Reviews of JF (1993)
by Floris

I'm afraid degustibus is right: JF really has elements of a bathroom (I would not say toilet) cleaner.
But that's not the problem. A bathroom cleaner could smell really good and fresh. I think the problem is, that
JF smells extraordinary synthetic. I smell lemon, not the scent of a real lemon, but of some
synthetic aldehyds or acetals. A further problem for me is the poor longevity. I know that this is a
problem for most of the fresh citrus scents, but there are by far better ones (try e.g. Iskander or Eau de Rochas PH).
And last but not least there is no (nearly no) development in the scent. Citral as a top note, citral
as a heart note and citral as a base. Sorry not for me.

This board is full of unimaginative dismissals of fragrances. Everything is a GIT/Issey/CK clone. To me, such posts lack imagination.

JF has bright bergamot and mandarin topnotes that are a delight after shaving. The shave soap is has a little more backbone than the cream, and is subtle enough to transition to other aftershaves and EdT's, if you're not inclined to use the full Floris set.

But JF on it's own dries down to a warmth that discloses itself only to those who get close enough to enjoy it. One could always lather it on if the projection is needed, but the best thing about JF is the subtle warmth that is shared with the wearer and close companions all day long.

And if no one gets that close? Their loss.

GIT? CK? Issey? Sorry, JF is not quite as sweet and feminine. But then ... no, I'm not sorry.

Stop describing great products by referring back to cheap labels, guys. JF is wonderful. And rare enough to be a signature. It's mine.

There are obvious comparisons with Green Irish Tweed and Cool Water, but JF seems a slightly sweeter and muted blend. There is no brash opening, and all the phases, slide in seamlessly.Normally, I would take a Deer Rifle to anything with this much Amber in it, but the balance of components in JF is excellent. Floris have a habit of doing things without fuss and fanfare, this is a prime example. Top notch.

(Cool Water comparisons are fairly straight on but I'll ignore that fact since there are major differences).

Wonderful light and zesty citrus opening that lasts for the first 30 minutes of the life of this fragrance. The middle is a subtly sweet and refined. Not synthetic smelling, not abrasive, just all around pleasing. A sandalwood-ish drydown supports the overall experience making this a fresh but not over the top laundry/shower/I-just-cleaned-something scent. Ultimate class with a touch of youthfulness. Amazing.

Coolnose is correct: after an initial blast of lemon, which to me is overly sweet hard-candy lemon, "J.F." becomes toilet cleaner. Pity the age in which we have been made prejudiced by an abundance of powerful cleaning products, but there you are. One is tempted to opine how this would have been a perfectly fine scent before the era of the modern household cleaner, but by the time of its creation in the 1990s, the new rules should have been apparent.

Floris JF has been my Floris fragrance of choice for quite some time. There is something profoundly dignified about JF that is difficult to put into words. Time and again I have been complimented by males and females alike. I have yet to find someone who dislikes the unique JF signature. Sheer class.

A classico modern fragrance that combines zests - woods and greens in a sophisiticated cocktail that is full of life and energy.

A real wave of sunshine in the morning that lasts all day - and this a plus for a zesty fragrance.

Easy to wear am/pm - office - sport etc.... it will not carry its wearer and it will never give the wrong signals at a meeting

An ageless winner in my taste

A very strong thumb up

Laurent

I know Floris are the only true fragrance house left in the UK along with Penhaligons and Trumper, so there should be no excuses for a bad perfume. This starts out quite OK; fresh and citrussy. But then the most horrid thing happens, it turns into bathroom cleaner. In fact this is too astringent-smelling to be a fragrance. Floris, in 1993, should have known better. I'd never wear this.

This is very good and fresh, but with a slight twist in the heart: the artemisia and cypress here give a really strange woody accord; or possibly it's the "exotic woods" listed in the base. This scent reminds me (in a good way) of the stuff my granddad used to wear. It smells, masculine, refined, European, and ever so slightly bitter. I think its' a keeper!

Good juice. Nothing spectacular to me, but well constructed and certainly worth a try.
Who knows? You might find your understated signature love.
I detect no resemblance to GIT, let alone Coolwater.
Of the Floris scents that I've tried, this runs almost neck to neck with No. 89, which is an entirely different animal. Interesting . . .

Beautiful scent! Agree with all the others that it has a GIT/Cool Water opening. But after an hour or so it becomes pure Floris, unique and not chemically offensive. The drydown definitely has a positive sour note reminiscent of fresh laundry. To get the best possible advance-reaction from people, try spritzing some on a light bulb and waiting a few seconds. That's probably what others will experience when you heat up around mid-day.

JF is definitely no Green Irish Tweed (GIT) clone. There is a slight fleeting resemblance, but its definitely its own fragrance.

JF opens with lots of bright citrus notes - the lemon is especially prominent. An entirely different opening than GIT. The transition to the middle notes introduce a sour element to the fragrance - armoise, a herb, which brings about a sour (but pleasing) citrusy accord. By comparison, GIT has an earthy middle note smell brought upon by the use of violet leaves. JF lacks the distinctive ambergris drydown of GIT too.

I dont think JF deserves to be compared to GIT since its not a GIT clone. What it is, is a sour citrusy fragrance with decent sillage and longevity. Although more complex offerings abound, JF is a decent if unspectacular fragrance which may be worth your time if you havent already been spoiled by GIT or Imperial.

Upon initial application my first impression was that JF is a Cool Water / GIT clone. I think it’s more Cool Water than GIT, not quite as interesting or fleshy as GIT, not as thick or plump, and more “watery.” It’s very fresh and fruity, inoffensive, with decent amounts of sillage and good longevity, great for the office, etc., but it’s also derivative, and at this point in time, pretty boring too.

Oh wow! This is an insanely wonderful scent for everyday and the office. Cooling citrus without being wet-nappy or chemically. It has a nice melony bass. Two enthusiastic thumbs up.

Another fragrance riding on the coattails of Green Irish Tweed. J.F. comes much closer in spirit to GIT than Cool Water, however. The bright lemony opening to this scent is really about all that differentiates it. Any debate beyond that would simply be niggling. I can't say as I give it any higher marks than GIT for longevity. That alone would give it an edge. Otherwise, it's hard to knock one of my favorite scents on earth. Definitely worth a look if you've missed on sniffing GIT. Worth a purchase if you don't have GIT. And probably not worth your time if you do have GIT.

A very elegant, fresh and long lasting scent. I like to shave with musgo real. JF reminds me on the scent of this classic shaving cream.

Floris's Grreen Irish Tweed/ Cool Water clone. Nice enough but get their excellent Santal instead!
/mattias

I came into the smaller bottle via an ebay auction, and what a score it was. A very elegant citrus composed of lemon, orange and subtle mouth watering spices. The base of woods and amber are sumptuous. Do not deny yourself this olfactive experience, sample if you can....