Jade

“Might as well be spring...” is not an overstatement. I was born near the Equator and although I have live in New York for most of my life, I still can’t bare the last months of winter. Last January was particularly brutal for me and just when I was ready to seriously contemplate moving down South I met “Jade”. The opening wakes you up with a beautiful green note, a pleasant freshness. Once you reach the dry down the Geranium will instantly transport you to the promise of spring; I can say with confidence that this scent had a spiritual, psychological, and physical effect on me during my darkest winter days- It was Jade that made me smile during those frigid hours when the sun was gone too soon.

Hendley Jade is unlike any fragrance I've smelled before, a mix of mint, geranium, star anise, and sandalwood. It's very green and minty, almost as refreshingly minty is Wrigley's Doublemint Gum, and that's due mainly to the pairing of spearmint and geranium, providing the floral/mint pairing that is bright and pungent in the opening but dries down rather smoothly. In addition, the star anise provides some bitterness and sharpness early on but dies down and gives away to the pairing of sandalwood with the floral/mint pairing. Overall, an interesting exploration of what a mint fragrance can be, and surely worth of trying for those that enjoy mint, as this artistic expression is partly pleasing, partly intriguing. For me, though, it's still a little bit of a mismatch, but I appreciate the great work Hans Hendley does and look forward to his next creation as always. 6 out of 10

Oooh!! This is a strange one. The first moments I am transported to initial use of a horrid Grade School handsoap. The next moment I am passing my hand over and through a bush of Lemon Mint.The following moment I am in a Landscape barren and cold, with whispers of Spearmint. An Austere Beauty! A sense that I have had a palette cleanse to then access to the memories of the perfumes I have tasted throughout the week. I am unsure of what to make of this, except that it strikes me a little rude to have to step a little closer, to hear it all. Thumbs up because of the awakening!

Salty mint, mint, and peppermint. Calmed down, the geranium comes up a bit with sandalwood, and some mint. It is the feeling of Jade. The basenote goes directly to "Metaboles" by Ys-Uzac with the gernaium, mint, tomato leaves, and pepper.