JHL

I love fragrances but I must admit I don’t have a strong enough palate. I think because a lot of smells I don’t know what they smell like in its pure essence. It’s not like tasting booze, cigars or coffee where you more then likely have had many of the notes. When someone says this cigar has notes of espresso with a leathery mouthfeel, or this wine taste like Unripe fruits, or this coffee has notes of allspice and dark berries you have a general idea of what to expect. So when I see all these notes for this or other fragrances I get confused because half of them I have no idea what they smell like on their own. So i like to keep my reviews simple, and tend to relate fragrances basic smells and experiences. I can say oh this so and so fragrance smells like tropical fruit, on a overcast day but can’t exactly tell you why it smells like an overcast day.So I guess this is a disclaimer I should have posted for my first review I ever did, but the only reasoning I’m posting it now is because I have and had may fragrances but this is the first one I’ve had where I notice it’s scent literally evolves and changes. Maybe I am noticing more because I have the week off of work and university is over for the semester, so I am not busy and have more time to actually focus. But this fragrance literally changes like a 3 in one. Many fragrances I’ve noticed do change but a lot of it is subtle until it gets down to the base notes. But this to me is different. I love this fragrance btw. At first not so much, but it grows on me. The first initial burst to me smells very musky and slightly fecal and urine like. Not like a toilet, but I remember reading somewhere the smell of feces and the smell of flowers are the same compound, but in different doses. It’s like this purple flower my mom used to grow that smells offputting and somewhat fecal but it you can’t stop smelling it. A kind of dirty wet clay smell. It reminds me of the almond oil stuff my wife puts in her hair she buys from the indian market. A dirty, pungent oily smell.That fades away quickly and then a waxy, soapy lemon smell comes that I kid you not reminds me of Canoe. A more nuanced, citrus rind version of Canoe. But after a few minutes boom, it changes into something that is heavy on the cinnamon, and a powdery smell that is backed up by sandalwood. That musky, fecal flower smell comes back but now it smells subdued like incense. It all sounds bizarre but it works. It’s a dressier, edgier version of Taylor of old bond street sandalwood. It has a warm and classic smell and I love it. The first few minutes aren’t my favorite, but as it changes it becomes something womderfull

JHL & JHL Vintage aren't similar to each other! & that's when i first sprayed them all on both hands. The vintage JHL is more on the creamy & oily texture, yet clean soapy musk side while the current JHL is more on the cinnamon dry side, and it's not that much of sweetness cinnamon as much as it's herbal with a touch of sweetness. Surprisingly, they intersect and crossroad on a certain point! i mean the current JHL goes quite similar to the vintage one when it settles down (after 3 hours) but on the top or middle note it smells quite dry cinnamon more than clean soapy musk with a creamy texture, while the vintage JHL is mostly linear from top to bottom which makes it quite amusing and alluring. The drawback of the JHL is that it's too weak as it almost vanishes within 2 hours max and stays close to skin but it smells like heaven and much better than the current one. The 2nd drawback is that the vintage JHL is almost extinct now and the ones you can find now is extremely expensive and splash rather than a spray. In general, the curent JHL has cinnamon as the dominant note, then comes the carnation, aldehyde, sandalwood, fir, labdanum, rose, bergamot, & benzoin, while the vintage is bergamot, carnation, amber, sandalwood, musk, rose, jasmines, & lemon. JHL vintage is a piece of heaven indeed and also the current version is superbly beautiful, shockingly, few years back (2 years) i was about to give the current version that i own away to someone! and i have absolutely no idea what kind of heart i was having back then to give up such an amazing blend! It was a mistake and i can't forgive myself for that :p (nah joking). Eventually, this is beautifully amazing. Edit (23rd March 2021) I visited my vintage bottle now, and i have splashed it on my skin.. what came to my mind when i sniffed JHL on my skin is "Musc Tonkin" by Parfum d'Empire (not the Extrait)! it is really musky with big doses of animalic, and i believe it is sexually intense! i can't say that it's quite similar to "Musc Tonkin" but definately has part of its DNA somehow! cause that blend came to my mind right away because i got the same tingly feeling that i usually get when i wear "Musc Tonkin".. Vintage JHL is a masterpiece, & Marc-Antoine Corticchiato is a genius...

