Top Notes
Apricot
Bergamot
Raspberry
Peach
Lemon
Heart Notes
Bulgarian rose
Carnation
Honey
Orris root
Jasmine
Lily of the valley
Mimosa
Nutmeg
Orchid
Ylang-ylang
Cinnamon
Base Notes
Amber
Benzoin
Musk
Sandalwood
Styrax
Vanilla
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Notes04/11/2021
Drseid
797 Reviews
Drseid
3
Taming Poison...
Asja (EdP) opens with a juicy ripe peach and powdery rose co-starring tandem with just a tinge of underlying subtle raspberry fruit before transitioning to its heart. As the composition enters its early heart the now airy rose takes the fore in a big way, as powdery carnation joins it as co-star with relatively sanitized thin jasmine and moderately sweet tonka bean adding support. During the late dry-down, the formerly starring rose gradually recedes and the jasmine vacates, unveiling slightly powdery vanilla and smooth sandalwood in the base that melds with remnants of the supporting tonka bean, adding a hint of sweetness to the mix through the finish. Projection is very good and longevity excellent at between 13-15 hours on skin.
Jean Guichard may not be the most prolific of perfumers, but when he *does* release a perfume one would be wise to take note, and Asja from the early nineties is another winner. Asja definitely reminds me more than a bit of vintage Poison by Dior, but it is nowhere near as brash or loud, swapping peach for Poison's plum into its spectacular rose and jasmine mix. There is a powdery nature to the perfume (which is partially attributed to carnation used in its heart and vanilla in its base) that bothers me to a modest degree, but it never gets out of control, and the perfume's positive attributes easily outweigh any concerns in that area. Where Poison defined the loud, bold nature of the 80s, Asja shows the gradual shift away from it in the early 90s, while still maintaining a lot of the same overall feel. If I had to choose between the two perfumes, I prefer vintage Poison, as it lacks the powder and pushes projection performance metrics to the limit (I *am* a powerhouse perfume lover after all), but Asja is not a Poison clone by any stretch, and it is a fine composition in its own right, fitting into "close quarters" situations with relative ease. The bottom line is the discontinued $110 per 75ml bottle on the aftermarket Asja represents one of the finest releases from the early 90s, earning a "very good" to "excellent" 3.5 to 4 stars out of 5 rating and a solid recommendation, particularly to lovers of vintage Poison who would prefer a lighter touch.
Jean Guichard may not be the most prolific of perfumers, but when he *does* release a perfume one would be wise to take note, and Asja from the early nineties is another winner. Asja definitely reminds me more than a bit of vintage Poison by Dior, but it is nowhere near as brash or loud, swapping peach for Poison's plum into its spectacular rose and jasmine mix. There is a powdery nature to the perfume (which is partially attributed to carnation used in its heart and vanilla in its base) that bothers me to a modest degree, but it never gets out of control, and the perfume's positive attributes easily outweigh any concerns in that area. Where Poison defined the loud, bold nature of the 80s, Asja shows the gradual shift away from it in the early 90s, while still maintaining a lot of the same overall feel. If I had to choose between the two perfumes, I prefer vintage Poison, as it lacks the powder and pushes projection performance metrics to the limit (I *am* a powerhouse perfume lover after all), but Asja is not a Poison clone by any stretch, and it is a fine composition in its own right, fitting into "close quarters" situations with relative ease. The bottom line is the discontinued $110 per 75ml bottle on the aftermarket Asja represents one of the finest releases from the early 90s, earning a "very good" to "excellent" 3.5 to 4 stars out of 5 rating and a solid recommendation, particularly to lovers of vintage Poison who would prefer a lighter touch.
