John Varvatos

One of the best women's fragrances I've ever smelled...Rodrigo Flores-Roux is an absolute pefume wizard and I cannot say enough about his genius. Upon first smelling this I knew there had to be more than just the listed notes in here...and I was right. Thank you to GlitterAlex! Most RFR creations are made of three very distinct levels with major notes in them but he has the gift of bringing subtlety and complexity to each one of his "children"... So often in perfumery there are a myriad of women's scents and only one or two for men; JV has turned this around and given us many fine mens scents and one superlative feminine. Regardless of whether this is a floral or fruity chypre it is absolutely heavenly... It begins with a juicy fruity beginning of not too much citrus and luscious dark plums and vibrant apricots, the grappa note gives a slight booziness to it that is warm and fumey. Here too, the florals and ever so gentle spices peek out. As the heart chord begins the flowers join in what I can only call a dance as they disappear and reappear. The mango blossom echoes the juicy beginning in a very floral way and the rose, lily and jasmine burst forth in a subdued but rich explosion. I sense lighter early spring florals here too and they soften the otherwise stong bouquet. The rose in this is strong and oriental with an almost liquid prescence. The drydown here is for me the best part, the smooth sweetness of honey, the warmth of the tonka bean, the light teasing patchouli. The chypre nature of this is evident by the powdery mossy drydown accented with spicy woody ambrette and the mysterious richness of styrax. This is the nectar of the gods to me and I know many of you find it too sweet, or too weak but to me it is that perfect place where you feel safe, loved and comfortable... Sillage: very good Longevity: good Overall: 5/5 Nirvana! When testing this I sprayed a test strip and after the initial impression laid it on the table (not realising I had laid it on thermal paper) and it actually darkened the paper with its fumes! This juice is a magical elixir that somehow heals my soul and reminds me of a place I may have never been but am aching to go to. If I could have I would have given it 6 out of 5 but that is a rating reserved solely for Chanel No 5...

My sample of John Varvatos came in and I ABSOLUTELY ADORE this! I think this could become one of my signature scents. I say "one" because there are two other scents that are completely different from each other...but I just can't seem to decide which scent is more me. I'm willing to bet, however, that my husband will probably like this one the best. It starts off fruity...but not juicy or fresh like those apple or citrus fragrances. This is a crisp sweet fruit that doesn't necessarily make my mouth water...but it definitely makes me want to say "Ooohs and ahhhs". It's not a sickeningly sweet fragrance, which is perfect because those frangrances tend to get sweeter on me. This is just right. The fruits don't overwhelm (unlike the strawberries in Miss Dior Cherie. Don't get me wrong. I like Miss Dior Cherie....but only when I want to smell like a big juicy strawberry with a light caramel drizzle). The fruits, IMO, hold the fragrance together. They make it well-rounded and give it that full-bodied yumminess that GOOD wines are known for. The florals work TOWARDS the good of this perfume. What I mean is that they, also, don't overpower you. Usually, I can't wear fragrances with jasmine....but if I didn't know what the notes were, I wouldn't have realized that there was jasmine in here. And that's how I like it. I like my florals to blend together nicely...not stand out individually. (But that's just me!) After the rich fruity opening, I get a wonderful floral scent that becomes powdery (but not dusty) and beautiful. The fruits remain ever so quietly in the background--keeping the florals from becoming too potent. And the base notes....well, what can I say? The notes combined create a lucious, romantic, and sensual fragrance with just enough fleshy fruit & delectable sweetness to make you crave more.

I tested it first at Marshalls a few months ago but never bought it. First of all, I wasn't convinced that it wasn't just another pleasant boredom in a bottle (which I already have enough of), and also, I am not a fan of buying small bottles. Later, I was ordering quite a few perfumes from one seller and threw a large bottle of this in the order becasue it was a great deal. To all perfumistas: I can't emphasize anough how testing a perfume on your hand with one spray and putting it on to get the overall feel and effect in most cases can be so different that after buying it you can be left pleasantly surprised or deeply disappointed. In the case of John Varvatos I was extremely pleased and I wore it a couple of times before writing the review to make sure it wasn't just initial elation of the new scent.This scent turned out so beautiful and elegant on me. It has this quality that I love the most about perfumes: when it can be quite intense and noticeable but at the same time transparent and not dense without being overwhelming and oppressive. I am getting the fruits, the honey, and the floral bouquet...but despite its sweetness it can be easily worn in summer without suffocating yourself and friends and family. It easily lasts for five hours, which you shouldn't be complaining about considering tha fact that A LOT of fragrances on today's market barely make it past 2 hour mark. And its sillage will also make your presence known. Great job, John Varvatos!

