Cobra

THE SPICY BITE OF AN ORIENTAL COBRA I have rediscovered my love of fragrances because I've been selling some of them on ebay. I can't sell this one. Brings back too many fond memories. I had fun with this perfume when I was in high school. Perfume is personal to me. Cobra was the debut fragrance of Jeanne Arthes in 1988. This perfume, although not a Poison by Dior, was very much ahead of it's time. It was a unisex fragrance for women and men but selling as a woman's Oriental fragrance. It had the signature creatively designed bottle found in other Jeanne Arthes perfumes. This one is has been compared to Dior's Poison but I don't see the connection except the design of the bottle which looks almost the same as the first issue of Dior Poison except for the black color and the additional toy magnetic cobra that sticks to the stopper. The scent starts with strong aldehydes and citric notes of orange and tangerine. It's already starting off like a man's cologne. The heart is spicy and warm. However the fruitiness never really goes away as there are red berries and peaches. The tuberose is strong here so if you're familiar with tuberose and like it, this will be a pleasure to smell. Ylang-Ylang is very noticeable and is partnered with orange blossom that almost smells like a mimosa. Jasmine would usually be strong but I find that the tube rose and Ylang-Ylang are the winners. The result is something that is all at once spicy, floral and fruity, sweet. The dry down, however, is not sweet. Then you get to the cobra's bite. It's a strong masculine cobra that has coiled around your body, it's tongue in your nose, it's scent all over your body. Classic men's cologne composition of woody note is there at the end: musk, vetiver and cedar wood. It's woodsy. Wonderfully woodsy. Sandalwood also makes an appearance which officially makes this fragrance an ORIENTAL. An Oriental to me means that the notes have to contain elements of the Orient: jasmine and sandalwood. The vanilla in this perfume was an innovation at the time when vanilla was just getting started as an ingredient in the formulas for fragrances. It keeps this fragrance sweet but I find that it's not a big player. It turns musky and woodsy at the end, like a man's night cologne. The woman that wears this can easily wear Poison, Teatro Alla Scala, and even Opium. This is a strong cologne so I wear this at night on dates for other men to smell on me. It's beautiful. Very classy, luxurious and not cheap at all despite the look of the bottle and the price. I wish other people could experience the beauty of this fragrance. It's not a Shalimar, doesn't try to be a Shalimar but it's in the same family. I can't let go of this beauty but I recommend it to all my friends on Fragrantica. Enjoy.

Review for the vintage edp (purple accents on black bacground with gray patterning): Cobra, as a predecessor to Poison, hits many of the same notes, but in some cases, hits them more cleanly. Don't get me wrong- I love the original Poison in it's plummy dark spicy vanilla spunkiness. But Cobra is a different beast- citric, drier, spicier, darker, more serious, more mysterious. Where Poison is all about fun, flamboyantly breaking expectations, and indulgence, Cobra is subtle, evocative in a quieter vein, a scent that hints at hidden vistas, that sparks curiousity, requires investigation. Cobra smells of potentials, possibilities, and unexplored opportunities. Soft, velvety, and warm, it is difficult to ignore the scent characteristics that Cobra Shares with Poison, but the truth is that these two scents have a very different character. I love them both, and recommend this scent to those who enjoy Poison, and to those who don't. If you like spicy dark scents, you will enjoy Cobra...if you would like something subtly mysterious, evocative of spice markets and exotic locales, a little juicy, but not too flamboyant, a scent that causes people to lean closer to smell it better, Cobra is your scent. And it is definitely worth experiencing. Cobra opens with a strong blast of spice, and the heart features wonderfully creamy sandalwood layered with even creamier orris, and spice. But the dry down really shines, as airy jasmine and creamy tuberose sparkle and shine, oily ylang ylang builds and sweetens the creamy woody notes, offsetting the darker spice notes, lightening the scent, and adding joy to your day. I consider this safely unisex, intriguing, and polished, perfect both for day and evening wear. Ignore the goofy bracelet (which is actually kind of fun!) and the resemblance to a scent with more PR. Judge this beauty on its own merit. I blind bought this years ago, and it remains a favorite in my wardrobe. The dry down lasts forever, but is quite soft, so I actually recommend over applying (three sprays, step out of doors til the scent reaches manageable proportions) to obtain good sillage for the later phases. This is one of my favorite scents for public speaking and presentations--it pairs wonderfully with a skirt, heels, and silk blouse, and reliably causes people to be very curious about me, what I have to say, and to find me approachable and warm. I'm not sure if this is the result of how I hold myself when I wear it, or the scent itself- regardless, it is a foundational scent in my professional wardrobe, and is universally appreciated by those around me.

Jean Arthes Cobra is a copy of Christian Dior's Poison, a very nice one, minus the top-notes of the latter (which I hate). I absolutely lust over Poison's dark and sexy dry-down, but it is still too strong of a scent for me to be able to wear on most occasions, or even to tolerate for long periods of time. With Cobra, I don't have to worry about suffocating myself or others, because apart from lacking the hideous top notes of Poison, it is also much lighter which makes this a more wearable Poison like others have mentioned. It also very budget friendly too, and that's always a plus with me. This is a scent I can see myself wearing to a jazz lounge with a little black dress on, or to work the next day in a crisp white shirt and slacks, I think it is elegant enough for a 20-something who appreciates Poison but is afraid to wear it and wishes it wasn't so overpowering...to date, I haven't found a better 'Poison-lite' (if you know of something better, do let me know). The more mature and expert Poison-loving noses may enjoy this one as a casual scent (that is if they don't dismiss it as a cheap rip-off beforehand). I need to get myself a bottle, it is getting quite difficult to find.

I have probably a modern Cobra. The snake's poison glands were removed. What remains are tart flowers in a liquid compote. There are no granny sweets at the base. Plum and cherry juice both in brine and in a cloud of tuberose. This is a very comfortable, mature, but correct perfume for everyday wear. It goes well with gothic, tourist attire, and also with medications. I recently wore a vintage Poison miniature, now that's a real evening perfume for a special occasion. The similarity between that perfume and my current Cobra is like the similarity between a classical symphony and its performance on a children's synthesizer. My Cobra was clearly made for the Eastern European market, and now it's just an everyday body fragrance. Oh well!

WOW!!!! This is just outstanding. And it smells exactly the same as Poison. The bottle is even the same shape and colour! When my bottle arrived in the post i ripped open the packaging and sprayed... Just as i did, hubby walked in and said "wow that perfume is just gorgeous!!" Sadly im not sure if it will last as long as Poison but at that price it is a true gem you cant afford NOT to have in your collection if you are a Poison lover like myself! I would quite confidently say that if you buy a bottle of this you will save yourself a fortune tracking down a vintage bottle of the original formula. It's miles better than the watered down version of Poison thats being sold in the shops today. Just wonderful!