Reviews of Jicky (1889)
by Guerlain

Jicky (EdT)

Jicky is an interesting fragrance that harkens back to the two original schools of perfumery in the late 19th Century—one English and one French. Obviously, Guerlain created Jicky in the genre of the French school and it is a leading example of that thinking today. The EdT is my favored concentration as I find it far more suitable for a man than the EdP and Extrait versions. Jicky opens with a harsh blast of lavender and civet, which is quite indolic for several minutes until the floral and herbal composition of the heart becomes apparent. That heart gives way to a powdery base of vanilla and civet.

Jicky ( born in 1889 ) is a difficult love and the difficult loves are the most desired ! Civet, lemon, lavender, incense. Jicky doesn't care if you love it back, it just is. You have to take it or leave it. I have vacillated between horror for the civet to undying love , back to rejection and then always back to love and loyalty - like a lover you know is not all good but you always want more. Jicky does that to me . Guerlain is a special house of perfumery - Jacques Guerlain knew how to weave magic, potency ,love and a darned good story into his creations.


Jicky is three men - the young upstart in the Eau De Toilette - loudly singing his own praises all bright with lemon and just a hint of unwashed skin but still very sparkling in his youth. Jicky Eau De Parfum is full on grown up man who has just got down from his horse, full in his manhood and pride - glowing in his own glorious smell of sex, skin and sunlight. Jicky the extrait is a thoughtful mature man in repose, elegant and sauve but his own skin smell is still there. He is handsome and dark - his face tells the story of his life but his eyes hint at playfulness and sex.

Jicky is also a woman who is chic and french - if not by nationality then by nature . Jicky woman loves being naughty and pushing the envelope - she is also a creative individualist who does not care for trends so much. She doesn't wear for frills and pink .She loves to smoke, drink ,sleeps with her man in the middle of the day . From her exterior the only glimmer you get of her slightly seedy naughty side is in her eye . To others , she is one who is disciplined, slightly cold and haughty and shops at the best boutiques on 24 Faubourg in Paris.

There was recently a thread about how some fragrances smell different up close (when your nose is on your wrist versus a waft from the chest). I think Jicky is exhibit number one of this phenomenon.

On first application, it smells like a relatively normal sweet, powdery citrus. Out of nowhere, the civet springs out of hiding and takes hold of the accord. This particular civet has a bit of a sense of humor:

If you smell it up close, it is quite fecal to me. Truly disgusting.

However, if you fan it toward your face or let it waft toward you, it is very polite and compliments the accord. Strange. So...just don't smell it up close and you should be fine!

As the scent progresses, the opening citrus and the civet take a back seat and I start to get more jasmine and vanilla. After about two hours the base is fully developed into an absolutely sexy accord with just the right amount of animalistic qualities, with the civet hard to identify as a single note. It plays a supporting role with the vanilla at center stage, giving the vanilla that three dimensional, slightly spicy, spiky rawness that is no rare. The sweet base is not cloying in the least (which is rare for me).

Overall, definite thumbs up. The top might raise some eyebrows, but the base is worth it.

Jicky is the most luxurious fragrance a man can wear. It doesn't last nearly as long as I'd like (edp), but for a brief moment this is heaven.

My favorite of all the classic Guerlains. I'm surprised to see so many notes listed -- all I smell is sweet lavender, creamy vanilla, and golden civet -- but perhaps that's a tribute to the blending. The balance between the notes is exquisite and timeless. I think of a beautifully built clock, everything in perfect order and ready to run forever. Doesn't project aggressively, but sinks into my skin and creates a gentle, confident aura. It's subtle, and I wear it to work without a second thought, but it's not out of place for an intimate night, either. The civet/vanilla in the base reminds me of the base notes in Nahema, which to me is one of the sexiest perfumes ever. Simple and perfect.

I have an odd relationship with Jicky. I can't deny that it's brilliantly composed, with high quality ingredients (vanilla, lavender, and civet,) that appeal to me, but I've never been compelled by it. Why? I'm not sure. When I wear the closely related Shalimar, Jicky seems incomplete. When I wear the equally civet-drenched Ungaro II, Jicky seems a little bit tame. When I want lavender, I invariably turn to Caron pour un Homme. In the end all I can say is that while I acknowledge Jicky's high status, I rarely enjoy wearing it. Thumbs up because it is a great scent and an important landmark, no matter how I feel about it personally.

So back in 1889 good old Aime designs this as a woman's scent but it proves to be far more popular with men? Not as strange as it may seem. Old Spice was first designed as a woman's scent, bombed with the fairer sex, and the rest is history.

