Amouage Interlude Woman : Perfume Review

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I love Amouage, a unique perfume house that has created some of the best fragrances in the niche category. Amouage Gold is not just a grand parfum, it’s one of the best perfume symphonies.  The Jubilation duet blends wistful loveliness with edgy glamour. Wearing both Lyric perfumes, I finally grasp how it is that ‘bold and dramatic’ can also be ‘elegant and suave.’  Homage Attar transforms the lavish Middle Eastern oud and rose idea into a wearable but nevertheless sumptuous variation. Interlude, on the other hand, leaves me cold.

The fragrance opens with a sharp green, leafy note that smells at once like paint thinner and lawn clippings. It’s a bold move to overdose a fragrance with this rough and raspy note, and for a while it keeps my interest. After all, the diesel fumes that crown the top of Serge Lutens Tubéreuse Criminelle are similarly hard on the nose, but it feels like a natural part of the tuberose in the composition. Here, the green notes layered over the woods and incense feel jarring.

As Interlude settles into the skin, the green accents soften, but they are still hovering in the background enough to be present. The immortelle is another strong element in the perfume, and it smells like maple syrup minus the sweetness. The musk and amber fill out the spaces in the base of Interlude, with incense lending its pleasant smoky darkness.  The drydown smells like Indian lime pickles–sharp and zesty, metallic and smoky.

Interlude has some terrific touches like the smoky plums, the soft leathery notes, and the luscious richness of woods, but  the fragrance never coheres into a beautiful harmony. The concept behind Interlude is chaos, and I completely understand through the composition how this might be the case. In theory, it’s interesting, but it’s not aesthetically appealing. Maybe my goals for wearing perfume can be construed as shallow, but I want to be entertained and to smell good. Interlude does the first part well, but not the second.

My favorite perfumes, even if challenging, are beautiful from all the angles, and while there are some fragrances that are best understood after a long courtship, the process shouldn’t be painful. At almost $300 for a bottle, the sting is felt with the double intensity. For my part, I will indulge in Gold, Lyric, Epic and Jubilation, and hope that the next soprano will hit the perfect pitch.

On the other hand, I had more luck with Interlude Man and enjoyed its spicy drydown that calls to mind a masculine version of Chanel Coco. It starts out straight-laced and cool, but it quickly unravels into sexy amber and incense.

What about you? Did you enjoy this chaotic perfume?

Amouage Interlude Woman includes notes of bergamot, grapefruit, ginger, marigold, incense, rose, orange blossom, helichrysum (immortelle), jasmine, opoponax, vanilla, benzoin, amber, sandalwood, oud, oak moss, leather, tonka bean, animalic notes, and musk. Amouage fragrances are available online at Aedes, LuckyscentFourseasons,ParfumsraffyThe Perfume ShoppeFirst-in-Fragrance. Amouage website provides more information and location listings.

Sample: my own acquisition

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88 Comments

  • Lucas: Wonderful write dear Victoria! I’m glad you finally put your hands on this perfume.

    It’s really great to see how others perceive the perfume that I already had a chance to try.

    Your review of Interlude Woman though quite similar to mine is still different, written your way. August 22, 2012 at 7:33am Reply

    • Victoria: Thank you, Lucas. I had it for a while and really tried to grasp it, but I gave up. Amouage has many other beautiful perfumes in its collection, so I’m not too sad. 🙂 August 22, 2012 at 11:22am Reply

      • Lucas: I can repeat it again and again, but I still like Lyric much better! August 22, 2012 at 12:43pm Reply

        • Sara: Lyric Woman was my first Amouge purchase, and DH wears Lyric Men! 🙂 August 23, 2012 at 2:14am Reply

  • Anna Minis: Interesting review. It could have been written for Amouage Reflection. I have a sample of that smell: exactly what you say:sharp, zesty, metallic. though not smoky (to my nose). It can’t be the same perfume, I have it already a year. I am always willing to give it time (Tubereuse Criminelle was at first like chewing gum, now it is a favourite, for ex.), But this Reflexion makes me feel sick. Unlike Interludes, this one does not soften. But really, your interview describes in many ways Reflection as well. What do you think? To me, it was really a big disapointment after Gold, Ubar and Dia. August 22, 2012 at 8:00am Reply

