Fifteen years ago or so, probably not all but most perfumistas knew about the existence of that obscure brand. JAR perfumes were rumored to be uber-expensive (~$500-800 per 30 ml) but without the exact price because that information was guarded just slightly less strictly than perfume names or, G-d forbid, notes. And with just two known locations – a Parisian store and a salon in Bergdorf (New York) – not too many perfumistas tried those perfumes. Since then, with the raised tide of niche brands and exclusive lines, these prices do not shock any longer. Though, to be fair, I do not know either today’s prices for these perfumes or even whether the brand is still around. And I stopped hearing anything about them many-many years ago.
Saturday Question #135:
Have You Ever Tried JAR Perfumes?
I should have started with a more generic question – have you ever heard about this brand? But I decided to fold it into the current one. If you have tried those perfumes, which ones? Did you like any of them? Would you have bought them if money were no object?
My Answer
Out of seven perfumes JAR has in their line-up, according to Fragrantica, I’ve tried only Golconda (thanks to a generous friend who sent me a sample vial). To my nose, it was a perfect carnation, and I thoroughly enjoyed this perfume. And I wanted to love it, despite the price. But I didn’t. If they are still alive, one day I’ll visit the New York store and sniff them all. But Golconda will not be going home with me.
I thought about this perfume and came up with this question as I was wearing Guerlain Lui and thought that I liked the carnation in it very much – but probably not enough to try to hunt down a bottle of it once my decant is done. And this carnation is times less expensive than the one from JAR.
How about you?
Undina's Looking Glass 
No, and I don’t think I would want to – what if I did fall in love with one and couldn’t track it down or afford it?! One of the best carnations I ever smelled was Floris’s Malmaison (discontinued), but for some reason that note always gives me a headache and I gave my nearly full bottle away.
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For the same reason I don’t try vintage perfumes!
I wonder: do you have the same reaction to the scent of live flowers?
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You are so wise as love of vintage perfumes can only lead to heartbreak! Interesting point – I realise that real carnations don’t give me a headache, but hyacinths do. I love lilies, but they can overwhelm me and cause my head to throb, as can certain lily-centric fragrances. Those sweet little narcissi with their strong perfume never hurt me. Strange. I don’t suppose many commercial perfumes contain any real essence of these flowers, so some chemicals are really good at reproducing the headache inducing element, or add it as a delightful extra.
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I did, back when one of the decant sites had samples. I agree with you about Golconda–I don’t even like carnation, but it was superb. Ferme tes Yeux (I think it was) was rank, very animalic. I liked Jarling–a delicate almond/heliotrope–but similar things are available for a lot less money. I don’t even remember what I thought about the others.
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Most likely, the rest were fine but nothing too notable: we tend to remember better polarized reactions (love/hate).
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YES! Many years ago Tom from Perfume Posse sent me a lavish decant of Bolt of Lightning. I wore it to the dregs. It never even crossed my mind to buy a bottle due to price and availability. I’ve never had the JAR Parfums experience either but I do remember how swoon worthy it was for hours.
Portia xx
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I thought that if anyone you would visit one of the two locations while traveling. Maybe one day if we meet in NY… :)
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Yes please.
Last time I was in NYC we were at the department store but I forgot.
That would be an excellent place to meet.
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No, the whole “experience” and price sounds a bit pretentious. But I understand it creates for a cult like existence.
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“A bit”?! You’re so sweet :)
I would be curious to know if they’ve also reformulated their perfumes because of IFRA.
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Well, I didn’t want to offend anyone!
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I remember hearing about it – do you remember they bought out Crown perfumes, to use the bottles for project JAR? I had no chance to try the JAR line, and since it’s so beyond my price range that’s probably a good thing.
I do like a good carnation note. To date I think Bellodgia, with its creamy carnation note, is probably my favourite.
I wish perfume houses would do as Bourjois did with Evening in Paris-make one good scent that everyone could buy, and then have it packaged in a variety of containers. So you could buy a tiny amount in a nice but inexpensive container or spend the earth for a costly crystal one. then we could all smell good at a reasonable rate! I had to look up the spelling of Bourjois, and it indicates this was resurrected in 1990 by Chanel-I’ve never heard that before. Wonder how to try it.
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I had a bottle of the 1990’s Evening in Paris. I cannot remember anything about how it smelt. I do remember it being in a blue bottle.
Think I sold it in the early days of the UK eBay
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I understand the 90’s version was reformulated to be more “modern.” You can get bottles at the Vermont Country Store.
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I wonder what happened to 7 or 15 ml dab bottles of extrait perfumes as a class. These days only Chanel still produces some of them. Everybody else seems to have moved to at least 30 ml AND spray bottles.
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I have never tried the line, and considering the ridiculous amount of samples I order, it is surprising I’ve never even had the urge to seek them out. I think it’s because, as others have stated, I know it would be out of my price range.
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With $20+/ml MSRP, I’m not sure what such sample would cost… I wouldn’t want to pay for that either.
I mean, while I can imagining saving and splurging on perfume I loved, I would not want to pay for testing it.