Upon first spray on test blotter the comparison out of my collection that immediately came to mind is Chypré Palatin by MDCI. Then I compared their note structure as listed on Fragrantica and they are similarly complex, with both sharing aldehydes, amber dominance, a floral mid, and Chypré Palatin's plum and clementine being comparable to the fruity notes of JHL. I can see where MDCI would get their historical inspiration with JHL and it's inspirations Youth Dew, Cinnabar, YSL Opium. I had the opportunity to put my nose briefly on Youth Dew in a perfumery store this past weekend in anticipation of my bottle of JHL arriving today. I can smell why someone would vote a similarity to Paul Sebastian Fine Cologne, given the the common musky powderiness, and spicy oriental character. But I think Paul Sebastian Fine Cologne has a better analogue as a stronger, murkier classic Old Spice. And I think a less complex CK Obsession for Men (and I assume the women's Obsession which I haven't smelled) owe some of their inspiration to this JHL/Youth Dew/Cinnabar/Opium group. I do not, however, perceive much DNA similarity to the interesting, rougher original 1966 Aramis by Aramis (a fragrance my father wore back in the day and one I have and respect). But this JHL is great! Very pleasant and enjoyable scent. I love the DNA. And its historical context as Estee Lauder's gift to her husband, and its DNA ties to Lauder's Youth Dew, Cinnabar, and YSL Opium enrich its value and appeal just that much more.

This is my favourite Aramis considering I've used it the most of all the others. It's most poetic of all Aramis. This is somewhat a dirty scent than clean (in the way an electric guitar's clean tone can be saturated into the "dirt" stage before full blown distortion). I know the original Aramis was an overdriven scent, but the softer, yet more luxurious, JHL Custom Blended Cologne is that woman tone; the sweet, blue & brown bluesy tone that gets the ladies' attention and the guys because of the notes and melodic lines in the solos, the technicality us dudes love. It's a technical scent, rather than a simple and easy cologne. I'll use the electric guitar tone analogy in future reviews. JHL Custom Blended Cologne is now a love song to the '70s and early '80s chypres and smoked, leather, earthy bottles of the Opium and Cinnabar days which men were not allowed near. Those scents are unisex now, in a most masculine (when on a man) and feminine (when on a woman) way. They're sexy as hell because of that, and us finely cultured folk - at least on this review section - understand this clearly. Today, it's calling to the past to bring that style, that human touch, back to the present; the reality of computer formulated, blended, and fine tuned colognes that all end up smelling synthetic whether organically made or otherwise. JHL means Just Have a Life. Batch: B18 from January 2018.

Another stroke of beauty from Bernard Chant, JHL was preserved through the Gentleman's Collection relaunch in 2009, no matter how many would argue otherwise (cue the wailing "shell of its former self"). Six sprays of this is just as intoxicating as Opium or Cinnabar, its radiant and deep. In fact, Bernard Chant collaborated with Josephine Catapano on Estee Lauder Cinnabar, and took its template and like a producer at a mixing board, adjusted the levels, leveraging the cinnamon and carnation, and pushing the musks forward, making its dry down a bit more woody, rugged, and animalic. Spiced aldehydes, with somewhat hesperidic and coniferous undertones, cut through cold air as I apply this on my porch (I prefer to apply stronger fragrances outside these days) and now I feel like I am imbued with benzoin-rich incense, a bit smokey, with a facet that reminds me of Casablanca lilies. This floral stage is ecstasy to my nose, and over time it gets woodier and muskier. It seems to have that Tonquitone musk that I love, the one produced by IFF that mimics that of deer musk: warm, sensual, somewhat floral and definitely animalic. Sadly, as I write this, it seems that even the Gentleman's Collection version has skyrocketed in price. As much as I love JHL, I wouldn't recommend spending an arm and a leg on this, so I do hope that this is a passing phase and prices one day settle.

Aramis JHL is a beautiful darkly austere oriental. From the listed notes you would expect something more along the lines of a warm spicy oriental with a sweet tone. There are elements of that genre in JHL, but they are joined by prominent cedary and herbal notes, putting it somewhere between an oriental and an aromatic fougere. The top has a dark citrusy note with a slightly astringent waxy or piney edge, the middle is mildly spicy, dense, and rich, and the base has a more cedar and vetiver feel than the listed notes, with only a touch of benzoin-vanilla sweetness. It is very strong - spray lightly. Apparently this was named by Estee Lauder for her husband (Joseph Harold Lauder) either just before or after he died (depending on whether or not the release date is exactly correct). I like to think it is a memorial to him. If so, JHL would have been some comfortable mixture of Ernest Hemingway and Beau Brummel, and his memorial scent is a wild safari to the spice islands brought back to the fashion runway. Refined and urbane, but hinting of explosive passions in hidden places. (And then I have lunch with my daughter and have her smell my wrist, and she says "Nice!" and changes the subject. So much for my purple prose, but at least she said nice.)

