Arctic Jade by Agonist

Orange, Freesia, Red Bilberry, Jasmine, Cedarwood, Ylang Ylang, Raspberry, Sandalwood, Ambrette, Vanilla, Patchouli.

I suppose I knew, from the initial moments of application, that I would be underwhelmed by this fragrance. After multiple wearings, that hasn't changed and it's a shame since I held out high hopes for this one and others in the line I haven't gotten to yet. I did like Black Amber, so maybe this one simply doesn't work for me.

As you would expect, the opening is a fruity floral. It feels constrained rather than expansive and is reminiscent of less expensive endeavors I've inadvertently smelled in my travels. Not to sound harsh, but it's only taken each wearing 5 minutes or so for me to conclude that Arctic Jade leans generic and is severely overpriced. Pleasant simply isn't going to cut it at these price points.

The other stage of development sees Arctic Jade evolving into a floriental. I admit to liking this segment better than the top and heart. Still, other fragrances much less dear than this have a superior base and drydown while showcasing the same finish.

The intro of Arctic Jade is a Citrus-Freesia heavily accented by Raspberry. There are contributions from other floral notes, but they seem to stay in the shadows on me. Never does Arctic Jade become "substantial" and flex its muscles.

The Vanilla and a soft Patchouli become apparent at the onset of the base accord. There's also an undercurrent of wood and it's a subtle implementation. The entire personality of this scent is low key and what the name of this fragrance has to do with anything has me scratching my head.

Sillage is modest to average with longevity being approximately 3 hours on me before morphing into a close scent. A neutral rating from Aromi with a strong recommendation to sample before purchase.