Unlike Old Spice, this one's still popular with women ( it doesn't suck ) and it has the distinction--or so we are told-- of being the first 'abstract scent' i.e; of having more than one note and morphing within the pyramid of top, heart and base.

The opening, despite having a lemon note is really well balanced with mandarin, bergamot, and rosewood. So you won't choke on industrial strength lemon pledge--a fault of many citrus frags these days.

In fact, I'd venture to say this is as refreshing and bracing an opening as you'd find in the best of men's aftershaves. The heart notes are mild and then the leather-tonka base brings the show to an end.

However it is short lived.
Now, you could re-apply Eau d'Orange Verte throughout the day every 2 hours by spritzing from a small decant, but who on earth has the patience to spritz a refreshing and bracing citrus scent that just ended on an amber-tonka drydown?

Life is just too short. Still, a thumbs up for this time warp trip to the past.

Not that Jicky needs my review to compel Guerlain to keep it in production, but I'll add my voice to the Basenotes Tabernacle Choir of halleluja-ers.

Lavender is a beautiful flower and scent, but wear it without some sweetening, and it can be cold. Add a vanilla? Good idea! But isn't that just a tad simplistic? How about some civet for curiosity? Perfect! Stop right there.

I like the edt the best, but all formulations are splendid. Keep a sample on hand if you don't "get it" on your first try. No matter how short your must-try list, Jicky should be on it.

What a delightful fragrance...while it's there.

I didn't expect this to live up to my expectations, but it did. When you smell Jicky, you understand why it's been around since 1889.

It's transition from citrus, to a floral heart, then a sweet base is the model for mordern complex fragrances.

I just wish it lasted longer

Jicky is my favourite perfume, as it moves me in a way that no other perfume can. Jicky is a compelling fragrance, and seems to have real personality -or personalities. Sometimes it is a nice pleasant herbal perfume, sometimes it is a little raunchy with its animalistic undercurrent, and sometimes it has an almost milky sweetness that is very comforting. It also has a spicy fougere side to it that I love, and when I wear it, all of these different facets emerge at different times and combine with each other as if to form many different perfumes, all of which I find wonderful.

I have recent bottles of parfum and EdP, as well as a fifty-year-old bottle of EdT and they are all wonderful, and I love them all. The parfum emphasizes the herbal aspect, the EdP the dirtier civet, while the EdT is brighter and airier with the lavender more exposed and medicinal, but it changes very quickly into something that resembles the EdP, but is not nearly as robust in the late drydown.

I love many perfumes, and some of them are more immediately striking and exotic, and on the surface more beautiful. However, with Jicky the real beauty is revealed in exquisite moments that are hidden below the surface. These moments are the most profoundly beautiful I have ever experienced in perfume. I love you Jicky.

Old fashioned and elegant, sweet and alluring, intoxicating and addicting, yet contemporary and and wearable; Jicky is extraordinary and yet it is ordinary. The opening (which is sweet, citrusy, and aromatic all at once) is all together lovely and enchanting. The heart is intoxicating and remains faithful to the warm ambery enigmatic sweetness of the opening. Jicky is not a let down in the dry down. The warm sweet ambery heart mingles with the sexy sweet and enticing base. Now, with all this talk of sweetness, one would deem Jicky to be overbearingly sweet- but not so. The perfect balance of this perfume is what makes it so captivating from opening- to heart- to dry down. On my skin, Jicky even has the audacity and the tenacity to linger (ever so delicately) the morning after it is worn- and sometimes after showering. Jicky is as glamorous as it is seductive. Jicky is as classy as it is sexy. It is undeniably a ‘Classic’--a fragrant masterpiece. Jicky has that certain something… ‘Je ne sais quoi.’ It is my all time favorite! I love Jicky! …betcha didn’t guess!

I absolutely love this stuff. Goes on sharp, but not unpleasant. Then the dry down of vanilla and lavender is exquisite. I personally don't put on more than two sprays. I could wear this everyday. Lasts all day on me.

I fell in love with Jicky on first spray... the combination of lavender and vanilla, brightened with citrus is just irresistible. Much ado is made of the civet component - I can't say I care - whatever gives Jicky its weird, fun, sparkly personality is fine with me.

I own a bottle of the EdT, and my only complaint is that it's gone in about 2 hours. I have samples of both the EdP and PdT... I believe the PdT is the longest lasting of the three, and I may just invest in one of these concentrations for the sole purpose of mixing with the EdT. Even still, the PdT lasts about 4 hours.

If you haven't tried Jicky, seek it out. There's obviously a reason it's still selling well 120 years after being introduced.