Epic Journey Into the Bottled Yonder, 089 ------------------------------------------------------- Purchased July 2019 Hell yes, to keep it short as possible. JHL is super all year round fun, quite manly too. I understand this was everywhere back in the day, advertised a lot and lots of people wore it but those days are over. Stuff like this and Bijan (which is a smoky/clovey version of JHL) get you all nostalgic and somber about the old days, but in a positive uplifting way. JHL is basically a barbecue (cookout) thing, you'd wear this to open air meets and parties of all sorts. You wear it when there's something to celebrate about nowadays, but you can wear it most of the year, at least I can, and especially when you're just feeling good. This bottle simply makes you daydream when you shouldn't be. What a relaxing, gorgeous luxury. Definitely a must this. Batch: B18 from January 2018.

Let me categorize these men's things: most gorgeous goes to a Cartier, most excellent goes to an Hermès, most sensual goes to a YSL, most plush goes to a Bond, and most affluent goes to a Creed. But FAVORITE goes to JHL. This is an orange-cinnamon Youth-Dew milkshake that starts as a glossy homage to 80s excess and recedes to an aldehydic (electrical) aura of confidence. Nothing was spared in the making of this, but it is uniquely balanced and somehow not overdone: cinnamon oriental, brisk incense and balsam, gentle carnation, vintage vanilla rubbing a handsome and friendly musk, bitter citrus, rich wood, and even a greenish chypre in the background. Better, and less pricey per ounce, than anything.

This is a typical classic Aramis fragrance. What I mean by typical is excellent quality and performance. The fragrance is unique and smells is awesome and the longevity is huge, 12hrs plus! This is not cheap or mid-range but expensive and that is what you'll pay for a top end quality scent. I love this fragrance very much indeed and even though my bottle is 90% full I be buying a back up soon. I would this is for people over 35 but if a younger person can test it they may well like it because it's quite unique and it's certainly different! I don't give a 10 out of 10 often but this is well worth the grade in every way! Absolutely brilliant scent!!!

I found this at Dillard’s for $64 and bought due to the reviews here. Was excited to get home, shower, then throw some on for the evening. I do really like it and will fit in nicely with my classic Guerlains which I own. Definitely a classic, not saying outdated, because I do hate all the modern synthetic spice bombs that the perfume companies are producing nowadays! Being a true gentleman in my late 40’s I appreciate the classiness that this scent projects. It gives me the same feeling when I put on Habit Rouge or Santos! I don’t mind growing old and having these scents along for the ride! Great reviews fellow Fragrantica members!

This fragrance is one of my favorites. A classic thats been around for many years,but stopped being sold in stores in the late 80's. I bought a bottle back then,and still have the old bottle. The new re-formulated version is good,but the old version is a little better. It's a very elegant spicy woody fragrance. I smell mainly the spice of Cinnamon in it. I'de say it's the masculine opposite of Estee Lauder's "Cinnabar". I've tried other spicy fragrances;i.e.Vetiver-by Guerlain,and Habit Rouge--by Guerlain and possibly Terre D'hermes-by Hermes to name a few but JHL is the best.

Very hard to find. The ones i bought it was only in spain. Nevertheless, great perfume, long lasting and decent projection. I masterpiece from this house, along with aramis, aramis 900 (before the reformulation), tuscany and havana, though i think they ́ve mess with this gem. In fact, i think this has no longer the brutality of proejction it once had, but still is a good and solid scent. Go for it!

A very rich fragrance for special occassions. Feels like wrapping yourself in a warm blanket of masculinity. Not for boys or everyday use. For grown men, alpha males, who want to smell aristocratic. I can easily picture the guy in the Dos Equis commercials probably wearing this or something similar. Also probably worn by Don Corleone in The Godfather. Stay thirsty my friends.

excellent scent. blind bought based on the positive reviews and glad i did. excellent projection and sillage. drydown reminds me of Chanel Antaeus (which I love) and less so like YSL Opium pour homme. A lover of these scents could blind buy this and not worry

This is an incredible fragrance, similarities with Youth Dew and Opium for women. I have a 50ml vintage splash of this that still smells amazing. Have yet to try current formula but judging by the reviews it's still outstanding.

I'm surprised people don't realize this is Youth Dew for men. To me it smells nearly the same. Deep dark rich spices and sex appeal. A floriental soaked in class and elan.

