Sublime (1992)
by Jean Patou

I love this -- not only the experience of smelling it, but the sort of stylishness I feel it represents. There is something sweetly lemony about it -- maybe ylang? -- that, along with the somewhat contradictory green note cited by Foetidus, gives sparkle and lift to the ambery sweetness of the base. Florals, citrus, vetiver and vanilla -- a rich Oriental that never feels vampy or swanky or over the top. It seems both alertly feminine and hiply unisex, the kind of perfume I'd feel comfortable wearing everywhere. I do find the opening slightly jarring but within twenty minutes it all comes into perfect focus. My only complaint is that on me the EDP is not sufficiently lasting. I seem to note this problem more often than most people, so maybe the fault is mine and not Sublime's.

I love the sweet, incensey dry-down on this. Too bad the top notes have a touch of something that smells like sharp cat urine on me, ugh. Beautiful after the first 15 minutes or so, with good sillage and persistance.

Sublime is one of my favorite fragrances. It is classified as an oriental, but it has sparkle and brightness that is missing in many products in this category. Sublime is very long lasting, staying with me the entire work day, and still detectable on the skin the next morning. It is marketed as a feminine, but it can be easily worn by a man with a taste for fine fragrances. This one is truly marvelous!

Sublime certainly is powdery and has very good sillage. It opens with a citrus / green / aldehydic accord in which I catch a little conflict in a green note in the opening: I don’t have a problem with it — it’s not at all off-putting or anything like that. I’m just a little surprised that I find it in a Jean Patou fragrance — usually I am in absolute agreement with Patou combinations. At any rate, I see the opening as very nice but not up to the usual brilliant standards I have found in three other Patou fragrances. The usual high standards DO enter in with the heart and base notes. The heart presents a beautifully refined mixed floral with the jasmine and the orris taking prominence to my nose. And the wonderful, long lasting base is a traditional sandalwood / vanilla / musk with a discernable civet note (I love the civet note). This is an exuberant, sophisticated, refined, and sensual fragrance. It has longevity, pride, and substance and does not hide its self-confident beauty behind a veil of subtlety.

I recently got the Edp, unsniffed I admit, but I love other Patou scents and the deal was great. When I first sprayed it on my arm, I thought it was overwhelmingly powerful and not in a very good way. I thought it might have been a waste of money...

The dry down seemed to take forever, but when it finally calmed down I'm left with a complex, yet soft flowery chypre. It's very warm and comforting, the jasmine and orange blossom stands out in my opinion. Together with the warm vanilla and amber base, I now know it's a keeper! I'll have to apply it in small doses and not just before leaving the house. The sillage is good and the lasting power seems to be excellent.

I initially bought this because I got an amzing deal on ebay, I had never tried it. I thought I might give it to my mom cause she has liked other Jean Patou perfumes. Then ma says that she doesnt bother much with perfume anymore now that she is retired. After reading the reviews here I was very curious, so I opened it and WOW I was so surprised to find I LOVE IT ! The reviews here already say it all. I find it soft and powdery. The first time I wore it to work, one female co-worker went nuts and is going to go buy some. Another female co-worker wasnt too impressed she asked if I spilled baby powder. I dont care what she thinks anyway, I think it is dreamy.