Jo Malone Honeysuckle & Davana: fragrance review

Jo Malone's latest fragrance launch Honeysuckle & Davana is advertised as a happy smell and it most definitely is a happy smell. One that feels like fortunate news spreading through the peals of countryside church bells into the distance; smiles in a nursery when the little one first stretches his/her facial muscles into that endearing way that has caretakers have their heart aflutter; or of long lost friends meeting at a long awaited rendez-vous. The brand's choice to illustrate the fragrance with the girl with the canary is spot on, even if canaries do not dot the English countryside by any stretch of the imagination.

via

Honeysuckle & Davana is quite fresh and honeyed at the same time, and at that intriguing intersection between warm and cool which I find very alluring. There is an oscillating ribbon of white florals right in the middle of the scent, further cementing that freshness which blooms when the scent is sprayed liberally. This is a fragrance that reveals facets when used in excess, much like their previous Mimosa & Cardamom needs the bigger spray rather than the applying with a small wand on skin testing technique to fully reveal its pretty message. Compared with that other honeysuckle fragrance in the Jo Malone catalogue, Honeysuckle & Jasmine (1999), which used to be quite charming in its naturalistic impression of a fragrant garden at dusk somewhere south, the newer edition is more upbeat, with interesting facets that differentiate it from the white florals that are so screechingly taking over perfume counters as the "immediate femininity" index when the whole isn't hoarding under tons of syrupy sweetness...

In the drydown of Honeysuckle & Davana, we come up with a mix of an earthy note that might be attributed to Evernyl, but which is also mixed with clean, starched white musks (and which provides the very tenacious part, however those who are anosmic to some musks might find this undetectable, so try before you buy).

Jo Malone Peony & Moss, White Lilac & Rhubarb, Iris & Lady Moore (London Blooms collection): new fragrances

Spring comes as all gardeners know ushering showers and sun rays, clashing greeness against the budding petals, open to coolness and warmth, giving the promise of things to come. British gardens especially aim at the superficially haphazard, but nothing is really left to chance. Spring-like fragrances inspire us with their delicate grace and their emotional romance-leaning proclivities, but they have their own dare to contrast with the prettiness.
Jo Malone aimed to captured this juxtaposing elements mood in her new "London Blooms" trio of fragrances. The new Jo Malone scents are presented in a Limited Edition collection launching in March 2012, adorned by vintage-style botanical drawings, reflecting the spirit of modern gardens.

The London Blooms LE collection includes:

Peony & Moss
A contrast of the dainty and the dirty. Delicate peony, clad in the moist earthiness of moss. Laced with
cordial-intense cassis. Encircled with ivy. A fragrance of gossamer lightness, grounded in rich verdancy.

White Lilac & Rhubarb
A celebration of seductive contrasts beloved by modern gardeners. Tart-vibrant rhubarb cuts through
delicate florals. The softness of lilac. The femininity of rose. And the almond - scent of sun-loving heliotrope.

Iris & Lady Moore
A fascinating mingling of spicy-fresh, common-or-garden geranium and noble iris, powdery
and poised. Two characterful purple florals, rustling above an elegant dry-grass bed of vetiver.

Limited edition. Available from March 2012.

$110 US / $125 CAN for each 100ml Cologne.

London Blooms will be available at Jo Malone Shops, jomalone.com, Bergdorf Goodman,Neiman Marcus and select Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale’s, and Nordstrom stores nationwide.

Available exclusively at Holt Renfrew in Canada.

info on notes, availability & prices via press release

Jo Malone Tea Collection: fragrance reviews

Henry James wrote "There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as an afternoon tea." There are indeed few indulgences more easily satisfying than warming my hands on a hot gàiwǎnof aromatic tea on a cold and gloomy day; letting the steam of clove-laced tea rise and dissipate in front of my eyes at a tea salon waiting for friends to arrive for an afternoon snack (my favourite is in the elegantly historic Grande Bretagne hotel, Athens); or sipping jasmine tea with mint on my verandah in the hours when the sun is setting into the sea in summer, an orange disk sizzling -as I imagine- as it meets the blue waters.

The new Tea Collection by Jo Malone promised to ignite at least some of those memories at the spritz of an elegant sparse bottle: In part it delivers, while in other parts there are some elements left to be desired, but this portfolio composed by perfumer Christine Nagel. "The ceremony of tea is a timeless, simple and authentic practice, but in relation to fragrance, surprising and original” says Nagel.


The overall character of the Limited edition Tea Collection is one of light, diffusive fragrances which rely on a somewhat simplistic composition, meant to be used for layering or to satisfy a specific craving for ambient music to one's nose; typically Jo Malone concept. In short, if you prefer the more baroque formula of Five o' clock au Gingembre by Lutens or L'Artisan's Tea for Two with its smoky, tarry undercurrent, these tea scents by Jo Malone might prove to be too transparent, lacking the robust character you seek. But if you want refreshing and -sometimes- cuddly spritzes to lift your spirits on a day that just doesn't go the way you wanted it to go, they're easy and mood-altering scents that might fit the bill.

The Jo Malone Tea Collection includes 5 fragrances:
Assam & Grapefruit,
Earl Grey & Cucumber,
Sweet Milk,
Sweet Lemon,
Fresh Mint Leaf

To beging from the bottom up, Sweet Lemon as well as Fresh Mint Leaf are extra refreshing formulae, meant to be savoured best on a hot summer day, respectively emphasizing the properties of sweet-sour contrasts in the rind of lemon and the fuzziness of peaches; and the piquant, slightly spicy (peppery basil) note that is as cool as a Wringley mint gum respectively. I would suspect that paired with the bright and lively Roses in the Jo Malone line that latter Fresh Mint Leaf would make a killer masculine combination or one which more adventurous females might investigate for warm weather wearing.

Assam & Grapefuit is a pleasurable twist on the tarry aroma of black tea under the naturally sulfurous qualities of grapefruit: If cult classic Pamplelune has always impressed you with its realistic grapefruit aroma, but you were wary of the sweaty aspects it might project, Assam & Grapefruit provides a bit of that sting without the humiliation of not knowing if you're offensive to others. The pairing of malty-smelling tea with citric notes is a given, the fruit making the aromatic notes rise to the surface. Which is why Earl Grey tea is such a success too (to the point that it's a pop reference in Star Trek): the bergamot oils used to flavour it bring an aesthetic rounding of its notes into a tune as melodic as one coming from an harp! In Jo Malone's Earl Grey & Cucumber however the balance of a classic blend is tilted and the resulting effect is quite intriguing: The flavour of a good bergamot-laced Earl Grey is there but the freshness here comes not by citrus as would have been expected, but via aquatic notes, masquerading as "cucumber" (and I suspect violet leaves too, as in Fresh's Baies & Cucumber). The reference of course is the famous cucumber sandwiches which are served by the British accompanying a hot tea cup. It's an excellent example of how context makes all the difference, as the bergamot note takes on an almost sensual role amidst the watery freshness of the fragrance formula.
Warm Milk on the other hand, although predictable (it's exactly what its name suggests, a soft-core sort of tea with condensed milk to take to bed and cuddle up) is pleasurable, definitely a skin scent and very long lasting. It's probably what most lovers of light gourmands or light woodies would gravitate to!

