Calamity J.

Christmas in a bottle! This fragrance reminds me of open fires, mulled wine, sequin dresses and all those other party season cliches...in a good way! As well as Amber, Cinnamon, civet and tonka are the main notes that present on my skin. It almost feels like a contemporary, even borderline futuristic take on classic animalic orientals like the original Opium and Fendi, Paloma Picasso and of course Coco (though I consider Coco completely timeless). The civet is in no way brash (and I sincerely hope, synthetic) and the musks and castoreum are both clean and altogether give the fragrance that animalic feel that I love. Don't worry, if you're new to animalics or just like them subtle but present, this is a very safe bet. This scent has really grown on me now that the weather is cooling down here in the UK. It's definitely not for summer - it'll choke you in warm weather, but for autumn and winter, it's beautiful. Feminine but not girly, very "classic" feeling but with a young, modern twist, as most JHAGs do and it lasts ages. About 8 hours on average (for me anyway). I love it. I really do! JHAG continues to impress me!

The opening is very woody, smoky and earthy. At the first sniff I get a burst of Patchouli, I am also noticing Incense and light Amber. To me Calamity J. smells like black tea for the first 15 minutes. The transition to the middle is tiptoeing. When the Patchouli is slowly put in the rear, still present, Amber and Iris come into the open, very sensual and pleasant. In the base they are completed with alluring Vanilla and Musk, which is dominant but not overpowering. All the time this perfume is inherently consistent. I am noticing the presence of this perfume for about seven hours, not meddling at any time. For me Calamity J. epitomizes a powerful woman, which knows what she want, sexy and smoky. I don't get a picture of a cowgirl like Calamity Jane in my head when I sniff it, but a smoking woman dressed in a black dress and lace with red lips, foregrounded by chandeliers. On the surface it's a very feminine scent, but there is lurking something wild and masculine, dandy-like not macho, in the background. (By the way, I found some mailorders who cite Vanilla as a part of the base note.)

I was drawn to this fragrance because of its name, but also the notes sounded amazing! I actually blind bought this one. I was so lucky that it ended up working out for me. Calamity J has so many great things going on at once. It starts out with a lovely lavender musk combo, not quite clean but not dirty either. After the top notes a distinct powdery iris starts to emerge entangled with an earthy patchouli. I can not tell you guys how much I LOVE this part of the fragrance! This stage last for a few hours, before it hits the base. The drydown is soft, but warm and cozy a lovely blend of a powdery soft amber with a hint of vanilla. I am completely enjoying this fragrance. Calamity J is a great fragrance if you love purple florals like iris and lavender. Though it also for the people who love a great amber patchouli combo. Usually they two types of fragrances fall in different categories but here they are all blended so well with each other. <3

When I first sprayed this, I didn't know what to think and I didn't love it right off the bat. Very quickly, the glorious triumvirate of patchouli, musk and amber completely won me over. I purchased a bottle quite soon after my first testing, and this is one I reach for at least once a week. Longevity is quite good, and sillage is there but not overpowering. The resinous accords balance the iris nicely. I love the idea of a perfume homage to Calamity Jane, and I think of her as portrayed in the series Deadwood. She was a complex woman who was at turns tough and tender in the extreme. She lived in a rough environment, but was a natural healer. And fairly handy with a gun, apparently. I'm not sure if this is what was on the perfumer's mind, but the image appeals to me and adds to the pleasure of wearing this scent which is, to me, unlike any other. Nice quality bottle and cap, with lovely packaging that is perfect for storage.

This is such a dreamy patchouli scent! There is a subtle medicinal aspect to the patchouli during the opening that I enjoy very much. It doesn't take long for the iris and amber to become more present. The musk doesn't feel dominant, but maybe it balances the composition. There is an incensey feel to the scent. It's soft, feminine, and woody. It reminds me of the other modern chypres that I love so much (Perles de Lalique, Oriflame - Amethyst Fatale, Gres Cabaret). At times I get more amber, other times more powdery iris, and other times more patchouli. I have found that spraying this scent vs. dabbing it on makes a big difference in terms of sillage and longevity. When I first tested this, I was dabbing it on, and it didn't project and didn't seem to last very long, but sprayed on, it lasts 12+ hours on my perfume-eating skin, and it radiates warmly so I easily smell wafts without having to sniff my wrist.