Well, well, well, here lies a relic from the late 1980s before me. Well-kept but by no means antiquated, this green Jaguar has managed to captivate for decades. The ups and downs of the parent company - ownership changes faster than the top notes dissipate - fortunately had little effect on this fragrance. It has changed a bit, but its core remains untouched. And it remains undisputed the flagship of the automaker's fragrance division. Or shall I say the roaring jaguar? Unfortunately, other contemporaries have been discontinued, such as
Nobile Eau de Toilette or
Bowling Green Eau de Toilette.
But let’s take a closer look at this purring predator, another masterpiece by Thierry Wasser after
Dali pour Homme Eau de Toilette.
The cap is now made of plastic with a metallic look; it used to be made of beautiful wood. The bottle has undergone few adjustments, but still holds up well and signals the green theme. From the sprayer, one can expect a dense but very short spray cloud. All in all, a successful design language of English purism from the interwar period, which found resonance again in the 1980s. Yes, the good old Thatcher era, but more on that later.
This Jaguar wants to open with a mandarin-focused top note, which does not rise to the nose in a typically continental citrus-fresh manner, but rather reminds one of Olde English marmalade. And yes, here "old" is indeed written with an "e" at the end.
The basil invites you to a deep green experience right away. Carried by a slightly floral note of gardenia and a strong but short-lived thyme, this gentleman introduces himself and grins slyly, but not maliciously. He seemingly enjoys bitter mandarins, as they accompany almost the entire scent progression. Thus, there is a restrained humorous atmosphere, reminiscent of those rare warm and sunny days in southern England.
The company logo, which likes to shine polished from metal on the hood, has been implemented here in the form of lavender with rose geranium. The violet-green herb strikes a metallic, higher octave.
The garden carnation provides a slightly earthy, dry, matte touch.
Our gentleman enjoys the ride in his dark green XJ12 limousine, listening to Fairground Attraction's "Perfect" on the drive from posh Hampstead to the country estate in Nottinghamshire, and is glad to leave the M25 motorway around London behind.
„It's got to be perfect
It's got to be worth it, yeah
Too many people take second best
But I won't take anything less
It's got to be, yeah
Perfect“
The mentioned bittersweet blues ballad with older sounds could not fit better with the year 1988. In the United Kingdom, several years of Thatcherism have left their mark. Conservative and postmodern, one reflects on supposedly glorious times of past decades in music, art, and fashion. An enchanting haze in the spirit of House & Garden and Laura Ashley has settled over the affluent upper middle class.
The pace of the elegantly sporty four-door car picks up slightly without becoming too fast. The heart note has already boarded at an agreed, discreet meeting point and makes itself comfortable in the base.
Sandalwood and oakmoss - not listed here - reflect the solid execution for the car occupants. Everything smells so wonderfully factory-fresh here.
Nutmeg perfectly blends with the mandarin and gives the fragrance that unmistakable accord.
And now the drive leads through a forest with many fir trees.
There it is, a true fougère, very balsamic, perfectly rounded with the other heart notes, clean and well-groomed, like freshly shaved.
English understatement in the deepest Sherwood Forest.
Only in the last third of the drive does the big cat allow the ambered leather to be felt with patchouli, musk, and tobacco in a slightly smoky rendition, testifying to human desire. Yet even here, one maintains posture and self-control, as far as the situation allows and one insists on a rather soporific linear narrative.
Unless the object of desire has long since inserted a cassette into the radio and "Christine" by The House of Love is playing purposefully.
And how that 1988 indie song hits!
Suddenly, the nutmeg-mandarin accord takes on a seductive reinterpretation.
„You're in deep, pristine
With a God-like glow“
The balsamically clean fir grove turns into a magical forest.
„And the whole world dragged us down
Not a sonnet not a sound
And the whole world turned aside
The cruelest hand just turned an eye“
And a quiet desire on the leather back seat compels the loosening of the tie knot.
„Heart and the glory and me
Chaos and the big sea“
And so our Jaguar driver turns at the next intersection and takes the back road to, let’s say discreetly, The Concupiscent Fox - Inn at the edge of the forest and leaves someone else standing upright before the Union Jack to "Land of Hope and Glory" by Edward Elgar…
If all this doesn't hint at Archie Leach. Brilliantly played by John Cleese in the successful hit "A Fish Called Wanda" from 1988.
This decent, upright lawyer enjoys driving an XJ12 to court. His bourgeois home is dominated by a distant, snobbish wife and a spoiled, consumer-driven daughter. He plays no significant role here and receives little attention.
Until one day he is to represent a client who is possibly involved in a diamond heist.
But I won’t spoil the fun of the film here. It’s worth watching the movie!
A few remarks for perfume enthusiasts nonetheless.
Mrs. Wendy Leach, played by Maria Aitken, actually has
Shalimar Eau de Cologne on her vanity.
Jamie Lee Curtis, here as Wanda Gershwitz, excessively sprays herself before a rendezvous. Unfortunately, I couldn't quite decipher the bottle.
Oh yes, if anyone is planning a nice drive with Jaguar for Men, The House of Love has a Peel session of "Christine".
Have fun!
Top Notes 
Bergamot
Tangerine
Gardenia
Grapefruit
Orange
Heart Notes 
Cedar
Pine
Clove
Nutmeg
Patchouli
Sandalwood
Base Notes 
Tobacco
Amber
Cedarwood
Leather
Recursive Rose
RobbieX
Nik604
Attlas
LordDrakkar
Infragrante
Arman038
Stamatios
Charilaos77
Tobii
ChicoRoch1