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About 15 years ago, I did a perfume tour of Paris with Neela Vermeire, and she took me to the JAR boutique, a place I never would have gone into alone. We thoughtfully sniffed all the scents, but none of them caught my fancy. The one that did get my attention, and not in a good way, was Jardenia. I was tired and woozy from jet lag at the time and the earthy smell of rotting vegetation made my eyes roll back and I feared I would have to excuse myself to go outside, as it turned my stomach. Fortunately I was able to maintain my composure. It was an interesting experience for sure.
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Great story – but sorry about the tummy event!
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Now I will always remember this story! Considering that they don’t tell you immediately the name of what you’re trying, if I ever get there, I’ll suspect each next one :)
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The only JAR I ever got my nose on was Jardenia, from a sample sent to me from a fellow Basenoter over a decade ago.
Unlike Tara C I did enjoy its full blown, indolic gardenia. Yep, mushrooms, cabbagy compost & all!
Would I ever have bought any JAR perfumes? No. I would never buy anything so ephemeral that cost several months of mortgage payments.
I may be a perfume collector but I do have my priorities straight
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Not trying to dissuade you, but where do you get that mortgage? :) I mean, I do agree that prices are insane. But so is mortgage in the area where I live (SF area). So, compared to RE prices here, that perfume price doesn’t shock :)
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We’ve live here many many years & property was cheap back then. Lol
I feel for my adult children with todays property prices
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No, but I’d like to try them very much. I remember reading on Gia Fishler’s The Non-Blonde blog her experience of going to the boutique in Bergdorf-Goodman. My thoughts, which combine expectations from that report and The Scented Hound’s thoughts above make me feel: I would pay the price, if I had that “magic moment.” But I would not forget that it wouldn’t matter if, not having a “magic moment,” I was left with a sense of not really being able to appreciate the wonder. If true, than so be it and may all the lovely perfume find its rightful owner!
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I said it more than once: at this point in my perfume journey, I would gladly pay half of my yearly perfume budget on one perfume that I would fall in love with beyond counting how much more I would be able to buy for that amount of money. It doesn’t happen to me too often these days.
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I’ve read about it from other perfumistas and thought that I might brave the experience next time I get a chance to go to Paris, if it is still available. We shall see…
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Hope, we’ll read about it :)
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No, I haven’t tried any of this brand. Too expensive for me
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Something tells me you’re not missing out on much.
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No
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Ha, ha,, I love the succinctness :)
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:)
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Yes!, and I also had the strange and atmospheric JAR experience with the cloches. ;) I had to re-read my post to know what I made of them though, as it was so long ago.
https://bonkersaboutperfume.blogspot.com/2011/12/trio-of-bonkers-trips-no-2-belgium_27.html
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I very much enjoyed reading your report on your experience, bonkersvanessa! I do want to sniff these. Also, did you wonder which one the man who helped you liked best?
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Thanks, MossyBerry! I don’t think I did deduce which was the man’s favourite…maybe the gardenia / blue cheese one if I had to guess, because it was so quintessentially Gallic. :)
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Had to re-read the post because I didn’t remember either it’s content or that you totally ignored my comment back then! ;)
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Oh Undina, have just looked back and seen the unanswered comment, also one from Tara. Something must have sidetracked me that week, but it is still a poor show. Please accept my retrospective apologies!
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Not a problem! I know how it happens and don’t take it personally (unless someone systematically ignores my comments – but then I just conclude that I’m not welcome and stop commenting).
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I did, long time ago in Paris. Had trouble finding it because it’s very small and I only remember Bolt of lightning and it was amazing. That said, it never occurred to me to buy a bottle. :D That’s just too much money.
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I wonder: did they allow to apply any of their perfumes on sin?
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I believe so but honestly can’t remember now.
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Yes, we did try on skin! It was dear Suzanne who wanted badly to go, so although we didn’t quite dare, we three went, and the way I remember it, we had a lovely experience and found one each to love.
As Ines said, non of us were persuaded to buy, taking the prices into account. I am pretty sure Suzanne tried Bed of Roses and that I tried Ferme tes yeux.
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I thought that I remembered the three of you going there, but since Ines didn’t mention it, I thought I was mistaken.
Going together with a friend should be less intimidating than on one’s own, I’m sure. Though, on my last trip to London I managed the whole Salon de Parfum in Harrod’s on my own! :)
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That’s because, I’m ashamed to say, I couldn’t remember who I was with. :( My brain has not been working well last few weeks. Now Asali has said it, I remember but I really did need a prompt.
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Well done, Undina :-)
And no worries Ines- I hope you’re not suffering any long-term covid problems?
Your whole post made me curious and want to try them again
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No. None of it, experience or fragrances, sounds like something I would enjoy.
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I’m mildly curious, but i’m not sure I would enjoy them either.
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I have never tried them and I’m not sure they would be to my liking. Enjoyed reading about everyone else’s experiences, though.
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I think that with the rise of niche (and pseudo-niche) perfumes in the last decade, a possible appeal of that type of a discovery experience diminished significantly, even if not to consider the astronomical prices it comes with.
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