Amouage Reflection Man

I wanted to review Amouage's Reflection Man dead last for the year of 2011. It seemed only fitting since it is a time to look back upon a year that has passed us by so quickly. There's plenty to reflect on for all of us. I'm just not completely convinced a fragrance can accomplish a task as sobering as that. It may help the mood along however, so let's see if Amouage has succeeded in nudging me along this road.......or if, in the process, I turn into a pillar of salt.

I sampled Reflection Man on and off for the past month or so. There was just "something" sticking in my craw about it that I still cannot put my finger on. What I did conclude is that there are periods in the wearings that I am reminded ( strongly ) of Pascal Morabito's Avec Amour.  Pascal's "With Love" has floral components with similarities not only in aroma, but texture as well.

Reflection Man leans slightly rouge on me. Missing is the customary incense note that Amouage has made a living from. The combination of notes implemented in this won't have everyone falling over their wallets to make a purchase. It's a bit floral dominant with a bitter edge and exudes a thick feel. I wouldn't be surprised if it polarized as much as Insense by Givenchy or Caron's 3rd Man. I mention those two ( off the top of my head ) because masculine florals aren't known to be best sellers.

The listed notes are as follows : Red pepper berries, Rosemary, Bitter orange leaves, Orris, Jasmin, Neroli, Cedarwood, Sandalwood, Patchouli and Vetiver.

The opening of Reflection Man is, in essence, the top, heart and ( at least ) part of the base accord. Whatever Red pepper berries ACTUALLY are, I do not know. What I do know is that I this note HAS TO BE what is giving me the reddish impression. I reacted the same way to Avec Amour, but no matter. The effect is a red fruit vibe with an attached bitterness from the orange. I cannot state I experience pepper, but whatever "bite" in inherent in this is attributable to the orange leaves. The floral heart of Reflection Man is Jasmin, front and center, with some Neroli and even less Orris. There is a powdery aspect as the life of the scent continues, but I don't get as much as some reviewers have attested to. I can't seem to get past the Red pepper berries since ( on me ) it permeates the entire composition. This is not a bad thing mind you, simply a statement of how this fragrance reacts on my skin.

The woody and earthier notes of the base seem slow to arrive and are tuned at a low volume. If you are a fan of the listed wood, patch and vetiver, what will disappoint is that they act as a skin scent combination rather than taking the proverbial baton. This too isn't necessarily a negative. I prefer more dominant implementations of accords such as this as these notes are favorites. They are evident but they simply speak very softly and there's no carrying stick in sight.

Sillage is respectable and so is the longevity. If there are any "reflective" qualities to Reflection Man, they may be tied into what a person experiences on any given day. A little sweet mingled with some bitter and a little powder to comfort the soul. Wood and earth are present as well and these elements, while not exactly conducive to soul searching moments, are indicative of what we all experience everyday by way of olfactory. Reflection is a bit of a stretch, but it smells good and THAT can't be bad for someone's state of mind.

A 3/4 thumbs up from Aromi with the recommendation that you really should try-b-4-u-buy on this one.