Ta'If (2004)
by Ormonde Jayne

Tai’if is a spicy rose that goes on sharp and acidic but soon settles into a more agreeable dry woody-green groove. I’m reminded of Diptyque’s L’Ombre dans l’Eau, but drier, and with some warm Near Eastern spices sprinkled on top. In fact, when I think about it, I’m reminded even more of Diptyque’s Opone. Lo and behold, Ta’if’s pyramid lists saffron, which besides rose is the dominant note in Opone.

Tai’if is very quiet for this kind of scent, and its green tinge renders it wearable for either gender. Ta’if marks my traversal of the entire Ormonde Jayne range, and it stands as one of my favorites in the line. Unfortunately that’s not saying much, for while none of the Ormonde Jayne scents are terrible, none strike me as terribly exciting, either. Good stuff, but apparently meant to appeal to more staid tastes than mine.

Super! First of all a "Date" note here is not supposed to stand out , but rather is supposed to render general sweetness to a scent ( IMHO ) . "White Peach" note however is synthetic here, which isn't a drawback since all peach notes nowadays ARE synthetic. And finally "Musk" compliments "Peach" note very well. Hence powdery sweetness. I must admit it is very well done. It IS refined indeed. It is quite unique. Ta'if - is Oasis in a desert and it is all true , (this is exactly how I imagine oasis in a desert to smell like - A thousand of Roses). It is actually ideal for daytime use . Highly , highly recommended !!! And many thanks to Ormonde Jayne for such beautiful fragrance!!! Truly one of a kind !

This scent has a bright opening; I did not get much of the "date" scent on my repeated testings but lots of pink pepper and orange blossom. While pleasant, it can be a bit overwhelming at first. Luckily, once the scent begins to dry down after 15 minutes, the rose and jasmine bloom in harmony with hints of freesia, saffron and amber. A few minutes later, the broom completes the scent, turning what was originally a bright scent into a lush mix, exotic and addicting. While this scent was made for "after dark" I find that even in the dry heat of the afternoon it blooms lusciously!

This is the second Ormonde Jayne fragrance I've tested and they both have very poor longevity on me. Ta'if sounds great on paper, but worn it smells exactly like Cacharel's Amor Amor. It's a very "red" scent: the roses are honeyed up with the addition of dates; the spicy pink pepper and saffron top notes hint at something mysterious, lasting, and complex. Too bad that doesn't pan out.

Ta'if leaves as quickly as it comes in. It's a pretty scent, great for an evening out (or in: it's not that formal) and probably best in fall, although I could hear it on a cool spring evening as well as applied lightly on a summer day. I just wish it were more interesting.

Am I the only one with the incredible disappearing juice? I put it on, smells nice enough. Certainly better than other things you could squirt on yourself. Wait for the sharp notes to burn off, and lo - its gone! Under an hour and I can't find it anywhere. No bang for my buck.

I can't praise this scent too highly. A ravishing combination of the headiness of the rose and other florals beautifully framed by the dryness of the saffron and broom, with a glowing amber base. The pink pepper and date beautifully top this scent to give it an exotic edge. I save this one for special occasions and feel extremely special when I wear it - like a sheikh in an oasis as a full moon rises on a desert twilight.