Perhaps what's missing from such a quintessentially British brand (though bought out by Lauder in recent years) is a "London Fog" fragrance: bergamot laced tea notes alongside warm milkiness and a hint of vanilla syrup. The building blocks are already in the lab, all that's left is for them to cut the deck once more!

Notes for Jo Malone Assam & Grapefruit:
Top notes: grapefruit, violet, rhubarb
Heart: Assam tea, rose, cardamom
Base: patchouli, musk, almond
Notes for Jo Malone Earl Grey & Cucumber:
Top notes: bergamot, apple, jasmine, water notes
Heart: angelica, cucumber, davana
Base: beeswax, vanilla, cedar and musk
Notes for Jo Malone Sweet Lemon:
Top notes: lemon, bergamot, rhubarb
Heart: pineapple, freesia, peach
Base: cypress, musk, cedar

Notes for Jo Malone Fresh Mint Leaf:
Top notes: basil, mint, bergamot
Heart: water jasmine, rhubarb
Base: mate, musk, cedar
Notes for Jo Malone Warm Milk:
Top notes: star anise, heliotrope, bergamot
Heart: milk, caramel
Base: vanilla, almond, musk

Available at Jo Malone counters in 30ml/1oz bottles, extremely limited edition (grab them while they're hot!), from March 2011.

top pic via le petit ogre

Jo Malone launches new line, English Pear & Freesia new fragrance

Some years after being sold to the Lauder Group, Jo Malone, the doyenne of prim British elegance in skincare and fragrancing, is set to launch a new line of fragrances, seemingly under the creative aegis of perfumer Christine Nagel. Jo, now 46, sold her company to Estée Lauder in 1999 in what can only be described as the “deal of a lifetime” (figure is rumoured to be £5 million) for the high-school drop-out who is self-professedly "seriously dyslexic". She stayed on in a creative capacity, but in 2003 Jo was diagnosed with breast cancer which necessitated chemotherapy and some serious focusing on her own life. Now, healthy and strong again, she's back in business! Her next venture, another foray into the fragrance market that remains tightly under wraps for now ~well, not anymore~ will start as the first one did at the dining-room table: "“I gave my clients little bottles of home-made nutmeg and ginger bath oil as a thank you” says Malone recounting her first attempts at fragrance creation for her facials clients who were clamouring for setting an appointment with her and her magic fingers.

The first installment in this new fragrance collection, which will be spanning the next two years, will be English Pear & Freesia, for which Christine Nagel describes the note that she wanted to capture, as "the fragrance of a King William pear just before it becomes over-ripe. The intention was to capture the smell of the fruit when it was sweet but still crisp, not too green and sharp but not sugary and soft". To boost the effect there are also notes of freesia, quince and a subtle hint of patchouli. Pear too timid to take center stage? More like a technical issue, really, taking in mind pear notes usually come from the flavouring side of the industry.

"It's unusual for a pear to take centre stage in a fragrance*, but the essence of English Pear & Freesia is a complex and quintessentially autumnal pear note. My challenge was in recreating the scent of a pear at that moment of perfect ripeness" says Nagel. Apparently, the September launch isn't random. It is John Keats and his immortal "To Autumn" ode that has served as an inspiration behind the new fragrance. No wonder the launch took place to Hampstead and Keats' house. [source]
Alexis Wolfer already characterises English Pear & Freesia as "delicious and mixes well with many other Jo scents!"

More info soon at Jo Malone online.

*Two that do are Lamb by G.Stefani and Petite Cherie by Annick Goutal.

C.Nagel quotes via Basenotes
Photos via luirig.altervista.org and deliciousmagazine.co.uk

Christmas '09 Gifts Ideas: Jo Malone

Jo Malone is spoiling us rotten this Christmas with nifty gifts and sets encased in their delicious waffle-like, chic packaging. Here is the round-up for your ease, take notes:



TEA BOX DELUXE CANDLE COLLECTION A suite of three Deluxe Candles are presented in a stately cream-coloured box accompanied with a silver-plated wick trimmer, candle snuffer and key. The Collection features Eau De Cologne, Parma Violets and Sweet Almond Macaroon Deluxe Candles; each candle includes an engraved Jo Malone Candle Lid. 3x400g for 395 $US

SCENTED TRAVEL CANDLES Add the finishing touches to your home by decorating the interior with the delicious scents of Amber & Sweet Orange, Grapefruit, Lime Blossom and Orange Blossom. Sold individually the travel candles are easy to get anyplace to add an ambience of style, sophistication and warmth in any room. Each Candle is 60g for 35$


COLOGNE COLLECTION The Cologne Collection celebrates the artistry of scent through six colognes in small atomisers in a luxurious box, allowing perfume lovers to get to know the Jo Malone line intimately. The scents may be worn alone or layered to create unique combinations. The collection includes Grapefruit, Nectarine Blossom & Honey, Pomegranate Noir, Sweet Lime & Cedar, Lime Basil & Mandarin and White Jasmine & Mint. 6 sprays x 9ml for 95$

BATH OIL COLLECTION An invitation to unwind via aroma. Six glass decanterswith six different scents to be used alone or in comvination. The collection includes Grapefruit, Nectarine Blossom & Honey, Pomegranate Noir, Sweet Lime & Cedar, Lime Basil & Mandarin and White Jasmine & Mint. 6 vials x30ml for 85$

LIME BASIL & MANDARIN fRAGRANCE CHRONICLE™ The Lime Basil & Mandarin fragrance Chronicle™ is a new idea: Combine accords to the classic rich citrus formula embellished with notes of aromatic herbs and sensual woods to create your very own compelling signature scent. Transform Lime Basil & Mandarin with the accords of Mandarin, Sweet Basil and Amberwood. The Chronicle includes Lime Basil & Mandarin Cologne 30ml, Mandarin Cologne Accord 9ml, Sweet Basil Cologne Accord 9ml, Amberwood Cologne Accord 9ml, all for 95$.

