Orange Blossom (2003)
by Jo Malone

I agree with Quarry. I like layering Orange Blossom over Narcisse Noir if I want to wear NN during the day. Citrus scents can be tricky to me. Sometimes the "straightforward, uncomplicated" ones end up smelling like my memory of Love's Lemon (everyone remembers this classic from junior high!) or Lemon Pledge. Orange Blossom has, to my nose, more of the soft round scent of the blossom rather than the agressively stringent scent of the fruit.

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.

Out of the bottle, one of my favorite scents in the world. The spray fades quickly on me, however, and the creme develops a sour note after it's reacted with my body chemistry for a few hours. What a pity!

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.