Joyeux

First and foremost, I view perfume as art just as important and necessary as visual, auditory, or any other type of proper art. Sultan Pasha may be my favorite artist where every stroke of his metaphorical pen creates poetry that speaks to my soul. Joyeux is another work of art. The richness of the ingredients and *competence* with which the composition is made brings me pure joy. This is another SP attar that proudly rejects minimalism and all of its false pretention, embracing a rich, complex Aromatic composition that wafts effortlessly atop a woody-ambergris base. It is expressive and alive. A wonderful beauty, indeed.

Really grew on me—this is stunning stuff. I didn't like it so much on my first couple of wearings, as I felt it smelled just a little too old school. I quickly realised it doesn't, it was just that this scent needs the right set and setting to really give you the contrast between fizzy citrus and salty base notes. Probably the best fougere ever in terms of blending, quality, and creativity. Lavender, lime and pollen notes with a hint of icy mint are the main impressions. I really agree with the reviewer who mentioned bees. That was the first thing I thought of when I first smelled Joyeux. Bees buzzing around a lavender field in Provence. So, there is clearly a honey-like sweetness that's probably benzoin. The only drawback is that it is soft unless you lay it on thickly. I rarely get compliments on attars but this one elicited one, as a client walked into the office I was in and immediately declared it smelled "amazing". I was positive Joyeux made her feel joyful. The one con is that, as I hinted at the start of the review, Joyeux keeps the fougere’s “manly” throwback oakmoss, even if it’s in the background, some may think this smells like familiar 80’s fragrances. However most should be able to tell the quality- the lavender smells extremely refined. Slightly too much clove for me but it’s easy to ignore

Joyeux opens bright and breezy with a splash of hesperidic bergamot wrapped in icy aldehydes. The scent then quickly heats up to form a sweet blanket of clove over a trio of types of lavender to tease it to release leather-like facets. An Illusion of oakmoss courtesy of the addition of sea weed forms a thin salty crust around a pulsating, swollen and pollen-laden herbal sweetness flush with nods to the old school courtesy of an ambery mousse de sax base. The effect being as if a horde of bumblebees descended upon a hectar of Summery provencal lavender shrubs and decided to party all weekend. The trail is anchored by a gently constructed dry woody base around cedar and sandalwood, which transport the lavender into a long, very pleasant and fairly linear dry down. I think Joyeux is a great scent for shaking off the Wintery cobwebs or to take along on a vacation. This joyful fougère-chypre hybrid is old school alright but without causing chest hair to sprout or drifting by default into obvious barbershop territory. Highly recommended.