POMEGRANATE NOIR PAMPER KIT The limited-edition Pamper Kit includes Bath Oil, Shimmer Body Powder and Body Crème, all with the mysterious, regal scent of Pomegranate Noir.
Presented in the Jo Malone signature gift box the kit includes Bath Oil Glass Decanter 200ml, Shimmer Body Powder with Ultra Luxe Puff 70g, and Body Crème 175ml for 245$

POMEGRANATE NOIR DELUXE CANDLE Combining the sweet, fruity notes of raspberry, pink pepper and pomegranate with patchouli, frankincense and spicy woods, it comes with an engraved Jo Malone Candle Lid presented in a Jo Malone signature gift box. 400g for 130$

PINE & EUCALYPTUS COLLECTION Savor the season with Pine & Eucalyptus, a limited-edition scent from Jo Malone. The crisp aroma of pine is entwined with velvety eucalyptus to evoke the sense of winter. The Collection includes: Bath Soaps 3 x 100g 50$, Bath Oil 250ml 60$, Living Cologne 200ml for 95$, Home Candle 200g for 65$, Luxury Candle 2.5kg for 345$

Available at Jo Malone Shops, http://www.jomalone.com/, Bergdorf Goodman and in select Neiman Marcus and Saks fifth Avenue stores.

Info via press release. Pic of Christmas display via katie-d-i-d.blogspot.com

Jo Malone Vanilla & Anise: fragrance review

In contemplating the newest Jo Malone fragrance, Vanilla & Anise, one reverts to an overview of the brand, originally founded by one resourceful English woman and now owned by the gigantic Lauder group.

One of the ~superficial, you might judge~ attractions of the Jo Malone brand for me personally has always been that delicious waffle-toned packaging with the black, scented tissue paper and the matching ribbon-tied rectangular boxes: pure class and understated luxury at the drop of (the exactly right) panama hat. No big logos on the carrier bag, no glaring exhibits of glitz. The stacked-up bottles in the boutiques (like the one I had visited in London) make for the deeply satisfying feeling one gets when they manage to uniformly bind a collection of books in personally initialized leather: arguably my own library needs some work towards that end, as only a fraction has received that treatment yet, but I live in hope! Still Jo Malone's library of fragrances presents the same expectations: classy exteriors with contents to be savouringly explored.

The line has so far presented a division of sorts in its pleiad of offerings: there are the Jane Austens, full of sunlight, social banter and light character studies (French Lime Blossom, Lime Basil and Mandarin, Jasmine & Honeysuckle); and there are the Dostoyevsky-wannabes (Pomegranate Noir, 154, Wild Fig & Cassis, Nutmeg & Ginger). Unfortunately sometimes the latter resemble The Gambler, a dare of the Russian master to write up a novella in a month while simultaneously immersed in his famous masterpiece: they take place in Roulettenberg! Vanilla & Anise is placed someplace between the two: its intentions and onoma allude to the latter while the scent itself to the former.

Vanilla as a note seems to be experiencing a revival in niche and upscale brands with the innovative and ultra-luxurious Vanille Galante by Hermès {review link}, along with the newest Havana Vanille by L'Artisan {info here}, a reworking on their vanilla notion, many years after the candy-cotton ethylmaltol innovation of their ice-cream cone hologram Vanilia. I am saying a revival in the niche and upscale brands specifically, because the mainstream sector never abandonded their romantic notions of vanilla being an aphrodisiac; a snowballing concept to be brought to its rightful source: Guerlain and their great classics. The rewoking of vanilla in modern creations is a fresh approach of cleverly interwoven cool and warm facets, resembling changeant fabrics and eschewing the simplistic ice-cream flavourings that have occupied the lower end of the market for more than a decade now.

Per Jo Malone Vanilla & Anise is intended to “transport you to the floral valleys of Madagascar the moment that vanilla orchids bloom at day-break” since regardless of the fact that the vanilla orchid originated in Mexico, it is Madagascar which is today’s largest producer of vanilla. Curiously enough the scent isn't dominated by either vanilla or (star) anise, no matter the gourmand allusions these two might insinuate by their culinary proclivities. The surprise hiding under one of Malone's most successful creations, Lime Basil and Mandarin, has always been the peeking of an unexpected edginess under the greeting familiarity and this element has sneaked its way in Vanilla & Anise as well. In this case it is the bittersweet effect of the oleander note (and perhaps coumarinic accents) alongside the intense citrus touches (bergamot, neroli) clearly discernible, giving a decidedly summer feeling of vacationing at a resort someplace warm. If Hermès hadn't already issued the magnificent Vanille Galante one season ago with its predominatly lily-esque petal softness, I would have been marvelling at the new approach and applauding the delicate, meringue treatment rendered here, all crispy exteriors and airy insides. Nevertheless, given the fact that they already have in a most successful way artistically, I am less impressed the second time around.
Still, Vanilla & Anise should please those hankering after a luminous, air-spun lightly sweet fragrance with discreet floral touches, especially if they nostalgise about summery pleasures in the heart of winter. Those who prefer their vanillas folded into Dr.Oetker baking mixes or alternatively those who want them smokey-eyed and showing some hint of tushie beneath black see-through should go look for something else.

Notes for Jo Malone Vanilla & Anise:
Top Notes: Sicilian Bergamot, Tunisian Neroli, Wild Fennel Flower, Star Anise
Middle Notes: Oleander, Tuberose, Frangipani, Purple Vanilla Orchid
Base Notes: Madagascar Clove, White Amber, Vetiver Bourbon, Vanilla Bourbon Absolute, Tonka.

International launch for Vanilla & Anise is expected in September, but the scent has already reached Nordstorm, the 100ml costs £64, 30ml is £32. Visit the official Jo Malone site here.

Related reading on Perfume Shrine: Anise, wormwood and absinthe series

Painting by Colette Calascione via formfiftyfive.com

Jo Malone expands to Eastern Asia

Takashimaya, one of the most popular shopping spots in Singapore, has been chosen to host the newest Jo Malone venue. The shop-in-shop boutique, mimicking the master plan of the London Sloane Street flagship store (including a Tasting Bar) is part of a greater plan by parent company Lauder Group to expand in Southeastern Asia and the Pacific region. The contract has been signed between Lauder and the Lane Crawford Joyce Group for exclusive distribution of Jo Malone products in 7 territories: Hong Kong (already hosting Jo Malone since last July), Singapore, China, Taïwan, Macau, Malaysia and Indonesia. The company is determined to face the economic crisis difficultes and come out victorious.

