Jazz

During Black History Month, I was researching Black owned fragrance brands and came across Zernell Gillie. This is one of the few Black-owned brands that are US-based, that ship to Canada, so, I jumped at the opportunity to order the discovery set. When I received my package and tested each fragrance out, there were a couple that really stood out to me; "Disco" and "Jazz". The funny thing is that out of all of the samples, Jazz was initially the one I disliked the most. When I sprayed it on a testing-strip, I got an overwhelming urinal-cake smell. I immediately put the strip to the side to test out the others, and once I'd tested them all, I went back to each strip to rank them. To my surprise, Jazz had completely changed during its dry-down. What initially started out as a very screechy and pungent odour, was now totally smooth. I went from being completely repulsed by it, to now being completely in love with it. I also forgot my first rule of fragrance testing, which is to never judge a fragrance upon first spray. You need to do three things before you can properly make your mind up about a fragrance; 1) you have to let it dry completely, 2) you have to try it on your skin, and 3) you have to let it mix with outside, open air. The following day, I sprayed it on my skin and clothing, and was enamoured by the cloud of smooth/boozy/sweetness that enveloped me. This scent is absolutely gorgeous! The scent profile is not anything new or innovative, it smells unique and different, while still being familiar. The most identifiable notes in Jazz are definitely the honey and bourbon vanilla. They're mixed with a red mandarin note that is strong during the opening, but that goes away pretty quickly once the dry-down starts to happen. I'm pretty sure it was this combination that made it smell like a urinal-cake on the testing paper. Tobacco is also present, and while we've seen the tobacco/honey/vanilla combo a million times, this doesn't feel redundant at all. There is also a cacao note that some may think when coupled with the honey note, might make this lean into gourmand territory, but it never does. It just adds this smoothness to Jazz that really helps exemplify its name. The ambergris and white musk also give a depth and heaviness that works remarkably well. Zernell hit it out of the park by naming it "Jazz", because if jazz music has a smell, it would totally be this; smooth, classy, sophisticated, yet still very much youthful. I loved the sample size so much that I decided to buy a full bottle. The biggest size they offer is 30ml for $150 USD, which I thought was outrageous, but the fragrance is so good, that I bit the bullet anyway. Let me tell you, 30ml is more than enough. Jazz is undeniably beast mode territory; the projection, longevity, and sillage are through the roof. You truly don't need more than 3 sprays to get you through the day, and then some. The composition is so dense that you'll most likely find it lingers on you overnight. You definitely do not need to overspray or reapply this. This is perfectly suited for fall and winter evenings. It's also a real head-turner; compliments galore! If you're looking to step out and make a statement, look no further than Jazz.

Finally! I was worried about myself for a couple of months there. I thought I was losing my interest in fragrances because nothing was inspiring me. I purchased hundreds of samples from lucky and almost every single new release. Nothing was really doing it for me. I even tried rogue smoking extract which I thought was really good. It did not excite me, but I thought that was the best I was going to get as far as my reaction. Perhaps I am just not thrilled anymore. Boy oh boy is that not true! Jazz is awesome. Jazz is everything that by the fireplace should be and a perfect example as to how little people understand Great fragrances. This is sexy. Jazz club should give up his name and hand it over. This is executed brilliantly. There is a juicy tart red Mandarin that is mixed with Cocoa powder and creates a luscious concoction you have to smell to believe. Structured behind that is the tobacco and mahogany. But also exists is the honey and resin that all together Play a Symphony. It's magical. I try hundreds and hundreds fragrances from countless different brands every month and this stands out from all! I am aware that I have been missing in action over the holidays. I have been here in fact. But I have been uninspired. Gourmand fragrances have to stop! They are killing the creativity of our fragrance houses. Although yes Jazz is more or less a gourmand fragrance, it runs the line very sharply and if I had to choose I would put this more in a sweet tobacco category before anything else. The complexity here gives it freedom and the artistic behavior behind it gives the fragrance Spirit. It has a soul and that is all I ask. Well worth the price. Go and get it you will not be sorry.

First proper sampling of Jazz, a 2024 release by Zernell Gillie, whose fragrances (so far) are inspired by genres of music. This is centered around a trio of honey, bourbon, and vanilla—sweet, smooth, boozy, and creamy—and accented by white musk, cacao, and ambergris. So it has a bit of a resinous, animalic-adjacent aspect that colors the largely gourmand center, conjuring perhaps the beverages and environs of jazz club at evening, very classy, harkening back to something a bit classic and boozy while still feeling modernly stylish and wearable, especially in a similar such setting. I like the vague salty suggestion of something environmental, a garnish, perhaps something savory or woody or herbal complementing the whiskeyish beverage. It’s probably my very favorite of the entire line to date based on the limited amounts I’ve smelled the other earlier entries. Jazz is extrait concentration like the rest of the line, priced at $120 for 30ml, sold in the US on the house website as well as via great boutiques like Perfumology. 8 out of 10

I have finally found my perfect tobacco fragrance! Like all Zernell Gillie’s fragrances, this is a delightful journey and my favorite from the line. It opens with a delicious sweet mandarin mixed with honey. It then shifts into an oaky mahogany amber which then morphs into a lovely vanilla tobacco deepened by the sweet myrrh and musk. I can’t make out the cacao but I think that’s because it is so well blended. The end of the dry down is a powdery tobacco on my skin. It’s just captivating! Finally a tobacco that is clear and realistic but not like stuffing your face in a bag of dried processed leaves. Bonus is a friend of mine and I went to a celebration event at our local niche perfume boutique and Zellner was there signing bottles. He was so friendly and kind - chatting with everyone. What an absolute treat for perfume nerds like us! And a joy to celebrate small businesses and artists.

Oh my god. I blind smelled this without reading the notes or name first. At first I thought it smelled safe. I could only distinguish the leather. After a few minutes the notes started developing and this turned into the sexiest fragrance I’ve smelled. I’m immediately buying a full size bottle for my husband. This is s-e-x-yyyyyyyyy. It takes notes often found in designer men fragrance, but just elevates them to another level. It’s a beautiful blend. Tobacco leather and a very subtle cocoa. It does cross the line very subtly with gourmand as the comment below me says. Reminds me of Guerlain honey tobacco, just more complex and masculine. Truly unisex fragrance though.