CREED JASMINE IMPERATRICE EUGENIE

Creed Jasmin Imperatrice Eugenie is one of the best Creed releases to date if not THE best one. Now, I’ve never been a big Creed fan and I had no preconceived notions upon smelling Jasmin Imperatrice decade ago. Needless to say I didn’t have high hopes but in reality it left me speechless.

Jasmin Imperatrice Eugenie smells unabashedly vintage – think OG MITSOUKO and SHALIMAR era vintage. Iconic and instantly recognizeable ode to the late 20’s early 30’s perfumery. It’s very resinous and heady, with thick animalic undertones, which is not what I usually think of when I think Creed. I ended up buying a bottle just to have this masterpiece bling-wink at me from my vintages shelf. Of course I wear it but not as often, as it can wear me on some days and I’m simply cautious to not smell of royalty when rocking baggy jeans and ketchup stained shirt.

Some people will find the opening of Creed Jasmin Imperatrice Eugenie urinal, as it has that civet-neroli-jasmine’esque floral start with a lot of acidity, and as I told before an unforgettable animalic purr. Gourmandistas would roll their eyes, vintage lovers would praise it, Creed lovers would still be focused whether they own the best batch of Aventus, net even noticing this scent existance. Chanel lovers would ask what you’re wearing because there are a lot of aldehydes at play here. I find the opening fucking lovely!

What’s even lovelier is the sandalwood base. To combat that potentially sharp bright opening, you’re welcomed almost straight away with a truly soft and pastry-like dry woodiness that you might know from Dries Van Noten Frederic Malle and Serge Lutens Jeux de Peau. Sandalwood slowly but steadily reduces the skanky jasmine and aldehydes. After 3 hours it is the sole star of the show here and my guess is that proper mysore sandalwood is at play here. And not in tiny concentration. 

Creed Jasmin Imperatrice Eugenie is a fragrance that is both nostalgic and wearable. It definitely gets sweeter as it develops, but never reaches the Guerlain Shalimar  level. I would personally relate it more to Samsara, but that’s my persona sidenote. Purely because of that prominent sandalwood at play on my skin when I wear it.

Following the classic buildup of vintage oriental scents, the vanilla, benjoin and sandalwood provide classic warmth, but there’s also a sort of slightly dusty green and peanutty vetiver quality here. Me gusta muchas mas.

Fragrances like this are challenging, smelling of another era entirely. But perfected and without broken top notes. Which, for me, is exactly what makes it worth owning.