Amouage Bracken Woman Review

Amouage Bracken Woman is due to be released in early 2017.  Not sure the date?  Notes amouage bracken womanof bracken accord, wild berries, lily, narcissus, camomile, smoky leather, patchouli, vetiver and birch are the listed notes.

I am trying to sort this into some olfactory category or another, and Amouage Bracken Woman is refusing to square up to go into that round hole.  The birch is an unusual and discordant riff off of the florals.  Just about the time I want to stick it over in the floral with a funky and uniquely great dissonance, I get the leather and I guess bracken?  Like shoe leather pulled up out of the bog.  But  a great shoe leather pulled out of a great bog.

I read Anita’s review of Amouage Bracken Woman after I tried this like three times, hoping she would help me out, but no.  She says, “the whole thing coalesces into what I can only describe as the smell that comes from bringing in florists’ carnations from the chiller and setting them in a vase along with garden Dianthus – it smells of carnation but only in that way that carnation smells of Spring.”

I give up. This is uniquely beautiful and not really like anything else I’ve smelled.  It reminds me of something or a memory for like a second and then it turns.  As Anita noted, it has the half-life of weapons grade plutonium.  You are making a commitment.  In the same way I found Amouage Interlude and Amouage Beloved perplexingly beautiful, Amouage Bracken Woman goes in that same spot.

My utmost respect to Amouage for creating such complicated perfumes. With a world full of thousands and thousands of perfumes, doing something new is a hard thing, and it carries a risk.  Not everyone will love this, and a I suspect a few people will loathe it. I read one review on Fragrantica that said “Yo how did this entry make it past quality assurance.”  And another that said “Oh no! I really love this fragrance. I will end up living on bread and water.  My first thought was Badedas bubble bath. Uncanny.It transports to a British woodland with all the bracken and brambles on a warm sunny autumn day.

Yup, they were smelling the same Amouage Bracken Woman.  If you like your perfume complicated and difficult to sort, this is for you.  Sign me up for these perfumes every day.cora the frenchie in her pink puffer jacket

Look, it’s Cora in her new pink puffer jacket!  And it matches the pink of the inside of her ears.  Yes, I am still ridiculously crazy about my new puppy.  She slept through the night at 2 months, I have to WAKE her up in the morning because she just wants to sleep later while the big boys are staaaarving.  A pip and has no idea she’s not a Mastiff.cora the frenchie perfume bottle dress

All of of you will love this cute little perfume bottle dog dress I found on Etsy.

Winners of the you pick ’em 4-sample set  – Paddy Mogan and CC Quick.  Click on Drop Us a Note at the top, send me an e-mail, remind me of what you won, and get me your mailing address. I’ll send you a quick e-mail to let you know I got your e-mail and it didn’t land in a spam filter and then get it on the way to you.

Let’s do a giveaway of four samples of Amouage Bracken Woman.  Just drop a comment to be entered. Tell me anything you want about Amouage – favorite, if you’ve even tried the line, do you like your perfumes complicated or more straightforward?

  • Marti says:

    I am drawn by these Amouage fragance stories but haven’t tried any of them. In search of a new “me” perfume, and this collection might be the answer to my search. Thanks for the opportunity to try the collection.

  • Kate E. says:

    Having never smelled any Amouage fragrances, I have been tempted by the Library collection many times. I’d love a chance try some-thanks 🙂

  • Olivia says:

    I can’t wait for this! I’m a huge fan of Amouage, having only tried two (Fate and Interlude) that are phenomenal. Fate is one of my favorite perfumes of all time now. Thank you for the opportunity!

  • lena says:

    I think my mood dictates whether I go for a straightforward or more complicated fragrance.

    As for Amouage, I’ve not tried any of their frags.

    Thank you for the draw! 🙂

  • pats133 says:

    I’ve only ever tried one or two Amouage – love love Amouage Opus III *sigh* but Bracken Woman smells like Carnations in Spring you say………. oh wow…. i have to try this, just have to. Thanks for the lovely review and i have to say your puppy is gorgeous – wee pet!

  • Koyel says:

    I don’t own any Amouage bottles because I’m not fabulously rich, but I have decants that I LOVE of Epic and Lyric. Big, rich scents both. This one sounds quite interesting! I do like complicated fragrances, but I also often adore straightforward ones that require no thought. Each has its time and place in my life.

  • katrin says:

    I’d love to try this! Especially if it’s nothing like you have smelt before. I haven’t sampled them all, but of those I have, I remember being struck by Beloved, Fate, Gold and Ubar. Would love to have one of those in my possession one day!

  • rosarita313 says:

    Another Amouage fan here although I haven’t tried lots. I definitely like my perfumes complicated. So far Interlude Woman is my favorite, it has kind of a perfume within a perfume thing that I love. Thanks for the chance!

