Jazz (1988) (Eau de Toilette) by Yves Saint Laurent

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Jazz Yves Saint Laurent 1988 Eau de Toilette

Version from 1988

8.0 / 10 216 Ratings

A popular perfume by Yves Saint Laurent for men, released in 1988. The scent is spicy-woody. The production was apparently discontinued.
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Main accords

Spicy

Woody

Fresh

Fougère

Floral

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes

Aniseed

Cardamom

Nutmeg

Coriander

Lavender

Tarragon

Basil

Bergamot

Cinnamon

Heart Notes

Jasmine

Carnation

Geranium

Iris

Base Notes

Sandalwood Oakmoss

Oakmoss

Cedar

Leather

Musk

Tobacco

Amber

Tonka bean

Perfumer

Jean-François Latty

Ratings

Scent

8.0216 Ratings

Longevity

7.7159 Ratings

Sillage

7.4146 Ratings

Bottle

7.4152 Ratings

Value for money

7.450 Ratings

Submitted by DonVanVliet, last update on 10/14/2025.

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to

Jazz (2011)

Jazz (1988) Lotion Après-Rasage

Jazz Prestige

Tsar (1989) Eau de Toilette

Bentley for Men Azure

Safari for Men Eau de Toilette

Reviews

26 in-depth fragrance descriptions

09/25/2022

10Scent 8Longevity 8Sillage

manlyscents
96 Reviews

manlyscents

8

Highly influential masculine scent

Jazz opens with a bright and fresh mix of nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and lavender, then dries down to sandalwood and cedar. Projects well for a couple of hours, and lasts a good 6 hours minimum.

Due to availability in my area I got to nose Ralph Lauren Safari eons before Jazz. When I finally got to smell Jazz I was astounded by the similarities. Eventually I also tried the reformulated Pasha de Cartier EDT and that was even closer to Jazz, albeit weaker. I'm told Salvador by Salvador Dali is also in the same vein. Just goes to show how influential Jazz was in the early 90s.

When Jazz was launched, the designer perfume industry was at crossroads. Unfortunately most designer houses chose the metallic freshie path of Cool Water and Eternity over this style, and the industry never recovered. Just my humble opinion.

Masculinity Level: Di Caprio in Inception.

02/05/2021

9Scent 7Longevity 7Sillage

HugoMontez
81 Reviews

HugoMontez

Helpful Review 4

Spicy-floral Fougère!

I'm a huge fan of YSL fragrances, until the last Y line. That line is a bit disappointing to me. But fortunately, I have many other YSL fragrances to enjoy, like this gem here.

Jazz appeared in 1988, when Cool Water was launched and the world was preparing for a change. Fresh, clean and aquatic were the themes and things like animalic leathers of chypres were starting to disappear. Jazz shows a different path. Lavender, jasmine, oakmoss and nutmeg. A beautiful Fougère with Spicy-floral nuances.

Super high quality and very masculine in a classic Fougère way, but with a freshness that puts it apart from the other fougère offerings out there. I don't know why YSL decided to discontinued it but probably it didn't well in sales. In 2011 they re-lauched it in a different bottle but the formula changed and it seemed somewhat flat and watered down. I think it's now discontinued again or only available in some places.

Anyway, if you like fougère fragrances but want something slightly different and high quality, try to grab a bottle of this beauty. It's really fascinating how a fougère appears to be familiar but in the same time different and modern. One of my favourite fougères and a classic that would stood the test of time if L'Oréal didn't had decided to reformulate it.

4/5

07/28/2012

jtd
484 Reviews

jtd

Helpful Review 2

the fougère pre-Cool Water

Jazz is a great illustration of the point that the aromatic fougère of the 70s-80s had reached before Cool Water changed the rules. It has a warm spicy opening (cardamom, cinnamon) that plays against the artemesia that becomes noticeable at the end of the top notes. The artemesia holds strong and seamlessly ushers in the longer-lasting notes that define the heart and base, the coumarin, moss, cedar, tobacco.

Jazz has a major/minor chord interaction that maintains my interest as it unfolds. It’s a bit too blended to be one of the strident fougères like Azzaro pour Homme that preceded it and Troisième Homme that followed it. Still it is an aromatic fougère of the old school and feels warm and enveloping rather than limpid, fresh and sweet/tart like Cool Water.

Where would the aromatic fougère have gone without the ascendance of dyhydromyrcenol? Jazz, while lovely, seems like one of those genealogical lines identified by archeology that became extinct when the faster, more viable predator (Cool Water) was better able to cull its prey, the male herd of the late 80s/early 90s.

10/15/2025

Krmarich
222 Reviews

Krmarich

3

Sumptuous Sandalwood!!!

Jazz was the third offering in 1988 for men by YSL. It wasn't as massive as Kouros, but then, nothing will ever compare to it. Jazz was still very large and very potent. It was trend setting as well. I rushed out to my local mall and bought some EDT and several bath products that were offered.

Like a jazz recording, the notes stuck out everywhere. I loved the heady florals, yet there was something about the sandalwood that dominated this masterpiece. Nights were my favorite time to wear it! Otherwise, it was a very traditional leathery Fougere. Most of the time I would re-spray some because the notes were livelier at first. Yes, it easily lasted 18+ hours.

This was one of the last giants from the 80s. Its later reformulation that I picked up in 2007 seemed quieter. The closing lacked tobacco and contained minimal oakmoss. I was able to track down a vintage for comparison and indeed the changes are there. The original is from a time in my life that I would stay up drinking and dancing until 4AM. I guess the reformulation fits my life now that I am older. Today its gone forever. When I feel nostalgic, I give my vintage plastic bottle a spray and turn on some Miles Davis.

07/29/2024

10Scent 10Longevity

Suchel
13 Reviews

Suchel

1

Jazz A real man's perfume an "old school" classic!

My favorite perfume in my collection.
A fresh, woody Aromatic, spicy perfume which reminds me of good times in the very early 90s.
The bottle design on piano keys is spectacular. I own 2 full bottles and the old empty one. Masterpiece, I recommend it for those who are confident, open-minded, enthusiastic and smiling.

Enjoy it.

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