Jicky Comparison

Left arm: Jicky EDT
Right arm: Jicky EDP

I have only worn Jicky EDT once before, and it was my first exposure to Jicky. I remember the moment so well--at first I did not know what to think of it. But within minutes, I realized that Jicky has a sort of "technicolor" development that is such an eye opener after smelling dozens of flat, linear fragrances. I am reminded of the scene in The Wizard of Oz when Dorothy lands in Oz--transported from a drab black and white world to an amazing place full of wonders and adventure. Scary to be sure, but also exciting and full of potential. However, unlike Dorothy, who was very ready to return home, I wanted the story of Jicky to continue. That first light spritz I had was painfully short-lived, and I felt like I barely had time to understand what had just happened.

Later, I read reviews about Jicky on BN and learned that many people preferred the EDP. I got a sample from TPC, and based on that experience, bought the EDP strength. So, I was left still wondering what the EDT is all about and why people thought it was different from the EDP. Now I know.

I can't say that the EDT and EDP smell radically different from each other. Most people say the EDP is "dirtier", and if your definition of dirty is "more civet", then I'd agree with that assessment. When I first sprayed the EDT, it was instantly more sweet and citrusy, alot less civet and the lavender was barely noticeable. There still is plenty of civet to be had in the EDT, but since the fragrance develops very quickly, the stage where the civet smells the strangest to me (the "moth ball" stage) is quite short. Other than that, the development seems to go quickly from the citrus top notes to a creamy middle of vanilla, lemon and light woods, and dry down is sweet vanilla. The civet does stay throughout, but it is not nearly as prominent. Development went from first spray to drydown in about 2 hours. The next day, it was completely gone.

When I first spray the EDP, I also get the gorgeous citrus notes. But at the same time, everything else was much stronger--more lavender, more patchouli, more vanilla, and more civet. It is definitely deeper and darker. The moth-ball stage lasts quite a bit longer, and the civet is more prominent from top to bottom in the EDP. But I must say, after my first couple of wearings, I really got used to the civet, and now that it has clicked for me, I enjoy and welcome this note rather than being repelled by it. It is such an integral part to Jicky's base. Development of the EDP was much slower than the EDT. Most times when I wear it at bedtime, I can still smell it the next day, although it is very soft by that point. At any rate, longevity is better in the EDP.

I can see owing more than one concentration of Jicky to suit the occasion. The EDT is perfect for day wear, and is very much like a traditional cologne with the strong citrus components being the main attraction. The EDP evokes a more pensive and relaxing feeling due to its rich base notes, and is wonderful for evening or bed-time wear. I love both of them, and now I really want to try the parfum!

Jicky reminds me of an abstract painting of warm oranges and bright greens seen from a great distance. That painting also contains a raw, dirty collage of the inside of an elbow and the back of an unwashed neck. This fragrance is complex to me--diffused and yet edgy. Like the other Guerlains I am coming to love, it attracts me even as it slightly repulses me. I am buying the edp to add to my obsession.

PDT:

A lot of civet. The opening is incredibly dirty, and I quite love it. The civet lasts throughout the time Jicky spends on your skin, but by the drydown it is far less prominent. The heart and drydown are 'sunny' and very fresh.
They say that citrus notes last the shortest, but Jicky's drydown seems to be more citrusy than its opening and heart.

But even the PDT hardly lasts a few hours, and it does not project very well.
So, in a nutshell, be prepared to look very silly sniffing your wrist all morning; you won't be able to smell it otherwise, and neither will anyone else.

Testing the EdP. Um, is there civet in this or am I looking for the wrong note? I'm used to the civet in stuff like Ungaro II. Jicky has what seems to be a very blended structure in that the notes mix into each other and I can detect individual elements. Overall, it's a herbal orange with the fringes of animalic notes and a thin border of sweetness. I smell this and I imagine statesmen debating about the affairs of others in a courtroom.

I tried the eau de parfum, and at first I suspected that the tester must have gone off. There was something in it-- what I now assume to be the civet-- that smelled so weird and, frankly, nasty.
Those of you who enjoy screen-printing might liken the opening of Jicky to the smell of Diazo-brand emulsion removal fluid.
But, once it dries down some, the civet runs away and Jicky starts to smell wonderful. It's warm yet fresh, conservative and yet sexy.

I would love to wear it, but I'm not so sure that it can be passed off so well as a man's fragrance. Its citrus/wood/civet opening is ambiguous enough, but it is purely feminine when dry.
I believe it is stupid for men to avoid women's perfume simply because they are labelled so, but Jicky offers little to a man. There's nothing terribly virile about it except for the civet, which is nearly undectable after less than an hour.

