Joorie
Kajal Perfumes (2019)

Unlike the mediocre and synthetic Almaz (my previously reviewed fragrance on Basenotes) and alongside the pleasant and taking the world by storm Lamar (fruity exotic, radiant, musky and original) I appreciate a lot this lovely (unisex by leaning towards the feminine side) Kajal's honeyed/ambery aromatic-floral appointment which is a modern honeyed floral fragrance structured and based over a classic soapy waxy chypré legacy. This fragrance is effectively pleasant and well blended despite I suppose it is significantly inspired (but without being an equivalent at all) by several previous creations from important brands (with a bunch of shared common notes - with several previous appointments for instance from brands as Xerjoff or coming from the classic french and italian tradition as JpGaultier or Dior- as amber/vanilla, musk, honey, tonka, neroli, sambac jasmine, rose, ylang-ylang, spices, bergamot etc). Kajal Joorie starts sensationally intoxicating, futuristiccally turbulent and wondefully honeyed (mentholated, vaguely anisic, super spicy-molecular and floral) a la Thierry Mugler Alien (and not distant from Thierry Mugler Miroir des Majestes as well) but with a waxier more classically chypré vest (namely projecting in a contemporary way yet based on classic chypré formulas re-interpreted and fitting to a modern sense of taste) as ideally combining Alien with more classically ambery appointments as the fruitier Jean Paul Gaultier Classique (sharing with Joorie orange blossom, aromatic and mild spices, bergamot, ylang-ylang, ginger, vanilla, amber, musk, woods etc) and the great Cacharel LouLou (spices and aromatics, jasmine, ylang-Ylang, heliotrope, orange blossoms, a tad of resins, vanilla, benzoin, woods and musk). I definitely detect several honeyed floral/aromatic olfactory connections with Maison Francis Kurkdjian Grand Soir or Xerjoff 1888 and XJ 1861 Naxos in the air as well (all the former definitely less spicy and with their specific characteristics). There is a soapy waxy vaguely Victorian undertone in this initial radiant phase. This introducing stage is in particular honeyed, yet ambery and spicy intoxicating with a peppery mentholated and slightly heliotropic boisterous welcome projected by pepper, cloves and cinnamon connected to aromatic patterns as ginger and probably birch or lavender. Spiciness on this stage is stormy and just partially conjuring vintage Dior Hypnotic Poison (frankly more sugary and messy). Honey and honeyed nectarinic/heliotropic jasmine are dominant alongside aromatics, peppery spices and ylang-ylang on this stage when the key notes of amber vanilla and a bold patchouli are barely adumbrated but ready to jump on the stage. Along the way the former become commanding and ruling, just tamed by a tad of muskiness and nuanced by mild nutty tonka. Dry down is hyper femimine, "tamed" (less balmy and more "airy molecular") and sensual but in to a luxurious classy and vaguely dandy decadent honeyed way a la JpG Classique or Cacharel LouLou (which is anyway heavier and more powerfully vanillic and creamy). On this stage I get lot of similarities of it with vintage JpG Classique but in a spicier more kind of "airy molecular" way (with a bold patchouli, and a powerful spiciness waving around in the air, especially cloves and nutmeg under my nose). A beautiful mature "grand soir" (but at same time versatile) concoction which could be worn by a daring man but that is ideal for a super feminine fatale woman naturally standing out among the others for her radiancy and womanly charisma. Performances are powerful on my skin.