FRAGRANCE | Amouage Opus X EDP (from The Library Collection): An unconventional and artistic beauty

I was really avoiding Amouage's The Library Collection for fear of falling in love with them, which, I'm afraid, would only add up to my already long list of wants from this house. But after being introduced to the line through a blind date with Opus VI, I wanted more. After much thought about which one to get next (and I'm sure there'll be more nexts), I settled for Opus X.


I was actually a bit scared with my decision because some people on Fragrantica wrote that it smelled like blood, like varnish, like Dracula's coffin, etc., and I was buying blind (again). But then it's those exact same descriptions that also intrigued me and in the end my adventurous spirit prevailed. And boy, was I so happy with my choice!

First of all, I do not get blood. While the prospect sounded interesting to me, at the back of my mind I was also afraid. I suspect this impression emanates from this strong metallic accord and this equally powerful smell of varnish. However, it doesn't come off as blood to me—thankfully, I guess. For all my apprehensions, Opus X is essentially a rose fragrance, albeit a highly unusual and edgy one. 

The rose is evident right from the start, which strikes me as of the deep and dark red variety, far from the light and fresh pink ones I get in Perles de Lalique or MFK's L'Homme À la Rose. The oddity in this interpretation, however, is that it's generously coated in lacquer, its voluptuous petals dripping with this shiny liquid. The strangeness is only heightened further by a sharp, metallic accord, providing a sinister counterpoint to the suppleness of the rose. It's a bizarre combination, yes, but I find it beautiful. 

The rose and the varnish seesaw in dominance but they're never at loggerheads with each other. They still maintain a blend; it's just that one comes off as more prominent than the other for several minutes before they switch places. After about two hours the varnish dries up and what started out loudly has now retreated into whispering nuances supporting the rose, which by now has taken on a mild, powdery turn. The scent now also has a woody undertone, its strength in line with the mellowing rose, accompanied by the faintest sweetness.

Although it stands on equal footing with Opus VI for its first two hours, Opus X, as it turns out, is not as monstrous after all, nor is it as long-lasting. Nevertheless, you can still enjoy several hours from your sprays but it's a lot more subdued as the hours go by until you're left with a nondescript, mildly sweet skin scent.

Amouage Opus X may be a rose fragrance but it isn't everyone's rose fragrance. Its rather eccentric treatment challenges conventions, pushing the envelope on what else a bottled rose scent can be. The result is avant garde, which the presentation captures perfectly. I'm not a fan per se of the standard Opus bottle but I'm really loving what they did with it here. That glitter-specked, bloody red ombre finish elevates it from mundane to spectacular. Not everyone will appreciate Opus X, and that's fine. But to the adventurous nose like me who thrives on the occasional uncanny, this Amouage release is well worth trying. An opus indeed.