Jicky is an artisan fragrance, unlike modern day fragrances, it gives me a warm glow and a feeling of wellbeing, and I always feel more confident when I wear it. It has great warmth and depth, there is also something grand and opulent about it. I agree with mrclmind it must NEVER be discontinued.

I love Jicky. This is were I come to get my Civet fix; the civet is there but never makes my nose curl. Jicky is fresh, refined and nasty all at the same time. This one must never be discontinued, or we might actually have a riot!

Where do I begin when the different concentrations of Jicky don't seem related? The EDT is the brightest citrus; the EDP is the best lavender; and the pure parfum is pure Guerlainade! I love them all in spite of the fact that the EDT last about 20 minutes; the EDP lasts about 30 minutes; and the pure parfum last about 45 minutes. Normally, I would give up and try something else, but this stuff is wonderful! I spray the EDT on my pillow and I spray the EDP on myself. I'm in love with this Jicky guy, but I only wish that he would stick around longer.

There is no overwhelming note in this melange of scents.

The opening features the citrus and lavendar,while the second act brings forth the rose and vetiver.

Eventually the solid closing notes emerge.

This is not a signature scent,but rather one for any moment. Truly a classic.

There have been a lot of very good reviews of Jicky here. I just want to add two things. First, the different strengths of Jicky vary widely in their feel and are very nice layered together. The extrait is dense, citrusy, and has more prominent civet. It also develops beautifully on the skin. The PDT is a bit harsh for my taste, but dries down very nicely. The EDT has an abundance of lavender that makes it vaguely sweeter, but I'm not impressed by the staying power. I haven't sampled the EDC in a while, but my recollection was that it resembled the EDT. Second, this scent smells wonderful on both men and women - it has a "naughty" feel too it that is suitable for almost any occasion. You can't go wrong with Jicky, it is one of the few scents I would wear day or night, formal or casual, intimate or buttoned down - basically any time at all.

Created in 1889 by Aimé Guerlain, Jicky is one of the greatest of all the classic perfumes and yet probably the first of the modern 'abstract' fragrances at the same time, a semi-oriental fougère. It used what were considered to be very modern notes for the time - coumarin was only isolated from the tonka bean in 1868 - and is the antidote to all the earlier scented waters that consisted of easily defined flower essences. In Jicky, the formulation is complex and difficult to strip down. It marks the beginning of modern art where the work must display hidden meanings and impressions rather than just pure imitation. When it first appeared, many women did not accept or understand it. The hint of animal scent was too brutal and unexpected for women in 1889. In fact, men were the first to appreciate it, and it wasn't until 1912 that women's magazines finally began to sing its praises. Today, Jicky is considered by many as being the 'ultimate' fougère. The perfume bottle is inspired by medicine jars but with a surprising 'champagne bottle stopper', symbolizing joy and celebration. Now sold in the standard 'quadrilobe' bottle. Its name has been told to be that of an English girl Aimé once proposed - but it's most of all also the nickname of Aimé's nephew Jacques.

With the PDT there is lots of lavender in the opening, at first overwhelming the citrus, but very quickly settling into a captivating citrus / lavender accord. I get a fairly steady background of civet, but it’s a desexualized version that doesn’t seem to carry much animalism. The rosewood exerts a centering character on the opening (and middle) accord, adding a trifle exotic but stable base to the shallowness of the lavender, and, with the civet, making the citrus / lavender / civet accord impressively deep, interesting, and broad purposed. I think it’s the breath and depth of output that make Jicky so classic and so unisex. With the heart, the fragrance goes floral, but not very … I mostly get rose and jasmine with no orris. The patchouli (with a bit of help from the vetiver and the left-over rosewood) comes through cleanly and strongly with a tad leather and some more civet working up from the bottom, but even with all these potent notes vying for attention, things remain respectable. The accord is refined and balanced as well as just plain enticing. Then the drydown moves in with its smooth leather / civet, its sweet, soft amber, and its lightest touch of vanilla. Some pyramids do not list vanilla, but it’s there. Several pyramids list incense and benzoin, but I do not even suspect them. There are lots of potent notes in Jicky, but I think the lavender, rosewood, and civet form its pivots, its fulcrums. Actually, though I quite admire the top and mid levels, I could very well live without them: Not so for the drydown, which is captivating and long lasting and just plain necessary on my skin. Jicky is excellent — as classic as they come, and it has the added value of a couple of lovely little stories behind it. As a fragrance it has withstood the test of time and has remained important and satisfying. In no way is Jicky a feminine only scent — it is universal.

