Jacq’s by Coty

Another trip back to the past, especially in Spain. From its iconic 1988 ad with the leather-clad motorcyclist and zipper, to its mass adoption in drugstores. It’s a robust splash cologne, usable year-round if you moderate the sprays; it projects strongly and can give you a migraine without ventilation. Designed to be the signature of a gentleman old school, unyielding. I was gifted a 250ml bottle in my pre-teen years, a giant jar for me back then, which I saved for special occasions. Some friends said it smelled like ‘a card game in a bar of old men,’ all in good fun, probably due to the anise and the strong green basil note. Over the years, through degradation, it turned floral, softening its roughness and seeming like two perfumes in one. It’s Mediterranean classicism, Spanish and Italian. A vintage reflection of an era. Today it’s around 15€/100ml. I recommend trying it first; this horse isn’t for everyone. Totally unrelated to current trends. I’m glad it’s still available and easy to find in any store.

It reminds me of the original from the 80s, the one with the square bottle, square shoulders, and small label, which with a single drop gave all-day projection. The modern bottle is rounded with ridges and smells similar but very watery, lacking the strength of the original. It garners compliments, especially from male colleagues at work. It doesn’t get compliments from women because it’s a clean, mature, and sober scent, not flirty. Ideal for the office with moderation.

Bought for 5 euros, Jacq’s is an 80s Perfume bomb. When I was young and colognes were potent, no one wore this at my age. Now at almost 60, collecting vintage, I stumbled upon this Jacq’s, my god, what a rich aroma, now it fits me perfectly. I don’t recommend unshaven kids wear this because the first thing they’ll say is it smells like grandpa. Grandpa? I’ve sold about 67 modern perfumes, including Arab ones, that NEVER gave me a miserable compliment; now the perfume life is paying me back tenfold since I started using Brummel, Agua Brava, Drakkar Noir, Kouros, Oscar de la Renta Pour Lui, Quorum, Crossmen… Now people ask how good I smell. The stuff nowadays smells like cow dung, 80% effeminate and the rest I don’t know. This perfume gave me back my confidence; I’ve been smelling my hand for 7 hours and there’s the guy. It already has 40 reformulations, haha, it’s now when I find Jacq’s like the ad, she didn’t find it but I found it. For 5 euros my god, what a perfume bomb, this smells like MAN with capital letters. Let them go to hell with kids’ perfumes and welcome the 80s/90s and early 2000s ones. By the way, it’s a joy to open and close the bottle with the sound of the cap and the glass screwing on. Cheers.

Good, handsome, and cheap. I like it, but my wife doesn’t so much. A fragrance that evokes a mature man, perhaps too much. In my case, great performance with heat and sweat. It lasts and covers up. It does what it’s supposed to: smells pleasant all day. These days, it’s not very commercial.

What a fragrance, gentlemen! This is bottled 80s. Mix Cool Water and Drakkar Noir and you’ve got a fantastic trio. The ad with the blonde on leather and a motorcycle defined a generation. It reminds me of Team A, Fantastic Car, Indurain’s Tour, and the Chanel Egoiste ad. I always thought it would be like Brummel or Quorum—overly mature scents. I was wrong. I tried it and bought it. It had a hint of maturity, but those citrus and spice notes were wonderful. My girlfriend loved it. I used to put a dab on love letters (before WhatsApp) and the scent lingered for years. When I take her to Mercadona and let her smell it, she smiles and tells me to buy it. I have to. It strongly reminds me of the citrus opening of Chanel’s Antaeus. The difference is that Antaeus drifts into an animalic side that feels like an old man in a fuzzy suit and green beret; Jacq’s citrus stays pure. I’m sticking with this. It feels clean, soapy, and incredibly masculine. If you’re a man but consider yourself a Disney princess or Barbie inside, don’t even try. This is for real men. Decent longevity: 5-7 hours with a massive 2-hour projection. Price: they almost give it to you for free. WHO DOESN’T WANT TO BE JACQ’S? 😁

Very happy. Reading a review about Brummel reminded me that Jacq’s wasn’t on Fragrantica for a long time. Without much hope, I just searched to confirm, and I was pleasantly surprised to finally be able to review a fragrance I genuinely love. This guy opens warm and spicy, citrusy with a nice pineapple nuance, then transitions without ever disappearing into an intense, fruity, camphorated, green scent with a subtle anise note. I confirm it smells like a clean macho, like old barbershop soap. Be careful with the amount! This Jacq’s can knock you out for hours without blinking. I don’t think it’s suitable for celiacs, vegetarians, lactose intolerants, or people allergic to cheeky humor. By the way, I had fun imagining that neither Jacq’s nor leather-clad ladies looking for him on their motorcycles would pass censorship today (I can see them being reeducated at the Ministry of Equality). I recommend trying it and advising you to turn a deaf ear if you think about using it.

Spain, €4.90 on Amazon for 200ml. A bit more and they’d pay you to buy it. A timeless elixir; reminds me of summer afternoons in the village, Team A, and a motorized lady looking for Jaq’s. Decent longevity within the perfume world; considering the price per milliliter, several designer brands should blush at their performance (hello Chanel). Classic but not outdated, at least for me. Among its peers, better than Brummel and Impact; maybe Crossmen is more elegant, but I choose Jaq’s. Quorum and Agua Brava play in another league. It was about time to have it on Fragrantica.

In Spain, November 2022: 200ml for €6. A gift from Mr. Coty. Notes of basil, pineapple, soap, and blackcurrant. Sweet and green scent, quite lasting: about 6-8 hours on the skin with a 3-hour projection. At work, a client wore it; I heard it from a meter away. I didn’t ask, but I knew it was Jaq’s. It suited her well, so it could be unisex. Won’t be missing from my shelf.