Orange Blossom by Gorilla Perfume, 2010

Starts with a lovely neroli opening, just what I'd expect given the name. It is orange, creamy, woody, quite typical. Also, slightly soapy in a nice way. The woody notes develop and the scent becomes substantial though not heavy. The drydown gets a bit sweet and reminds me of the smell of old pancake theatrical makeup. All in all, a pleasant scent, though not the most brilliant orange blossom available.

Wanted to try this after reading the positive reviews. Did so. Smells like pee. Floral, blossomy, slightly medicinal honeyed pee with staying power. Not for me, but it was interesting to try.

If you've ever smelled orange flower absolute, you may well have been taken aback by its distinctly non-floral undertone: pungent and unabashedly animalic, it tends to conjure images of carnal couplings in locked bedrooms rather than innocent trysts in pretty orchards. Thankfully, this incredible raw material's adult side is allowed to take pride of place in Orange Blossom, a headspinning mix of innocence and seductiveness. Balanced at one end by the near-medicinal shrillness of ylang-ylang and, at the other, by the sweetness of beeswax, it's a deceptively simple fragrance that smiles like an angel and winks like a very dangerous stranger.

This is delicious. Honey, blossom honey, honeyed florals. Long-lasting and evocative of sweet, rich summer warmth. Yum.

This is very similar to Tom Ford's Neroli Portofino ( which in turn, is a kissing cousin of Comme des Garcons Anbar ), with a stronger neroli and petigrain vibe at the opening. It's almost a little crude smelling at first, its intensity some across as a little abrasive. In the drydown it becomes more floral, bolstered by some clean, ambery musk.

Thumbs up just slightly, because it delivers what it says on the bottle: orange blossom. It delivers it for a considerable time and at a considerable strength. That being said, there's nothing here that stands out as special; that extra touch or detail that adds interest is just missing here. For that reason, it's a like from me, but no love.

Orange Blossom is a quiet, yet full-bodied soliflore which builds significantly on the starting point of transparent white florals. Like the pretty girl who sits at the edge of the classroom never talking or raising her hand, Orange Blossom is a lovely fragrance that always gets good marks and will never get you in trouble.