    • Victoria: Reflection is another Amouage I don’t like, but it smells different from Interlude. Reflection is sharp, watery and metallic, whereas Interlude has lots of warm, sweet notes. But it also has this incredibly persistent grassy green note that really turns my stomach. Gold, Ubar, Lyric, Homage, Jubilation are stunning, on the other hand. I will write more about my favorites next. August 22, 2012 at 11:25am Reply

  • Henrique Brito: Wow, i’m shocked with your review, i thoght that you would enjoy this one! :O Coincidence, it’s my SOTD and i strongly disagree with you, i find it brilliant, a very study of joining past and present by evoking classic chypres but doing a twist at the bright part with a sweet fruity aroma. There is even a hot pollen accord and a discreet coffee roasted aroma in this one and they are perfectly executed. Don’t see a mess on this chaos, it seems more like a mathematic chaos, there is an order on it but it’s not evident. But 2 stars, you were cruel with it lol August 22, 2012 at 9:00am Reply

    • Victoria: I guess, it didn’t hit the mark for me, that’s all. Glad that you’re enjoying it, Rick! I bet that on you it smells great. August 22, 2012 at 11:26am Reply

  • karin: Interesting! You voiced my thoughts exactly. I had a similar experience with Interlude Woman. I much prefer Interlude Man! August 22, 2012 at 9:03am Reply

    • Victoria: Interlude Man had a nice opening, but the drydown is very interesting. All of those rich, spicy notes… August 22, 2012 at 11:28am Reply

  • Henrique Brito: Don’t you get any of the fruity notes on it? On me i detect something that makes me think of Kiwi or Carambole or Apricot Jam. It’s bright, joyful, and it’s such and interesting counterbalance to the chypre structure working at the background of the fragrance.
    And on Interlude Man, i don’t get the Coco resemblance too. Interlude Man calls to my mind more Amouage Tribute, but with a smooth, creamy, almost lactonic, aroma.
    So far, it’s one of the best work and daring duo of Amouage launched so far. August 22, 2012 at 9:05am Reply

    • karin: Hi Rick! Woman was interesting in the beginning – with the coffee, and lots of dried fruit and leather (which reminded me of Histoires de Parfums 1740 for awhile) – but then the immortelle kicked in and swallowed up everything else on me. August 22, 2012 at 10:30am Reply

      • Henrique Brito: On me i cannot get the imortelle Karin, it’s not that evident, maybe i notice it as part of the fruity vibe. (thinking better, it may be the case, considering the imortelle-fruity pair on Etat Libret Like This). It’s not on me the imortelle like Annick Goutal Sables, Dior Eau Noire or Parfum d’Empire Azyiade.
        It’s so happy and pleasant on me. And even render me compliments, something that not happen everyday. I lady at work asked which fragrance was because she found the smell very good. August 22, 2012 at 10:35am Reply

    • karin: I will definitely try it a couple more times, though. Only wore it once. Sometimes things change with different wearings (don’t we all know…). 🙂 August 22, 2012 at 10:31am Reply

    • Victoria: I get some fruity notes, yes. August 22, 2012 at 11:30am Reply

  • Austenfan: Money saved then!
    I adore Gold, only have a sample but it is very high on my wish list.
    I really enjoyed Dia as well. Ubar, although I can see why others might enjoy it, did not alltogether please me.

    I love the phrase “wanting to be entertained but also smelling good” August 22, 2012 at 9:30am Reply

    • Victoria: I haven’t smelled Dia in a long time, but I remember thinking that it was beautiful and very elegant. Gold is mesmerizing, and every time I smell it, I discover something new to enjoy about it.