Have a bottle of this for sale :)

I'm 57 and normally enjoy old school, traditionally masculine men's fragrances. So when I saw this being discontinued I asked my wife to pick it up for Christmas. The florals in it caught me off guard though. I'm not a big fan of the carnation, rose or jasmine. You can pick up the Aramis DNA for sure. But it does smell like a women's fragrance that's been adjusted for men as its history attests. It actually brings back memories of the many hours I spent with my dad hanging out in fine men's clothing stores- camel hair jackets- cuff links and a properly tied double Windsor knot. For many it will be labeled as dated. But JHL is a gentlemanly, rich scent of quality. My suggestion is keep your sprays off the neck as the opening can be a bit overwhelming. Hands and wrists or down your shirt is a better option with 2-3 sprays at most. it's not a beast...but too much is simply not the way it should be enjoyed. Truly a bit of history in a bottle and still available in Europe online. One bottle should last you a lifetime no matter how old you are. Winter and Fall/ 45 and up/ 6 hours plus projection on my skin/ cardigan, pipe and rocking chair optional. Update- After wearing this on and off for 2 months I've decided I absolutely love this juice! Maybe its the maceration time needed, but more likely my nose needed to adjust. I get a bit more sweetness and pick up the cinnamon better. If you like old school, give this one a chance. It has grown on me tremendously.

JHL is what YSL's Opium Pour Homme should have been, --- only JHL was several years ahead. It is the perfect consort to the original Opium for women --- rich, spicy, intense, elegant, sensual, sweet, and warm, with incredible lasting power. This is not for the timid, or for young men. It takes considerable panache, maturity and confidence to bring off a heady borderline-sweet scent like this. Obsession, Lagerfeld, KL Homme and Chaps are all close relatives, but none of them have the gravitas of JHL. This is one of those scents that should be saved for special occasions --- it's too intense for everyday wear. But for a night at the opera, or a tryst at an elegant hotel, perhaps a formal New Year's Eve party --- bring it on! JHL is at home amid rich velvets and brocades, heavy draperies, and crowds dressed to the nines. It conjures up a sultry night in a Sultan's palace in the Arabian Nights, although its heat and richness makes it more of a wintertime scent than one to wear in the summer. This is a 5-star classic if ever there was one, but only when used sparingly in the proper setting.

I got a sample vial of this some years back as part of the gentleman's collection. I've occasionally worn it when I'm home for the evening. I tried it again today. My impression is that it doesn't suit me. Although 'powdery' is down on the list of qualities of this fragrance, I find that it's very powdery from the opening through to the dry down. It reminds me of sachet powder my grandma used to use. I consider this unisex at best. I'm not great at picking out single notes, but the floral bouquet of this is too much for me. The three days before this, I wore Tuscany, another Aramis creation. Wearing JHL today makes me yearn for the comfort of Tuscany. Granted, it has good projection and is long lasting, but that makes me dislike JHL even more. Despite what some insist, this is not a masculine fragrance, nor would it have been considered one in the 1980s. I'm a ripe old 58 years old now, and happy that I can pull of some of the classic men's fragrances that are too much for youth. JHL just isn't one of them for me.

Cinnabar for Men. End of story here. It's really the same template, similar sillage and longevity, almost identical booziness about it. All of that said, this is still very much a classic scent, though the audience has just grown beyond the sheer heaviness of the scent. Don't expect me to decry the depth factor in this, but this isn't something that I'd expect someone under say 40 to fully appreciate. Bottom-line for me: It's not something I would own, but it's otherwise a very classic fragrance that continues to be relevant in the same way Guerlain's Shalimar continues to be timeless. Someone new will discover this and simply say "wow".

I love Cinnamon. I HATE Carnation. This was the first time I smelled something that I thought was "dated". However, my wife loves it so I guess it wasn't that much of a disappointment. I wear it on really cold day's. The dry down is fairly pleasant. Great longevity. Pretty strong projection. Overall, I'd say this is a good fragrance depending on the circumstance. 6/10

This vintage decant I’m trying now on my wrist smells really nice and comforting. Heavy on the florals at first and well balanced.

One of my first fine colognes. Very heavy at first but settles down nicely.

Hmmm. This is expensive. I bought it blind, based on reviews. I feel a corrective to that gushing praise is needed. This isn't a bad fragrance, but...you should really just read the reviews for Youth Dew, and imagine a weaker version of that. I'm a 6'2 man, 200lbs, and love wearing Youth Dew by Estée Lauder. The first 5-10 minutes of JHL smell **identical** to that - I've just done a side-by-side - but at 20% strength. Youth Dew is available for £20 in TK Maxx right now. One reviewer below finds this so strong, he has to go outside to spray it. One has to assume that he's never smelled Youth Dew, though he's very busy on this site and Basenotes, so I'd have thought he has. In the dry down, that spicy amber recedes briskly to the background, and what you have is black pepper (nice) over Paul Sebastian Fine Cologne (also nice); which is to say, musky powder - something other reviewers have commented on. Both Youth Dew and PS Fine Cologne will make you piss yourself, if you think JHL is strong. So, it's briefly like Youth Dew, then briefly like PS Fine Cologne. Youth Dew is £20 in TK Maxx, and PS Fine Cologne is £20 delivered from the US on fragranceX. (Does anyone else cringe at that name? 'Fragrant sex'?) If you're too masc for Youth Dew, you surely can buy PS Fine Cologne, which is even called 'cologne' so you can pretend you're not actually even buying perfume.

