Plus Que Jamais by Guerlain, 2005

I've owned Plus Que Jamais for some time now and I've always wanted to write a review that would do the fragrance justice. I thought that over time and repeated wearings and samplings I'd eventually be able to pull apart and distinguish the notes and accords. This has not happened and I accept that it will likely never happen. Simply put, PQJ is stunning, and it is classic Guerlain for the modern day. If someone were to put a sample of PQJ on one hand and a vintage classic on the other, a sophisticated perfumista/o would not be able to distinguish which fragrance was released in 2005. What's so brilliant and enjoyable about PQJ is that it evokes classic, historical Guerlains while remaining unique.

The topnotes are a blend of florals and citrus (bergamot/neroli), the blend of which leans more heavily towards citrus initially but becomes more floral as the composition progresses. This accord, together with what feels like the slightest hint of amber, evokes the amber/rose Guerlain classic, Rue de La Paix PQJ's opening accord is wonderfully rich and full, the pungency of the citrus softened by the powdery iris in the background that evokes Apres l'Ondee (and many others). From the opening PQJ move to a lightly sweetened floral heart featuring a hint of rose (again, reminiscent of Rue de La Paix, Chamade, LHB, etc.) The blend of florals moves to a classic Guerlinade base of vanilla/tonka/iris yet never fully loses the subtle floral/citrus accord that runs throughout the life of the fragrance.

As is appropriate for a fragrance of this class and stature, the sillage is 'sufficient'. Were it any greater the fragrance would be out of balance. The longevity, shorter then I'd like it to be but not terrible, is perhaps the lone drawback of Plus Que Jamais, but the extent of this deficiency is paltry compared to the fragrance's towering genius. I strenuously disagree with those reviewers who find PQJ to be more appropriate for women then men. Rather, I find PQJ to be squarely unisex and very wearable. Two giant thumbs up.....

Bergamot, ylang-ylang, and neroli in the top notes: check. Honeyed rose and jasmine in the heart: check. Iris, tonka, and vanilla at the base: check and mate! While Ill admit I have no strong feelings one way or another on neroli and ylang, except that I find neroli-dominant scents boring (viz: Creed Neroli Sauvage), I love every single one of the other listed notes. And I love this perfume. I find it utterly glamorous, but at the same time flawlessly elegantthis is blonde-bombshell-in-white-furs material.

The first hour especially exhibits these characteristics. The top notes last about 15 minutes, and the heart seems to last only about 45-60 minutes. As the bright citrus and floral notes fade away, the tonka bean starts to become much more dominant. This transition is a touch bumpy, and for a while the perfume teeters on the precipice of dangerously unctuous sweetness (off of which Iris Ganache enthusiastically flings itself), but is saved by the dry powderiness which is characteristic of mellowing iris. Things resolve completely around the 2.5-3 hour mark, and Plus Que Jamais is once again stunning, and remains so for the rest of its life. Im certain that it would be dynamite when actually wornand in this regard, I must grudgingly admit that it is absolutely, unquestionably a womans perfume. There is no way in hell that I would ever dare to wear it in public. There is a limit to how much of the feminine a man can properly appropriate for his own use: if Dior Homme is a fitted pink dress shirt, Plus Que Jamais is red lipstick and stilettos. Maybe John Galliano could get away with it, but not you and I.