FRAGRANCE | Bracken Man EDP by Amouage is a showcase of how the house does fougères

halfwhiteboy - Amouage Bracken Man 01

A good number of Amouage's releases are rather heavy on either incense or on that so-called oriental charm. I don't know if there are other fougères in the line but Bracken Man is my first taste of how the house approaches this fragrance category. And what better way to name a fougère than with a type of fern!

Part of Amouage's The Midnight Flower Collection, Bracken Man (and everything else in the collection) foregoes the house's traditional, vertical lift-top box for a more horizontal orientation. Instead of it standing upright, the bottle is comfortably lying down in supple cushioning. Personally I like this format better. The bottle, on the other hand, follows the same shape and aesthetic of its counterparts outside the collection.

The fragrance immediately puts you in a fresh and cool state with a predominantly green scent, perked up just a bit by a squeeze or two of some citrus. There's also something dry and hay-like that comes up almost right away. It's an interesting addition to the composition yet somehow it doesn't take away from the opening's fresh and cool feel.

halfwhiteboy - Amouage Bracken Man 04
halfwhiteboy - Amouage Bracken Man 02

An explosion of cloves soon follow, with lavender not far behind. Lavender, after all, is classically an essential note in fougères. In this case it lends the scent a certain cleanliness and a deep-seated and very mild creaminess. The cloves, on the other hand, provide a spicy edge to the scent but which by its nature is never sharp. The lavender becomes a little stronger after about 30 minutes but its usual creamy character in fougères remains toned down in Bracken. It's far from the treatment given in Tom Ford's Fougère d'Argent, let alone the very smooth shaving cream vibe of Penhaligon's English Fern.

The scent settles beautifully into a blend that while still relatively fresh and light overall, inexplicably has an underlying warmth to it. That interesting hay (or dried straw) note is also still going on. Further down the road, everything eventually tires, leaving a soft vanilla to close the show.

All in all, Bracken Man is a curious take on the fougère category of fragrances. It's definitely not a classic interpretation but I'm enjoying it nonetheless. I find it easy to wear, especially in warm weather, but it leans more toward daytime use. Performance is typical Amouage with its solid projection and amazing longevity, so you won't feel short-changed at all. This is a really good offering from the house, something that's definitely worth trying.

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