Not the JHL from the past. I like it but it has be reformulated and unrecognizable from the original fragrance. If you like spice you will like this. I prefer florals.

Boozy "old lady" perfume smell, really rich and opulent. After the amazing reviews, I was shocked how outmoded and out-of-place it smelled to me, how little I could identify with it. Similar to the cheapies Stetson, Chaps, and English Leather Musk which to me aren't the slightest bit masculine. The booze is appealing but the powder is out-of-control, with a heavy stifling sweetness. Without this, the underlying smooth wood would be along the lines of brands that I like. The base becomes less harsh and more cinnamon-centric, but by then I've given up.

A heavily evolving fragrance, leans on the masculine side, quite a fun ride. Easy on the trigger here. In the nuclear opening I get a burst of citrus followed by spices, carnation and cinnamon. Carnation always makes things smell dated to me. Moves swiftly to a smooth mix of carnation, rose, some wood and incense under it all. The cinnamon slowly disappears. Becomes increasingly powdery pleasant on the dry down. The scent of memories.

Perhaps one of the best "Autumn in a Bottle" colognes for men, especially during peak foliage season in New England in October. It goes perfect when my wife wears Cinnabar, which I always enjoyed on her but found too feminine for myself. I love when autumn rolls around and she pulls out the Cinnabar for our weekend trips to apple orchards for hot apple cider, pumpkin spice pie, and all the goodness of Autumn. Now, after acquiring the male version of Cinnabar in JHL, we can both smell like the fall season. But I couldn't wait until fall 2017, I wore my JHL yesterday for the first time before putting it away for the spring and summer. It quickly became one of my favorites. At first, I did get the "old lady perfume" vibe others have indicated. But once it settles down, it's as masculine as many other classics from the 1970's and 1980's era of alpha colognes. However, I don't think guys in their 20's to mid 30's can pull this one off. It's more of a mature scent, for a gentlemen type... not a cologne to wear when hanging out with male friends watching football at the pub, or riding your motorcycle around town, or other "male bonding" activities. JHL is more reserved for times alone with your wife or girlfriend, a romantic dinner date in the fall/winter, sitting around the fireplace during the Christmas season watching holiday movies such as the classic 'It's A Wonderful Life.' JHL is for enjoying time with your partner... and I believe that was the intention of Mrs. Lauder when she designed the fragrance for her husband.. JHL is even better when your lady is wearing Cinnabar as the fragrances compliment each other perfectly. Although I never smelled the vintage JHL, I really don't want to because this latest version is perfect for me. My wife loves it, and her lady friends want to get it for their husband -- that's a winner in my book. JHL actually changed my entire seasonal cologne rotation. Up until yesterday, before trying JHL for the first time, I use to wear colognes by the four seasons - winter, spring, summer, fall. I wore about 40 colognes per season out of my 160 fragrance collection. However, after wearing JHL I decided I could not just enjoy this wonderful fragrance in the fall. From here on forward, I combined my fall/winter fragrances, and my spring/summer fragrances so I can get 6 months of enjoyment of JHL and other favorites. However, I'll always keep my fall/winter rotation separate from my spring/summer. There are just some fragrances that only work for certain seasons. For those of you that do the same, you understand how much more enjoyable it is to wear fragrances that best match the season. It builds memories for you and the people around you... nothing brings back memories more than a scent. As for my wedding day fragrance, I limit myself on wearing it only once per year, which of course is our anniversary. Am I crazy? Perhaps, but it allows me to get the most enjoyment from my collection. Memories of certain colognes is what got me into fragrances, and will probably be the reason I'll always be a fraghead.

