MAISON MARGIELA
JAZZ CLUB
2013
PERFUMER
Alienor Massenet
pink pepper
lemon
neroli
rum absolute
clary sage
vetiver
styrax
Tobacco absolute
vanilla bean
‘The exhilarating and intimate ambiance of a confidential jazz club. Replica Jazz Club evokes the exhilarating atmosphere of a private club where the jazz music and scent of cocktails permeate late into the night. The elegant smoky scent of cigars fills the room as you enjoy the warmth of rich whiskey, cognac or rum. The tradition has been immortalized over generations – handing down the address of a private Brooklyn jazz club. On entering the basement bar, the spicy and woody smell entices you the animating and intimate ambiance. Listen to the jingling of cocktails preparation and lively conversations that interweave with the soft melody of jazz music played by a piano, a double bass or a saxophone… The Jazz Club fragrance by Maison Margiela captures the elegant bouquet of premium cigars in a mix of Tobacco absolute and pink pepper. The heady eau de toilette recreates the exquisite and rich aromas of cocktails with notes of Vanilla Beans and Rum absolute. The rich, woody and smoky notes of the Jazz Club fragrance captivates the masculine and exhilarating ambiance of a confidential jazz club.’ – Maison Margiela
I have to be honest and say that Maison Margiela was one of the more disappointing sample experiences for me. I bought a discovery set with 10 fragrances and most of them were uninspired and average. I do like the popular By The Fireplace, but the star of the 10 I tried was Jazz Club.
Jazz Club is supposed to be a tobacco and rum heavy fragrance, but interestingly enough, I get a clear coconut scent in the opening. Not a sourish, tropical coconut, but more so a semi-sweet, neutral nutty coconut, which I love. A hint of citrus in the first hour, makes for a surprisingly ‘fresh’ wear, considering what this is supposed to represent. The tobacco and rum are also both prominent, although the latter maybe less so, as I think tobacco is the more dominant of the two.
The tobacco isn’t really smoky or ashy and I could’ve easily mistaken it for suede. It’s not a harsh, nor a realistic tobacco note and the more this fragrance dries down, the more it becomes a vetiver, woody fragrance, rather than a tobacco one. It also becomes heavy on the vanilla in the drydown and it has a vanilla candle vibe. Combined with the sweetness, it makes for a more unisex wear that I would’ve guessed based on the listed notes.
Because of the rum note this smells a bit like the classic Dolce & Gabbana The One (Jazz Club is more tropical, more tobacco and sweeter though), which I own, and I love the smell of. The problem with The One is that the performance is laughable on my skin. Unfortunately, I can’t say I’m really happy with the performance of Jazz Club either, it’s not an impressive performer for a boozy tobacco type fragrance and I’d say it’s below average to average. I do love the scent however. I think with a name like Jazz Club it’s a bit of a mismatch and especially looking at the notes, it can throw you off if you go in with different expectations. I’m not sure if a bottle purchase is fully justified with the moderate performance, but it’s comforting and versatile and it’s a smell that I wouldn’t mind coming back to at all.
A good niche alternative with a greener tinge for Jazz Club is Olibere Chemical Love.