Jasmin Antique

Revisiting Jasmin Antique today and I forgot how strong the opening is. I definitely oversprayed. My first impression the very first time I tried this was complete fascination. It smelled intoxicating, indolic and overgrown, like a once lavish estate slowly being reclaimed by time and nature. I described it as Gucci Bloom’s gloomy witchy sister and I still stand by that comparison. They share that lush white floral realism, but Jasmin Antique feels older, dustier and much more composed. There’s something aristocratic about it. The more time I spend with it though, the more complicated my feelings become. At first I was convinced I needed a bottle immediately, but now I’m starting to separate admiration from actual craving. I ordered a sample of this one and two others and of the three, Bread and Roses from Pearfat was the one that stole my heart emotionally in a way this one hasn’t, even though I think Jasmin Antique is probably the more impressive perfume artistically. What keeps pulling me back in is the dry down. The opening is dramatic and almost overwhelming, but after a few hours it settles into something creamy, powdery and intimate while still remaining fairly strong. This is where it really distinguishes itself from Gucci Bloom and Imaginary Author’s Fox in the Flowerbed for me. Gucci Bloom mostly fades away once it dries down and Fox stays fairly consistent throughout the wear, but Jasmin Antique transforms. It collapses inward and becomes softer, warmer and almost comforting without losing its richness. It feels mature in a way that makes me understand why people become obsessed with these older indolic floral styles. At this point I don’t think I need a bottle immediately, but I also can’t deny that this feels special.

Now I have to say this smells really lovely and better than I was expecting. The jasmine is fresh, full bodied, well rounded and intricate displaying different nuances. It actually smells better than the Egyptian Jasmine which is the fragrance that made me fall in love with the note. It's like the creator has taken the natural jasmine smell and enhanced it so it smells like it's in hi definition. It opens with fresh jasmine blossoms and I did pick up slight indolic (skanky note) for the first half hour but it was just so slight it enhanced the smell instead of overwhelming or unbalancing the composition. Then for the next few hours everything goes full throttle and you are surrounded with a beautiful jasmine accord which shows you different facets ever-time you smell it. In fact it's amazing how he has made a soliflore smell complex and deep. Very beautiful! After the first few hours I can smell cloves which add a warm spicy slight woodsy feel just enough to complement the jasmine. This is joined by a dash of vanilla just to add that je ne sais quoi to the mix. All in all it smells very beautiful and natural smelling with enough depth to have you sniffing yourself all day long. For me there is a certain magic with the jasmine note especially when smelled at night on a balmy warm evening.

Is this the jasmine perfume to end all jasmine perfumes? Maybe not, but it's pretty darn close, and this coming from someone who hates, (I should now make that past tense), hated indoles in perfume. But after having received numerous samples of this strictly by chance, so many in fact I was able to give some away, (maybe someone up there was trying to tell me something?), and testing it on more than one occasion, has given me a major change of heart. Now I adore this perfume, indoles and all. Yes, it's very indolic on first spray, but after 20 minutes it mellows out and suddenly, I'm covered in luscious jasmine blossoms with just the barest trace of clove and vanilla. Linear, yes, but I don't care, and actually prefer that since the jasmine flowers are heavenly here. I really don't want that intoxicating phase to ever end, and with this fragrance it won't, as the longevity is stellar. I love jasmine perfumes, in all styles - clean, beachy, sweet, day, night; and now can happily add dirty to that list too. This stunning fragrance has converted me into a true believer. I will never turn my nose up (or away) from indolic floral fragrances again. I just wish this was available in a bottle bigger than a 2.5 oz. Come on Manny, give us a 5 oz. option!

Beast-like giant jasmine. I forgot all the other ones I bought, I only remember Jasmin Antique. Beast-like giant jasmine. The scent was so strong. Jasmin Antique's indole and musk are loud enough to shake the world. The folk song "Jasmine Flower" has been sung since the reign of Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty. There seemed to be nearly 60 people in the auditorium, singing "Jasmine Flower", right in front of me, all in high spirits. The strength is stronger than the real Jasmine. Jasmin Antique is stronger than real flowers and cannot be ignored. In the evening, I photographed these large jasmines with thick petals, curled edges, and a slightly brownish tinge with a retro color filter. It's sexy and charming. Jasmin Antique shows the beauty of jasmine in its mature and eroded state in the hot and humid air. Everything exists for Jasmine - it's the only protagonist. The structure is simple, but the effect is not inferior to any outstanding jasmine, all thanks to the raw materials. Best choice for jasmine.

A dewy green jasmine, not waxy indolic or vinyl as expected but rather bright and slightly sweet. Jasmine essential oil tends to be funky when worn, so I'm impressed with the palatability of this perfume. It is still quite niche though. This isn't your typical designer candied white floral bouquet; it leans more towards sour honeysuckle or a new green banana, feeling grassy, natural and aromatic with mild sweetness, as if blended with freesia. This is exactly what you'd expect a hummingbird to taste when drinking the flower's nectar. Very deep and nuanced, with just the right balance here between the realistic and idealized. If you love jasmine and aren’t afraid to make a statement with a vividly botanical perfume, this is absolutely worth a try-- challenging, but not too much. Unlike Fracas, which to me only smells good up close, this one would be excellent as experienced by others in sweet greenish wafts as you pass by.