Top Notes 
Elemi resin
Green orange
Mint
Heart Notes 
Bitter orange leaf
Grapefruit
Green tea
Neroli
Base Notes 
Cedar
Musk
Patchouli05/27/2025
Musicandarts
219 Reviews
Musicandarts
1
A lovely mint and citrus fragrance - inexpensive though not very original
Anaïs Biguine is the founder of this niche brand from Paris, and their only perfumer. This brand, Jardins d'Écrivains, explores the connection between fragrances and literature, though I find that this association is mostly make-believe. There is considerable variation in the quality of the fragrances, so test adequately before you buy. This review was based on a sample vial I bought from Jovoy Paris, but it has been updated after I bought a full bottle.
Baltasar del Alcazar is a sixteenth century poet from Seville. Though this perfume is supposed to evoke the freshness of Mudejar patios of Seville, I don’t find any clear link other than being a nice minty, herbaceous citrus scent. The notes on Jardins d'Écrivains website are green orange, elemi, mint, green tea, grapefruit, neroli, bitter orange leaves, cedar, musk and patchouli. The elemi and mint make the citrusy opening unique. I am certain that its detractors will make a reference to minty toothpastes. The heart notes of green tea, grapefruit and other citruses is lovely, but not very original. Musk dominates the bottom notes with hints of cedar. I don’t smell much patchouli in the ending. The preponderance of musk makes the ending resemble a clean laundry detergent. The overall olfactory progression moves from a unique and lovely opening to a more conventional middle and bottom. This is a perfume I am likely to reach for frequently, but without any expectation of originality. Versatile, familiar, yet beautiful.
The performance of Baltasar del Alcazar is very good on my skin. The citrus, mint and green tea hang around on me for 4-6 hours until it settles into a soft musk. The projection is very good for the first few hours, very similar to Xerjoff Fiero or Torino21. It is a very safe office perfume.
If you are looking for a citrus scent that opens with elemi and mint, this one is for you. It is not very expensive as Jovoy sells 50 ml for about $80. It is not as unique and creative as Maison Francis Kurkdjian Cologne Media Forte, but it is also not as expensive. I wish that the mint or a similar green note stayed longer into the heart notes to give Baltasar del Alcazar a stronger personality. Despite all my concerns, there is still something very positive about this perfume, because I have already bought a full bottle.