      If you have a chance to smell Interlude, definitely give it a sniff. I will save my pennies for Gold (I also have a decant but would love a full bottle.) August 22, 2012 at 11:43am Reply

      • OperaFan: Have you smelled the latest version of Gold, Dear V? and would that be the one you buy? My sample from 3 years back was beautiful, but I keep reading that it doesn’t stack up to the original “Amouage” version. It makes me wonder whether I should take the risk and seek out the old or just go with the new – If I ever get around to saving those pennies, of course! August 22, 2012 at 1:54pm Reply

  • Anna Minis: I love that phrase too. For me is ”smelling good” the most important part, my nose is not trained, like Victoria’s! August 22, 2012 at 9:58am Reply

    • Victoria: I think that it’s the most important part (any nose training aside, and mine still has a long way to go! 🙂 I enjoy perfumes for so many different things, and the ones that hit the mark for me are the ones that make me dream and make me feel beautiful. August 22, 2012 at 11:46am Reply

  • Henrique Brito: I guess that i can understand that you didn’t like, but how can be fair 2 stars evaluation where you put it in the same level of, for instance, Yves Saint Laurent Manifesto? August 22, 2012 at 10:47am Reply

    • Victoria: Rick, 2 stars perfumes are the ones that either fail on performance or originality. Manifesto failed on the latter (and some on the performance too), and Interlude on the former. I like odd and challenging perfumes, but for me, I have to enjoy all parts of the development. And the perfume has to be harmonious, which Interlude wasn’t to me. Which is why it got 2 stars. But it’s just my personal opinion and as such, it means nothing. I, for my part, enjoyed reading your thoughts. The diversity of opinions makes for an interesting discussion, and we don’t have to agree. That would be quite dull. August 22, 2012 at 11:53am Reply

      • Henrique Brito: And it’s that it seems like saying the are, in quality, equal… I’m just surprised because usually we have similar opinions on fragrance, but yes, agreeing with everything would be dull.
        But i’d give it another chance in the future, it’s a lovely fragrance, maybe not so easy, but very unique (at least for me) August 22, 2012 at 12:09pm Reply

        • Annie: I’m thinking that skin chemistry can change the nature of a perfume drastically, and here we may have a case in point. August 22, 2012 at 1:00pm Reply

        • Victoria: But Manifesto is not a bad quality perfume and technically it’s much more polished than Interlude. But you know, the technicalities aren’t as important as what a fragrance makes *you* feel. I wear some fragrances that I know aren’t that stellar (Guerlain Champs Elysees!), and so what, they hit the spot somehow. I wouldn’t rate them highly, but I wouldn’t deny them a spot in my wardrobe either.

          I’m glad that this fragrance makes you feel so passionate about it, which is a great thing in itself! August 22, 2012 at 1:02pm Reply

          • Henrique Brito: Wish you could smell it on my arm Victoria, it reacts very well with me 🙂 I wish you could see, it seems polished on me 🙂
            And skin chemistry may influence in fact. Guerlain Angelique Noire, for instance, turns into a upmarket version on Dior Addict on me. A friend that likes it couldn’t believe it, but then i sprayed it on me and on him and he agreed that, sprayed on me and on him, it seemed very different, with on my skin going into a Dior Addict direction. August 22, 2012 at 2:54pm Reply

            • Victoria: I bet it does! As my mom says whenever I tell her that I’m enjoying something, “wear it in good health!” 🙂 August 22, 2012 at 3:24pm Reply

      • Henrique Brito: For me, your opinion means a lot, after all, you’re one of my favorite reviewers 🙂 August 22, 2012 at 12:11pm Reply

        • Victoria: That’s very kind, Rick! 🙂 August 22, 2012 at 1:07pm Reply

  • Ester: I didn’t care for it at all, sharp and rough to my nose. I think that you were generous with your two stars. August 22, 2012 at 11:10am Reply

    • Victoria: Oh, I don’t think that it’s a completely bad perfume. But I agree, the sharpness of the green leafy and smoky notes really made it hard in wear. August 22, 2012 at 11:54am Reply

  • sammysmom: I love Lyric Woman and Jubilation Woman. WOuld you please review those? August 22, 2012 at 11:35am Reply

    • Victoria: Suzanna will be posting her review of Lyric Woman soon, and I know that she loved it. I just realized that I’ve reviewed before, but the review disappeared when I moved my blog. I will definitely try to put it back up or else write a new one. August 22, 2012 at 11:56am Reply

  • Daisy: Oh, I was curious about this one! All of Amouage’s perfumes seem to elicit very strong emotions from everyone. I haven’t really found one that has clicked with me though. Lyric seems universally liked, but I really couldn’t get along with it. Memoir was so interesting but at the 8 hour mark, I was thinking that I had enough of it.

