness laced with incense, in a way I find unusual. At first that put me off a little, as I'm not fond of sharp fruity notes, but it seems to be slowly winning me over each time I wear it. Soon the incense takes the lead, accompanied by dried fruits and honey... And it unfolds into an enthralling, almost meditative presence. True to its concept, it does evoke serenity within chaos. Like being in an open-air Middle Eastern market, surrounded by all sorts of fruits, spices, flowers and leather goods. The atmosphere is buzzy, and at first it feels overwhelming, but soon you find a refuge within yourself: your interior is filled with serene, sacred incense. You are centered, grounded within your own presence. Then all the different smells and noises come together not as chaos, but as a symphony.