The Linden Tree

Whenever I smell French Lime Blossom by Jo Malone my mind reels back to my childhood; to days sprinkled with insouciance, eyes open at the crack of dawn filled with eager anticipation on what each new moment will bring, hope for happiness and belief in all that is good in the world. And now that I look back on it with the experience of some years on my back it seems like nothing turned out the way I expected although the result is not unsatisfactory; far from it. Yet the nostalgia which fills me on this grey day for the innocence of days bygone is shaping like an apparition in the steam of my cup filled with linden tea.
Lime tree, also known as "linden" ~or "tilleul" in French and "φλαμουριά/flamouria" in Greek~ produces blossoms like no other: they possess a childhood innocence in line with their soothing properties when infused into a pale-coloured yellow, tinged with jade, tisane. Its limpid sweetness, whether or not I am soaking a madeleine or not in it, brings to mind the Northern tales of this holy tree and the German lieder by Franz Schubert Die Lindenbaum (verse by that great Hellenophile* Wilhelm Müller) that my mother used to sing as a lullaby to me when I was but a little girl, her voice as melodious as that of Nana Mouskouri singing in German.

By the fountain, near the gate,
There stands a linden tree;
I have dreamt in its shadows
so many sweet dreams.
I carved on its bark
so many loving words;
I was always drawn to it,
whether in joy or in sorrow.

Today again I had to pass it
in the dead of night.
And even in the darkness
I had to close my eyes.
Its branches rustled
as if calling to me:
"Come here, to me, friend,
Here you will find your peace!"
The frigid wind blew
straight in my face,
my hat flew from my head,
I did not turn back.

Now I am many hours
away from that spot
and still I hear the rustling:
"There you would have found peace!"



*Γουλιέλμω Μύλλερ τω ποιητή των Ελληνικών ασμάτων, ο ευγνωμονών Ελληνικός λαός (the Greek epigram on Pentelic marble on the doorstep of his house, commissioned in 1927)

Clip of composer Mikis Theodorakis singing Die Liendenbaum in Greek at his concert at Rosa Luxemburgplatz (then part of East Berlin) in 1987, originally uploaded by Ulco64 on Youtube

London Calling...part 3

If on the previous post I talked about the opportunity of a hand and arm massage being rather uncommon to encounter in a perfume boutique, it is with regularity that one encounters the practice at another bastion of British skinscentsa-experience, that of Jo Malone. That’s only to be expected of course from someone who began as a facialist working with her hands, mixing to the degree that seemed right to her, as well as coming from a lineage in the profession. And up until the acquisition of the firm by Estee Lauder, Jo herself was seen at the boutiques getting involved in the process.
Today only the flagship store is controlled by Jo, per info divulged by the manager.The rest of the boutiques are controlled by the Lauder Group, remaining nevertheless totally respective to Jo’ vision for the line.

What is most pleasing about the Jo Malone boutiques is the presentation and stylish interiors. The walls are painted in ivory reflecting the shade of the luxurious boxes and thick paper bags, etched in black, with grosgrain black ribbon to match. It just looks the opposite of ostentatious; it’s really stylish, unaffected, old money style yet with a certain modern worldliness about it that other brands aiming at such miss. I can see a young at heart, busy and self-fulfilled, about town woman carrying the little tote bags filled with gifts for family, the glorious candles for the home (which burn exceptionally well and do scent the whole house) and a couple of bath and body products for herself. The lotions do lend a new meaning to the notion of self-pampering, they’re so velvety soft.
The shelves in the stores are spacious and inviting, beckoning you to lean closer and smell the testers with the lovely scents. There is an apothecary style of presentation, done however in light and bright hues that give off the modern edge I mentioned.

Going into the cornucopia of scents comprising the line, one is spoilt for choice, as there is apparently something for everyone. The notion of combining scents to produce a third, personal one is at the core of the brand and it is something that allows individualism to an extent, always a good thing in my books.

The one basic gripe I often hear about Jo Malone scents is that they are not very lasting and that this is due to them being “colognes”. With that in mind I tackled the manager with a direct approach aimed at producing the “deer caught in the headlights” effect which might have made me persona non grata in the store had the British good manners not surfaced and a smart managing direction not prevailed. No, my question was not rude or impertinent, it seemed. This was often voiced and they had a perfectly valid explanation. The fragrances in the Jo Malone line are really of eau de toilette (and in some cases even eau de parfum) strength, however the eau de cologne tag was chosen to denote that the products are really meant to be shared, being unisex, so as not to alienate the male customer venturing into the store. Phrased like that it does make sense, although I have to admit that the lasting power is greatly dependent on the specific fragrance chosen, as some seem to go on for hours, while others vanish in a “puff the magic dragon” instant.

As the whole line is available where I live quite easily I wasn’t temped into actual purchases, so the whole purpose of the exercise was to really get the feel of the shop, talk to the manager and get info for our readers concerning aspects of the brand. To the interests of the latter issue I tentatively asked what the bestsellers are. The artsy types go for Pomegranate Noir, I was told, with its deep and brocade-like tapestry of rich hues and sweet and sour fruits, while the more traditional women go for Red Roses.

Contrasted to my local boutique bestsellers, which the manager had revealed to be Orange Blossom and Honeysuckle & Jasmine (those are both very likeable and suited to warmer temperatures), I saw that there is substance to the notion of choices based on climate. However Pomegranate Noir is the perennial favourite for the winter season.
Men often go for the traditional Amber and Lavender and Vetyver. I think although the former is rather mainstream and not very exciting, it does blend pleasing sides of both notes. Vetyver I found not to my liking, I’m sad to report. Rather discordant.

From the choices before me I really appreciated again the slight spiciness of Vintage Gardenia, which makes it unique in the universe of gardenias, even if not as realistically accurate as the one by Yves Rocher or the new Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia by Estee Lauder. Blue agave and cacao is slightly salty and has a rather bitter edge that is very welcome in the heat.

One thing I came across that you won’t be coaxed into relying solely on the recommendations of the catalogue or the site is the marvelous combination of the woodiness of masculine 154 cologne and Red Roses: the effect is vaguely reminiscent of Voleur de Roses by L’artisan, with a different enough tonality to it, that is more sandalwood rich but with the earthy touch of vetiver instead of patchouli. Neat!



Next post will offer a glimpse of greatness...

Pics courtesy of Jo Malone site

Upcoming launches that caught my fancy

From August onwards there will be a frenzy of new launches according to Woman's Wear Daily to titilate the consumer into trying new versions of beloved fragrances or re-issues of older vintage fragrances of a bygone era or yet still new and supposedly original compositions.
The proof is in the pudding, but for the time being these are the launches that have got my heart going in quicker palpitations.

THE RE-ISSUES

The re-issues of legendary Givenchy perfumes, Les Mythiques(=the mythical ones): If you recall, Perfume Shrine had the scoop on the scheduled re-issues a long time ago .