The all-time classic I go back to. To me, Jicky is like a long-time partner whom I know very well, who suits me perfectly, but whose familiarity I need to escape from time to time. The best homage to lavender I have ever smelled. However, if you want to acquire it, DO NOT go for the EDT, which is a real disappointment.

At first it seemed horrible to me, like freshly laid dogs poo! But then after half an hour..... OH MY GOD!!! It's wonderful, heavenly, so unbelievably beautiful. I also want to bathe in it and bathe my 11 year old daughter in it ( though she prefers Chanel No.5).

Jicky opens with a burst of herbaceous freshness, marked by the presence of lavender and rosemary. Citrus is also an important component at the opening – some bergamot, but mostly - lemon singing in harmony with the underlining sweetness of tonka bean, it’s a luscious sorbet ready to be licked. Vetiver shows a glimpse of itself early on too, than dives back in and disappears into the landscapes of animalic woods. The heart, although containing some florals (rose, jasmine) does not feel floral. Just as in Shalimar – the bouquet’s role is to transform a collection of essences into one seamless olfactory tale. This is where the signature Guerlinade accord of iris, tonka bean and vanilla begins, creating a sensual skin-like warmth underlining what otherwise would have been a herbaceous-citrus cologne-type fragrance. With the animalic vibrations of opoponax, civet and a touch of leather, vetiver and the most miniscule hint of patchouli. When experiencing the parfum extrait the similarities to Shalimar become quite self-evident, from the overall bouquet to the final dry down stages, and with its overall skin-like sensuality.

The mood for Jicky, however, is completely different than Shalimar. While Shalimar takes you directly to the depth of seduction and desire, Jicky does so in a most subtle way. I wore it and wondered how strangely narcotic a lavender is in that context, all the while maintaining its dignified antiseptic qualities. Was it the English lavender that pinched Aimé Guerlain’s heart? Or was it something else he missed about his mythical first love in Engladn? Or, perhaps, it wasn’t meant for a woman after all, but rather for his young nephew who will later on follow his footsteps and unleash many more Guerlain fairytales.
Jicky is said to be initially difficult to accept by women to whom it was created, and was more popular with men. (Mouchoir de Monsieur, created by Jaqcues Guerlain in 1904 was meant to answer to that demand). It may not smell as significant or original at the moment, among the myriads of scents, not to mention lavender scents alone – but its remarkable survival over the past 118 years speaks for itself.

This review is for the pure parfum, which is far more concentrated and less citrusy/herbaceous than the Eau de Toilette.


Top notes: Lemon, Bergamot, Rosewood, Lavender, Rosemary
Heart notes: Vetiver, Jasmine, Rose, Orris Root
Base notes: Tonka bean, Opoponax, Patchouli, Civet, Benzoin

I have been using Jicky extrait for some months now and love it dearly. However, it does not seem to be as assertive as some reviewers have mentioned - it seems to be very subtle to the point of being undetectable. While I don't rule out my nose as the culprit, I've been thinking about supplementing the morning application with a spritz of EDT. Anyone else find this same issue with Jicky extrait?

I LOVE the way Jicky smells when you first put it on and for the next 15 to 30 minutes -- fresh, spicy, herbal. When it settles down to its end notes, it is a little bit on the sweet side for my taste, although not enough so that I would not wear it. I definitely notice the relationship to Shalimar, which is still my very favorite Guerlain!

Lovely scent after teh first 20 or so minutes. the odd potty note that appears shorty after application must fade into a warm base.

Oh lord I love this stuff! I spent most of last summer practically bathing in the EDT ( it was an unusually hot, Mediterranean summer). Since its now May again, I've just splashed out on a bottle of EDP and I'm not regretting it.

I can understand wearing this at any time of year, but for me, the strong, clean opening blast of lavender and lemon means summertime to me. I think it would be great on a man as the lavender is herbal and fresh rather than floral or sweet. As other reviewers have commented, it dries down into a warm skin scent. I can't smell the civet but I can only assume I like it because there's nothing about this fragrance that I can even vaguely fault.

From the story of its association with Shalimar, I didn't know if I'd like Jicky because I find Shalimar doesn't quite chime for me (I'm a Vol de Nuit person if that explains anything). But I find this perfume simply addictive. Even though I have an embarassingly large wardrobe, this is one I reach for when in doubt - in fact in summer it often takes a real effort for me to choose something else to wear.

I highly recommend trying a decant, if only for the historic significance.

