Guerlain - Jicky

Have you heard about Jicky? It´s said that she was an older English relative of the oriental beauty Shalimar. First Jicky was a charming girl surrounded by the smell of lavender, roses and citrus fruits. And maybe she would have stayed that way if she didn´t meet that Guerlain fellow...


Well, some people even called it a scandal. Jicky become different, wild and ill-behaved. Her poor parents didn´t really know what to do. And the smell that surrounding Jicky now... oh lord...


But her parents was hearty people and thought that problems where there to be solved. So they decided to send Jicky of to the colonies. To an aunt in Bomaby as a matter of fact. That would solve the problem they thought.


But no, not really. Jicky rumbled around in Bombay as a whirl vind, visiting the wrong places and hanging out with the wrong people. It could have ended really bad.


But then, a beautful day, Jicky meet this Indian maharadja guy. A really handsome, darkeyed and oh so beautiful maharadja. And they fell in love. The maharadja was swept away by Jickys spontaneous charm and independence. And Jicky was knocked off her feets by the maharadjas beauty and kindness. The settle down at the maharadjas palace at the Indian country side and decided to grow vanilla, surrounded by the jungle and it´s warm, aromatic scents. I´ve herad they´ve got a lot of kids also, at least 7-8 wild little one´s.


Maybe I´m not supposed to joke about Jicky? Here we got a perfume that in all kinds are of historical importance. One of the first ever to use chemical components in perfume and one of the oldest (Jicky was born 1889) perfumes that are still in production. But theres is little left to say about an iconical scent that have survived for over 100 years.


Jicky isn´t a big favorite of mine. I do understand that it is an amazing scent in it context, but it don´t suit me that well. The top notes are fresh and aromtic, but then that civet note comes and honestly, it smells like shit on me. From some distant I don´t experience it that way, but I´m that kind of person that really like to smell my perfumes up close.


After a while (hours that is) the civet note softens up and the basenote is warm, oriental and comfy and with some similarities to Shalimar. But, while Shalimar is a favorite, Jicky isn´t. Jicky is kind of a pale and washed out forerunner in my opinion.


Jicky sure is longlasting and as Tabac Blond it works on both men and women and it isn´t age specifik either. Jicky has that timeless character and I think it works in many different surrondings, but not on that big party perhaps.


Jicky is a must try for each and everyone that is interested in perfume history. As a scent it´s a key to understand how the modern perfumes has developed. For you that allready have tried Jicky, favorite or blablabla?





Pic: Small pictures