Orange Blossom (2003)
by Jo Malone

Notes:
Top: Citronella leaves, Tangerine
Middle: Orange blossom, Water lily
Base: Lilac, Neroli

Falling somewhere between Czech & Speake's focused orange blossom rendition in Neroli and Creeds snappy citrus-high Neroli Sauvage, Jo Malone's Orange Blossom (OB) does its own thing with the orange blossom note...flanking it between a juicy orange top and watery white floral notes.

The tangerine blast that greets you first is suitably juicy, orangey and pleasant. The orange blossom note that peeks at you afterwards though is not of the finest quality...its not as petit-grainy as in Fleur du Male, but neither is it as indolic or rich. Rather it smells a lot like the version found in Serge Lutens Fleur d'Oranger, with a strange lack of clarity in evidence with woody highlights and little to no indoles. Good thing that this note is further flanked by pleasant lily/lilac floral notes (with an almost nonexistent base...OB just peters out over 4-5 hours) to construct a fairly unique take on the Neroli/Orange Blossom genre resulting in a tangerine-white floral perfume with an adequate orange blossom note which runs through the composition without really overtaking it. All the better I say, considering its not attractive enough by itself to sell bottles. It's Ben Affleck in the Affleck-Damon partnership (while it lasted..).

Rating: 6.0/10.0

Jo Malone Orange Blossom EDC

Notes: clementine leaves, orange blossom, water lily (from jomalone.com)

Orange Blossom starts with juicy sweet orange, bergamot and orange blossom. The combination is classic and a tad soapy, however, there is an unexpectedly tenacious indolic edge to the orange blossom which keeps the fragrance from being too clean. The indoles are rather fecal in this composition, and at first adds a welcome complexity to a fragrance that would otherwise be very dull. Unfortunately, after a bright beginning, all the tangy, sweet, creamy qualities fade away, the fragrance loses its balance, and turns into a screechy white floral with fecal notes that challenge the most die-hard civet lover. The indole in OB does not develop the way natural indoles would, so the accord never loses its rawness. That is to say, OB smells strongly of bleu cheese crumbles, mothballs and urine from start to finish. When there is nothing left to balance and blend with the indoles, OB is not enjoyable anymore. Longevity is too long, all things considered--the indoles are going strong after six hours. Sillage is surprisingly strong, perhaps not a good thing. I am convinced the only way to wear this fragrance is to layer it, probably with another Jo Malone offering.

My favorite Jo Malone (though not a huge fan of JM overall). Nice soft citrus - truly oranges. Not anything complex or interesting here but a gentle and pleasant scent.

When it comes to florals, I am a purist. I like uncomplicated scents that smell like the real thing. This fragrance is all about orange blossoms. It's refreshing and, well, just pretty! I'm sorry that it is not longer lasting. Yet, for a cologne, it's longevity is decent. I suspect that any attempt to improve the staying power would spoil the thing that makes this so special.

When I first smelt this scent, I knew it was a winner because it was like finding oneself seated in the centre of an orange blossom; it has an other-worldly quality which I think you only usually get when you're touching and enjoying the actual flower in real life. I love the way it brought images of white flowers on naked skin to mind. It has an added softness to the original scent of orange blossoms which makes this very feminine. Absolutely stunning, I wore it on my wedding day.

A very orange, tangy opening… more powerful than I expected. It is like the zesty oil expressed from squeezing an orange skin. It softens into nice florals. It is a bit sweet, especially with the lily note. I can appreciate it, but I wouldn’t wear it.