Perfume Review & Musings: Jammin by Réminiscence
Jammin is an English slang term for a newly released "musical" perfume by a popular French niche brand called Réminiscence. From what I have gathered from the reactions to my previous post about the release of Jammin, Réminiscence is a niche perfume brand that is little known or not at all in the US.
So why should I review a scent that is not exported to the States and that fellow perfumistas might prefer not to hear about lest it should create an unhealthy temptation in them to procure it? I think it smells interesting. I also know that perffanatics love to explore new territories, even in imagination, so here's to you and to your next trip to Paris or London...
Jammin is a rather unusual mix of patchouli, cardamom, and vanilla which makes it a green, sweet, soft, and dreamy patchouli scent with woody and spicy undertones. It starts off with a burst of grapefruit and then becomes deliciously sweet and intriguing with its pink pepper and cardamom spices notes resting on a voluptuous bed of patchouli softly enveloped by the gauzy veils of vanilla and Tonka. The patchouli is very much contained and evolves from hazy to creamy evoking the transient image of a cardamom chaï with savory accents. But this stage is very brief, more like a transition than a development. You may be reminded of Sira des Indes by Patou if you think hard enough about it but it's certainly not a copy of that fragrance, to the point that I almost think it's not worth mentioning it.The sweet, soft, creamy dry, and slightly powdery patchouli really does take over and guides your impressions in a different direction. The jasmine, cedar, and blackcurrant lift the scent adding some transparency and lightness to it. Cardamom is pretty prominent to my nose and I think this note gives the perfume a little sweet and green twist that is most pleasant while softening further, in its turn, the delicate patchouli.
Réminiscence's bestseller is a scent called Patchouli. We could therefore view Jammin as a tender, more summery take on this star note, but not just that. There is an effort at originality here that is perceptible and was successfully achieved in my opinion. Patchouli is a note that, more often than not, gets much maligned in certain quarters of contemporary society by people who got sickened by it in the 1970s.
As I have already noted, patchouli does however seem to be more popular in France, more so than in the United States, generally speaking. I think that it can smell divine. I still remember the sillage of a man I passed by on the street in Paris last spring that smelled of a very seductive and elegant patchouli scent.
The perfume is sweet but never vapid thanks to the supporting dryness of the patch and the liveliness of the spices. Therefore, despite the multicolored packaging which may seem to indicate the perfume conceptors wanted to target a young audience, it is perfectly workable for all ages. It will appeal to people who like their scents to be a little askew, different, while preserving elements of comfort and discrete, exotic sensuality.
Top notes are grapefruit, pink pepper, cardamom, and blackcurrant. Heart notes are cedar and jasmine. Base notes are musk, patchouli, vanilla, and Tonka. It is a limited edition.
Previous Posts in Perfume Review & Musings:
Perfume Review: Nina (The New Version) by Nina Ricci
Lalique Perles de Lalique (2006)
Perfume Review & Musings: Chypre Rouge by Serge Lutens & Sample Giveaway
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I discovered Jammin' earlier this year and completely fell in love with... to the point I got me a bottle. I tried hard to find a ressemblance to other perfumes but I did not manage to. Jammin' is pretty unique and all the notes seem well blended together, there is no predominant one (even the patchouli - which is usually a note one cannot miss- is barely noticeable here). I do not find Jammin' particularly sweet. The packaging is fun and targeted certainly towards a young crowd but I think it makes wrong to the perfume itself.
Posted by: Martika | August 2, 2006
Martika,
I also think that Jammin' is full bottle worthy. It is nice to encounter from time to time a perfume that makes you think it has a distinctive personality. So kudos to Réminiscence for that!
Posted by: Mimi | August 2, 2006
Well, Réminiscence is certainly new to me! How interesting that the frag. is devoted to music... it rather suprises me that more fragrances are not made with something musical in mind. (As opposed to fragrances from big pop music stars.) Your descriptions of the notes are such that I am 99% convinced Marina especially would love the juice. And me, too - ahhhh, cardamom and patch. *Swoon*
Posted by: Katie | August 2, 2006
Is this perfume from Jamaica? The red, green and gold are the Rasta flag colors, and Jammin was a famous song by Bob Marley and the Wailers.
The notes sound very tropical/Jamaican to me, with the emphasis on sweet, spice and patchouli.
Posted by: Anya | August 3, 2006
No, Jammin is just the name of the perfume and the packaging simply matches the name. The line (Reminiscence) is a french one.
Posted by: Martika | August 3, 2006
Katie,
After smelling the perfume I can say that I do not find it particularly musical but it's a nice thought. Perfumers often compare their perfumes to music.
Posted by: Mimi | August 3, 2006
Anya,
I think you hit it on the nail. The press release does refer to reggae and Jamaica. But it's not from Jamaica per se, it's more of a French take on Jamaica and Bob Marley's music.
Posted by: Mimi | August 3, 2006
Martika, thanks for the info that it's a French company. I found a link, and their graphics for the scent are set on a beach in Jamaica, with the whole red/gold/green Rasta theme, including a Rasta dancing, Irie-styling ;-) Having been a publicist for years for reggae bands, the immediate recognition of the Rasta colors can't be ignored.
Think I'll go play some Jammin, it's a fun song!
Posted by: Anya | August 3, 2006
Martika,
They did have the reggae reference in mind but, as you say, it's a French line first and foremost. I completely forgot about the reggae reference because it didn't evoke that when I sniffed it.
Posted by: Mimi | August 3, 2006
The French do love reggae, Mimi, so it isn't surprising that this perfume comes from there, an homage.
Posted by: Anya | August 3, 2006
Anya,
You know better than me:) I like Bob Marley a lot but haven't listened to his music in ages.
Posted by: Mimi | August 3, 2006
Good site. Thank you.
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