Meander by Amouage

Meander caught me off guard, but in a good way. It’s wood and earth with a twist. I love perfumes with ‘carrot seed’ notes, and this one delivers. Upon spraying, it’s potent with a floral touch that smells like iris even though it’s not listed. Then comes the classic Amouage incense—nothing ecclesiastical, just soft and sometimes almost mentholated. As it dries down, it settles into sandalwood and vetiver: less earthy, more creamy and refined. I see it as 100% unisex, perfect for temperate or cold climates. It lasts over 10 hours on my skin with a huge sillage at first and good projection afterward. Outstanding. I don’t see any resemblance to Gris Charnel beyond the sandalwood. I really liked it; it’s kinder than I expected.

It opens like sunflower seeds, the kind you buy shell-less at the supermarket… once it settles, the floral notes emerge. Is it pretty? Yes. It’s different, but the opening can scare you off. I probably wouldn’t buy it. I have a vial.

Amouage’s Meander smells like a new generation of the brand. It’s quite pleasant, with a citrus and spicy opening where a seed note is very marked, settling into a scent between pepper and cardamom (unlisted) that makes it very similar to Cartier Declaration Essence (Nivek mentioned this below and it lit a bulb for me, as this doesn’t smell like cumin). As it dries, some resins appear, but it never loses that fresh, slightly green, and imposing spicy character. It’s one of the few Amouages usable in warm climates (not extreme heat), looks versatile, has good performance, and is quite unisex. I think it’s easy to wear and understand, a good entry point to the brand. Finally, I like it, I think it can be worth the price, but with the Cartier mentioned earlier, it would be redundant to have both, especially given the price difference, so I recommend trying them to decide. Rating: 8/10

Incense rules, but without being heavy like in Interlude; it’s subtle, like smoke from a stick rising among tall pines, mixing resin, green, incense, and the moisture of the forest at dawn after the dew. The opening is fresh, not citrusy, but fougère that becomes incense-laden. It lasts 7 hours on my skin without issues. Maybe I wouldn’t wear it in summer heat, but otherwise, it’s very versatile. I tested it in-store with Enclave from the same brand, one on each wrist. At first, Enclave liked me more; it was more fun and casual; but Meander, over time, proved to be more generous and elegant, not just because it lasts longer, but because of that mystical character. It’s a men’s perfume that could appeal to those who love 80s classics, although in this case, that 80s style is overflowing with a layer of gentleman’s club from some Arab emirate.

On my skin, the opening is strong, green woods freshly cut and spiced by carrot seeds. It doesn’t smell like natural wood, but synthetic or varnished, yet it’s addictive. As it dries down, it smells like vetiver, soft incense, and carrot seeds. It projects strongly and lasts until the next day. Amouage isn’t living up to the hype. They make well-executed perfumes, but they don’t enchant me for the price. Only this one and Bracken would make me spend a fortune. Meander is totally unisex, pleasant, for temperate climates and relaxed occasions. I’d love to smell it on a man. Pleasant: 8/10, Interesting: 7/10, Versatile: 8/10, Original: 6/10.

On my skin, the opening is a bomb of freshly cut green woods with a spicy touch of carrot seeds. It doesn’t smell like natural wood, but synthetic or varnished, yet that doesn’t stop it from being addictive. As it dries, vetiver dominates, along with a soft incense and those carrot seeds. It projects a lot and lasts until the next day. The truth is, Amouage isn’t living up to the hype. They have undeniable execution and quality, but unfortunately, they don’t make me fall in love for the price. Only this one and Bracken deserve spending a fortune. Meander is totally unisex, very pleasant for temperate climates and relaxed moments. I’d love to smell it on a man and notice the differences. Pleasant: 8/10 Interesting: 7/10 Versatile: 8/10 Original: 6/10

Small follow-up review: A smell very similar to Cartier Declaration Essence. If you have to choose, Cartier is cheaper with parallel quality. Many niche fragrances aspire to this: sophisticated, opulent, masculine, and leathery, but with an irreverent floral touch. Rough and sweet, green and creamy… like stepping into an old shoe store filled with flowers and grass in the shoes. Here there are nuances, things happen. If you can afford it, buy it! It has an ‘something’ that is more than just pleasant.

A beautiful fragrance under Amouage’s new artistic direction. One can expect the hateful comparisons after Mr. Chong’s tenure, and although I think Interlude Black Iris was dispensable, we shouldn’t undervalue the new fragrances from Renaissance. Meander is very good. Incense and sandalwood are the notes I perceive most at the start, and little by little it mutates into an extremely elegant fragrance. It’s not a beast like Journey, Interlude, Opus VII, or Gold, but it doesn’t need to be. Not always do you want or need an opulent powerhouse. Meander fulfills its purpose in situations where you want to wear a great perfume but more discreetly.