    I was thinking about Interlude . . . Who knows, it might work for me? August 22, 2012 at 11:45am Reply

    • Victoria: Memoir is interesting and striking, but I find it very hard to wear. It’s so rich that I feel like it wears on me. On the other hand, I admire it and I keep a sample on hand to reset my nose after smelling the bland and pale fruity florals that come across my path.

      Do try Interlude, Daisy! Who knows, it might click with me. I know that it has a lot of fans, and perhaps your skin will handle it better than mine. August 22, 2012 at 11:58am Reply

      • Daisy: Memoir is so rich! It is one of those spray in the air and walk through it ones for me. I like the kind of crazy absinthe note in it though . . . August 22, 2012 at 12:18pm Reply

        • Victoria: Ah, yes! Isn’t it just so addictive when you’re in a right mood? Well, like absinthe itself. Not the sort of stuff I would drink on regular basis. 🙂 August 22, 2012 at 1:06pm Reply

          • Daisy: Very true 🙂 That would be dangerous to do! August 22, 2012 at 6:20pm Reply

  • Evelyn: Oh my dear,

    I understand… 😉

    I’ ve tested these both too and my review you can find it here. It’s in german, I will hope, the translation-machines not going to lacerate it… 😉

    Warm regards
    Evelyn August 22, 2012 at 12:08pm Reply

    • Victoria: Evelyn, I put the link in the website field, that would work better! August 22, 2012 at 1:02pm Reply

  • Ariadne: Hi Karin and Rick,
    Please explain the note immortelle to me, I have never heard this word before. THX! August 22, 2012 at 12:39pm Reply

    • Henrique Brito: Ariadne, i’ll try to explain how do i get Imortelle on my skin, ok?
      It’s an exotic aroma, which has a sugary aspect, but more of a burnt sugar one. On some fragrances, like Annick Goutal Sables, a experience it as almost woody, leafy, fibrous aroma, resembling hay and, someway, the smell of new and unused ropes.
      But on some fragrances, Etat Libret For Instance, it has a sweeter aroma, fruity, which makes me think of some yellow fruits, like apricots or caramboles (after i wrote my comments to Karin i notice that it was excatly the imortelle giving me this impression).
      It’s exotic, on some fragrances the woody, fibrous aspect makes it more challenging to me. It always make me think of winter due to warm and coziness of this note on my skin.
      Hope it helps 🙂 August 22, 2012 at 1:08pm Reply

    • Victoria: A, if you click on the notes at the bottom of the reviews, you can see the explanations. I’m still working to cover most of the ones that I mention, but immortelle is here, with a brief description:
      https://boisdejasmin.com/note/immortelle August 22, 2012 at 1:08pm Reply

  • cryptic: Victoria, the first time I tried Interlude was on a 103 degree day, and the immortelle had me gagging. It’s a strange perfume that misbehaves in the heat, in my opinion. I find it lovely in cooler weather, but completely understand how it could turn you off, so thank you for your thoughtful review. After all the raves Interlude has received, I was a little disconcerted when I first tested and I’m glad that you’ve brought some balance to the opinion pool. August 22, 2012 at 12:55pm Reply

    • Victoria: That’s a good point, and I agree with you– Interlude is much better in cooler weather. I wore it mostly through the cool part of our summer (50F!), and when I put it on the other day when it was much warmer, (although not at the 100F level,) I had to wash it off.

