Jovan Ginseng for Men (1975)
by Jovan

I was 15 in 1974 when my Japanese girl friend gave me a small bottle of Jovan Ginseng for Men. I loved it and have only used it rarely on special occasions. I still have the bottle in 2009 with a tiny bit left. I think it's the best men's cologne there is. Have never found anything quite like it and the only other one consider a close second is traditional Polo for men. If they brought Ginseng back I'd buy a big bottle!

8th February, 2009.

I really liked this scent as it really did smell like 'sang, unlike NRG.

I found this website and forum because while listening to the audiobook version of "The Perfect Scent", I tried to recall a commercial scent i genuinely liked so "googled".

I have a few short stories related to this topic.

I was taking a nutrition class primarily taken by nursing majors even though I was a chemistry major, and a young women sitting next to me was wearing the original ginseng jovan scent. I was surprised, as I had found the scent maybe 10 years before and still had some of the tiny bottle. I also spent signficant amounts on the actual root. I looked for her in the future, but couldn't find her. Meditating on the event, I think she was the Prof's daughter!

The other flavor of Jovan I once owned was Monsiure (sp?). I am male. I was in my first grad class with a potential advisor. I was an MS student. I had a finger tap of the scent on my forehead as an after thought that morning. I sort of noticed it in the tiny seminar, and when thinking about it, a PhD student, female, started acting like she was having a chemical sensitivity attack. Women are more sensitive to smells than males, but I wonder if they also psych out males for insecurities about smells such as when I notice my stinky feet or armpits, or as in this case my insecurity with my scent choice.

The Japanese company Takasago had a US HQ in Walnut Creek my birthplace.The co is mentioned in the audiobook. I was at a new U. I was at a talk by a chem depart alumnae who worked for Tak., first talk in a credit class related to industry expereince. The school was an aggy school and had a flavors and fragrances department, though I wasn't part of it. I asked a few q's, but the speaker was immensly hostile to me even though I had a Japanese girlfriend and the above.

Didn't JOVAN sponsor a Rolling Stone's tour?

16th December, 2008.

The original Jovan Ginseng cologne is wonderful. It really is a turn on. Sure wish I could find some. I wish Jovan would bring it back. It would sell like hotcakes!!!!!!!!!!!!

13rd December, 2005.

Not the same as Ginseng N-R-G, but better! Bottle was square and black, with Japanese characters on it, with a large round aluminum cap. Smelled wonderful, mysterious, and intriguing, like many of the other DISCONTINUED Jovan fragrances, especially Monsieur Jovan and Jovan SportScent, as well as Andron. Hey, Jovan, why don't you bring these all back, they would do well with today's younger as well as older generation. Do it!

28th August, 2004.