I absolutely love JHL. It's totally hypnotic. It's powerful so be warned, one or possibly two sprays is all that's required. I first encountered JHL around November or December 1982. They were giving away free 5ml samples at a department store I was visiting with my best friend, Fiona. I took the sample home and treasured it like it was gold. It always reminds me of Christmas, and the fun & laughter filled shopping expeditions with my wonderful friend Fiona who died tragically young. It was created by genius head perfumer at International Flavours & Fragrances, Bernard Chant, and if you Google him, you'll find all the other perfumes he created - Cabochard, Halston, Azuree, Cinnabar & others. There's no way to adequately describe JHL, it's certainly a production...exotic...oriental...incensey...smokey and dialled up full American glamour...similar to Opium, Cinnabar and Youth Dew but at the same time different. When I wear JHL I hear the theme music to "Falcon Crest" & see the Carrington mansion in "Dynasty". This fragrance, although lovely anytime, really comes into its own in the cooler autumn & winter months. Apparently Estee Lauder have discontinued making JHL. Why? We'll probably never know. Probably something to do with easier & far bigger profit margins with the trendier brands they own - Jo Malone, Tom Ford etc. It's a big mistake to do that, particularly when loyal customers still want to buy it, and when there are so few decent oriental fragrances around these days....I'm thinking Opium and Habit Rouge. I remember when JHL was initially launched back in the early 80's, it was absolutely everywhere, all the big department stores carried it and made a big hullabaloo about it. It was regularly advertised in the big glossy fashion mags, Vogue, Town & Country, Harpers etc. It came with all the accoutrements, shaving foam, soap, deodorant etc. Now I see it on certain websites for in excess of £300 for a 100ml bottle, which is quite ridiculous. I was very lucky and picked up a bottle on MyOrigines.com - where I purchase most of my colognes & perfumes as they tend to have the best prices - for about £60 (March 2021). One bottle should last you years, even a lifetime, as one squirt, or even less than a squirt, is more than enough. One good thing about IFF fragrances, they're super concentrated.

I don’t have a lot to add to what others have said about JHL, and certainly nothing particularly clever, but I would like to add my applause. What a great fragrance for men, and thank you, Aramis for re-releasing it. I would love to smell this on a young person who might discover complexity, plush and density from this fragrance from another era and sensibility. I don’t mean to be cynical about the state of most men’s designer fragrances these past few years, but JHL stands resolutely apart from them. It’s funny, actually. My real complaint about most men’s designer scents is that there are so many, and they vary from each other in such small ways that they smell the same even to people who are looking for distinctions. And yet look at JHL. It’s Cinnabar and Youth Dew with some carnation! Given this slapdash approach but brilliant result, I suppose I can hardly level the ‘sameness’ complaint against current men’s designer scents. JHL is a beautiful example of Estée Lauder’s transplantation of French sensibility to American perfumery. It’s a rich combination of many ingredients (hesperides, culinary spices, balsams, florals, amber), beautiful evolution over time, and coherence from start to finish. JHL is a tribute from Lauder to classical perfumery, but the way she overlaps genres (spicy, amber, floral) gives us something that likely would not have come from France. Kudos for not sparing the voluptuousness in a men’s scent! We like a little lavishness too!

I used to dismiss Aramis fragrances. I thought they were grandpa smells. I was either ignorant, younger, or inexperienced, but boy... was I wrong!!! Aramis has been a very rewarding discovery. Its fragrances are mature for sure, but in the sense that they appeal to a different time and sensibility. They r not gourmands, aquatics, fresh woody, etc, etc, etc. No. They are distinctive, opulent, classy and sophisticated fragrances that stand on their own. JHL has been compared to a few juices, but it distinctively reminds me of three. On its current composition, its fresh opening reminds me of Versace L'Homme. The cinnamon immediately makes itself present and at this stage it reminds me of Opium (not Opium homme) and the dry down, possibly my favorite part, reminds me of Youth Dew. I have always been a fan of the classics from EL (Youth Dew, Cinnabar, Estee) and to me they smell beautiful... on ladies. There is something about the female skin ph that makes these creations come alive. Same thing with Clinique's Aromatics. These are fumes to be smelled on women, because they were meant for them and because let's face it, when I smell Youth Dew or AE on myself... it smells nice, I like the smell... but something is missing. Therein lies the beauty of JHL. It reminds me of Opium and Youth Dew, but this time it smells right. Lovely fragrance, and as always, wear what you like no matter what. Smell great my friends.

Following my pleasant experience with Lauder Inc's reformulation of Aramis Devin, I decided to try out another one of their classics, JHL. And just like I anticipated, it's a hollowed out version of itself. It's notably less sweet, very diluted, less cinnamon (yayy!), less oakmoss and sandalwood (of course!)...but greater longevity. All in all, just what I expected but still disappointing. Some people are of the opinion that JHL is arguably the best masculine oriental and I belong to this camp. But with the current version, it's a precarious position to be in. It's still head and shoulders above what's currently out there, but it's not a strong lead anymore. One thing I did notice during the reformulation's drydown: I never realized what strong resemblance JHL has to a vintage Brut. It seems like Lauder stole a classic fougere, turned it into an oriental, and got away with it. ----------------------------------- It's easy to reconstruct the reformulation into faux vintage: Just add oakmoss (a fair amount!), opoponax and sandalwood. Nothing else is missing, but good luck looking for that mysore sandalwood. 2016-06-04. I also tried adding aldehydes C10, 11 and 12...but they were disasters. hehehe.... You might have better luck.Now where can I get my filthy hands on some nitomusks?