      I don’t mind immortelle here that much, but I know that many people really have trouble with this note when it’s used lavishly. What bothers me the most is the grassy green note and then the jarring development. But I like the similarly unexpected start and unpredictable finish in Interlude Man; somehow that worked better for me. August 22, 2012 at 1:17pm Reply

  • Ariadne: Merci! V&R! So intriguing for me to know this now in perfume since only I know this plant from my garden. It is sometimes called a curry plant and it used as a annual in the N.E. US and a favorite in “moon gardens”, which are collections of silver, grey, or white plants that glow in the moonlight. August 22, 2012 at 1:15pm Reply

    • Victoria: How interesting! Suzanna mentioned the moon gardens a couple of times to me, and I had no idea what she meant until I looked them up. I love everlasting flowers. I remember picking them as a child in the fields, and then my grandmother would make big, aromatic bouquets. August 22, 2012 at 3:26pm Reply

  • Anna Minis: For me also perfume is emotion. I just meant to say that a trained nose smells more, and in a different way— as somebody who had singing lessons hears more nuances in the opera, and who studied litterature has a more profound read. it was not my intention to insult you (or to flatter you); I simply belief in training and education, that’s all. August 22, 2012 at 1:28pm Reply

    • Victoria: That’s true–the more you are exposed to various scents, the more you recognize them later. The emotional impact remains the most important criterion for me, because it’s beyond technicalities. That “butterfly in the stomach” feeling is unmistakable. Whenever I get that from a perfume, it makes me happy and giddy. August 22, 2012 at 3:39pm Reply

  • Dubaiscents: Very coincidental that this came up as I was testing Amouage Memoir Woman and thinking to myself how I love both Memoir and Interlude woman because of the similar fruity spiciness that is so unique to Amouage. I agree that Interlude Woman is a challenge at first (unlike man which I fell in love with immediately) but, after a few tries I ended up going for a FB of the woman as well because it is so unique and to me it is just amazing!
    But, on the other hand, I have just tested, Gold Woman, Ubar and Dia Woman and none of these are really to my liking so, maybe you are either in one camp or the other. I can appreciate the classic elegance of Gold and Ubar but, they are not my style to wear. Dia is more tolerable because it dries down to a lighter more powdery scent that I can actually enjoy but, again, it is not going to make me rush out to get the bottle.
    IMHO, I give Interlude Woman 4 stars and the Man 5 stars – but, I understand that we all have different tastes and that is what makes this fun! August 22, 2012 at 2:11pm Reply

    • Victoria: I can see what you mean about Memoir and Interlude having the same thickness and richness. Memoir is my solid 4 star perfume–it has so much character, so much sensuality. As I mentioned to Daisy, I find it hard to wear (it feels like it wears me!) But when I’m in a mood for that kind of scent, it never fails to please. It really reminds me of Indian weddings–henna, roses, spices, sweetmeats, hot silks, incense, burning oil lamps. That kind of fantasy is too irresistible. So, I always keep a sample of Memoir around to wear when an escape from the reality is needed.

      I need to resmell Dia! I don’t remember it at all. August 22, 2012 at 3:44pm Reply

  • Erin: It’s refreshing to read this thoughtful and honest review. Your description is exactly the way it smells on my skin. I’ve blindly purchased Interlude Woman based on the raves and what a major and expensive mistake! Luckily someone took it off my hands. I know, I know, never buy without smelling, but I usually have a good track record with Amouage. Didn’t expect to dislike this one so much. August 22, 2012 at 2:49pm Reply

    • Victoria: I guess, it’s a love or hate perfume! Which is already a great thing. Too many fragrances today are so boring that it’s hard to muster up any reaction to them one way or another. August 22, 2012 at 3:44pm Reply

  • Undina: I tried Interlude woman only twice. I loved it the first time and was tired of it the second time. Now I’m a little affraid to try it again because I don’t know what to expect that time. But of course I will – once it gets coler. I also had a feeling that it didn’t work great with the warmer weather.