After trying the EDT of Jicky, I was completely enthralled by the herbal/lavender/animalic opening and concluded I really liked civet. So I tried the EDP (more civet=more fun, right?) and ick....ok, maybe I don't quite like civet in and of itself. People have referred to it as a "baby vomit" note, and that image rings all too true to me.

Returning the to EDT just to make sure my nose wasn't failing me, I still found myself loving the lightly animalic/sweet combination in this fresh rendition on lavender.

One of my favorite lavender scents, and I struggle to find one I really want to wear--I love the scent of the flowers in and of themselves, but find it a little hard to take in perfumery unless blended really well. While lavender is not as center stage here as it is in, say for example, Gris Clair, it is still clearly the integral, central note

a wonderful classic

Jicky offers a creamy lemon, the sweet notes swirling around the dry notes like marbled lemon sorbet and vanilla ice cream. Its leather makes itself known early, and (together with the civit, which is mellow and agreeable) envelops the wearer like a suade blanket. This seems to be a hallmark of a number of classic fragrances (like Jolie Madame, Cuir de Russie, and Miss Dior) which made them so much more fun to wear than most of today's polite, mass-marketed offerings.
Jicky's delicious lemon is supported by mandarin, grounded by patchouli, and enlivened by a bit of jasmine and rose, but the florals which come close to matching the power of the citrus. Vetiver provides some dryness, but vanilla wins overall, creating a fragrance that gradually fades and sinks into smooth sweetness.

You know what? The civet here is nowhere near as bad as people make out...I actually expected it to have a faecal smell - not at all, as I was to find. It had, more than anything else, and baby vommit smell - creamy, spicey, herbaceous, acrid, and, of all things, a slightly "feet-smell after a 10 mile run in ten-year-old joggers"...

But do you know what suprised me even more? The Eau de Parfum, whilest definitely stronger, featured a greater prominence in the carnation, jasmine, rose and orris notes, where the combination seemed to soften the civet and give a smoother, more sophisticated smell...even after 14 hours, at the end of the dry-down and the basenotes, the smoothness is still there, lent by the prominence of the carnation, orris, rose and jasmine notes which,as mention before, are "louder" in this concentration...A nice fragrance,nay, a wonderful fragrance, and this is the opinion of a nine-teen-year-old!

BTW: and this is important - use as a skin-scent, and watch your application - with jicky, less is more! I usually use no more than five squirts - two on my neck, two on my chest, and on my shirt - even coverage, lasting all day - and subtle...that's the way my girlfriend likes it...

jicky was made in 1889 and in 1925 mr.guerlain added synthetic vanilla to it and called it shalimar.

Oh! The beauty that is Jicky! I don't know the concentration of my sample, but it has the most glorious refreshing citrusy/spicy/herbal topnotes over a positively hypnotic musky base, warm and comforting yet dangerous and animalic. I wear a different scent every day but Jicky feels so "me" and so addictive I could almost imagine wearing it always.
The base reminds me of skanky musk scents like Muscs Koublai Khan, which I also find very addictive, but the middle and top make Jicky a "whole" scent and a little more "wearable", a bit closer to a classic warm, spicy oriental.

Jicky is one of those classic scents that defies categorization to me, but I like it. It has a sensual animalic side that is barely held in check by classic restraint, beautiful. I'm pretty sure my grandmother had a small bottle of Jicky parfum on her dresser that I discovered as a boy. I thought it was amazing then and I still do now. It wasn't a tough choice to spend the money for a vintage bottle when I found it.

I was born in 1955 and Jicky is my first smell memory. My parents would come home fro th theatre or a function, I must have been 3 years old. Mum would always come and check on us & leave us a chocolate. I can remember her giving me a snuggle feeling her cold tickly fur, warm pearls and the smell of Jicky. This memory/smell is so tangible that the smell of Jicky always makes me feel so WONDERFUL and I can always feel my mother's love. I too would travel to Paris from the Kimberleys if that was the only place you could buy it.

Like your favorite rock star wearing leather pants - and no underwear.

I tend to avoid many of the stablished fragrance houses, as I've found that, on me, many of their offerings smell very generically "perfumey". For me nothing is carved in stone, so when I was hunting for Petit Guerlain and came across Jicky EDP (which has often been referenced on basenotes), I had to try it.

I found this to be an incredibly simple fragrance that remained more or less the same from start to finish. While that may sound like a negative, this actually supported the fragrance itself, which replicated the experience of opening the oven door on a batch of just finished, perfect creme caramel, done with a very high grade of nutmeg.

