Jatamansi

Jatamansi is a reinterpretation of Riviera Palace and I like it a lot but still Riviera is so much better, because in this composition that incense is a bit pretentious, if the Riviera gets rid of any creative lack and goes worn anytime, this one not so much. It's a green perfume, an earthy chypre, again like in Riviera a cardamom and wood blanket over it, some rain flower sparkling from time to time but that incense here, which really feels, leads to a more formal area, to a suit, a blazer with double buttons, I personally use velvet with this, it's a little more precise...ask for something more, it is part of an ensemble, while its predecessor dominate any element you put next to it, so It does not matter anyway what ensemble you have. I personally don't feel the tea, but it had that wet green note anyway and probably there you find tea, but again that note it's identically in both fragrances. The good thing is that you still can find this one easily in Europe, while the predecessor occasionally jumps out of a hole somewhere but you need to be eyes on for that.

I have a decant of this from years ago. I remember reading that it is all natural. Be that is it may, every time I wear it I am seduced. It reads as a delicately spiced sandalwood. I spray it on, thinking, gah, I have to use up these decants! Then I spend hours daydreaming... This is really beautiful, quite delicate, yet a haunting perfume, oriental, and old fashioned in its persistence. Surely a perfumer for hire could recreate this beauty. It is a subtle musky skin scent, that makes you wonder if one of your first passionate lovers used it... But no, we were all povvo students who couldn't afford perfume...unless you were me, who would rather buy Mitsouko than food...

This perfume is one of the most memorable, amazing scents I've ever experienced. It is not for everyone though. I should say it would fit someone who is into meditation and yoga, as it is a calming and warm fragrance. Quite unique composition, yet vaguely reminds me of Kenzo Jungle Elephant...What a shame it's been discontinued. (Edit: Years on and I still love it, it’s probably the only perfume that I keep using and it never fails me. In sickness and in health!) (Another edit 2023: I find layering Jatamansi with Holy Stick so extremely comforting when I need relaxing me time, self-care and meditation time, on sad days etc...highly recommend this combo)

The opening is extremely green and oily yet somewhat camphore-like.Its citrussy-grassy,with relaxing balmy undertone. After 10-15 minutes its getting resinous and woody, very much in tune with beautiful Cacharel pour Homme, yet I am aware its warmth of guiac paired with brightness of citrus and clary sage that unites them. Jatamansi is also posesses that unique papyrus note that makes the Timbuktu so exotically woody-dry. It's definitely very natural fragrance,being Asian by nature and unfamiliar to European nose, its doesn't fail to soothe and relax my tired European soul.

I tried a sample of Jatamansi that was generously sent to me by another Fragrantican, and was quite disappointed in it. Jatamansi is supposed to be spikenard, and that's what I expected it to smell like. I love spikenard essential oil for its strong, earthy, slightly skanky herbal scent (even nicer than vetiver, in my opinion), but spikenard was not detectable in Jatamansi, even in minute amounts. All that I experienced was a light, slightly floral but mostly citrusy scent that quickly faded into nothing. It never ceases to puzzle me that perfume houses so often name their scents for a single note that is not even present in the perfume. It's like selling apple pie in a restaurant, but listing it as cheesecake on the menu. And in the case of Jatamansi, the size of the slice was very, very small, disappearing in one bite.

Jatamansi is not a citrus frag, at least to my nose. It is green and fresh, but immediately incensey, spicy: it evokes a monastery in the mountains (Tibet or Nepal, it is where the flower grows, right?). The development is quite linear as the same notes appear from beginning to the end. Mystic, weird, bitter, unusual. Musky, powdery drydown loaded with incense. Could be worn by ladies & gents all the same. What an original fragrance! I wish it were cheaper and lasted longer. Yes, the staying power is up to 10 minutes, a bit too little for that hefty price. Very interesting to try, not so much to own a FB.

Phase 1. Gin + poured on fresh cut tree trunk (deciduous tree) + several drops of pineapple syrup Phase 2. Gin changes into effervescent lemonade tablet (I feel like sticking my nose into the glass of effervecing "coriander seeds lemonade") Phase 3. bitter herbal church incense + scent of earwig (!) / or an old photographic plate / or some kind of tanned leather. From a distance I scent the bitter note, but when I move my wrist closer that incense/earwig note begins to effervesce and then I smell coriander lemonade again. Like lemonade closed in the incense.

I blind bought a used bottle of this for an almost funny price. Had I tried it in store I wouldn't have bought it, because of the initial blast, which is aggressive at first. But this way I waited for it to calm down and it became real aromatherapy in bottle! A savior for hot and humid days. I smell mostly grapefruit and clary sage, but my coworker said she smells patchouli on me.

Great scent. But too light again... l'Artisan is light! Great ingredients! Light and sunny scent. Yes it is more a bath stuff than a night out one... 7/10

Unfortunately I just can't wear this. I get a huge burst of syrupy cloying sweetness when I apply it, it gets a little better as it dries down but not enough to let me enjoy any of the other notes. I'm not sure what is causing this, I've never had this problem with any of the listed notes, and no other reviewers mention a similar experience. It's the first time I haven't loved a L'Artisan fragrance. Disappointing.