    It won’t become my favorite Amouage (that place is taken by Ubar and there are at least several other contenders – Dia, Lyric, Epic, Gold, Beloved and a couple of Opuses) but I still might enjoy it while my small decant lasts. Or not. We’ll see. August 22, 2012 at 3:20pm Reply

    • Victoria: If I have to pick one Amouage I wear more often than others, it must be both Jubilations. But I have either small decants or samples of many others from the line, because they are so interesting. Escapist fantasy perfumes! August 22, 2012 at 3:50pm Reply

  • Eva S: Interesting to read your review Victoria! Myself I really liked Interlude, although it’s hard to explain why, I just find it strangly addictive! I can’t say I smell any jarring notes, whether that depends on my not so talented nose or skin chemistry I don’t know.
    My favorites from Amouage are Epic, Memoir Woman (SOTD) and Opus III.
    How do you like Opus III, since it’s made by the same perfumer? August 22, 2012 at 3:21pm Reply

    • Victoria: Who knows, Eva! The way we perceive perfumes is so individual (and nothing to do with our noses’ talents, whatever those might be), and if marketing managers knew a way to explain why some perfumes become immediate hits and others wither away on the counters, they would be willing to pay big money for it. In fact, they already do in marketing tests they perform as part of any standard perfume launch.

      But back to Amouage, Opus III is my perfume this evening, and I just realized that I completely forgot to mention it in my lineup of Amouage favorites. Yes, I like it very much. That one is addictive to me. August 22, 2012 at 4:03pm Reply

      • Eva S: Review please! 🙂 August 22, 2012 at 4:15pm Reply

        • Victoria: Would love to! 🙂 I don’t know why I haven’t reviewed it yet. August 22, 2012 at 4:19pm Reply

  • ronald: I admire your ability to say what you think and be so gracious about it. I didn’t even know about Interlude until I read your review, but this discussion intrigued me enough to order a sample. August 22, 2012 at 4:47pm Reply

    • Victoria: Thank you very much, that’s a nice thing to say.
      I hope that you enjoy Interlude. Even Interlude Woman can work well on a man. It’s not a conventional feminine perfume. August 23, 2012 at 9:19am Reply

  • solanace: Thank’s for the Amouage review, V! This one I couldn’t figure out yet, but its strangeness (along with the coffee note) has kept my interest. So far, I adore Gold and Epic, and I’m getting big decants of both. I’m extremely happy with my Dia Man as well, what a luxurious drydown… August 22, 2012 at 6:34pm Reply

    • Victoria: Ok, now, I really want to try both Dias! They keep turning up among Amouage favorites in various discussions about this house.

      The toasty notes in Interlude are interesting, especially the smoky plums that weave in and out at one point. August 23, 2012 at 9:30am Reply

  • Seth: I don’t get any of the traditional immortelle note in this (like say, the immortelle in New Haarlem). In fact, there’s a reason they listed the note as helichrsyum rather than immortelle. When it comes to the oils/extractions, distributors use immortelle when they are talking about the absolute which is the extract that has the sweet, maple syrupy aroma; they use helichrysum while talking about the steam distilled essential oil which has a much different odor profile. It’s kind of spicy/lemony, with hints of curry (one reason why it is known as the “curry plant”) and undertones of honey, too.

    I think the sweetness people are picking up is a combination of the amber/benzoin and the myrrh and toffee-like aspects of the strong opoponax note. August 23, 2012 at 12:21am Reply

    • Victoria: I think that these days they are interchangeable, because I have worked with several suppliers that would use labeling like “helichrysum absolute” and “helichrysum oil.” But it’s a good point about the distinction between oil and absolute–the oil does have this bright green accent, whereas absolute is more balsamic to me. Beautiful materials, both of them! August 23, 2012 at 9:36am Reply

  • Sara: Interesting discussion and very helpful too! You see, I’m still on the fence about Interlude Woman and your review and the comments helped me figure out what I like and don’t like about this perfume. I may still get a decant but not a full bottle, cause it’s so darn weird. August 23, 2012 at 2:11am Reply

    • Victoria: I’m very happy to hear this, Sara! The discussion was very interesting, and I enjoyed reading all of the comments. August 23, 2012 at 9:37am Reply

