The latest scented chapter in the epic tale of Amouage is Honour, a tale of tragedy and misguided love set to the fragile beat of butterfly’s wings.The duo of scents – one for him, one for her – is inspired by Puccini’s masterpiece Madame Butterfly, the tale of young Cio Cio ‘Butterfly’ San and her misguided love for the American Lieutenant B.F. Pinkerton.

A little bit of background: Young Butterfly is sold to Pinkerton as a child bride, and she falls in love with him despite his indifference. She hopes to go with him to America, but he returns to his homeland alone – but not before leaving Butterfly with a child. Three years later, Pinkerton returns to Japan with his American wife and intends to take his son back home with him. Butterfly agrees to give up her son, but only if Pinkerton will return for him in person. In the devastating climax of the tale, Butterfly takes her own life in front of her only love with a dagger inscribed with the words “Death with honour when one can no longer live in honour”. The name of the scent collection is taken from this final scene, when the aria “Con Onor Muore” (To Die With Honour) is sung with incredible sentiment and heartbreak.

The Honour collection takes up the story of the son that Madame Butterfly left behind. He’s now a man and is looking to reconcile his anger and his guilt at his mother’s death by searching for answers. He is the same haunted man that has been portrayed in previous Amouage scents, but with Honour he is a little closer to finding himself.

The Amouage Honour Man scent is a spicy and woody scent that mixes conflicting accords of pathos and passion. An intensely masculine opening of pink pepper and black pepper is majestic and amplified, while a spicy heart of geranium, elemi and nutmeg create a feeling of opulence and mystique. The earthy base is at odds with the tension of the opening, evoking a sense of conflict and turmoil.

Where Honour for Him is kinetic and clashing, Honour for Her is as gentle as can be. The white floral fragrance is a transcendent evocation of love and its many facets. Poetic to its very core, the cascade of white flora signifies the discourse of emotion: Tuberose represents danger; Jasmine suggests attachment; Gardenia alludes to secret love; Lily of the Valley reveals the purity of the heart; and White Carnation evokes faithfulness. Butterfly’s innocence, fidelity and honour have been betrayed, but her heart remains pure with love.

The epic Amouage Honour scents are an absolute must try for those who love niche fragrance. Discover Amouage Honour here.