Palais Jamais (1989)
by Etro

A great spice fragrance! Opening is a royal mix of warm spices that stay very assertive without stumbling over each other as in so many other spice fragrances. The warm spice is supported by a light green wood undercurrent that keeps the fragrance from getting too heavy. This base is probably vetiver with woods or a vetiver/ black tea note, but the spice is always sparkling above this green woody base.

I first bought this fragrance when I was younger and loved the warm spice blend but found it too bold to wear to work or around others in an enclosed office situation. But now, years later, I appreciate the luscious blend of exotic warmth. It is a very upflifting and radiating fragrance. The spices remind me of some others, although bold, they never get dark and steely like Spezie or Espices Noir. The scent is not as intensely spicey as Spiritus Land or Coze but is in the same category of fragrance as all of these great spice scents. It is similar to Nasomatto Absinthe - an aromatic cousin. One of the best Etro has created in my view. Very nice.

If you like Yatagan or Parfum d'Habit, try Palais Jamais. It's of the same testosterone-drenched wood and leather clan, though it does manage to walk its own path.

While Yatagan and Parfum d'Habit lean heavily on conifer notes, Palais Jamais surrounds its leather with a veil of smoke. The other two are very much rugged, outdoor scents, not too far removed from the forest. Palais Jamais is more urbane: a shot of whiskey and a Cuban cigar enjoyed in a leather chair. Except for its brief, citrus sweetened opening salvo, this is a dry, and I mean bone-dry scent. Even the green notes at the heart are crisp and desiccated.

Interestingly for something so aggressively masculine, my wife smelled it on me and pronounced emphatically that it was NOT sexy. Too much of the stuffy men's club, as opposed to the caveman vibe? Beats me.

Unless you're a die-hard fan of this particular class of scents, you may not need this in your wardrobe if you've got Yatagan. If you are looking for a mucho macho leather scent with a strong dose of smoke, I suggest a test of Ayala Moriel's brilliant Rebellius. Now that's sexy!

Top : Tuberose, Jasmin, Ylang-Ylang, Mimosa, Violet, Mandarin

Middle : Sandalwood, Vetiver, Musk

Base : Leather, Tobacco, Oakmoss, Vetiver, Civet

(www.parfyym.pri.ee)

A marvelous, green woody fragrance with crisp citrus accents. Absolutely a great pleasure to wear during the summertime. Poetic blend of warmth and freshness. Smells very natural, could be used by men or women. Definitely unisex.
This scent reminds me of the way fresh and waxy birch leaves smell; bitter and sweet, slightly smoky and medicinal. Can be both soothing and vitalisizing depending on your will, this scent of contrasts deserves thumbs way way up.

YUM! I fell in love with Messe de Minuit and Palais Jamais at a store in Las Vegas. Never heard of ETRO before seeing these. PJ is leather in front of a smoky fireplace on a cold night. Pure high class luxury in a bottle. I don't get the tea, or anything green. It's not too light; not too heavy - just right!

I wish ETRO had a sampler!

Oh, yes, this one is a challenge. I rather miss out on the citrus in the opening but I do get the pungency— apparently, to my nose, the birch and sage make their appearances in the top notes. I like it. I like it very much, but I must admit that it doesn’t come easy. It’s smoky, yes, but that doesn’t dominate. It’s has a rubber note, yes, but that doesn’t dominate either. What dominates is a subtle but persistent green warmth that rises up from the center of the fragrance and maintains a central position with quiet strength. This is a challenging fragrance but I have found it well worth the effort to comprehend it.

Sorry, I don't like it. It smells synthetic (probably the rubber...I don't know if that's a natural tea quality or not, but I don't like it) and medicinal. I usually like tea frags, but this totally doesn't work on me.