  • Annie J.: This is my first time commenting, but I’ve enjoyed your blog for many years. Your reviews, even negative ones, are always balanced and I’ve learned a lot reading your posts. I haven’t tried Interlude, but I wanted to comment today because of this sentence –“I want to be entertained and to smell good.” Reading it made me feel better. I feel I’m not a true perfumista because I don’t get some of the weird perfumes that other perfumistas love.
    I don’t want to smell of cat’s butt or burnt plastic and I don’t care if it’s expensive or super-duper creative. But as a musician, I get that a perfume should be “beautiful from all the angles” and should have “harmony.” August 23, 2012 at 3:43am Reply

    • Victoria: Annie, welcome to BDJ and thank you for sharing your thoughts. I think that a perfumista, or a perfume lover, or a perfume geek, whatever term you would prefer to use, isn’t defined by what she/he likes, but rather by enjoying scents period. I admire some odd, quirky perfumes, but I wouldn’t wear them, and there are others that are quirky but wearable to me. And all of us have our definitions of what’s beautiful, what’s interesting, what’s special. I completely agree that the price and brand name shouldn’t sway someone. Expensive doesn’t automatically mean excellent. So, enjoy perfume and explore, and don’t worry about having to like perfumes that others swoon other. To each his own! August 23, 2012 at 9:42am Reply

  • Mille Fleurs: Well, I kinda like this one so far! I’m a big Amouage fan: Jubilation 25 and Beloved are two of my favorite perfumes ever, with Lyric following closely thereafter.

    I like and admire Gold, Epic and Dia also,, but I thought the nice thing about Interlude is, like Memoir, it’s so interesting. It’s a real shape shifter and I get something new everytime I’ve worn it. Thankfully all its facets have been pleasant to me. My 12 year old daughter thinks it smells good “like cake” (the immortelle, coffee, benzoin combo?) which, as a perfumista friend pointed out is high praise. August 23, 2012 at 9:34am Reply

    • Victoria: That’s definitely the best compliment! 🙂 August 23, 2012 at 11:05am Reply

  • Jeff: I’ve stopped buying Amouage perfumes after I’ve seen Christopher Chong insult bloggers and especially those who published negative reviews of his fragrances. It really turned me off the whole line. Same with Lubin. I have no interest in supporting these lines. So what, we can’t give our honest opinion about these fragrances? August 23, 2012 at 10:26am Reply

    • basenoter: I have to chime in on this one. After seeing that exchange with Lubin on Olfactoria’s blog, I stopped buying their perfumes. Made me wonder how insecure someone has to be about their creations to stalk bloggers and call them “noxious.” August 23, 2012 at 10:49am Reply

    • Victoria: I vaguely remember the Lubin incident, but I have never seen Christopher Chong insult anybody, although I admit that I don’t follow these things all that closely. I’m sorry to hear that you’ve turned your back on this fantastic line though. I think that you should reconsider and simply focus on the perfumes, many of which are really beautiful. In the end, that’s all that matters. August 23, 2012 at 11:20am Reply

  • Ariane: Dear V.,thanks for your wonderful writing,and I am pleased when I get my impressions confirmed by someone like you-I adore Gold,love Lyric,Ubar and Memoir,but this one was a total scrubber for me,just as well,my decant of Gold won’t last forever,I’d better start saving! August 23, 2012 at 10:35am Reply

    • Victoria: Oh well, as Austenfan said, money saved! It isn’t as if there aren’t many other great perfumes in the Amouage collection. August 23, 2012 at 11:22am Reply

  • Isabelle: Dear Victoria,

    since one month more or less I keep on going back to Interlude Woman ( my sample will soon be finished…)

    When I first tried this scent, I felt the same astonishment as when I listened to Petroushka / Stravinsky, as I was 12 or 13 years old, at a concert with my parents.

    I had never heard something like this music before, I was as fascinated as, somehow, afraid. So I asked my father to provide me a disc and I listened and listened again and again to Petroushka. Each time discovering secret harmonies and surprises.