Manly Spice... This is one I like quite a bit. It's a variation on Estee Lauder - Cinnabar , which is a spicy oriental floral, and a contemporary or YSL - Opium . This is the male version of those fragrances.It is rumoured that Estee Lauder herself created this fragrance for her husband Joseph H. Lauder , hence the fragrance name JHL . The level of spice in this fragrance is not something I see in many designer fragrances these days. There is such an array of different notes here it is almost overwhelming. Mainly, Carnation and Cinnamon. Those two dominate this fragrance for me. I could see this one being worn in the cooler months. I don't see it being something to wear in the heat of summer. Except on cooler nights. It has a tenacity and robust quality which I admire very much about it. To me it's a great example of a spicy fragrance for men but still with a refined quality about it. Not "over the top" in any way. I think this is still a great fragrance which can be worn today, however there is a slight dated aspect to it, but not as bad as other fragrances of the same era. Many of the best fragrances of all time were created in the 1970's, and for men I think JHL is a great example of a fragrance which is classy, elegant and refined. A really nice one IMO.

I keep flirting with the desire to buy Aramis JHL but the price tag has, so far, prevented me. I owned a 4 oz. bottle of this, in a splash, back in the early 90's and I was in love with it. I haven't even smelled this beauty in 20 years because I lost that potion, along with the rest of my collection, due to a concatenation of unfortunate events. I recall that every time I put some of this on I'd say to myself, and never to anyone else, "Ah, sublime Nectar of The Gods." JHL was the product of the ultimate alchemist's dream, an elixir vitae; a delight unmatched in perfumery. I've checked Ebay from time to time for the price of a replacement JHL and I see that a bottle of the 4 oz. splash that I owned in the 90's is now considered vintage. It requires an outlay of $250 to acquire that phenomenon so sweet which, each time I smelled it, made me think of the lovely perfume, Cinnabar, what I consider to be JHL's feminine doppelganger and which I like to call Christmas Candy. Someday . . .

The original JHL was - by far - the best mass-produced (under $150) men's fragrance EVER. I discovered it at about age 25, and wore it (carefully) for years. It was VERY bold, but settled into a rich, individualistic character after a while. It actually had that "walking a cute dog" effect . . . women would literally stop me and ask what it was (guys, if THAT'S not enough for you, just buy any old cologne). Unfortunately, as with many fine, bold fragrances, this was "reformulated" with less expensive ingredients (said ingredients being what made it so special). The new JHL pretty much smells the same in the bottle, but it does NOT wear the same. Oh, how I wish they would bring the original JHL (and Calvin in the blue bottle for more casual use) back! You can find bottles of the "vintage" original, but I'm a little leery of buying 25 year-old cologne. I think I still have a couple of the original bottles with the copper bottom (which this new formulation doesn't have).

Recently dawned on me JHL was my rich Uncle's signature scent back in the 80s. After smelling it again recently I'm 99% sure it was JHL he wore. Every weekend as a teen I would cut his lawn and rake the leaves in the autumn season at his modest but beautiful home. When he gave me a ride home his cologne smelled like a wealthy person would back in the 80s. Today JHL would come off as feminine but in 80s it was masculine as fuck. I miss my Uncle. He was the complete opposite of what most people think of a rich man. He was kind, down to earth and every thanksgiving he would volunteer at a homeless shelter to cook turkey. He taught me to be humble and treat people with respect no matter their background. He gave me my first beer at 16. My first car which I had to work off to teach me responsibility. He taught me money is nothing without integrity and dignity. Indeed, JHL is my Uncle as a gentleman and good soul. RIP Uncle Don! The world lost a true man.

An "old school" oriental. Unlike many "men's" fragrances of this type, there is no noticeable lavender. However, there is a dry, "soapy" quality, apparently mostly due to the spices and florals. The notes are "legible" yet contribute to a nice blend that possesses reasonable dynamism. It also smells reasonably natural, with a nice sandalwood note. Overall, there is nothing negative one can say about this fragrance, assuming you understand and enjoy the genre. Longevity and projection/"sillage" are at least very good. Presumably, this is best for romantic occasions, bur not for the youngsters. Ispahan by Yves Rocher is similar, but without the strong woody quality of JHL.

got a sample, someone I shared notes with suggested I try it since I liked derby so much but so pricy.. after trying this I sort of get the derby connection plus a cinnamon after taste. a very nice fragrance. JHL has that old school vibe or powerhouse aromatics, i agree with the luxurious comment of an earlier poster..JHL is a well blended fragrance and is quality, it announces that right away. To me JHL is similar to derby with an Opium chaser.. JHL is heavy handed, you will get noticed when you wear it .. I view it more for the sophisticated man who enjoys his old fashioned with a good cigar. Handsome devil. thumbs up.

