Search

A fresh frankincense fragrance sounds like an oxymoron but Amouage made it (and if anyone was going to it had to be them). My first impressions of Search when I tried my sample on paper was that it was a lime bomb, but on skin it's a completely different story. Amouage has two types of incense notes, the slightly bitter and acidic frankincense you can find in fragrances like Purpose 50 and Decision, and the one here that smells smokier and softer, more like a church, think of Tom Ford's Ébène Fumé and Black Lacquer. Search is primarily a woody frankincense and lime fragrance that's oddly very fresh and uplifting. Closer to the skin there's a dry, almost ashy vetiver that blends spectacularly with the frankincense and lime, the "burning woods" description is not entirely marketing spiel. There's also a touch of something here that's fruity and sweet, might be the juniper berries. I also have to mention that the skin scent I've smelled from the 6 hour mark onward smells amazing, there's a citrus sweetness to it that's addictive. Search was a tremendous surprise because I didn't expect to like this anywhere near as much as I did, and now I'm sure I'll be picking up a bottle down the line. I thoroughly recommend sampling this one. Performance was weak by Amouage standards, but still pretty good overall even for a fresh fragrance. I'll be going in depth so TLDR both projection and sillage are strong, longevity is great at ~9 hours. Since I've been wearing other Amouage fragrances recently I'm definitely nose blinded from wearing them, so it played into my perception of performance but I tried to gauge it as best as I could. Going into detail now, initial projection was really strong, as right after spraying it on I walked by my sister's room a good 6-7 feet away from her and she stopped me to ask what I was wearing since the faint hint she caught of this in the air reminded her of her hair oil (it smells nothing like it up close, she caught the very "edge" of the scent trail so to speak). Sillage is dense but not overwhelming at all, as I sat close/next to my mom for a few hours between car trips and lunch and she said she could smell it a lot but it didn't bother her. This is where I say nose blindness plays in because I couldn't smell myself at all at this point. Longevity has also been great, it's been almost 9 hours and it's still hanging on to my skin, but it's already a bit faint. Performance might not be close to some of the monsters like Purpose 50 and Guidance 46 but it's definitely a great performer, even more so considering it's a fresh fragrance.

This is one of those fragrances where the mostly-positive reviews somehow create a low score. This may be due in part to the fact that this is two different fragrances - both of which are excellent - that don't agree on temperature or setting. The lemon, lime and elemi create an informal warm weather scent, though you can sense there is more just beneath the surface. The touch of vetiver that joins pretty early on increases the target age by about 10 years, making it more formal and better for the shoulder seasons. But at around 90 minutes, this completely transforms. My visual of the drydown is the smell of church pews in an old church, with rich woods that have been embedded with frankincense incense for many decades. The cade oil in this like the shellac, providing a compelling minty turpentinic element. The elemi, a tricky component, is handled deftly by Amouage, providing indefinable hay and tobacco-like accents. A smoky element that pulls from the vetiver and pepper starts small but grows steadily. The dry down is a dark, resinous affair, requiring a mature, self-confident male to stand up to it. Pretty formal, strongly favoring colder temperatures. So when and where do you wear this stuff? Well, the citrus phase is around 60 - 90 minutes, and the drydown phase is a good 5 - 6 hours, so I'd pick this for the drydown. Don't worry, the opening isn't bad for colder weather, because the vetiver and elemi combine in a grassy way during the opening that nonetheless adds density that provides depth. By now you can probably tell that I really like this, but will I be buying a full bottle of this? Probably not. If I was the kind of guy who dropped $400 every time a new Aventus batch came out, I would buy this without a second thought. I think it is worth every penny of the $180 it is selling for currently, but I've only bought things in that price range twice. For Amouage Jubilation and Tauer L'Aire du Desert Marocaine. This doesn't quite reach that level. But if you have a decant you want to sell me, let me know!