My bottle of John Varvatos FINALLY arrived today! Imagine my excitement as I tore through the box and "tried" to carefully unwrap the bottle from the sea of bubble wrap. Ahhh...succulent and sensual. Is it just me, or do I smell more florals this time around? When I first tried it (and with the samples) I smelled a slight hint of berries and definitely the sweet plum...but it's only faintly there this time. The fruits seem timid...but the flowers & oakmoss are far from that. They seem to be taking the spotlight today. This fragrance is still beautiful to me...but I do hope my loving plum, apricot, and orange decide to submerge from wherever they are hiding. Today would have been a good day for them to make their presence known. Don't worry JV...I still find you utterly intoxicating! =) UPDATE: I learned that when spritzed on dry skin in the morning, the mossy note creates an almost dry-your-throat kind of aroma that is still nice.....BUT....when this fragrance is mixed with my sweat (I know, gross right), I most definitely recognize the sweet plum and sensual beauty that I loved about this fragrance to begin with. I guess it just needed some body chemistry to recognize me. =P It's still in my top 3!

I read the reviews, wasn't too sure what I thought about them, but loved the ingredients listed, so I purchased it. I love it actually! It does not remind me of any of the other perfumes mentioned here. I find it rather unique unto itself. I love perfumes and I am always wanting to try new scents and add new scents to my wardrobe. There is something very warm and pleasing about this scent. It reminds me of Christmas and all the lovely smells associated with the Holiday. It may be the mandarin note but there is a spicy aroma that envelopes me, and just feels wonderful. I am the kind of person that always thinks fragrances should last way longer than they do. This one last about 3 to 4 hours before I wanted to respray it for that comforting aroma again. ;-) That is not too bad considering the price is affordable. I adore lovely decanters and this one is very different is the word I choose. It is pretty and easy to handle. I love the cute little velvet bag the fragrance is in. This perfume would make a beautiful gift for the right lady, if for no other reason than the way it is presented in it's adorable pink velvet bag that can be reused for precious items. A good investment for a beautiful scent.

JOHN VARVATOS is charming, feminine and alluring. It is stunning from the first notes of luscious fruits to beautiful flowers in the heart and woody sweet base notes. This fragrance has gorgeous honey like sweetness which I absolutely love. It is not vanilla like or candy like. It is floral, beautiful and classy. It smells heavenly! This fragrance is fruity floral but it is nothing like most floral fruity on the market. It is well balanced and sophisticated. The perfume opens with delicious fruits: plum, apricot and mandarin. It continues developing into sweet honey-like floral heart. The rose and lily are beautiful. They blend together with a touch of jasmine to create romantic, feminine and alluring scent. The dry down brings a bit of earthy oakmoss and patchouli but it still has a sweet tone. JOHN VARVATOS is one of my favorite perfumes. It is comforting and easy to wear but at the same time so refined and sophisticated. It is balanced and elegant, cozy and classy. I definitely would recommend it to someone who appreciates chic and sophisticated floral fruit scents. The sillage is great and longevity is at least 9 to 10 hours.

Divine! This one smells the way it looks... just like I imagined it would. Immediate impression, right after spritzing, is sweet in the same vein as Coco Mademoiselle, to me. Same sparkling sweet citrus/ rose/ patchouli, but a hint more vanillic (tonka)? This familiar loveliness lasts perhaps five minutes, and then... ... Honey! Warm, drizzling liquid sun over baked plum and apricot, with a healthy side of sweet, juicy mandarin. There is a mellow, earthy base to steady all of this bright sweetness, I suppose that is the oakmoss doing its job, beautifully. This gorgeous phase lasts about two hours on my dry, perfume-thirsty skin, and then... ... Mango blossom??? I can't claim to know what an actual mango blossom smells like, but seeing it in the pyramid above, it is the only note to which I could attribute the abstract, exotic "feeling" that is the drydown of this beauty... it is fleshy like mango fruit, but floral, and woody, and aaahhh... je ne sais quoi? There are no adjectives. Just "Aaaahhh"...

