First, thanks for the invitation to "relieve myself of my opinions" on this blog, I appreciate the opportunity and feel I'm in quite good company.
Juliette Has a Gun is a perfume "indie label" that was launched in 1996 by its creator, Romano Ricci. The JHAG line of five scents is targeted (yes, puns will live here) at an audience who appreciates perfume as an art. Ricci has a reputation as a bit of a dandy... and has the distinction of having collaborated on the house's first two perfumes with Francis Kurkdjian. The three other JHAG perfumes are sole creations of Ricci.
I've tried only one other JHAG scent, Midnight Oud, which I find intriguing and may talk about in a later contribution, but the try today is Citizen Queen. I chose a very warm day to test this and was frankly a little worried it would be too much. CQ starts off aldehydic, floral, quite strong and powdery- irisy… with hints of the leather to come. Never too sweet, not reeking of aldehydes, but this one is no timid wallflower, and the opening notes are stronger than I usually like in a scent, but not at all bad.
In the heat, the middle notes absolutely bloom, as you might expect, but they are so pretty to my nose it is a sultry rather than LOUD impression, warm airiness but a deep darkness beneath it… not suffocating, just THERE. Amber and leather. Rose, Iris, Immortelle, are the florals, I understand. I admit I have trouble picking out the individual flower notes but there's definitely a good blend here and a definite iris "feel" and the powder is deep and almost incense-like "semi-sweet" dusty powder, not unlike the smell of dried petals of dark, fragrant roses.
There is definitely something a little "dirty" and salty, definitely animalic, behind all that, and it keeps me sniffing my hand trying to "find" it. Moving from air conditioned room to warm, humid out of doors, the scent "opens up" and definitely projects enough that I don't need to sniff closely, but still want to!
When a particular perfume reaches drydown and speaks to me with a certain warmth, depth, and a note that is elusive to explain but makes me just go AAHHHH… that's the idea! I know I've found a scent I could add to my wardrobe. Citizen Queen has that nature. Maybe it's amber that does that for my nose.
I think I might be able to pull the trigger on one of the "Purse Bullets" (rollerball applicators with 4 4ml recharges) of this stuff, without too much arm-twisting!
Scent: Citizen Queen
House: Juliette Has a Gun
Creator: Romano Ricci
Rating: 3.5 stars
Juliette Has a Gun is a perfume "indie label" that was launched in 1996 by its creator, Romano Ricci. The JHAG line of five scents is targeted (yes, puns will live here) at an audience who appreciates perfume as an art. Ricci has a reputation as a bit of a dandy... and has the distinction of having collaborated on the house's first two perfumes with Francis Kurkdjian. The three other JHAG perfumes are sole creations of Ricci.
I've tried only one other JHAG scent, Midnight Oud, which I find intriguing and may talk about in a later contribution, but the try today is Citizen Queen. I chose a very warm day to test this and was frankly a little worried it would be too much. CQ starts off aldehydic, floral, quite strong and powdery- irisy… with hints of the leather to come. Never too sweet, not reeking of aldehydes, but this one is no timid wallflower, and the opening notes are stronger than I usually like in a scent, but not at all bad.
In the heat, the middle notes absolutely bloom, as you might expect, but they are so pretty to my nose it is a sultry rather than LOUD impression, warm airiness but a deep darkness beneath it… not suffocating, just THERE. Amber and leather. Rose, Iris, Immortelle, are the florals, I understand. I admit I have trouble picking out the individual flower notes but there's definitely a good blend here and a definite iris "feel" and the powder is deep and almost incense-like "semi-sweet" dusty powder, not unlike the smell of dried petals of dark, fragrant roses.
There is definitely something a little "dirty" and salty, definitely animalic, behind all that, and it keeps me sniffing my hand trying to "find" it. Moving from air conditioned room to warm, humid out of doors, the scent "opens up" and definitely projects enough that I don't need to sniff closely, but still want to!
When a particular perfume reaches drydown and speaks to me with a certain warmth, depth, and a note that is elusive to explain but makes me just go AAHHHH… that's the idea! I know I've found a scent I could add to my wardrobe. Citizen Queen has that nature. Maybe it's amber that does that for my nose.
I think I might be able to pull the trigger on one of the "Purse Bullets" (rollerball applicators with 4 4ml recharges) of this stuff, without too much arm-twisting!
Scent: Citizen Queen
House: Juliette Has a Gun
Creator: Romano Ricci
Rating: 3.5 stars
Sounds fascinating!
ReplyDeleteI periodically go through kicks of wanting everything rose, and when that hits again I plan on sampling the whole JHAG line. It's always interested me, and unlike some, I've always found the way they advertise themselves cute.
Quite! And I think I narrowed down the "AHA" to labdanum and amber. That combo makes me quiver. In that GOOD way!
ReplyDeleteOh... and I ordered a set of their samples (they don't make samples of Midnight Oud but I already have one or two) so I can sniff again. Would be interesting to see how the first two JHAG scents compare to RR's three latest. (they're luring me in, see?)
ReplyDeleteNice review Actias ! I'm with you on loving amber and labdanum. I can never get my nose off my wrist every time I sample a frag with those basenotes.
ReplyDeleteCitizen Queen sounds like a winner.
Oh, and a belated welcome to the blog, Luna! :)
ReplyDeleteWelcome Actiasluna and what a great review ! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks! And yes, I tumbled to her charms and have a purse bullet set on the way.
ReplyDelete