Fifty Four

I agree wholeheartedly with PeterD83's comments. I received 54 in the mail from Harrods. I opened the box, sprayed about 8 sprays on my neck, chest, wrists and antecubital fossae and proceeded to watch the Presidential Debate, which turned out to be a great way to experience the fragrance for the first time as I sat still for several hours, repeatedly sniffing my arm. This is a scent which starts out with a strong boozy note. Peter called it a "very stiff pina colada'. I would second that and go so far as to say on me it smells like chugging straight rum from a Stanley cup and dribbling some all over your shirt and chest. The boozy note is pleasant but strong, and it dominated what I smelled for about the first 20 minutes. At that point, a beautiful and smooth blend of notes and accords of patchouli, cinnamon, vanilla, cardamom, chocolate, tobacco and sandalwood are experienced. The patchouli is the lead singer. The patchouli is slightly earthy but not excessively so, and the earthiness is wrapped in multiple layers of vanilla, cinnamon, chocolate (patchouli) and sandalwood that in the end produce almost a milky, lactonic accord ... maybe even better described as a hot chocolate milk accord. Unlike many fragrances, especially designer, which can lure you in with a great opening and nothing of substance afterward, to me Fifty Four gets better and better from the opening to the mid to the dry down. As I type this, I have had it on my skin for about four hours, and it smells fantastic. It is warm, rich and comforting. I would give the opening a 6, the mid a 7.5 and the dry down an 8.5 out of 10. I would give it an overall Fragrantica score of about 4.15. Projection is excellent. Longevity (at least through these first four hours) seems excellent and judging by how it is doing right now, it is still projecting and not even close to being a skin scent at four hours. I agree with PeterD83 that it is probably not blind buy safe unless you already know that you are very comfortable with the smells of rum and patchouli. I am certainly comfortable with it ... 54 will be a fall and winter staple for me, both for nights out and cozy family events in. Follow-up November 2024: I'm enjoying this fragrance. I wanted to mention that I have taken to layering 54 with an uber gourmand, Jousset's "Le Gourmand", which smells like Nutella and hazelnut chocolate. This works very well with 54. It mutes the strong boozy accord in 54 a bit and amplifies the patchouli's chocolate accord ... an amazing, complex combination if you are a gourmand lover.

Cypriol again?! Imagine that. Lol. I have subconsciously chosen fragrances that had the note in some form or another every single day for about eight days. I have no idea why. Even when I researched the note specifically, there was nothing that particularly connected with me. At this point, I'm just going to assume it is a note I connect with and find appealing in almost every fragrance I come across. 54, from the very first time I smelled it, is directly associated with a couple of things. First and foremost, it is summer. Not the beginning of summer or the end of summer, right in the middle. After the Fourth of July, but before back to school. I'm being specific here because around that time the sun on the West Coast is very unique. The sun doesn't officially set until around 9:20 PM. For about an hour, it is truly beautiful. It is quintessential California Sunset. Warm but not too warm. Not too light or too dark. And if this environment had a smell in my mind, it would be this gently spiced pineapple and coconut milk jam that has been on the stove, brewing for hours and hours. Comforting, but will always be refreshing. Yet this fragrance is still what it is. And that is a party! And that is second. This is piña colada and it is the dance floor. There is no getting around it. But it is done in a very classy way. This doesn't smell like a trashy club you don't want to remember the next day. This fragrance is one of those guys you can't stop thinking about. That is what I like most about this. Yes it is fruity and fun, but at the center of it all, it is sexy. Deep, dark and sexy. You have everything that is considered sexy. Chocolate, vanilla, patchouli, rum, tobacco, cinnamon etc. Intentionally this was done and it was done very effectively! Sebastian was a great creative director because he had a very clear vision in regards to what he wanted. That is all most designers ask for, but is unfortunately very difficult to find. Patchouli is front and center in this fragrance composition as well. More on the chocolate side rather than the aromatic or green side of the plant. If patchouli is not your favorite, I don't recommend purchasing without trying it first. Even if you prefer and enjoy piña colada fragrances, this is not safe because of how strong the patchouli is here. But it is still sweet. If you are into that style of fragrance then I highly recommend this. It is great for going out and having a good time. Those are the memories you are going to create when you have this on.