John Varvatos is such a Coco Mademoiselle fragrance :-) There are striking similarities between CM and JV in opening and heart. John Varvatos smells more chypre fruity than chypre floral to me, at least for the first 3 hours. It is only after 3 hours I get to smell beautiful floral notes of rose, lily and jasmine. Whenever I wear it, my friends always mix it up with Coco Mademoiselle so it is not only my nose that is incapable of telling them apart. John Varvatos is a lovely classy fragrance and will suit a professional such as manager or executive person. It will also be a great finishing touch when going to an exclusive restaurant. It is a head turner and I only wish it had better staying power as it lasts approx. 5 hours on me, which I am aware is actually not bad at all, I guess I was just hoping for more... And this is a major flaw of this fragrance. Otherwise, very interesting, elegant and feminine fragrance. A sexy and rich one. The bottle is pretty. 8/10

I have two bottles of the parfum. It's gorgeous! When I sniff this fragrance, I immediately think of sweet, luscious plums and nectarines, flambéd with the finest brandy. Peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream also comes to mind, and so does a delicious muscat. There is definitely something masculine about this fragrance. It's woody in a unique way, like an aged oak barrel that has stored the muscat. There is something distinctive and boozy about this fragrance. I opened the box to unexpectedly find an exquisite velvet pouch, which opens to reveal a small, beautiful, shiny, rose-gold flacon with a stopper. It was like opening a gift on Christmas morning! Never have I had so much joy in opening a box of perfume. Sorry to spoil the surprise for you! I later bought a bottle of the EDP but it's just not as rich, intense and glorious as the parfum, so I gave it away as a gift. It's more like fruit juice and cream, but it doesn't have that gorgeous boozy quality .

I was worried when reading the notes and comments about honey being the most prominent note as personally I don't want to smell sickly sweet like honey but luckily while this perfume has some sweetness, I don't pick up that it's honey at all! I think this is quite a modern and pretty perfume with a little bit of an edge to it (so not too plain or boring). I think it would be a fairly safe bet as a gift for MOST young to middle aged women as it is not particularly challenging but is nice and inoffensive. Although everyone has different tastes so don't quote me on that! ;)I found the box and bottle very aesthetically pleasing (I got the 30ml bottle and it didn't come in a pouch). I have decided to get this perfume for my 25 year old sister for Christmas. She tends to like anything mainstream that is currently in fashion which this perfume by John Varvatos is! :)

A fantastic composition that it is at the same time really feminine and masculine, somewhat reminds me of Obsession Night for her. Very sexy, dark, sweet and again sexy. Perfect for night and special occasions. It opens with a strong peach, plum and patchouli note and than gets warmer and more feminine with the honey note and the smoky oakmoss. It is a perfume for someone who likes the smell of cigarettes and man colone. Strong, acid, warm, and sexy in a very mature way. A keeper and a new favourite. Sillage: not for monster sillage lovers has it is a lay down/come closer scent. Longevity: 6h +/- Personality: Latin, Mature, Sexy and it suits someone who smokes die hard perfectly. It has a 90' vibe at the same time it can be putted in the same group of ultra sexy scents like Angel, Hypnotic Poison and Tabu, they share something: strip club aura. Love it!

Delightful, alluring and intensive fragrance! This fragrance is very juicy and sweet enough. It includes so many of my favorite perfume notes, so I just can't not to like it:) The most noticeable notes are the aromatic grappa note, sour Damascus plum, tender apricot and radiant mandarin fruity notes beautified with the amazing lily, charming Turkish rose and bright mango blossom floral notes sweetened by the wild honey note. What an awesome composition! The sillage and the lasting power of this fragrance is also great. It really reminds Coco Mademoiselle by Chanel, but I prefer this one, because I like much more a sweet fruity combination of the plum and apricot notes in John Varvatos than a sweet combination of citrus notes in Coco Mademoiselle. I like this fragrance a lot. It's really worthy.