Yes, Opium for women, Cinnabar, Youth Dew and JHL all have the same predominant essence. I will only speak to JHL since it was marketed for men. Reformulation has not affected the scent in the least. I had this when it was first released in 1982. It is the same scent with the same potency. The only noticeable change is bottle design and a lighter amber color which is fitting. When you apply the fragrance to your neck/chest you can easily imagine being transported to far away lands of golden sands, Asian temples burning with incense. The aroma is sumptuous, warm and very Oriental. It has no pier among male fragrances.

I read a detail of another reviewer on Fragrantica that a very floral fragrance is better to apply to skin. For when a floral fragrance is applied to fabric on clothes, it is projecting too much and can be an overwhelming olfactory experience. This is one of those fragrances. I sprayed around 6 sprays to my chest and neck. I sprayed one spray on each arm. The opening reminds me of church. It smells of Catholic Church incense. Somewhat spicy, fruit, ambery, myrrh, 12 hrs later and it is still very noticeable. More to come...

I did a blind purchase on this fragrance about two years ago. Unfortunately I am not a fan. The initial top notes are a bit strong for my taste. I actually got a gasoline scent from it. This gasoline/boozy scent seems to linger throughout the wear of it. It is definitely a cold winter wear. I really wanted to like it but just could not. I even kept going back to smell my forearm to see if scent would change. I do have to say the dry down smell was a tad more pleasant after some time however not a keeper for me.

I managed to track down a bottle of this juice. The scent that came from the bottle is stellar and delicious... Pure class! I was tempted to make purchase but as soon as I tried it on my skin realized I could get exactly the same scent if I layered on equal parts (in a ratio of 1:1:1) of Lagerfeld Classic, Cinnabar and Opium, the three of which I already had. If you don't already own those scents JHL is a wonderful variation that sums up the finest qualities of each.

Classy scent and quite affordable. the concentration description is very wierd "Custom blend cologne !!!" for me its a decent EDT concentration as it dose last long and projects nicely. away from performance the smell is spicy/floral/woody. reminds by dioressence but in a much masculine way. aldeyhdes , cinnamon , woods and floral notes are very notable and will blended. I see it for the age range 30+ , this is ascent for a gentleman wearing a sharp suite. Cheers.

Oriental baroque masterpiece by B. Chant. Lauder respects the original formula, current incarnation is fantastic. Armenian paper smell, mostly coming from benzoin reminds you that this also is an incense fragrance, at least the orthodox incense style. Carnation is also strong but melts lovely with the spices, mostly the cinnamon. It wears heavy but still manages to be translucent and gentlemanly. Wear this for a night out at the opera.

I finally got around to trying JHL. It's not bad but it's probably my least favorite of the Gentleman's Collection offerings. The cinnamon is not as prominent as I was expecting, other notes like patchouli are stronger. This really reminds me of PS Fine Cologne by Paul Sebastian, but more subtle. JHL has good longevity, not as strong as PS. My go-to for an elegant cinnamon scent is still Jaipur by Boucheron.

Just received a sample. This is airy, incensey, soapy and very smoothly blended. It reminds me a lot of Dana Tabu, but it's much, much lighter and more subtle. Still, the earthiness is there but it's not overpowering. It has a similar incense theme and complexity to Amouage Journey Man, but it's less overpowering and fits into the tradition of old feminines like Miss Dior. Excellent fragrance.

Oakmoss and animalic musc,with a touch of amber sweetness. I was expecting sweet scent from the notes but no-it's your typical old man oldschool type of scent. Smells about 80% similar to the original Aramis without the leather note. Performance is quite good as you would expect from a powerhouse fragrance. Buy only if you like oldschool fragrances.

OVERALL RATING: * * A synthetic aldehyde bomb that smells more of onions than cinnamon and roses. It is reminiscent of some feminine Chanels; not at all my cup of tea. This fragrance is all business, all the time. Sterile and asexual. Scent: 1/5 Sillage: 4/5 Longevity: 3/5

I totally agree with Castor; it's a male version of "Opium" by YSL - the way it should have been! I know, because I've been obsessed with Opium since it's release in 1977. Very retro masculine fragrance and worth owning for serious collectors.