These three are scheduled for October:
Givenchy Eau de Vetyver (at $65 for 100ml).
Givenchy Monsieur , the personal favourite of mr.Hubert de Givenchy, kept into production on his behalf and now re-issued ($65 for 100 ml).
and Givenchy Xeryus harking back from the early 80s ($65 for 100 ml).

All of these will be available from Nordstorm in US in limited distribution (16 doors).
No other confirmation on re-issues (especially the much anticipated L'interdit) thus far.


Rober Piguet is also hot on the re-issue front, after his much beloved Baghari re-issue of the aldehydic classic which although different than the vintage managed to smell enticing, elegant and poised. Read a full review here.
For October the house plans on launching re-issues of Visa, a women's fragrance available exclusively at Le Bon Marchι in Paris and Harvey Nichols in London priced at $190 for 30ml/1oz. parfum, $65 for 50ml1.7oz. eau de parfum and $95 for 100ml/3.4oz. eau de parfum. The vintage issued in 1945 was an animalic fragrance of potency that was anchored by an orientalised base, so the anticipation on how the new one will live up is palpable. Givaudan's Aurelien Guichard has adapted initial perfumer Germaine Cellier's original for today's market and it includes the following notes: White Vineyard Peach, Pear, Violet leaves, Italian Bergamot, Yellow Mandarin, Ylang-ylang, Rose, Orange flower absolutes, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Vetiver, Moss, Vanilla, Benzoin and Leathery Notes (according to Basenotes)
Also click here for official info.

And the men's Cravache available in specialty store distribution in about 150 doors internationally at $55 for 50ml/1.7oz. and $85 for 100ml/3.4oz. eau de toilette. The original, issued in 1963, was labeled a spicy floral chypre and was characteristic of the era. It remains to be seen how it will be accepted by today's discerning customers. It contains notes of Mandarin, Lemon, Petitgrain, Clary sage, Lavender, Nutmeg, Vetiver and Patchouli. The modernised version will be available as 50ml and 100ml Eau de Toilette, 100ml After Shave and a 200ml Dual-purpose Shave Cream/Body Wash (according to Basenotes). Also click here for official info.


NEW VARIATIONS OF POPULAR FRAGRANCES

It has been very common these past year to launch the so-called "flankers" ~new fragrances that take the name and/or image of a previous successful perfume and give it a twist (sometimes rendering the smell unrecognisable) to appeal to the consumer who loves the old version but craves something new as well. Usually these flankers do not succeed in delivering, however there are some exceptions and with that in mind I have these two from Guerlain on my must-try list:

Guerlain Shalimar Black Mystery (a limited edition). It will be available in 1400 doors (Saks, Sephora, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale's, Bergdorf's, Nordstrom, Macy's and Dillard's) at $110 for 75ml of eau de parfum. Scheduled to launch in October.

Guerlain My Insolence. It will be available in 1400 doors (Saks Fifth Avenue, Sephora, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale's, Bergdorf Goodman, Nordstrom, Macy's and Dillard's) at $45 for 30ml/1oz, $62 for 50ml/1.7oz, and $89 for 100ml/3.4oz of eau de toilette. Scheduled to launch in September.

Another flanker that sounds promising is Agent Provocateur's Strip (taking the name from the naughtily illustrated candles they had issued along with their eponymous fragrance some years ago). It will be available in Bloomingdales and on their online site at $65 for 50ml/1.7 oz of eau de parfum.

And last but not least, Chanel is revamping the No.5 line with No. 5 Eau Premiθre , which will be available at department and specialty stores and on chanel.com at $125 for 150ml/5 oz. To be launched in October.
Not super excited for something in such a big bottle, but worth trying something new in the formidable stable of No.5. After all the Sensual Elixir in this fragrance proved to be lovely. Let's see...

And the NEW FRAGRANCES

From Guerlain, Spiritueuse Double Vanille which will be available in four doors (Neiman Marcus San Francisco, Bergdorf's, Epcot in Orlando and The Breakers Hotel in West Palm Beach) at $200 for 75 ml. Sounds like an exclusive to me and those always build some anticipation. To be out in November.

Jo Malone White Jasmine & Mint Cologne . It will be available at Jo Malone Shops and jomalone.com, specialty stores (Bergdorf's, selected Neiman Marcus and Saks stores)and also at Holt Renfrew in Canada exclusively. It will retail at $50 for 30ml/1 oz or $95 for 100ml/3.4 oz and will launch in October.

Bulgari is launching Eau de toilette Rosee in September. It will be first available exclusively in Macy's, followed by Bloomingdale's, Bergdorf's, Lord & Taylor, Saks, Neiman Marcus, Sephora and Nordstrom. It will retail at $69 for 50ml/1.7 oz. or $98 for 100ml/3.4 oz

And Creed is introducing Amalfi flowers in October, available exclusively at 19 Saks doors at $270 for 50ml/1.7oz. or $450 for 8.4oz in an eau de parfum bottle signed and numbered by Olivier Creed.


I hope you have taken notes as I did and are thinking about what your sniff-list will be this coming autumn. Hopefully Perfume Shrine will be around to offer a considered viewpoint to these new launches and help you along in your choices.


In the meantime, expect to see an interesting interview with an acclaimed perfumer whose perfumes will be the talk of the town soon and a review of a new magnificent scent by a nose that has been already reviewed here at Perfume Shrine.
Stay tuned!!

Pic of Givenchy stamp for 2007 Valentine's day from french post.
Pics of Cravache ad and Guerlain crystal bottles come from Ebay.

Sally sells sea "sel" at the sea shore

It's not unusual that my mind reels into well known quotes/parables/phrases that get twisted to serve my purposes. I'm weird like that I guess and words have always being a playground. However the assonance of "s" in the above paradigm is testament to the powers of suggestion as it combines two languages, english and french, both foreign to me. "Sel" means of course "salt" in english and it rhymes quite nice with the original "shell" of the english exercise phrase.
So what does salt have to do with a perfume article, you might ask. As promised, this is part of a new trend in perfumery that is making waves as we speak (it seems that I am very bent on wordplay and puns today).

For the past year there have been many new releases that capitalize on a new aspect, an aroma that would be better appreciated with our taste buds rather than our olfactory skills. I am talking about the salty aspect that several new perfumes have veered into. Taste really encompasses very few variations: there is sweet (primeval like breast milk and thus a little juvenile), sour (for those who prefer a little animation to their palate), salty (a memory of the ocean and minerals, a grounding experience and a health concern for most), bitter (a taste for the adventurous and oh, how appreciated it is in combination with other tastes!) and finally umami (rich, fatty, meaty, the effect of many foods that transpire as full).
And that's it! All tastes are basically a combination of those basic categories. The rest is flavour ~the mystical tryst of taste and olfaction that gives us real pleasure in savouring petit fours and enjoying tiramisu. And of course other factors such as the food's smell, detected by the olfactory epithelium of the nose, its texture, detected by mechanoreceptors, and its temperature, detected by thermoreceptors, come into play.
So it comes as no surprise that experiments conducted with willing volunteers eating potatoes and apples with their nose closed revealed a complete confusion as to what they were consuming, resulting in hysterical results.