It was beautifully creamy and delicious, and so different from both the described notes and other reviews, that I had to try it again before being convinced of my experience. I could not stop sniffing my wrists--it was on both the fronts and backs, since scents are slightly different in these two spots--because I was positively incredulous about what I was smelling.

There was no citrus, no wood, no herbal accord, no incense, nothing animalic. If I hadn't been quite certain of the source, or the bottle had not been a tightly sealed (I discreetly checked, making the salse-staff eye me suspiciously) I would have questioned whether this was actually the fragrance others have reviewed.

It opened with nutmeg (due perhaps to some combination of the wood, incense, and leather notes), custard, and caramel notes (benzoin and tonka bean, there), and stayed that way. An accord that was reminiscent of fondant seemed to advance and recede at intervals, but it was not very pronounced, and merged with the overall impression of creme caramel. I detected a faint amber note--something I normally cannot stand--that blended so beautifully into the whole. I actually appreciated its presence, as, along with the nutmeg note, it modulated the overall sweetness.

Jicky lasted well, about six hours, and wore quite close to the skin. Said skin is dry, fair, and freckled, just to provide a bit more background as to the beast on which these test results emerged.

This is definitely NOT generically "perfumey", yet in it's unusualness there is no element of the weird or uncomfortable. My prefernces are for Cabochard and Zagorsk, but Jicky is definitely right with them for uniqueness.

As soon as I can justify it financially, it is going to be sitting beside them on my shelf, too.

One summer day, when I was a very young girl, some nice ladies at Saks introduced me to Jicky. I was purchasing my fave, Shalimar, and they urged me to try other scents by Guerlain. I tried Jicky and was soon transported to a dry day in November, sitting on a stone wall in a leather jacket, overlooking an herb garden. The trees are bare, the grass is dry, the leaves have fallen and decayed. The last rose of summer, Old Blush, is blooming as if it is only late September. Someone is smoking a cigar somewhere and the wind is carrying all these scents to me, and it all blends together beautifully somehow.
I like the EDT and the EDP on this one,

Jicky is simply radiant. True, it was not love at first sight and I would say that it is most unlike the majority of boring fragrances produced today. This can be quite alarming to those not having encountered it before. The civet in Jicky is particularly evident. Some say it is faecal and I would have to agree with that. However, it is anything but unpleasant. It gives it a warm soft and somewhat animalistic feel. It does seem to alternate between masculine and feminine but I would say mainly masculine. I dont normally like lavender, but it is done so well here. I have both the EDP and the Parfum, and I must say I prefer the EDP. It does not last as long as the Parfum, but it is more soft and the civet is more pronounced here (which I adore!) I dont normally care if anyone likes the fragrance I am wearing, but I would say that I always get compliments when wearing this.

(Review for EdT only) Love the herbal top of this - lavender, rosemary, and I almost get sage... The sandalwood at the base is lovely. Very unisex, softly refreshing. An upstanding scent. Independent in feeling, like a chypre. Just a touch of vanilla in the base, not anything like overwhelming or even demonstrably sweet. The leather is grounding. I was looking forward to civet in this, but it escapes me.

I traveled from Key West to New York to find this fragrance in the perfume form. It is a scent like no other and keeps me searching to replace empty botttles. If it becomes available only in Paris, then off I'll fly.

This is my first review so bear with me. I'm a bit intimidated being new to the sophisticated fragrance world but my first date with Jicky forces me to write. I impulse bought it which i never do. As soon as it hit my skin the bracing lavender hit my nose. It was a bit much but i immediately started to smell the vanilla and spices warm it up. The lavender recedes a bit but hangs around quite a while on my skin. I do have to say it smells very masculine on me. It would take a bold women to pull this one off

I have been using perfumes for over 15 years and currently still have over 100 perfumes in my collection. Lots of perfumes come and go but Jicky replaced Chanel Coco from her 6 years long rein and has been sitting comfortably on the throne ever since I luckily obtained an EDP from a friend a few years ago.
This is a very poetic and sentimental composition in my opinion and I can’t describe how I was touched when I first smelt Jicky. The young and exuberant note of rosemary which awakes all my sense was my first impression of Jicky. Then after the scent stays a while on the skin, the idyllic and poetic lavender reveals to conjure up a rural landscape bathing in breeze which seems to visualize the scene of Aime Guerlain first met his beloved Jicky in England countryside. The fougere note keeps on developing the scent in a shady leafy harmony while opopanax and vanilla undertone add some exotic and creamy depth to relish the whole composition.
I was not to believe that a perfume can really tell a story until I met Jicky because I felt almost to cry when I first smelt it. It is full of emotion, longing, and love and it is completely beautiful.