  • solanace says:

    Adore Amouage’s baroque style, myfaorites being Gold and Jub 25. Thank you for the draw!

  • Kathy says:

    Great review; thanks for the draw. When I first got going on the vintage perfume trail, I came across an old bottle of Tweed that was very evaporated. But a smoky herbal scent remained that was haunting. Like something preserved in a bog?? But what I would like to try in Bracken Woman is the birch note, with the lily.

  • Taxi says:

    I’ve never tried Amouage fragrances. There are so many it’s hard to know where to start-maybe with Bracken?

  • Sarah says:

    Hello, il only tried Gold from Amouage. First i did not like it because it’s is so saturated i fond it heavy and was afraide it would give me à headache. Then i found it riche and smooth. What pleases me thé most is the fact that i féel that à woman in ancient Égypt could have worn thé samedi fragrance, it is totally timeless and archaic, and complex at thé same time.

  • Stephanie says:

    I’ve never tried an amouage perfume, although I certainly keep meaning to do so. I love complicated scents (and flavors, and books, and textures) so it does seem like a house I should explore.

  • Cristina Quaresma says:

    Hi, first of all I loved your review. You write it in a way that we really want to try it. I have never tried a Amouage perfume, sadly. Thank you for this opportunity. And I love Cora with her big pink ears.

  • susan says:

    Only Amouage I tried was Ubar. It was a big let down. The animalic diddnt go well for me and Im usually a big lover of animalic perfumes. I hope the others in the line can come through.

  • audesko1 says:

    This sounds wonderful. I would love to try.

  • RoseMacaroon says:

    I’m pretty new to perfume as a serious hobby, and since for the most part I confine myself to Naturals for health reasons, the perfumes complex in their evolution are a pretty rare experience for me. However, since I am fairly newbie, in general any perfume with more than six notes is going to seem pretty mysterious / complex / possibly inscrutable to me !! Haven’t tried any Amouage fumes, so thank you for the chance, this one sounds soooooo interesting!

  • Nancy H. says:

    Complicated perfume yes; challenging perfume no.

  • Beth Mongold says:

    I love Amouage–Lyric and Beloved are my favorites. Would love to try Bracken–please enter me and thank you!

  • Maureen says:

    The only Amouage I have tried is Interlude, which was weird and wonderful, but a little too much for the office. I like beautiful and interesting fragrances. Would like to try this fragrance. Please enter me in draw…thank you.

  • maggiecat says:

    I love complicated perfumes, but also prefer beautiful over “interesting.” Amouage is amazing – I love Dia and Lyric! Any Amouage is worth a try.

  • Mals86 says:

    Favorite Amouage is Memoir Woman, which is SO WEIRD that it took me about eight wearings to figure out what I was smelling. (Now, of course, it just “smells like Memoir.”) I’ve been fairly disappointed with the last few Amouage releases but I’ve been waiting on Bracken Woman for some time now.

  • Musette says:

    LOL! I LUH this review! xoxoxoA

  • Bastet says:

    I tend to like complex perfumes and LOVE Amouage. Favorites are epic, gold, jub 25, and beloved (all woman). Would love to try this new one.

  • I’ve only tried Amouage Gold- I have a vintage sample and a more recent and I love love them. I would love to try many others. I like my perfumes more complicated I think- something that makes me keep smelling myself in public, not caring that I’m embarrassing my daughter- ?

  • otamom says:

    I have tried none from this line but would like to. Recently I read a fragrance article and it mentioned that your signature scent should reflect your personality. I thought about it and am open to attempting more complex scents going forward, I wouldn’t want to be thought of as only a one-note, linear-type person!

  • Maya says:

    DNEM. I have tried a lot of Amouages and cannot find any love there. Oddly, no one around me likes them either. Maybe similar “noses” hang together? 🙂
    I wrote because Cora is adorable and her photo left me smiling for quite a while! Thanks.

  • I love many many Amouage perfumes; let me just mention Memoir men, Lyric Woman, Opus IV and VII….A world of complexity and depth

  • AnnieA says:

    I like Dia although it’s more regular than the rest. Too many of them have a bizarre maple syrup accord on my skin.

  • Neva says:

    Amouage is one of my favourite perfume houses although some of their perfumes are simply too big for me, I admit. I love Epic, Beloved, Jubilation (all Woman) and Opus I. On the other hand Ubar, Lyric and Opus III are overwhelming and I can’t wear them at all. I can only respect them. Thanks for the opportunity to try Bracken Woman.

  • lizbee says:

    I’m so eager (read: DYING) to try Bracken Woman. I loooove Dia and Beloved, and some days I love Lyric and Journey, too. I bought the discovery set, which I’m thrilled to have because as my tastes evolve, I can continue to explore the line at my leisure. I gotta get my hands on the opuses. I get most excited by complex perfumes, for sure.

