AMOUAGE
JOURNEY MAN

2014

Sichuan Pepper
Cardamom
Bergamot
Neroli

Tobacco
Incense
Juniper

Leather
Cypriol
Tonka Bean
Musk

I’ve been enjoying my Amouage journey so far (see what I did there), and Journey Man is no different.

It opens with a bright, orangey citrus and neroli. The second thing that hit me was what I perceived to be cinnamon and nutmeg, but going by the notes it must be the cardamom. There’s also a punchy pepper that’s very prominent. A slight woody scent is hidden in the mix. What stood out most for me however, was a pleasant, really smooth, warm, animalic touch. It reminded me of the daring touch in the opening of Parfums de Marly Layton Exclusif, albeit much softer in Journey Man.

Which brings me to the tobacco. As often, I try to get some notes down without looking them up to train my nose, and for once, I was able to nail an Amouage pretty well. The tobacco didn’t come to me however, but after knowing it’s in here, it’s really obvious. Leather is part of the composition as well, but it’s not as evident as some of the other notes, especially the strong pepper. The drydown is less exciting, with everything becoming milder and the tonka base coming through.

From everything I’ve tried so far, Journey Man is closest to Interlude Man. That one was way too much for me though and Journey Man is a much more manageable variant, so I would actually prefer this. Don’t mistake lighter for weak performance though, the longevity was impressive. Maybe this is a good gateway drug to step up to Interlude Man later on.