Le Jasmin is one of a series of soliflore fragrances from Annick Goutal (others include Le Muguet, La Violette, Le Chèvrefeuille and Néroli). It was originally released as a limited edition in 2004, and has been recently relaunched, again as a limited edition. Like the others, Le Jasmin was created by Camille Goutal in collaboration with perfumer Isabelle Doyen, and the notes include jasmine, magnolia and ginger.
A commenter yesterday described Serge Lutens A La Nuit as "moist, humid, sultry, alive", and those four adjectives neatly sum up its character. It is a jasmine-lover's jasmine, and as much as I love it, "easy to wear" isn't the first phrase that pops to mind. Le Jasmin is an entirely different sort of jasmine soliflore, and whether you love it or hate it, I don't think anyone could compare the experience of wearing it to being buried alive in jasmine petals. Annick Goutal calls it "fresh and sparkling", and I would add "playful and light" to that list.
Le Jasmin opens on a whoosh of fizzy ginger. A spray from a fresh bottle tickles the nose like just-poured gingerale, while a dab from an (older) carded sample shows a bit less effervescence. Either way, it relaxes into a bright, summery floral blend, lightly sweet and more soft than not, with just a touch of ginger lingering on to spice up the proceedings. It is dominated by jasmine, but does not, like A La Nuit, feel sultry, or like you've landed in a hothouse with all the windows closed. It is pretty rather than sexy, and if it has an attitude, it is casual. It certainly isn't something that needs to be reserved for after the sun goes down.
I like Le Jasmin. It is pleasant and easy to wear, and while those terms are sometimes used as shorthand for dull and inoffensive, Le Jasmin is hardly that: it is lively, and not at all run-of-the-mill. Still, I've never been as captivated by it as I am by A La Nuit, or even by Le Chèvrefeuille, which is by far my favorite of the Annick Goutal soliflores. The lasting power is so-so, but I don't find A La Nuit to be stellar in that regard either.
Annick Goutal Le Jasmin is available in 50 ml Eau de Toilette. For buying information, see the listing for Annick Goutal under Perfume Houses.
Such a pleasant review as usual, Robin! Le Jasmin is one of the few Goutal's I havent tried yet, but it appears that I should. I like how many Goutal's are so airy and evoke a feeling of carelessness. Le Chèvrefeuille is indeed great too, by the way.
R darling, your description of Le Jasmin could easily fit my description of another AG soliflore, Des Lys.
Both of them are fun and breezy to wear, especially on a summer weekend or during vacation. Throw on a t-shirt and a swirly skirt with some cute sandals, and you're good to go! 🙂
Hugs!
Yes, airy and carefree, that is just right. Do try the Le Jasmin before it disappears again, if you can!
Aha — I had entirely forgotten Des Lys, and in fact, that one I have never tried. Glad to hear it is in the same sort of spirit. Perhaps they will start cycling all the soliflores in every few years or something — so maybe we'll see Des Lys & Muguet come back as well?
Hugs to you as well 🙂
I have smelt a few Goutals but never one that I have fallen in love with. I do love jasmine though so I will seek this out and give it a go. Has anyone smelt the Chantecaille 'Le Jasmin'? That is nice as well.
My sister has a bottle of the Des Lys but does not like it has much as I do. (She loves Chevrefeuille.) I have only been able to get a decant of Des Lys out of her, but the next time I visit her, I'll try to “snag” her bottle!
This sounds delicious. I love that you did the Goutal right after the Lutens — somehow that makes them each easier to imagine.
Do you have any opinions on the Goutal rose soliflore?
R–
You should know I'm heading out to the Saks in exactly 37 minutes to sniff this 🙂
Fresh and light and easy to wear, huh…
I love this one so, so much. It is one of two or three scents that make me smile when I put them on. It is so sparkling and joyful.
LOL — don't steal your sister's bottle, R! I'll find a sample, I literally had forgotten that this one existed.
I have smelled it on a card, but the only Chantecailles I've tested on skin are the rose & the frangipane. Will have to give the jasmine a more serious try!
You mean Rose Absolue & not the Ce Soir au Jamais, right? If so, no, I've never even seen it at any of the stores that carry AG. Aedes doesn't seem to have it either. Wonder if it's a France-only? Or have you tried it here in the US?
It is joyful, M, and don't know why I like it but have never really entirely fallen in love with it.
I haven't seen Le Jasmine before, but I must visit my AG counter to see if they have it. Sounds lovely!
