Jardanel (1973)
by Jean Desprez

The logo of "Jardanel" is a strange, multi-coloured mandala-like masque: It's not quite clear if this design is channeling a retro-beginning of the century vibe, a la 1910, a 20's vibe, or a neo-deco seventies groove: As Bal a Versailles was distinctly colour coded in sunflower yellow, Jardanel is saturated inside and out in a vibrant leaf green. On premier application, Bal a versailles is referenced only in the seemingly endless depth of construction that made the perfumes of Jean Desprez some of the most expensive in the world. Bal a Versailles was the very first perfume in history to out-price Joy. Upon smelling Jardanel, it becomes obvious rather quickly that Monsieur Desprez had a taste for strong willed scents: This is nothing like Bal a Versailles, but is equally assertive. Unmistakably a green scent, it is neither daffodil chypre nor a fizzy neon green symphony like "Vacances" or "Vent Vert." Where these two evoke civilized strolls along "La Piste" in Deauville or on the Cap d'Antibes, Jardanel will summonse visions of roaming around naked in the Black Forest. A Jean Desprez hallmark becomes apparent as soon as this extract is applied, which would be detectable in its explosive, persistent personality from 0:001 seconds forward: The flight is magnificent. Where Bal is sexy in a satin lined boudoir kind of way, Jardanel is eroticism laying in the grass, ravished, and begging for more: All muddied up and sweat stained, gasping, and beckoning for a second, or third lover to take his turn. One wonders which precise sort of girl Jean Desprez had in mind when he baptized his signature scent with the slogan "For a Certain Kind of Woman."
-A slogan that would fit Jardanel beautifully, with its strange, raw earth scent, and its powerful, musk laden sillage. Though I have never smelled it, I imagine Jovan's "Grass Oil" must have smelled somewhat like this: Jardanel could sit barefoot in a caftan in the middle of the woods strumming a lute with a garland of juniper around her head. Were perfumes to be equated with music, where Bal a Versailles blares a classical, grandiose waltz, Jardanel seems to harken T-Rex's album "A Beard Full of Stars." Jardanel would be Bal a Versailles' renegade, hippie sister, who barely shows her face at court and prefers to live in the woods and cavort with the pig-suede clad pied pipers and long haired poets who would rob from her rich family, and spend the bootie on drugs. In spite of this, one is never reminded of dirty, penniless street hippies: For here, we are in the realms of the rich, decadent jet setters and rock stars who had themselves dropped off at ashrams in Silver Phantom Rolls Royces painted deep, British Racing Stripe green. If I had to tack on a family to this singular comp, I would place it squarely in the "Fougere" category: A family very seldom populated by comps designed for women. A green chypre it is not. If Bal a Versailles would be the perfect scent to wear to the grandest, most royal reception, Jardanel would be the one to wear to a deep forest camping trip, or a an outside music festival. An unusual scent with a narrow focus group in mind: The rich, wayward youths of the 70's....the ones who left the family chateau in Province and high-tailed it to Carnaby Street to drop LSD as soon as they were old enough to board the ferry at Calais. A perfume perfectly suited to bare the French adjective of "Baba Cool," but with a 100% silk edge, and a posse of bare chested male servants in open royal purple velvet waistcoats embroidered in gold, striped bell bottoms , and strappy brown leather sandals, on their way in a caravan of British towncars toward the forests of Flanders, en route for Amsterdam. An enchanting fragrance, that will have women leaving their armpits unshaven, and men keeping a vaporizer of "Binaca" tucked into their skin-tight brown leather jeans, lest, hidden among the ferns and brush, the opportunity for a tryst, or a mere stolen kiss, presents itself.

31st January, 2012.

Reminds me vaguely of vintage Chantilly with leathery and dry undertones yet an overall sweet smoothness. I really like this one!
The top is very muted, but you can still smell some remains of citrus and of course – an aldehydic and leathery opening. The heart is of rose and jasmine but mostly the very appealing (in fact, addictive!) notes of myrrh and Saxon moss. Base notes are earthy and leathery and very Chypre, with vetiver, oakmoss and leather, but the final dry down is musky in a very Shalimaresque way.

Top: muted citrus, Leathery notes
Heart: Myrrh, Peru Balsam oil
Base: Leather, Vetiver, Oakmoss

(Blind Review)

30th April, 2007.