-- composition notes: Coriander Flower, Apricot, Narcissus, Jasmine Grandiflora, Extra Pure Patchouli, Tolu Balsam, Hibiscus Seeds, Wild Honey, Lily, Adriatic Oakmoss, Styrax, Rose Attar, Grappa Accord, Tonka Beans, Golden Mandarin, Plum -- It's definitely feminine but easily unisex for guys who don't mind a touch of sweetness. I don't normally like honey in perfumes but this one has me rethinking that 'rule.' Both my hb and I were immediately in love with this scent! My guy is the type to react with a "that smells nice/good" when I ask him to sniff, but for this one it was a "oh, wow. what is that?" And later, he wanted to wear it to sleep. Yes, it's lovely! My sample vial was gone in 3 days and now John Varvatos is high on my wish list (◕‿-)

Ode to an empty bottle of John Varvatos.We met at T.J Maxx.I had worn Chanel Coco Mademoiselle, but everyone wears Coco Mademoiselle,and you seemed the same but just different enough.We were fast friends, and before long we were together constantly.Among all of my other fragrances, I discovered that I could rely on you.Always happy,always peppy:)On a date or at work or just for a trip to the grocery store,you delivered.Through a new relationship and a devastating breakup and starting over you were reassuringly the same.Today I spritzed your very last spritz.I was surprised that it was hard to toss you in the trash.Did I ever appreciate you enough? I have decided we have a real connection, and I will not let you go.New bottle on order!

I got John Varvatos EP yesterday as a 2011 Christmas gift from my husband and my son and I was really impressed. Chosen by our 15 years old boy, among a lot of different designer classic fragrances I wanted to own...It is a soft and sweet marvelous combination of the ingredients, plus the presentation is beautiful and luxurious! Wonderful design at all that made me fell in love with the fragrance instantly...I adore it, and I wish I always have it in my collection. Take in consideration that, if a teenager boy with a very poor knowledge in fragances likes and then chooses this smell among others with more time and "name" in the market, is because is something very special!

I normally do not care for fruity fragrances at all, but this one is quite nice. The fruits are light,gentle and warm. They are not cloying or invasive at all, and this in certainly not a gourmand scent. They simply set the stage for a main, woody accord that seems to be the highlight of the fragrance. The woody notes are wonderful too. They are quite natural in quality, and have a bohemian and outdoorsy vibe. If you like woody scents, give this one a try for sure. This fragrance is quite similar to SheWood, but with an added soft fruitiness. I highly recommend this fragrance for anyone who likes wood notes and is trying to build a collection.

I have not liked a perfume this much in quite a while. This is an especially warm and sophisticated perfume. Not suffocating, but like a gentle ray of sunshine. One of the notes in this perfume is grappa, and I'm not sure why it's not listed here. Along with the fruits and a hint of spiciness, the grappa note is pretty strong right out of the bottle, but does not make the perfume "boozy". (Still, this is probably not what I would want to smell if I've had a drink too many the night before...) The honey is present from the start and stays there. I think this could be worn by pretty much any age group above the teens. :)

Never heard of this fragrance until today. My sister received a bottle as a free gift with her new Rotary watch. She only wears Paul Smith Woman so gave me the bottle. I love it! Its a warm fuzzy apricot with sun-kissed florals and a deep sensual base. Exotic and sophisticated and very long lasting with great sillage. On first sniff it reminded me of my old favourite "Venezia" but its gentler and more subtle. After four hours on my skin it now smells of warm woods, amber and something slightly vanilla. So cosy! Not a summer scent but lovely for the colder months. As a floriental fan this ticks all the boxes!

I have to disagree with Glitteralex. "This symphonic rose floral with a powder base will appeal to fans of Tresor and Beautiful." I am definitely NOT a fan of either of these. In fact, I passionately dislike BOTH of them....but I LOVE JV. In my opinion, it's more than just "bareable"--it's enjoyable. I have to admit that on SOME days, it smells sweeter (even too sweet)....and on others, it's got a dry moss scent that creates a sexy feel to it. Don't really know how to explain it. I just wanted to say that you don't have to like Tresor or Beautiful to like JV. It's in a league of its own... (IMHO) ;-P

I really enjoy a local wine named Veraison, which is described as a blend of chardonnay, muscat and cabernet sauvignon, resulting in a soft fruity blush. It also takes its name from a viticulture (grape-growing) term meaning the onset of ripening. John Varvatos reminds me so much of Veraison, in both color and aroma--right down to the rosey, stone fruit accord with a gentle, warm nuzzle to finish. Even the ovular, blush colored bottle suggests an 'onset of ripening' in the most feminine way. Very wearble, yet not generic. It will make you feel sensual and nubile. Incredibly fleshy and earthy.