AMOUAGE
GUIDANCE

2023

PERFUMER
Quentin Bisch

Pear
frankincense
Hazelnut

Osmanthus
Jasmine Sambac
Saffron
Rose

Sandalwood
Vanilla
Akigalawood
Ambergris
Labdanum

Guidance is probably going to be the most successful Amouage release in the brand’s history. It’s definitely one of the biggest niche-hits in 2023. And it’s easy to see why it’s popular, although it’s not nearly one of my favorite Amouages (and frankly, it doesn’t smell like an Amouage at all, up until the brand’s change in direction when Renaud Salmon took over).

Even though Guidance has hazelnut and vanilla, don’t go into it expecting a gourmand. It is milky, but to my nose more so in a (sun tan) lotion direction. In a sense Guidance reminds me of  Dries van Noten Soie Malaqais; milky, slightly nutty and sweet, but the fruity and floral facets start to dominate especially in the mid of the wear. You get pear initially, but the osmanthus adds a full-on peach scent as well.

My favorite part is the later drydown, when more of the sweetness is reintroduced. It came across soft, ‘pretty’ and vanilla; In my first wearing I didn’t notice stand-out smoky or leathery touches from the labdanum or saffron. There’s a faint semblance of salty ambergris. I’ll look for them in subsequent wearings, but I think it’s safe to say that Guidance is a light-hearted and more playful style of fragrance.

I would argue that Guidance is the most traditionally feminine leaning release to me since Renaud Salmon’s arrival at the brand. It’s also contemporary and mass appealing, even more so than Renaissance collection felt. It comes across as a slightly more mature take on a women’s designer DNA mixed with hazelnut foam.

Definitely a beautiful fragrance that I’m not likely to ever wear myself. I prefer the Guidance 46 flanker that followed later.