So how can a taste experience such as salty be translated into the olfactory realm of perfume? This is where art and innovation come to the fore. And it is very appropriate that we discuss this now that summer is well upon us.

It all began by Eau des Merveilles (=water of wonders), an Hermès fragrance developed a few years past that took the last available batches of real ambergris (suppossedly; there is no way to confirm that) and made them into a limpid, salty, woody alloy fit for women who were not into florals or citrus for summer, yet who wanted a light and refreshing scent nonetheless. A unisex triumph had just erupted.

And then came The Different Company with its Sel de Vetiver in spring 2006: the olfactory rendition of dirty vetiver roots into a glass of marine water. Many proclaimed that it smells like an unwashed sailor, and for that reason it made an impression. Composed by Celine Ellena, Jean Claude's daughter following the illustrious dad's footsteps, it encompasses notes of grapefruit, cardamom, Bourbon geranium, lovage, Haitian vetiver, patchouli, iris and ylang ylang.
Apparently the inspiration was the "scent of salt drying on the skin after bathing in the sea", which is an image I can very well associate with.

Then came in summer 2006 (for Europe at least) the completely mesmerising and delectable L de Lolita Lempicka(for a full review click here). A fragrance that combined the salty aspect of a mermaid with the opulence of vanilla, tonka and musks for an effect that is like skin baked under the sun on a hot secluded beach on a mediterranean isle.
By then the ground was ripe for more launches that viewed the salty note as an intergral part of their formula.

This past winter saw the launch of one of the best salty-sweet compositions for those who appreciate a few M&Ms scattered into their pop-corn like Sarah Jessica Parker apparently does or for those who like to combine fresh watermelon with greek feta cheese for dessert, like it's customary here. I am talking about Elixir des Merveilles, a take on the original that takes the salty element and incorporates it into an orientalised composition that could be worn in any season. It includes notes of orange Peel, , caramel, biscuit accord (vanilla, tonka bean, milk), sandalwood, incense, resins: Peru balsam and balsam of Siam, oak, patchouli, cedar and ambergris, echoing the original Eau des Merveilles.
For a full review, click here.

Terre d'Hermès , the latest men's fragrance by the luxury house, could also be classified under the salty, although it's more mineral than sea-like and has an earthy quality to it that denotes the light touch of the masterful hand of Jean Claude Ellena, a self-proclaimed lover of the salty and bitter.

And soon everyone seemed to be doing salty fragrances: Jo Malone announced the launch of Blue agave and Cacao (news reported here) with notes of cardamom, agave cactus, sea salt and chocolate. Miller Harris came up this May with the new Fleurs de Sel, part of her New Edition collection, inspired by the childhood home of its creator Lyn Harris in Batz sur Mer, which is a village in Brittany located between beaches and salt marshes. Based on the salty facets of vetiver, with mossy and leathery chypre accords it features notes of red thyme oil, rosemary, clary sage, iris nobilis, narcissus, rose, ambrette seed, woods, vetiver, moss, and leather.
And of course Bond no.9 wouldn't be left out of the game, giving us on June 1st their newest and very refreshing scent Coney Island, the equivalent of a salt-rimmed glass of frozen margarita for when languorously lounging by the pool with notes of margarita mix (tequila included), melon, guava, cinnamon, chocolate, caramel, musk, vanilla, cedar and sandalwood. For a full review click here.

All in all, this is a promising market and a new trend that is set to get us out of the well-established sweet tooth of the fruity florals and into the more aspiring compositions of slightly weird yet savoury compositions that call upon our summery disposition and our memory of the ocean from which we came. I don't call this a bad sign. Do you?



Top pic is of Faneromeni Beach at Lesvos, Greece, courtesy of Lesvos.gr
Bottom pic is painting Waves by Katsushika Hokusai (1831) courtesy of allposters.com

Jasmine series: part 4 ~mellow jasmine suggestions

The fact that jasmine may take on a more sinister turn accounting for fecal undertones that leave many people with apprehension and dismay does not mean that jasmine fragrances have to espouse that aspect. It is perfectly possible to evoke a balanced approach which could project a soft, mellow and elegant disposition and could be more easily wearable for even the non die-hard jasmine fans. To this end today we are examining some suggestions that might fall into that category of mellow jasmine compositions.
The archetypal example of a smooth, beautiful jasmine that could be worn sufficiently well without evoking particularly dark tendencies is the perennial Joy by Jean Patou. It remains something of an icon in the status of luxe perfumery, partly due to its initial advertising campaign in the economically hard year of 1930, coined by Elsa Maxwell (“the costliest perfume in the world”) and partly due to its unparalleled standards of raw materials. Patou went to great lengths to assure us that 1 ounce of Joy demands 10600 jasmine blooms and 28 dozen roses to be produced. This would be not as impressive hadn’t those flowers been the venerable jasminum grandiflorum of Grasse in the south of France and the two crown glories of Damascene rose from Bulgaria and Rose de Mai (rosa centifolia) again from Grasse. The current nose for Patou since 1997, Jean Michel Duriez, is monitoring the fields and crops to ascertain that the end result rendered out of those two varieties meets the quality control criteria demanded by the house of Patou.

Whether the quality has gone downhill as with most commercial perfumes of today in comparison to the vintage is a matter of dire attention and discussion on several fora.
Some people have expressed a concern that the richness of the floral ingredients has been a tad jeopardized, however for what is worth Luca Turin insists that the quality of the end perfume remains unchanged and his info and sample batch comes staight from Patou headquarters. Since I do not have different batches of Joy to compare and contrast, because my bottles come from the mid-90s, I cannot speak with authority on the matter. The testing I have contacted in stores in different concentrations and places did not leave me with serious doubt as to the up keeping of the formula, however I repeat that I could not possibly ascertain this beyond any doubt since I do not have comparable material at hand from different eras; on top of that ascertaining when a particular bottle was actually produced is so very hard, since perfumers -unlike wine producers- do not label the production year on the bottle (which would make our life so much easier, had it been the case!).

