Jungle pour Homme (1998)
by Kenzo

woody tea accords blended well with spices in a tranparent way...i see Guaic wood listed, but it doesnt feel that way..longevity is average too. overall, not a bad scent, i mean, it;s a Kenzo, they rareyl go wrong. however, if you have a wardrobe of 80+ scents, you'd want a better reason to buy this one. definitely sample. a 1oz bottle shud be good to go...

Amazingly, this fragrance really lives up to its name. Almost immediately after smelling this fragrance, I was reminded of animals grazing on a dusty savannah. It is true that this scent begins with a touch of citrus (lime) on top of an animalic, cumin/mate, woody note. I was taken aback by it because I'm a younger guy and I'm not really accustomed to smelling animalic notes in a cologne (with the exception of Kouros). Some reviewers have described this scent as "sexy", but I would argue that it actually just smells like sex. It has somewhat of a musty genitalia and body parts smell to it. I know it sounds strange, but that is the affect of the nutmeg, spicey woods, and, I believe, cumin combination. Once the fragrance dries into the heart and base notes, you are left with a dry but aromatic fragrance with a hint of powdery sweetness. That animalic prescence has faded leaving a woody and sweet aroma that's hard to describe. Its not sweet like chocolate or vanilla; think sweet like a marshmellow that has been rolled through the woods picking up dirt, branches and some dry grass.

All in all, I am continually impressed by Kenzo's ability to capture a concept in his fragrances (Kenzo Pour Homme, Kenzo Jungle, L'eau Par Kenzo, etc.), but I would never wear this. The cumin/animal note kills it for me, yet it is the crux of this finely constructed fragrance. I could see a more mature gentlemen (35-40 and up) wearing this as a casual cologne. I would not necessarily describe this as strong per se, but I would say it has a prominent scent. I found the sillage to be about average and the longevity to be great. I'll give it a neutral for creativity and execution. If its still in production when I'm 35 yrs. old, maybe I'll give this intriguing elixir a try.

Jungle pour Homme opens with an appealing candied citrus rind and spice accord that evokes holiday baking without slipping into syrupy excess. What smells to me like an indolic orange blossom adds animalic flair as the scent develops, while the spice resolves firmly toward nutmeg. Tonka and buttery woods, especially guaiac, establish a smooth, plush olfactory texture that strikes me as the chemical equivalent of dark velour. Once the woods and nutmeg fall securely in to place Jungle holds to a linear course for several hours.

When it arrives, the drydown is a soft, coumarin-infused woody oriental structure, which while appetizing, is too dry to rate as truly “gourmand.” At no point in its development is Jungle a loud scent, and while I wouldn’t call it weak, it neither projects too far from the skin, nor leaves clouds of sillage hanging in the air. Despite the moniker, it’s a polite and subdued oriental that would not be out of place in the office. If you’re familiar with Armani Code for Men you’ll have a fair idea of Jungle’s overall demeanor. It’s undeniably pleasant, it won’t offend anyone, and nobody will remember it after you leave the room. If you like this genre, you might want to try Habit Rouge or Jaïpur Homme, both of which run along vaguely similar lines while packing much more punch.

This is a very good designer fragrance. It is somewhat similar to D&G`s By Man both in the way they smell in general character of high quality.
In fact come to think of it… I’ve been many times wondering who is that one perfumer behind the By Man, and I seriously now think that if it was not Max Gavary (most likely was), then it has to be O.Cresp.

Jungle Pour Homme is a perfectly balanced late nineties oriental-fougere. Wonderful mixture of sweet juicy citrus notes, warm spices such as nutmeg and pepper, plus powdery woods with smooth vanillic feel. Has also a very subtle, animalistic twist to it.
Lasting power is excellent.

I love the bottle and the box too, but when talking about the scent itself, this is something which actually could have been easily launched by some self respectful niche house.

Kenzo Jungle is classified as an "oriental" fragrance. It is, for me at least, very rich when you first smell it and put it on. It has a sweet scent, and doesn't really develop all that much. It smells about the same throughout the day. It is a very odd fragrance, but basically it is rich, sweet, and a bit flowery. I thought it was women's cologne for a short time.

Seems like a love it or hate it fragrance. Reminds me more of pine and cedar trees and Christmas time. GF Ferre Lui is remarkably similar to this funky smelling spicy oriental.