If they get into the habit of bringing back soliflores periodically, I so, so, hope they bring back Neroli. I was given a sample of it, and it is pure heaven. I wasn't initially impressed with it, but after a few minutes it blossomed and seemed to scent the air around me more so than my skin. To me it was lovely & natural smelling.
Oh R, I was so disappointed! THEY DIDN'T HAVE IT!!!
They had La Violette and Des Lys, though. I'd avoided these Goutals because I am trying NOT to buy Neroli, but I ended up falling hard for the Violette anyhow.
Thank goodness I didn't have wallet with me!
But Neroli is back! Have seen it somewhere already, I think Nordstrom?
Isn't Violette lovely? And if you haven't tried Les Nez Unicorn Spell, do try that too, it is also by Isabelle Doyen & a violet scent.
Must find! (If it exists up here in Canada that is – we're sometimes not in the loop on ltd editions).
Good luck! It is on the Annick Goutal website, and perhaps you could email them to ask where it will be distributed in Canada.
Now, this is a jasmine scent I must try. I think this weekend I'll go to Neiman's and see if they have it. **fingers crossed**
I have a bottle of Le Chevrefeuille and I adore it. It makes me smile when I smell / wear it because it's so light and happy. I have nothing else like it in my perfume collection and I have not found anything else like it. It's one of a kind to my nose.
🙂 Dawn
This has been a great recent addition to my jasmine family. I wasn't sure if I'd love it, but risked ordering it onling from the site w/ the best price (a site that other people appear to have had a lot of bad luck w/, but I've been extremely lucky w/ so far on several occasions…knocking on multiple types of wood). Am looking forward to trying Neroli now.
Le Chevrefeuille is such a perfect scent! Definitely makes my all time top 10 for spring, and hope this won't be the last time they'll bring it back. I wonder if I unfairly compare Le Jasmin to it…
Oh, you bought it unsniffed, lucky you! I need to try Neroli again, so far have only tried it quickly and it didn't wow me. If I had to pick 3 faves from the AG soliflores, it would be Le Chevrefeuille, then La Violette, then Le Jasmin.
Yes, Rose Absolue. I haven't been able to sniff it anywhere but am crossing my fingers and ordering unsniffed online, where it pops up pretty regularly. Neroli is available from Neiman Marcus, BTW…
I am becoming a Goutal collector…somehow Neroli, Chevrefuille, Eau d'Hadrien, all of them are just The Perfect Thing in the Austin heat. Betting the Jasmin would be too.
Good luck then, hope you'll love Rose Absolue when it arrives! The line does have lots of great hot weather scents. I love Sud and Mandragore.
This is one of the very few perfumes I bought unsniffed – and which was a full success. What a wonderful crisp jasmine! I just love it, it's so natural, not sweet at all but very natural and herbal.
And the lasting power is extraordinary.
I hope they'll relaunch this limited edition or make it part of the regular line just as Chèvrefeuille (which I adore, too).
Congrats on an unsniffed success — they are rare for me! Is Chevrefeuille in the regular line now? I thought they'd been releasing these every few years or something?
Unsniffed successes are extremely rare for me, too.
Frankly I don't know exactely whether Chèvrefeuille is “officially” in the regular line, I only know that local perfumeries over here in Germany still have it in stock or can order it easily. But perhaps these are only leftovers of the latest restage? Anyway I don't understand Goutal's politics of re-editioning limited editions, keeping you hoping and waiting that the beloved scent will come up again instead of either taking it away from you forever or giving you the security that it is a “regular” perfume.
I don't know why either, except that perhaps they do not sell enough of them to make them worth adding to the regular line (?)
Yes, you may be right. Bad luck for me that I only like the soliflores!
I have the lotion and EDT for this, and I almost like the lotion better. It is a really lovely fragrance, and perfect for hot weather. La Violet is nice, too, and smells really amazing on my friend. I think I like Des Lys the best, and wish AG would make more. Des Lys is probably the favorite of my whole collection for spring.
Ah, I haven't tried the lotion — will have to look for it, thanks!
I know it’s been a while since anyone commented on this so I don’t know if anyone will read this, but I just got a sample of this and was wondering… I love the initial burst of jasmine, but does anyone else end up engulfed by an unsettlingly BO-y cloud after the first few seconds? I keep trying with it, but with the same result each time. Not sure if it’s my imagination, or if others have found this too…?
Sorry to say you’re probably right…you’re not likely to get any answers at this late date. And I don’t get the BO. Sorry!
Thanks for the feedback, Robin – much appreciated. I guess it’s my own chemistry messing with it, then. Shame – I love the jasmine – will have to continue the search…
Hope you’ll find one to love!