In any case, Joy unfolds majestic proportions of floral grandeur with a nobility and restraint of hand that points to a very skilled perfumer indeed: Henri Alméras. Keeping the noble nature of the two focal points of the suite intact he garlanded them with the merest touch of honeysuckle, ylang ylang and tuberose, anchored by a very light sandalwood base which manages to smell opulent yet beautifully balanced.
It is my impression that there is a difference of emphasis on the two different concentrations of eau de toilette and eau de parfum. The former is characterized by a more pronounced jasmine intonation like a solo aria in the midst of a lively Mozart opera, while the latter is a bit more powdery with accents of rosiness that permeate the whole with a softness that resembles a Schumman lullaby. In fact the Eau de Parfum is repackaged Eau de Joy, which was a different perfume than Joy in parfum, per Luca Turin. Given my proclivities for jasmine and because this is an article devoted to jasmine, I opt for the eau de toilette, however both concentrations are sure to please the lovers of fine perfumes.
The parfum is assuredly more animalic in the civet direction (a wonderful characteristic and thus the one which I always prefer over other concentrations) and stays close to the body with an elegance that speaks highly of its aristocratic pedigree.

Next on the mellow balanced list is First by Van Cleef and Arpels. It has been adequately discussed on Perfume Shrine in Jasmine Series Part 2, so suffice to say that it is a very elegant and classy success. If you haven’t tried it, please do so and preferably in the eau de parfum concentration which highlights its attributes well.

Diptyque’s Jardin Clos is a jasmine buried in the plush of lilacs and the freshness of greenery of a churchyard full of hyacinths. There is an element of bulb wetness as if the grounds have just been rained upon in the early spring morning and some stale stems that go hand in hand with all cathedrals with cobblestone roads leading up to them; a distant whiff of a little spice like cloves on some parishioner’s breath. But oh wait! There I see some tourists coming up the tracks as well. They are dressed in jeans and crisp minimalist shirts, their hair in a modern simple cut, dancing round their faces; they are probably wearing L’eau d’Issey in discernible amounts.
Sadly the oakmoss does not temper the aqueous quality as much as needed.
I appreciate Yves Coueslant and Christiane Gautrot’s vision of naturalistic fragrances that evoke paysages and memories. It’s just that this one is not as distinctive as the rest of them in the niche category. On the other hand, if you want a fragrance that will not raise eyebrows from the non niche lovers in the general public out there I can’t see this one doing that. Unless we’re talking about people who hated L’eau d’Issey the first time around!
The official notes for it:
Watermelon, White Lilac, Mimosa, Hyacinth, Seringa, Hollyhocks,
Wisteria, Mignonette, Wallflowers, Daffodils, Virginia Cedar,
Oakmoss, Tolu Balsam
Official site here.

Ayala Moriel’s Yasmin is completely different: to mellow the animalic character of Yasmin she uses the even more daring cassie/acacia note that is dense and opulent! The combination is successful, paradoxically, because there is a firmly measured amount of it and the base notes of amber and sandalwood are never too loud, allowing the slightly greener ribbons of the opening enfold the little blossoms in a cheerful embrace. Out of all the notes there is the predominance of a realistic gardenia note emerging, which veers the perfume in alleys of nightfall lushness. But the mastery in Yasmin lies in coaxing this into submission so as to be the single blossom corsage on one’s wrist, not a big bright crown of blossoms on one’s hair.
The overall character is sweet and uplifting, bright and romantic like a summer’s sojourn on a Mediterranean cottage overlooking the sea, friendly laughs by noon, erotic strolls by night.
You can see her description and sample on her site here.

Linda Pilkington, the perfumer for Ormonde Jayne’s Sampaquita (based on jasmine sambac) turned her attention to more tropical surrounding. Although the greeting note of bergamot and grass might evoke the Sicilian landscape of comparably familiar Mediterranean memories, it soon mixes lychee fruity tones with an acqueous feel of water lily that manage to mix with other floral notes such as the waxy slightly lemony magnolia petals, the green of lily of the valley, the sharp and pepper of freesia and the softness of rose to become an exotic sweet mélange that is balanced and surprisingly subtle. The jasmine note is not particularly evident, which is a shame for jasmine lovers like me, but could make this an easy choice for those who prefer their jasmine more subdued in a supporting role.
The OJ site says the following:

"National Flower of the Philippines, literally translated as 'I Promise You', Sampaquita flower is a symbol of purity and fragility, coupled with fidelity and resolve. The scent opens with an unmistakable summer bouquet, bursting forth with sun-kissed lychee set on a canvas of bergamot, grass oil and magnolia flowers in full seductive bloom. The marriage of these elements, together with a dusky floral heart of sampaquita absolute, freesia and muguet, combine to form a fusillade of fabulous intensity. An inspired quartet of base notes, musk, vetiver, moss and ambrette seed, unify and harmonise this sensational summer scent".

Official notes:
Top notes: Lychee, grass oil, bergamot and magnolia
Heart notes: Sampaquita absolute, freesia, muguet, rose and water lilies
Base notes: Musk, vetivert, moss and ambrette seed
In fact it reminds me quite a bit of Patricia de Nicolai’s Juste une rêve, which is another tropical floral of the same proclivities or even of Chance by Chanel with the balancing vetiver base under the florals and the fruits over it.

In contrast Ormonde Jayne’s Frangipani Absolute, which is much more assertive and bold, with brighter accents, proclaims its presence for all to see. The start is all lemony and lime rind that is quite loud, while it progresses to buttery warmth like tuberose crossed with a lush juicy fruit and dying hyacinths in a vase; which is also a tad traitorous to the spirit of real jasmine, like previously, but oh well...
However there is no dark animalic tonality, neither is it light nor “fresh”, so it fits in the middle category designated for our mellow jasmine florals. The musky base with cedar accents is balanced and supporting, accounting for a tropical scent that will not induce nausea from too much synthetic sweetness which is a high compliment for this category of scents. If you ever venture in the jungle of a southeastern country, all humid atmosphere and animal noises heard in the background, don’t forget to pack a little bit of this too. I think it fits perfectly.
Official notes:
Top notes: Linden Blossom, Magnolia Flower, Lime Peel
Heart notes: White Frangipani Absolute, Jasmine, Rose absolute, Tuberose absolute,
Water Lily, Plum, Green Orchid oil
Base notes: Camber, Musk, Cedar, French Vanilla absolute
View the Ormonde Jayne fragrances at her official site


Jo Malone in her fragrance combining bag of goods has Honeysuckle & Jasmine. Completely true to spirit and name, this smells like those two summery blossoms combined at different intervals: honeysuckle opening, which is more pronounced, jasmine subtle heart and exit. Light and sweet, like a walk through summer gardens with those two vines climbing up the fence, sitting under the shade sipping freshly squeezed sweet lemonade. There is a woody note in the background too with the merest whiff of clean powdery musk for the finale.
It pairs really well with her Orange Blossom or French Lime Blossom for even more transparency; or if you want to be daring pair with her warm 154 woody scent.

