Reviews of Jicky (1889)
by Guerlain

I can't say I was impressed with Jicky in EdT form. It was the phantom of a lemon-scented wet-wipe, then it was gone. Wimpy and unpleasant.

Today, however, I tried Jicky in parfum form - there's a big difference. I'd classify this with Diptyque's L'Autre and Hermes Eau d'Hermes as a transparent animalic citrus. Though Jicky is not spicy like the other two, all three share an interesting lemony-citrus top contrasted with an animalic base.

Jicky's top goes on with a strong bergamot and lemon, dry but not harsh. After twenty minutes or so the civet comes roaring in and civet's fecal quality makes this quite a dirty, skanky citrus just slightly modified by a light vanilla. In the base the civet calms down and becomes mellow, allowing the vanilla to show itself more. After about the six hour mark, it's all gone.

The thing is, the parfum behaves rather like an EdT on me. It doesn't have full-bodied quality and exceptional longevity I expect from a parfum, and given that, have to wonder if it's really worth parfum prices...

EdT.

I used this for awhile couple of years ago, and although I thought it was a fine creation, I just didn’t feel comfortable wearing it. I found it very disturbing, actually.
The scent always had this bizarre foody accord to my nose; it reminded me the way those Domino (=Orio cookies) with vanilla filling used to smell after they had been sitting on a plate few days without protection from the open air. My grandfather always use to have those in his grocery closet.
I tried to get over this clear association, couldn’t manage, and then sold my bottle away. I just didn’t want to smell like my decrepit grandpas slightly spoiled cookies.

EdP.

This is definitely more animalic concentration of the two, the civet comes out very clearly. While the EdT is simple yet luxurious lavender-vanilla blend with only a dash of civet to it, in EdP the civet is a starring note. Lavender is more subdued here, and it skips the citrus notes almost completely. Very long projection develops this luminous and smooth vanilla smell, while the animalic presence remains.
Incredibly rich composition, and the lasting power is even a bit better than in EdT.


To me the Eau de Toilette is much more suitable version for men. I think it passes the unisex clarification very easily, while the EdP is much more perfume-y, much more classic feminine scent. It still could (of course) be worn by any men who is into it, but I really do recommend EdT version for the gents, and at the same time, I preferably would smell EdP on a woman.

I'll make this simple:

edt = citrus, lavender, oopoponax/tonka with vanilla.
I enjoy it very much. My husband hates it.
Fleeting in longevity.

unfortunately and despite of all the positive reviews it does not work for me.i find it too warm, too sensual,too smooth and too powdery.maybe it´s because i am addicted to the chypre scents and the aldehydes.jicky is shalimar and shalimar is pure vanilla.i miss the edges.jicky is too nice.

I used this in the 70s and know it disappeared from the US for a time. When I found it at again, I was reminded of younger years and better days and loved it now as I loved it then. One of the all-time greats.

It is so suprising to me to see that many of you don't love Jicky. Years ago I followed someone down the street in Manhattan to ask what she was wearing, and have been wearing it myself ever since. It really is my all time fav scent, and it is my understanding that Shalimar was created by adding vanilla to Jicky (which is one of the first unisex scents) at the time when vanilla was first imported to Europe. To this day it makes my mouth water to catch it on someone.