Celebrating 40 years: Amouage releases two new fragrances with Dubai Duty Free
Omani high perfumery House Amouage has partnered with Dubai Duty Free to create a special sleeve for the two new fragrances – Dia 40 Woman and Jubilation 40 Man – in travel retail.
The Amouage fragrances are available exclusively at Dubai Duty Free in Dubai International Airport until December 20. Coincidentally, both Amouage and Dubai Duty Free are celebrating their 40th anniversaries this year.
To lend this moment the importance it deserves, Amouage sought a “truly remarkable addition” – one that would pay homage to the brand’s heritage and assortment of scents. Renaud Salmon, Amouage’s Chief Creative Officer, realized this was an ideal opportunity to extend the collection of Exceptional Extraits.
“As they are a tribute to the highlights of the past,” says Salmon, “the Exceptional Extraits possess a strong sense of the celebratory. That’s why they simply had to become part of our 40th anniversary celebration.”
Two perfumes from Amouage’s heritage were especially suited to this project. Composed in 2002 by Jean-Claude Ellena, Dia Woman has always been seen as one of the house’s most tenderly feminine floral bouquets. As its name suggests, it is the scent of a day; not just of one day, but of all days. A scent that marks every day as being worthy of note; a day for celebrating.
Jubilation XXV Man was released as a marker of another important chapter in the story of Amouage: its 25th anniversary in 2008. A Bertrand Duchaufour composition featuring a blend of Eastern and Western styles, it won admiration as one of perfumery’s most compelling statements on masculinity. A scent that was already celebratory and could now be updated for an even more momentous festivity.
Salmon continues, “Our Exceptional Extraits are dosed at an extremely high percentage in order to make them as rich and complex as possible. It was obvious to me that because this is Amouage’s anniversary, both Dia and Jubilation would have to be dosed at 40%: a challenge that could be met only by the most talented perfumers in the industry.”
Dubai Duty Free Senior Vice President for Purchasing, Sharon Beecham said, “We are pleased with this collaboration with Amouage to pre-launch exclusively these two new fragrances, a fitting celebration for both of us who are celebrating our milestone 40th anniversary. This is also a testament to our strong partnership with brands like Amouage to bring new and exciting offerings for our customers who traveled during our anniversary.”
Dia 40 Woman
The task of creating this more intoxicating version of Dia Woman fell to Alexandra Carlin. A perfumer renowned for her technical skills, she maintained the distinctive elegance of the 2002 composition whilst making its base even more profound and sumptuous. The result is a floral bouquet, with the familiar Aldehydes lending delicacy to a veil of musks at the opening. Next comes the grand floral quartet of Rose, Orange Blossom, Carnation, and Ylang-Ylang and, in the closing stages, Orris, Sandalwood, and Amyris. The fragrance is described as “effervescent and light-hearted, yet exuding refinement.”
Jubilation 40 Man
For this even more celebratory incarnation of Jubilation XXV Man, Amouage turned to its original creator, Bertrand Duchaufour. While maintaining the essential structure of his composition, the perfumer emphasized key aspects to raise Jubilation 40 Man to new heights of expressiveness.
Retaining the instantly recognisable blackberry opening, the scent now reveals dry, tart hints of blackcurrant. This makes way for the perfume’s majestic heart: Genet unfurls within a burst of honeyed tobacco notes while frankincense cuts through the warmth balsams and resins. The scent settles on a dry-down of patchouli, cistus and opoponax and to “capture the essence of masculine sophistication”.
According to Amouage, its Exceptional Extraits constitute some of the most precious creations that the brand has offered. Each of the extraits in this exclusive collection is the result of painstaking experiments to gauge the effects of various concentration levels and different ageing times. The aim is to push the ingredients to the very limits of what they can offer to the composition, allowing them time to reveal their most hidden facets.
Both fragrances have a recommended retail price of US$500.