Mary in the Bible who poured out her very costly perfume over Jesus feet, preparing Him for His burial. Her fragrance was Jatamasnsi (Spikenard). A great exotic fresh fragrance. The review following mine here said he gets mostly sandalwood. I was thinking citrus and herbs, but he is right, there is a creamy sweet natural sandalwood as the main basenote, reminding me of the Mysore sandalwood found in Creed's Boise du Portugal. It also has an old classic feel, yet is modern with it's herbal and smoky twist. This was my Springtime signature. It is just so comfortable and enjoyable to wear. It's beautifully fresh, wonderfully green and exotic, mesmerizing wafts of floral nuances. Manly Mediterranean vib... It smells fresh, yet it has herbal richness that is very natural and comfortable to wear. It reminds me of Caron Pour Homme in that way. When I get tired of wearing fragrances, Jatamansi or Caron Pour Homme are great, because they are so natural smelling, you don't feel like your wearing a " fragrance". I now see that the dominant note is a fine Clary sage. I allways liked Clary sage, in Zino, Azzaro Pour Homme, Aramis Tuscany, this reminds me of those frags that have a strong Clary sage note. It's known to smell earthy, leathery, fruity, amamalic, a nice warm note that ads depth and richness to this fragrance. It makes a very pleasant accord with the nard, citrus, and papyrus. I never smelled spikenard, but I know very well how Valerian root smells like, they're related. My family from Lithuania, used it as a mild sedative tea. When I first sniffed Jatamansi, I got a bit of that earthy Valerian smell, then I couldn't pick it up again. It's like when I first sniffed Encre Noir Sport, I got the aquatic note, never picked it up again, interesting. Well Jatamansi, smells a lot like Azzaro Pour Homme vintage. So that's good news for Azzaro PH lovers. Jatamansi, is cleaner, and has some pleasant exotic herbs, papyrus, and the hint of spikenard etc. I blind bought this as I like the perfumer, Karine Vinchon very much. She hasn't done to many frags, but Amouage Memoir Man, and L Artisan Vetiver Sacre, my favorite L Artisan along with Timbuktu. She blends grasses and herbs very well. So if your looking for a great citrusy warm weather casual, this is great. It's also exotic, herbal and green, with a nice touch of incense for depth. This is a top 5 for me, for Spring and Summer. This is stronger and out performs the original version that came in a 250 ml bottle. Rating: 8/10 God bless you. John 3:16

To my nose, L'Artisan Parfumeur EAU DE JATAMANSI is really an oriental fragrance. Definitely more oriental than woody, and not very floral at all. I would place this in the general category (apparently used only by me) of Indian Grocery Store Perfumes. I'm not saying that I detect sharp asafoetida or cumin or curry or fenugreek. But I get the overall impression of a mixture of many different somewhat exotic spices that have been exposed to air so as to render them less potent than they would be fresh from the mortar and pestle. I must confess ignorance as to the smell of jatamansi and papyrus (doesn't it just smell like paper? (-:), but the general gist of this composition is nonetheless familiar enough. To be sure, a fine scent to experience, but not something that I have any real interest in smelling like. Désolée!

Before writing up my review I realized this is my fourth of four scents made by perfumer Karine Vinchon. I reviewed my comments on her other scents and picked up on a common theme... she tends to throw notes together to see what will happen Anyhow, the opening is strongly citrus, mainly lemon. This lasts for about 5 minutes before giving way to a more interesting middle phase. Here I got flashbacks of oak moss, back when oak moss was legal, and a pleasant, more oily floral. This phase is the most complex, waxing and waning in response to my body heat, showing itself to be a higher end perfume. Dry down is faint, green and softly floral. I like this phase too. It's only the opening that screeches on me, but other than that this is a fine fragrance. Worth trying for old school chypre fans.

Hey, how can anybody think THIS is strong? It smells wonderful, a light floral/citrus introduction that tapers off into a nice balsamic/oriental ending not half unlike Hinoki/Monocle by CdG...but what'cha got here is basically a wonderful cologne, which is why it comes in a HUGE bottle...so you can soak it up. I like it a lot...but I would say more as something to spray on after a Sunday bath than for a night out...basically a bath and body type thing rather than a full fledged perfume...but it is good. Not a classic.

This lastest for about three hours on me, but never had a ton of sillage. Not a problem: After an initial citrus start, it's a warm, woody incense scent on me, with very little floral to gum it up. It isn't smoky or murky, but clear and soft, with hints of faint spice. Very nice. I like this alot.

Citrus and wood incense dry to a mild smooth soft wood scent with that powdered incense edge. It's lovely and soft without being harsh or sharp or smokey. Very pretty, very relaxing somehow. Still it has the L'Artisan problem with faint sillage.

too light and airy.... just 1 hour and then it it gone.....

I think this one is better for man. Clean and elegant.