Monday, September 30, 2013

Ormonde Jayne Qi: fragrance review

The beauty of Qi by British niche perfume brand Ormonde Jayne lies in its tenacious subtlety; its low hum is heard and felt caressing the senses and enlivening any waking moment. Essentially a tea fragrance with a beautiful apricot-laced nuance of osmanthus blossom, it transports us to a serene scene featuring Lu Yu scribing what has become the cornerstone of the Chinese tea culture and ceremony.

The name, Qi, an ancient term evocative of the sacred breath of life, suggests the luminous and at the same time natural-feeling hues of a tableau vivant drenched in sunshine. The discreet character of Qi, with a bright green and delicately citrusy opening—reminiscent of the more chypre Tiare in the regular Ormonde Jayne collection—is simpatico to the sensibilities of the Far East where pleasure and joy is imparted through the most refined, the most subtle and sensitive evocations, like a softly scented breeze or an amazing dawn; but that doesn't stop a Westerner like myself from appreciating its grace.

Notes for Ormonde Jayne Qi:
top : green lemon blossom, neroli, freesia.
heart : tea notes, Osmanthus, violet, hedione, rose.
base : mate, benzoin, musk, moss, myrrh.

Available exclusively at the Ormonde Jayne boutiques in London.


6 comments:

  1. Julia16:47

    sounds delicious! could i ask if you think it bears a lot of similarity to osmanthe yunnan by hermes? that is a favorite of mine.

    ReplyDelete
  2. J,

    they're not that dissimilar, though I find OY has a more fruity touch (lovely) while this one is a bit woodier in the final stages.

    Do try it if you get a chance!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks for the post. I am planning a trip to London in a few days and I have scheduled to visit Ormonde Jayne shop and try some of their perfumes. My style is spicy / woodsy. I appreciate if I can recommend one in this line. Thanks so much.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Irene,

    hope you have lots of fun in London, it's a great city with hundreds of options for exploration and fun.

    The OJ visit is a must. I highly recommend Ormonde Woman for you (you might also enjoy Isfarkan and Zizan which are for men) and from the exclusive 4 corners of the earth line do give a try to Nawab, with its rich, sonorous woody notes under all the plush.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Miss Heliotrope08:25

    adds to OJ list (which is all of them - thank goodness birthday & christmas are coming).

    I adore Ormonde Woman.

    ReplyDelete
  6. MH,

    I should think you'd love most of the new ones, then.

    ReplyDelete

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