  • Connie says:

    I’d love to be entered, thanks. I’m a fan of Amouage, but as to whether I like my perfumes more complex or more straightforward- that really depends on the day and how I’m feeling. Today, is, I think, a straightforward day!

  • fanny says:

    I love Opus VIII. Complicated perfumes are my favourite, unless they are so good, that I do not mind if they’re not…
    Thanks for a very interesting giveaway!!

  • jenbat says:

    It’s on my list to try some Amouage, but I always get intimidated by their epic lineup. One day I’ll have to splurge on a sample set of their whole line.

  • MaureenC says:

    I’ve been having an illicit affair with Beloved Woman since it came out, a sample here, a decant there one day I’ll take the financial plunge and a bottle will come home with me. Now Bracken sounds intriguing…….

  • Clarochka says:

    Big fan of Beloved, Journey and Lyric – women’s version

  • Hm, I don’t know. There are some Amouage scents that I consider masterpieces (Epic, Memoir) but I am confused with the newer releases (Interlude etc). I do like me some complex perfumes but the newer Amouages are either too complicated (almost messy) or too bland (floral fruity). Curious about what Bracken brings to the table!

  • Janet says:

    Honour is my favorite. It doesn’t get much love online but I find it amazing.

  • Flowergirlbee! says:

    i would love to smell this.i love complicated smells, its where the magic and poetry of perfume really dwells.

  • Finanns says:

    I love the old stuff (Lyric, Epic, rose-dominated attars) but have been a bit underwhelmed by the new releases. Journey& Sunshine were ok, but nothing spectacular and Myths sounded lovely but smelled really “off” on me (but divine on my friend who has a bottle on her birthday lust after finishing the sample I gave to her).

    This one looks like another one I am sure I’ll love but turns out to work way better on her skin.

    • Ignore this from the draw please says:

      Aahh…apologies for the epic (pun intended) typos (the first one may be a Freudian though). Should have been birthday list, not lust. Mistyped my screen name too, its Finanna here, without spell check:) (please ignore this second post from the draw).

  • shiva-woman says:

    I have most of the Amouages, but Interlude and Epic are probably up there as is Memoir and Lyric. Though I also like Fate, gosh darn it. This is one out of my top five houses. Sunshine woman I can even appreciate, but I’ve not gone full bottle. When Bracken man came out I was waiting anxiously. I want to try that…and now this. Part of it is the name. I love the image of bracken. The notes do sound very discordant, however, and berries always throw me a curve–not fond of berries unless I’m eating them. I definitely want to try this.

  • I have sampled all of the Amouage fragrances and am a loyal fan. My absolute favorite is Fate; a comforting, beautiful powder bomb. I also adore Lyric and Lilac Love, full bottles are in my future. Thank you for the description of Bracken, I didn’t know a new release was pending.

  • Eldarwen22 says:

    I’ve tried so many Amouages and own quite a few of them. My ultimate favs are Epic and Lyric. Memoir and Jubilation are great. Dia and Gold are good and Beloved is pretty cool.

  • Sarah says:

    Have given up on my full bottle of Gold. It just wonks out on me. Thought Sunshine? would be the one. Nope. Both are beautiful-but not on me. Perhaps like the Guirlain beauties my skin won’t cooperate. Sigh.
    BRACKEN. Sounds like the Brothers Grim. But the DOG! I want one of those please.

  • William De Shazo says:

    I haven’t had the pleasure of smelling very many of the amouage fragrances but thanks for the wonderful review and the cute pics of your pup, would love the opportunity to share a sample with my wife thanks.

  • Sarah says:

    Delurking for a moment because you’ve hooked me with the lily leather patchouli combo. I am really interested in trying this one. I like strange. This may require a hunting trip down to San Francisco.

  • HeidiC says:

    I’ve only tried Lyric Woman, which was nice, but not as amazing as I was expecting. Maybe I should give it another try? But Bracken sounds terribly intriguing — I love weird, funky smells, and leather and bog and carnation sound right up my alley. Thanks for the draw!

  • Rosemary says:

    I haven’t tried Amouage yet; in fact, all I know about this line is that it carries a hefty price tag, and I like the design of their bottles! I would love a sample, might as well start by sniffing the newest first 🙂

  • Tara C says:

    Big Amouage fan here – really looking forward to trying it. I don’t love them all but they are definitely original.

  • LaDona says:

    I have not tried even one Amouage! I have a bad feeling that I’ll fall in love…and, much like having a really good-looking, bad boyfriend…it will siphon away my savings on other women and poker. Or something like that. But I’d love to try it! Because everyone should have at least one bad boyfriend.

  • MMKinPA says:

    I have only sniffed Sunshine and Dia. I tend a little toward the straightforward for my every day perfumes (I teach music to preschoolers) but I do like to go big on the weekends from time to time. While I haven’t found “my” Amouage, I appreciate the quality of what they are doing. Thanks for another great giveaway!