JUSBOX
FIFTY FOUR

2024

PERFUMER
Julien Rasquinet

pina colada
cardamom
davana

saffron
chocolate
cypriol
cinnamon

rum
vanilla absolute
patchouli
sandalwood
tobacco

Made with creative direction by ThePerfumeGuy.

‘New York City’s Studio 54 has become the symbol of the ‘70s club scene, the pinnacle of hedonism where the jet set and celebrities mingled with uproarious results. The Fifty Four eau de parfum from Jusbox pays homage to this era of bacchanal abandon, the scent crafted as a collaboration between master perfumer Julien Rasquinet and The Perfume Guy as an example of what olfactory indulgence might be worn to the club today. Creamy piña colada accord blends with cardamom and davana for a sweet blast of excitement, while the strong, weighty notes of rhum, vanilla, sandalwood, tobacco and patchouli transform the bass vibrations of the underground scene into an energetic aroma.’ – Harrods

This is an ode to New York’s Studio 54 nightclub and it’s centered around mostly sweeter notes and b**ze with a tropical aspect. We have chocolate, vanilla, spices, but also r*m, davana and a pina colada accord. More importantly perhaps is that Sebastian (ThePerfumeGuy)’s beloved patchouli takes up a huge chunk of the scent. What it translates to for me is a surprisingly dry, but very sweet fragrance.

Dry and earthy. Not quite muddy; it’s not all earthy patchouli. The gourmand facets also feel dry, like the chocolate. I’m notoriously bad at detecting b**zy elements in fragrances and because Fifty Four feels so dry, it doesn’t register as b**zy much to my nose. It does have a certain tinge that feels almost indolic, but to me that goes pretty far in the direction of Tom Ford Black Orchid or more so Tiziana Terenzi Maremma.

While I think there is plenty of comfort to be found in the sweetness of Fifty Four, it doesn’t have as much levity and it’s not as playful or tropical as I expected beforehand. On my skin, it moves past the brighter, ‘cocktail’ feeling quickly and settles into something more serious. It’s less cocktail on the beach, more feet in the ground in a forest further in-land, covered in a soothing coating of chocolate (powder).

In my limited testing of Jusbox prior to this, I hadn’t found one that suited my taste, so Fifty Four is likely my favorite release by the brand. I’ve always liked that Black Orchid kind of vibe, although definitely more on others than to wear myself. Either way, a good, substantial release with a gourmand facet, that doesn’t just cater to the mass appealing gourmand trend.