    To me, Interlude Woman feels like Petroushka translated in the language of scents. I need time and also a playful spirit to let it reveal to me its dance. At the beginning of my day the fragrance emanating from the few drops on my wrist was incredibly dynamic and put a smile on my face… now, while the night is falling upon the roofs of Berlin, it is as rich and comforting as a hot chocolate.

    I don’t know if it’s possible to send a link here in my comment, I will try to send one, a perfect illustration of the feeling Interlude Woman gives me:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yn2wPdfDvYM

    Have a wonderful evening, kind regards,

    Isabelle August 23, 2012 at 2:37pm Reply

    • Victoria: Isabelle, thank you very much for sharing your perspective, and I just love how you see this perfume. You see, Petroushka was the first ballet I danced on stage. I can’t listen to this music by Stravinsky without feeling a shiver running down my spine. Breathtaking! August 23, 2012 at 2:49pm Reply

      • Isabelle: It must have been so wonderful to dance this ballet Victoria !

        Yes, I totally agree with you: breathtaking – and it seems that Interlude Woman does the same to a lot of us… for some in a not so positive way, for me in a playfull way 🙂

        Have a beautiful evening! August 23, 2012 at 3:05pm Reply

  • CL: I so wish I could get half of the things you notice in Interlude. I get no smoky plums, no coffee, no incense. Just something nauseatingly sweet and syrupy that gives me a headache. August 23, 2012 at 4:21pm Reply

    • Victoria: Sorry to hear this. I don’t get sweet or cloying out of it, but of course, this is very subjective. August 25, 2012 at 6:00am Reply

  • ambroxan: Memoir is my favourite, and after heaving that Interlude Woman is perfect for someone who loves it, I went to Harrods to try it. I’m all for “the bigger the better” perfumes myself, but this smelled as if someone threw a bunch of random notes together and gave it a good stir. For all of this “agent provocateur” talk that’s been buzzing around the net for months, it was NOTHING special except for the packaging. Or do I need a PhD in perfume to sort this one out? August 25, 2012 at 3:39am Reply

    • Victoria: If you’ve only tested it at the counter, it may not be the best way to experience this perfume. It also should be smelled on skin, rather than blotter. At any rate, as much as the idea of Ph.D. in perfume sounds wonderful, perfume is really about pleasure. All of us like different things, various perfumes affect us differently, and that’s fine. As long as we are respectful of each other’s diverging opinions, we can have a great discussion. Just like we did in this thread! August 25, 2012 at 5:58am Reply

  • Tara C: I didn’t care much for Interlude woman – the persistent kiwi note really put me off. I enjoyed the mens version a lot more. My favorite Amouages are Memoir, Dia, Honour, Lyric, Epic, Jubilation and Gold… Oh and the attars Homage and Tribute. I love most of them in fact but this Interlude woman just didn’t do it for me, which is a pity as the bottle is gorgeous. Would love to have a great blue bottle to add to my collection but neither this one nor AG Nuit Étoilée came through for me. September 3, 2012 at 1:14pm Reply

    • Victoria: That bottle is so beautiful, and like you, I’m disappointed for the same reason that I did not like either Interlude or Nuit Etoilee–I really wanted a beautiful blue bottle on my dresser. September 3, 2012 at 4:53pm Reply

  • Beata: Hi Victoria, Will you be reviewing Amouage Beloved? I do enjoy reading your blog and I’m really interested what you may think about it. I absolutely love it and currently saving monies for the bottle (a whopping £270!!) But unfortunately I’m not good with description.
    PS I completely agree with you on Gold. It’s beautiful – as precious as a golden bar:-) October 16, 2012 at 5:39pm Reply

    • Victoria: Beata, I don’t have any access to Beloved, so I doubt I will review it. Gold, on the other hand, I can talk about endlessly. What a gem! 🙂 October 16, 2012 at 6:23pm Reply

  • Antoine: Did you try the male version of Interlude from Amouage ?

    I would like to know your opinion about Interlude Man : https://www.lessencedumale.fr/choisir-son-parfum/parfum-homme/interlude-man-amouage/

    Thank you ! May 21, 2021 at 8:08am Reply

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