The Parfum version of this is the one to get. Expensive, to be sure, but worth every penny. The EDT is much cheaper and easier to find, but doesn't last as long and is not as purely "Jicky" to me. The Parfum is, in a word, heavenly. Heady and feral at times ( due to the civet, I am to assume )with just a wisp of lavender that comes and goes when I wear it. Jicky is the only unisex fragrance that matters.

Jicky smells mediocre on those paper strips, but on your skin it develops to a wonderful, distinctive, sophisticated scent. The Eau de Parfum is much better than the EdT; to me it seems like the bolder brother of Mouchoir de Monsieur. Although it's labeled as a "feminine" fragrance, to me it is much more on the masculine side (but - who cares?) This is true elegance in a bottle.

My first review of this scent was VERY negative. I'm sure the tester I sampled it from was bad. I now own the EDT, PDT and Parfum! Its a wonderful intoxicating scent! Me thnks the civet has been toned down, much to my liking. Not a big fan of lavander but this one does it so well. I take it all back Jicky, I LOVE YOU NOW!

After hearing about the dangers of wearing Jicky, I recently had an opportunity to get this in a trade.

I got the EDT and was shocked when I was [b]not[/b] appalled when I tried it. In fact, this could be my signature scent. My expectations were that to run to the sink and scrub away, or prepare myself for self-flaying. ;)

It is a clean lavender scent, with vanilla undertones very reminiscent of Shalimar. [b]Lots[/b] of lavender. You can tell Guerlain cannibalized Jicky to make the prominent lavender notes in Heritage. Nevertheless, the family tree is clear to me in this regard. Still, the lavender in Heritage seems to be a touch sharper. The lavender is not the sharp, piercing lavender you might find in, say, Agua Lavanda; nor is it a calmer English Lavender. I can't quite pin it down. It is a relaxing lavender but at the same time not a bumbling aromatheraputic lavender content to make you rest.

I know it allegedly has civet in it, however, my nose is either ignorant or inured to civet as a base. Duration of the EDT is not that great but the Shalimar-like base lasts for a few more hours once the clean top notes disappear.

I think when a lot of people bemoan the "fecal" smell, they are really associating the clean lavender notes with baby powder and other smells from baby products. I think it is a mental association game going on in peoples heads rather than "oh my god that smells like shit!" That is just my feeling from wearing it. On me, it is very nice scent, and I wouldn't shirk from getting into an elevator when wearing it.

However, more than other scents it may punish you for wearing too much. The lavender notes (perhaps the "guerlinade") are potent at first and slowly die down. Eventually the scent dies to the Shalimar-skin scent, but it takes a while.

Fiancee really liked it on me. I am not sure whether this is due to her loving Shalimar (which I dislike) and also liking lavender.

I would feel comfortable wearing it to work, and plan on getting the EDP. It is a timeless, excellent, comfortable scent for me.

WHile I find Jicky to be a very unique and intriguing scent, I have the same problem with it that I would have with a mink coat: very glamorous, but where would I wear it? It also has a bit of an identity crisis, because it comes off as a feminine scent at certain parts of its drydown, and then a more masculine facet shines through. Nevertheless, it is extremely well-made and, whether worn by feminine or masculine, a joy to smell.

icky, very often, does not tend to be a love at first smell fragrance (unless you are smelling pure perfume). Keep it with you...some day you will wonder what "that smell" was - the smell of sun warmed skin and lavender - of feral quiet, animal strength and velvet smoothness. Believe me, one such day, you will pick up your bottle of Jicky and worship it. Just hang on. This happened to me. I cannot live without it now even though initially, I thought it wasn't much.
Comes close...very very close...to being a signature scent

Addictive,sensual,heady - contrary to previous opinion, I really love this one best on a glowingly warm Australian summer evening: this is when it most invitingly opens up and marries all those seemingly contradictory notes together. All I can say is that this one superb classic that slides onto the skin: warming and inviting!
Philip
Melbourne, Australia

I had read the other reviews of Jicky and heard some discussion and made up my mind to try this fragrance and see what the noise was about. One sniff and I was hooked. This begins herbal, very powerfully herbal. This fades quickly to an animal scent. I've seen this as civet/fecal. I've never smelled a civet, but the fragrance isn't fecal. It is animalistic whatever it is, sharp, pungent, almost heady. This passes a bit more slowly and lends to a soft floral and leather note that seems, to me at least, to offer up some spice and woods. A fragrance to try. It won't be for all comers. For those who can wear it: a fragrance that you won't find on everyone. Classic and unique.