Jazmin Saraï is a new line of Canada-based indie perfumes that explores scent and sound. Music is the inspiration for the perfumes.One would think that music has inspired many perfumes since we do use musical terms to describe perfumes – notes and perfumers have their perfumer’s organ, but it seemed that perfume has strayed from that over time. Most popular launches focus on whatever they think will pass in a focus group and use “trendy” inspirations and buzzwords. Anyway, Otis & Me is inspired by Otis Redding’s Cigarettes and Coffee. As a person that has worn down numerous Otis Redding records and as a person that could define so many eras of my live with a R&B song, I had to try Otis & Me before I tried any of the others from the line. This is the one that caught my attention.
Otis & Me opens as a teaspoon of cardamom honey stirred in a cup of steaming Earl Grey tea. Throw a few dried rose petals into the brew. The heart is balsamic with chips of cedar and sandalwood. Otis & Me gets smokier and smokier as it dries down. It’s a woodsy incense with faint traces of bitter coffee bean. It fades into a sour (like buttermilk) sandalwood and soft, smooth woods.
I wanted Otis & Me, or a perfume inspired by the King of Soul, to be smooth, deep and emotional. And I think Jazmin Saraï did this with Otis & Me. It’s sultry and melancholic like Memphis soul. The bergamot-tea are the horns, woods are the rhythm and the smoky notes are the melody.
Notes listed include in black pepper, Italian bergamot, cardamom, Turkish rose, incense, gurjum and coffee grains. Launched 2014. PERFUMER – Dana El Masri
Give Otis & Me a try if you like spicy incense perfumes. Or if you like perfumes like Olympic Orchids Cafe V, Smell Bent Disco Nap, By Kilian Back to Black, April Aromatics Calling All Angels and/or Serge Lutens Chergui. Otis & Me is unisex, leaning more towards masculine.
Jazmin Saraï puts the perfume Otis & Me in these genres: Soul, Rhythm and Blues.
Projection is below average. It wears closer to the skin. Longevity is average.
The 1 oz bottle retails for $70 at Jazmin Sarai. Samples are also available for purchase.
Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Smoky incense, hot tea and spice. If you like the sounds of the note list and Otis Redding, then you’ll probably like this.
Want more reviews? Try…
Fragrantica – Ida’s review
The description of the notes here reminds me a bit of Sweet Anthem’s Nell–it also has cardamom, tea, and roses, and I love it, so my interest has definitely been piqued! Cardamom is one of my favorite scents period, so I’m kind of a sucker for anything with it, and combined with Otis Redding, seriously, who could resist?
I know I have a sample of Nell around here somewhere…
I love cardamom in food and in my fragrances!
Seriously, who could resist? It’s Otis inspired and it has cardamom. And it dries down to this sultry smoothness.
[…] Canadian perfume line that inspired by scent and sound. Earlier this year, I wrote a review of Otis & Me, a perfume inspired by Otis Redding’s “Cigarettes and Coffee”. Neon Graffiti is […]
Great song! I feel sad when it ends and keep on playing it over again. Thank you for sharing that and your excellent review.
I love this song so much 🙂