Epic 56 Woman Exceptional Extrait AMOUAGE

I recently got a sample of Rose Aqor and have realized that the dry down of Epic 56 is almost identical to Rose Aqor, it just takes til the dry down to get there. 56 takes you on a wonderful journey, amazing evolution of the scent.

Lovely woody aromatic showcasing a nice Omani frankincense. The scent opens with spicy notes of pink pepper, cinnamon and cumin. The heart is mostly tea with some rose, orris and geranium. The perfume settles on a powdery bed of frankincense and patchouli, surrounded by woody notes (sandalwood, oud and guaiac), vanilla and synthetic musk. The unisex scent has moderate to strong projection and good longevity. A must try for incense lovers. Enjoy!

After reading/watching a handful of reviews I decided to get my hands on Epic 56 because I believed it was a unisex fragrance. I'm so glad I did, because this is a true masterpiece without any exaggeration.

I starts well spicey with striking peppery vibrations and beautiful rose essence. The peppery facet will slowly fade out and the high class woods step in, amber, patchouli, other floral elements begins to step forward and surrounds you with surprising bliss.

Longevity is on the absolute top. On my skin it lasted for more than 18 hours including a shower.

My description in five words:
- Exceptional
- Impressing
- Velvet-Soft
- Powerful
- Lovely

Very strong opening but shortly develops into a smooth classy fragrance that stays with you all day. I don't know what the original smells like but I can tell you that Epic 56 is not like anything I've experienced before. Longevity is 10+ hours but if I am looking at MFK oud satin mood EDP, I can smell that the next morning on my skin. When the fragrance is fully developed you can smell a spicy, amber, floral mix that is unique and elegant. Towards the end life of the fragrance on my skin, I was able to smell more of the florals and ambers but less of the spice and this could differ from person to person. I also wouldn't spray this directly on clothing, because of the high oil concentration. On application, I could see the oil sheen on my skin for a few hours and that would transfer to clothing if sprayed there.

Definitely a unisex fragrance but also a daring fragrance in the sense that its unique and challenges your senses. It doesn't have a generic profile that you've smelled before so it will take you for a unique ride. Its inspiring and in a true Amouage fashion, well made and elegantly packaged.

The package is velvet lined and a pleasure to open. You can tell this is a unique fragrance from the moment you hold the bottle. I also know this goes for the rest of the exceptional extraits line.

The only draw back is the price, oh my lord, the price! However if you love fragrances the way I do and appreciate good craftsmanship, I can maybe tolerate the price a bit more. But again, not everyone can afford a luxury like this. Lets not forget to mention that Amouage is the only perfume house who is daring to release perfumes of concentrations never seen before in the perfume world. That in itself demands attention and respect. I hope other niche houses like Dior Prive or MFK take notes and learn from Amouage, instead of giving us reformulations or discontinuations of much loved perfumes.

STUN. NING. I had a sample of this and fell in love and ordered a bottle of the EDP by mistake. Now I'm trying to decide which I like better. They're both beautiful. The EDP reminds me a bit of L'Air du Desert Marocain in its dry spiciness. The extrait, as the reviewer below says, smells like it's been aged...it's deeper and more resinous. Alas, I can't afford both so I suppose I'll stick with the EDP and perhaps get a decant of the extrait.
UPDATE: I did a side by side test and am surprised to find that I EVER-so-slightly prefer the EDP (which is great given the price differential) but they are both gorgeous.