Opus VII
Amouage (2013)

Perform a quick search across the infallible and faultless internet, and you will find this piece of information: the most commonly used, or most popular, spice in the world is cumin. Even for those "experts," including the self-proclaimed ones, that do not place it as number one usually give it a spot in their top 3 or 4. This probably surprises most of us in the US and Europe - but that's our solipsism talking. The world is a very big place, most of its people are not in the US or Europe, and cumin is a staple of cooking for the majority besides.

Interestingly, Amouage does not say that you should smell cumin in Opus VII. To them, it smells of galbanum, pink pepper, cardamom, fenugreek, nutmeg, amber, oud, patchouli, leather, ambergris, cistus, musk, sandalwood, olibanum, and cypriol. Upon application the galbanum and cardamom are definitely there and singing at full volume. The sweet pepperiness of the galbanum collides with aromatics of cardamom to give - to my nose - a distinct impression of fresh cumin. However, as it dries down over the first hour it becomes clearer that you're not smelling cumin at all since the stated notes begin to come through as if they're separating from each other to no longer work as a whole but to stand on their own. Slightly vegetally sweet from the galbanum; bold aromatics from cardamom and anisic fenugreek, and solid helpings of nutmeg; woody, earthy, animalic - and definitely funky - from the oud, patchouli, leather, ambergris and musks. The vegetal sweetness, the seed aromatics, and the funk: it's the illusion of cumin.

The final dry down is a skin-hugging scent of woody, slightly leathery ambers. Cumin was never really there. Tricks were played on me; that most popular and unique of spices is very multifaceted. Take enough facets from the right things and there the illusion lives. Savory is a great word for this perfume. If you think about a very aromatic dish from Central America or South Asia, vs a very aromatic dish composed of largely the same spices from Arabia, the Central American or South Asian dish will smell "wet" - aromatic and savory, yes, but also wet. Maybe sort of steamy or fatty, i.e. hydrated, whereas the Arabian dish is likely to smell airy and dry. The food reflecting the two different landscapes. The latter drier locale/cuisine is the direction Opus VII goes. I have to admit that I'm lost here. I absolutely love what this perfume is accomplishing. It is an artistic and technical mind-blower. Do I want to wear it? Do I really want to smell like I've been in the kitchen of an Arabian restaurant all day? Well, I don't know. Who honestly wants to smell like spicy funky food... but damn does it taste good.

The masterpiece wich can`t be replicated ever!
I have studied this Opus VII since 2020, from the time when it was in the gray/black bottle, and I also have the opportunity to study it in detail in the current version. That's right, this monument masterpiece in perfumery, is a ruthless, extremely green, spicy and metallic leather. The metallic character is given by the overdose of galbanum, in combination with Cypriol and pink pepper. The extremely green and spicy character, almost burning your nostrils, is given by a melange of spices: here cardamom, nutmeg and, surprise, fennel (here fennel is a species related to cumin, hence the similar character to that of cumin), but another interesting spice was used: Fenugreek - which has culinary and gastronomic properties through its seed reminiscent of curry dishes. Finally, the leathery character is given by an overdose of labdanum, oud Assafi (Assam Oud) and patchouli. I spoke privately with Christoper Chong, a person extremely kind and open to talking with true enthusiasts, and he confirmed to me that in the first batches real ambergris was used, which I would be happy to find even today. And finally, a melange of resins and roots ala Amouge: Omani Franckincense, Cypriol and Costus root, which amplifies the perfume even more and gives it its oriental signature character. An exceptional perfume.

nicely done green notes on smoky dark leather.
frankincense oud and resines create a dark deep suphisticated smell that by pile of spices like cardamom nutmeg and pepper takes a complete oriental dark spicy vibe while green notes like fenugreek and galbanum are in contrast with it and when these two opposite accords reach to eachother this contrast makes a extraordinary aroma that i have never experienced till now and this makes this perfume distinctive and lovely.now the whole above composition settle on ambery accords which smooth them and boost its orientality.
I really love it and one of the best offers from the house

I get the similarity to Bois d'Orage/French Lover but, contrary to the latter, the drydown of Opus VII is not dominated by Iso E Super. Works for me.

In sample bottle, smells a bit screamwoody. On skin: oh, horrid horrid horrid!! Galbanum green woody onset gets a pickle edge then goes within five minutes to hot cumin, like Indian food. It’s hot cumin and wood. Ten more minutes and it’s cumin, hot plastic and screamwood. Scream stays low and suede/leather comes in and smells really nice, but it’s still heavily cumined and obscured by that. Overall really really really not for me. If you like cumin, pickle wood, or the chemical aroma of rubbing alcohol, this is a must try.

Smells like a 'man' in my opinion. Since I am a man this works out great for me. It almost smells like a piece of meat cooking over a fire in the woods.

I love it.