Yasmin
Ayala Moriel (2006)

Beautiful jasmineSpiritual and uplifting creation with good quality ingredients.Great for summer.Medium LongevityThumbs up!Pros: Spiritual and upliftingCons: Lasts for just 3 hours"

I remember distinctly the thrill of being able to drink jasmine scented tea at the Chinese restaurant when I was a kid. At that time in my young life this represented the height of oriental exoticism and I think remained so at least until years later when I got my first Korean girlfriend. To this day the smell of jasmine tea brings back those romantic and mysterious feelings I felt back then. Jasmines and jasmine fragrances are all so different whether soliflores or jasmine centered or non-centered and this one, Yasmin, is different still. It smells delicious in it's tiny sample jar. On the skin your first reaction may leave you wondering whether Felix took a leak in the perfume pot. It's maybe not the cat pee smell of a good sauvignon blanc but it's not unpleasant. It's a healthy buttery cat pee. Indolic as it is there is a warm outdoor summer quality to Yasmin. Think of lying in a fragrant haystack warmed in the summer sun. (Maybe the cat is nosing around looking to do his business.) There's an astringent mildly bitter backnote also reminiscent of freshly cut vegetation. The outdoorsyness of this fragrance is entirely in keeping with it's being all natural. The "floral" note seems to float lightly over the vegetal background. You catch a little here and there. Unfortunately the beauty of this component like the cherry blossom is not long with us.
Don't expect the transcendent. Just expect a rewarding jasmine experience. Much more so than some of the jasmine absolutes available.

This starts out as a warm, indolic jasmine with hints of ylang, but the florals fade quickly on me, leaving a strangely bitter, woody base. The opening is great, but sadly does not last.

This is lovely! I love jasmine and have been looking for soliflore. I was turned off jasmine for a while after a mediocre experience with Shopper's Drug Mart "essential oil" (I was young and broke.) I liked Montale's Jasmin Full but it's a bit too strong and harsh to my nose, almost chemical. Yasmin is more rounded and well-balanced. However, since it's a natural scent, it needs to be reapplied or it vanishes, but I'd rather reapply than have it linger and get sick of it, as I do with the Montale.

This starts out as candied jasmine floral blend, with a hint of baritone woods. The supporting cast of gardenia and mimosa do wonders to add sweetness and roundness to the sometimes bitter, sharp note. However, like most jasmine notes are prone to do, the gorgeous first impression lessens with every passing moment. The soft, heady jasmine fades quickly, and the light, woody base comes out more and more. I like it, I'm just bummed that the dry down isn't more like the opening.

Yasmin - This is NOT a good jasmine. It is a GREAT jasmine. I can't think of enough complimentary words to say about it. Highest marks for a jasmine soliflore. I used to hate jasmine because of a horrible experience involving a cheap bottle of head shop essential oil, which I accidentally spilled. It is only because of my recent exposure to high-quality jasmine that I have forgiven this note. Incase you wonder where my tastes lie, I like Montale Jasmin Full, too. The Montale is paired with orange blossom, but Yasmin has a better partner. Gardenia is the accompanying note. Gorgeous, rich, full gardenia and jasmine--like putting your nose straight into the soft, cool flower petals and inhaling until you pass out from bliss. Ecstatic jasmine. I'm going to buy some of this. Enough said.