Jouany is a line of fragrances created by fashion photographer turned perfumer, Christophe Jouany. St. Bathélemy is inspired by the island in the Caribbean. Have I been there? Can I say that this perfume smells like St. Barts? No. But, I can tell you what I smell on my wrist.
St. Barthélemy opens with some interest. It’s like a gilded patchouli. I get this grapefruit zest with a cool, camphoric patchouli. Grapefruit tends to go “stray tom cat spray” on me and St. Barthélemy has a hint of it but not enough to make me dislike the fragrance. Things change with St. Barthélemy. It gets brighter with the juice of a grapefruit (instead of the peel) and a fresh, indolic jasmine. The heart is a citrus jasmine. The dry-down is a warm blend of cedar and dry coconut flakes. Coconut is in this fragrance but I would never call St. Barthélemy “tropical”.
I see St. Barthélemy as a nice citrus for cooler climates or a nice “seaside” fragrance for winter. It has some heftiness to it that makes it work in cooler weather and climates. In warmer climates, the jasmine really stands out. It could be a “patchouli” scent that isn’t too heavy for warmer climates.
Notes listed include grapefruit, jasmine, coconut, vanilla, patchoui, cedar, sandalwood and white musk. PERFUMER – Christophe Jouany
Give St. Barthélemy a try if you like patchouli fragrances or if you like perfumes like Tom Ford White Patchouli, Serge Lutens Borneo 1834, La Prairie Midnight Rain, Bond No. 9 Nuits de Noho, and/or Annick Goutal Les Nuits d’Hadrien. St. Barthélemy is a unisex fragrance. My husband tends to prefer natural fragrances and anything with patchouli. He seems to like wearing this one and it smells really good on him.
St. Barthélemy has average projection and longevity.
The 1.7 oz bottle retails for $85 at Jouany Perfumes.
Victoria’s Final EauPINION – A patchouli gilded with grapefruit and jasmine. I think of it as a citrus for the patchouli lover.
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