See more details here


Next post in the Jasmine Series will tackle fresh and translucent interpretations of jasmine.

Painting "La Naissance de Venus" by Eugène Emmanuel Amaury-Duval. Poster from the film The Painted Veil courtesy of cineparmenos.gr

Orange blossom week: part 1- true renditions

Orange blossom is one of the most usual floral notes used in perfumery and its glorious slightly fruity, sweet and pervasing yet fresh scent has been brandishing its charms in traditional colognes and eaux de toilette for centuries.
Although an unmistakably floral in tone aroma it does hint of the fruit to come in a very elegant way that aromachemicals cannot mimic satisfactorily.

The word "orange" comes from Sanskrit "narang" or Tamil "naraththai". Another theory pertains that it is tied to a Dravidian root meaning "fragrant".
Oranges originated in southeast Asia in fact which is not unrelated to etymology (in India, Vietnam or southern China). The fruit of Citrus sinensis is called sweet orange to distinguish it from Citrus aurantium, the bitter orange.
Some languages have different words for the bitter and the sweet orange, and one of them is indeed Modern Greek which differentiates bettween bitter (nerantzi) and sweet (portokali which derives from Portuguese). The reason for these differences is that the sweet orange was brought from China to Europe during the 14th century for the first time by the Portuguese. For the same reason, some languages refer to it by "Applesin" meaning "Apple from China".
It is common to come across mentions of "arancia" or "arancio" ~deriving from latin~ on perfume bottles in italian as well as "zagara", "naranja" in spanish while in hebrew the name is "Zohar", also reflected in the portugeuse language.


Bitter orange is trully the pig of perfumery as it gives us so many aromatics for perfumes: the essential oil of the blossom, the heady and viscous absolute from the flowers that is rendered through a solvent extraction, cool neroli from a different method of manipulation of the flowers (distillation) that gives an aroma that is tangier, slightly more bitter and thus a little more atsringent and fresher, bitter orange oil from the rind of the fruit with its sweet-bitter scent, and the more masculine in tone, greener petit-grain from the distillation of twigs and leaves.

Orange blossom absolute is a miracle to behold both in terms of cost and its elusiveness. Some can even smell rank if not of the proper quality and only the real, quality thing can be the heady touch that turns heads and makes you weak in the knees as if catching a whiff of it passing a sunny orange grove in April.
The includion of orange blossom is de riguer in many oriental mixes, although its role is not limited to those: it features as a protagomist in many eau de colognes along with its sidekick neroli as well as in chypres and elegant florals.
Termed a white floral for its small white, slightly waxy petals, it is one of the loveliest blossoms to adorn a homemade bouquet and it has long been the state flower of Florida. The blossom is also emblematic of Riverside in California, famous for its Navel or Washington variety of oranges.
It is traditionally associated with good fortune and for that reason it was popular in bridal bouquets and head wreaths for weddings for some time. Even now in Greece and the Mediterranean it is customary for wedding taking place in villages or by the sea to adorn the head of the bride with simple small blossoms, which is very becoming especially on the naturally darker hair of those women. Folk songs have been composed drawing parallels between the bushy, fragrant head of a bitter orange tree with the head of a lovely lady.
The petals of orange blossom can also be made into a delicately citrus-scented version of rosewater, called "anthonero" (flower water). Orange blossom water is a common part of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine and it features in both sauces and in pastries. One such is the famous kourambiedes, an Easter and Christmas cookie that is made with rich butter and crushed almonds, rolled into dust sugar and gloriously eaten with coffee after meals. You can see a recipe for them here.
Orange blossom honey is a variation of honey that is not unusual in those areas of the world either: it is produced by putting beehives in the citrus groves during bloom, useful for agriulture as well as it pollinates seeded citrus varieties. Orange Blossom honey is highly prized for its peculiar, delicate like orange taste that differentiates it from aromatic honeys from thyme blossoms or pines.
Orange blossom even gives its touristic nickname to the Costa del Azahar ("Orange-blossom coast") in Valencia, a place that provides lots of orange fruit throughout Europe.

Starting our exploration of orange blossom, we focus on the more realistic interpretations of this heady and fresh note as attested by the following fragrances:
Fleur d'oranger by L'artisan Perfumer, Jo Malone Orange blossom Côté Bastide Fleurs d'oranger and I profumi di Firenze Zagara.
All of them explore the fresher, tarter aspect of the note, in various degrees and nuances.

The golden standard is indeed Fleur d'oranger by L'artisan parfumeur, based on a single harvest of Nabel in Tunisia, in 2004 and basing its exclusive and unfortunately very ephemeral success on the quality of that exceptional crops that yielded its sweet and light aromas into the embrace of a master perfumer such as Anne Flipo (who was responsible for Verte Violette and La Chasse aux papillons in the L'artisan stable of thoroughbreds).
It launched in 2005 for a very limited number of bottles for a very costly price, encased in a wooden box like a vintage of precious wine. And it is indeed precious in its single-minded loveliness that wraps you in cool cotton sheets of luminosity and joy. Its crystalline appearence shimmers in the light like a precious Baccarat ornament and it enslaves you upon testing as the truest soliflore on orange blossom created. Although light in tone it has good tenacity which adds to its charms. It is a pity that when the distribution ends there will be no more...

Jo Malone's Orange Blossom is a sweeter rendition which lacks the crystalline aspect of L'artisan, however it is quite close to the actual blossom and is very realistic, denoting a high percentage of natural essences used. The opening is a but fruiter and has a hint of the zest but it soon develops into the white floral that is so beloved by people of the South. The marriage of clementine leaves (a comparable species) and water lilies gives a limpidity and airiness that transports this into sunny climates and white clothing paired with silver jewels worn on a casual walk. It is unaffected, elegant and very popular in Greece, proving to be the bestseller of Jo Malone's line during the warmer months according to my sources in the company.

Zagara by I Profumi di Firenze is a citrusy gregarious thing based on the tart and cool elegance of bergamot that segues into notes of the white flower restraining the sweetness and injecting happiness and joy. It is deliriously happy and cheerful and it can be relied upon to lift spirits and rejuvenate on hot days.

Côté Bastide's Fleurs d'oranger rendition is also exceptionally true and light with a hint of citrus and green tonalities that lend a slight bitter edge that is again reminsicent of the living tree and the surrounding air. It is its greatest strength and its stamp of approval. Eminently wearable in summer and highly recommended for stuffy offices and homes.


Next post will tackle a different interpretation of the orange blossom note.

Painting "Man in Hat" by greek painter Nicolaos Lytras courtesy of allposters.com.