Before there were hundreds of cable television channels and the internet to amuse you late at night there were midnight movies. Back in the 1970’s on Friday and Saturday nights the local movie theatres showed a set of specific movies at midnight. None of these were current movies. They always fell into a category of very broad humor, adult animation, concert films, and one very strange public service announcement called Reefer Madness. All of these had the common thread of being even better if you were in an enhanced state of mind. Reefer Madness was particularly funny because the 1936, 68-minute film about the dangers of marijuana was so ridiculous it had become a comedy by the mid 1970’s. The tragic story of drug use gone bad was an overheated morality play. With that as background I had a big smile on my face when I received the fourth entry in Cannabis Series by independent perfumer Amber Jobin for her Aether Arts Perfume brand called Reefer Madness.
Ms. Jobin is based in Boulder, Colorado and I imagine with marijuana being legalized in the state it has opened up her ability to consider it as a versatile perfume ingredient. Reefer Madness carries the sub-title “A Narcotic Floral”. Ms. Jobin goes for a big overheated floral. It is an appropriate companion to the movie with which it shares its name.
Amber Jobin
Ms. Jobin decides to collect a bouquet of indolic florals with which to contrast the natural funkiness of the cannabis flower. Early on honeysuckle opens Reefer Madness on a syrupy sweet chord. Gardenia and jasmine come next and these are full versions of both with the skanky indoles front and center. This provides an excellent platform for the cannabis flower to insert itself into. As I wore Reefer Madness there was this interesting transformation as the cannabis flower rose in presence. Cannabis flower has that dirty smell to it and it would seemingly rise out of the indoles. There is also a considerable sticky green character which also came out. Reefer Madness holds here and it is where it lives up to its sub-title as it draws you into its hypnotic spell. The final bit is some authentic castoreum adding real animalic to the indoles and cannabis.
Reefer Madness has 10-12 hour longevity and moderate sillage.
Thankfully Reefer Madness the fragrance doesn’t end in tragedy as the movie does. Ms. Jobin executes her desired goial of creating something narcotic out of a set of intense floral components. Her use of the cannabis flower amongst the other well-known florals works. I do have to admit I called up Reefer Madness on my streaming service late in the day when I was wearing this. In the end the perfume made me smile as much as the movie did.
Disclosure: This review was based on a sample provided by Aether Arts Perfume.
–Mark Behnke
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