Greetings to all fragrance lovers around the world. Some fragrances reveal everything in the first few minutes. Search is not one of them. My first impression was a beautifully natural citrus opening. Bright, fresh and extremely realistic, but I honestly thought I was simply experiencing another high-quality citrus fragrance. I was wrong. As time passed, the fragrance quietly changed direction. The citrus slowly stepped back, allowing the real personality of Search to emerge. Green vetiver, smooth dry woods, refined frankincense and a subtle resinous bitterness came together to create a masculine composition that feels elegant rather than loud. The transformation is what impressed me the most. Unlike many summer fragrances that lose their identity once the citrus fades, Search seems to begin exactly where others finish. The dry down became my favorite part. A clean green vetiver with a slightly earthy character wrapped in soft woods and beautiful frankincense. Complex enough to keep your attention, yet effortless to wear. Another thing I discovered is how well this fragrance responds to body heat. As my skin became warmer, the woods and frankincense felt more expressive, giving the fragrance a natural sense of movement throughout the day. The opening reminded me of Burlington 1819 by Roja Dove because of its remarkably natural citrus quality, but that similarity disappears quickly. Search follows its own path and develops into something entirely different. Performance on my skin was excellent. Longevity easily exceeded my expectations, while projection was strongest during the opening before settling into a refined personal scent bubble. Final thoughts: Search is not a citrus fragrance. It is a woody-frankincense fragrance that simply chooses citrus as its introduction. Don't judge it during the first fifteen minutes. The real story begins much later.

Alexis Grugeon is the very same gentleman who authored Opus XV - King Blue... so it is reasonable to expect good things from him. Search doesn't disappoint, but presents a different olfactory experience, often likened (by me) to a "lemon flambé." The initial burst is undeniably bright and zesty, showcasing a vibrant citrus accord. This "luminous opening", however, is quickly complemented by unexpected darker facets. As Search settles, a pronounced pine-like essence emerges, along with a smoky frankincense. Another key player in Search's character is the rather heavy cade oil base, an ingredient that imparts a unique tar-like and leathery smokiness. This particular note might partially remind those familiar with more "adventurous" fragrances such as Pyroclasm or Tyrannosaurus Rex , which similarly leverage robust smoke. From a performance perspective, Grugeon's fragrance offers decent longevity, typically lasting between seven to nine hours on skin. While the initial projection is noticeable, the scent bubble is not explosive, but remains quite consistent and discernible for a solid five to six hours. The fragrance is linear in its development; after the initial citrus brightness mellows, the smoky, woody core holds steadfast, slowly fading over time rather than evolving through dramatic shifts. While this might not appeal to those who prefer a more dynamic and Amouagesque scent journey, it delivers a consistent experience. Search possesses no discernible sweetness, lending it a distinctly mature masculine lean. For those who appreciate its notes, it can be considered versatile and a good all-season option. Absolutely worth sampling.

A Tale of Two Surfaces: Fabric vs. Skin I’ve been testing Search for a while now, and the contrast between how this fragrance behaves on fabric versus actual skin is absolutely fascinating. On Fabric: It opens with an incredibly sharp, photorealistic blast of citruses—mostly lemon, lime, and mandarin. As it dries down on clothes, "in a very short time" it takes a very linear, cold route. Because fabric lacks body heat, the fragrance skips its rich resinous evolution and transitions straight from that bright lemon into a dry, stark, almost campfire-like incense. It feels very smoky, woody, and straightforward. Honestly, I don't it on fabric. On Skin (The Real Magic): Skin chemistry completely transforms this juice. The opening is the same gorgeous citrus, followed by that signature smoky Hojari incense. However, once the body heat gets to work, the deep base notes finally unlock. It morphs into a beautiful, warm, balsamic, amber-like dry down. Even though amber isn't explicitly listed, the combination of Elemi resin, frankincense, and Guaiac wood creates this incredibly rich, cozy, and sophisticated sweet aura. Warm Factor: Here is the coolest part: the hotter you get, the better this smells. Whenever I sweat or my body temperature rises, the fragrance reactivates. The moisture and heat bring out a gorgeous, subtle sweetness—likely the remnants of the juicy mandarin blending with the warm resins. It gets sweeter, richer, and incredibly alluring in the high heat. Exceptional longevity and sillage. Make sure you spray it on your skin (3x neck and 2x wrists), let it warm up, and enjoy the ride. 10/10