Confession time: I'm almost never a fan of chocolate fragrances, but I have followed the collaborator (on YT) on this perfume for many years and trust that he is at least honest about his opinions. Therefore, when he said the chocolate note was subtle, I believed it. Tldr: the chocolate note definitely is subtle, and adds depth and complexity without making it smell like I'm standing in a historic chocolate shop with a mold problem due to improper ventilation while trying to avoid conversation with its alcoholic proprietor. This is spicy cocoa when first sprayed, but as it dries down the spiciness overwhelms any chocolatey note and the wet patchouli comes forward in a big way. At the point of dry down, the fragrance takes on and almost medicinal quality, but not super strong or fruity like cough syrup. As it matures on me, the booziness comes out more prominently and I get the sweeter notes of pina colada, davana, and vanilla. Oddly enough, this is saved being a completely warm, spicy gourmand by an aspect of freshness, probably mostly because of the green and herbal nature of tobacco and sandalwood. As time passes, the various notes integrate and somehow become more cohesive on me. I really enjoy where it ends up, as if I'm enjoying a hot toddy while camping in a damp, deciduous forest. On me, this has significant lasting and projection. It's not a beast, but it will certainly last the day. This is a highly unique scent, IMO, making people either bottle buy or hard pass I can't say I've sampled anything exactly like it. People who enjoy damp green wood crossed with warm boozy spices would enjoy this. Otherwise, I'd say sample or get a decant first.

I received my order from Harrods today, delivered to California, USA. Here is my honest and impartial review: **Packaging:** The presentation is exquisite and thoughtfully designed, exuding a modern aesthetic with a Disco-inspired theme. However, one minor drawback is that the sleeve was excessively tight around the box, making it difficult to remove. From a design perspective, I would suggest incorporating a bit more padding to ensure a smoother, more refined unboxing experience, as these details significantly enhance the overall luxury feel. **The Fragrance:** Upon first application, the notes of Patchouli, Cinnamon, and Vanilla immediately stand out, accompanied by subtle gourmand hints of Chocolate and Tobacco that add a delightful softness to the composition. I particularly appreciate that the Patchouli is clean and sweet, devoid of any earthy or overpowering tones, which beautifully complements the gourmand elements. In summary, this fragrance is a commendable creation—universally appealing, safe for blind buying, and truly unisex. It’s particularly well-suited for the fall and cooler weather or for evening wear. The scent profile closely resembles that of Mugler’s *Angel*, though much softer and smoother, with similarities to Xerjoff’s *Naxos*. **Longevity:** The longevity is impressive. Upon application, a slight sheen of oil was visible on my skin, and now, six hours later, a soft Vanilla note with a trace of Cinnamon still lingers.

I wore this for the first time at ScentXplore and got to meet Sébastien the creative director for this gem, very down to earth friendly gentleman. At first I was worried the Patchouli would take over the scent, which it does take center stage however it's so much more. The Patchouli is a bit hippie but going in the boozy chocolate direction aided by the chocolate note. Accompanying them is a creamy sweet Pina Colada note and rum for added booze. Also the pinapple from the mixed drink comes through just enough. Now I may be bias but I think this is one of the best releases of 2024 and definitely the best from Jusbox. During the interview with Sébastien and Jusbox they talked about trying to incorporate a cocaine note however after 100+ mods they were unable to agree on anything. Well what they chose was this beautiful fragrance. It's a feel good scent that's playful yet sophisticated. Nothing is overdone, it's blended to perfection IMHO. It will forever transport me to a great memories I had at the event and to me that is exactly what fragrance is all about. I highly suggest sampling this one at the very least, but if you enjoy boozy fragrance and gourmand then this should hit the spot and I'd say it's a safe blind buy. Edit: It's not listed as of right now on Fragrantica but I just sprayed on Roberto Cavalli Sublime Tonka and it immediately reminded me of this. The nuances are missing of course but the core is definitely there.