JAZEEL
The Palace

2021

PERFUMER
Shadi Samra

bay leaf
orange blossom
lemon
bergamot
cardamom

bulgarian rose
ylang-ylang
marshmallow
jasmine

prachin oud
sandalwood
vetiver
oakmoss
cypress
tonka bean
orris
cinnamon
labdanum
incense
cedarwood
musk

‘The Palace’ is inspired by the Presidential Palace of UAE, where royalty meets aristocracy. This privileged perfume indulges you with grandeur and opulence. Kindle your imperial romance to the artistry of intimacy.’ – Jazeel

I sampled the Jazeel line before and while Ghala was my absolute favorite, The Palace was the runner-up and I already gave it a positive review. The brand was kind enough to let me revisit it with a bottle. So why did I like it?

The Palace is a more heavy, strong scent, that’s not for the faint of heart. It get a specific mix of smokiness and florals from the opening. I was reminded of the slightly skanky opening with the rose from Areej Le Dore Ottoman Empire (III). Very different from the roses we often see in conventional perfumery; more subdued, stoic. A very dry texture, with a tinge of barbecue, roasted smokiness, but not to the point where I find it challenging. This daring edge does fade pretty quickly.

After the opening, there’s a subtle fruitiness, to an otherwise rather strong, dry, mossy fragrance. It has been compared mostly to Roja’s Diaghilev and I can see a hint of that (and Mitsouko‘s) DNA in The Palace for sure. More so, I get an essence from my beloved Ensar Oud Tonkin Musk in here, albeit a bit harsher and less vibrant and fruity. I’d argue The Palace is dryer and more floral than all of the above.

The dryness gets turned into more of a powder as it goes. Iris becoming a noticeable element for me once the dust settles.

As mentioned, not particularly challenging, but it does have a warm, almost animalic underbelly, with a lot of woods and moss. Something more along the lines that you find in vintages or artisinal fragrances than in your designer or mainstream-niche collections. Or as has been rightfuly stated by others, something that wears like some of the better Roja Parfums. If you like Diaghilev or maybe even Parfums de la Nuit 1 (which is definitely more animalic), The Palace is a good one to keep an eye out for. It’s not one for every day wear, but it’s a beautiful regal fragrance.