Tolu by Ormonde Jayne, 2002

this is strong balsamic floral, with beautiful olibanum note, that is smoking luxury....it has this powdery-aldehidyc wibe....tolu balsam makes it more exotic, just perfectly balanced sweetnes enriched by other sweet notes that remind of vanilla...but its more complex and balmy... and the heart of the composition is orchid!! that makes it in a way unique...there are not so many perfumes with that exotic note..its like spiced up rose...but never raw, never overpowering, just perfect measure i love the opening...and dont smell anything animalic in it, its more exotic then animalic, the dry down chnages to powdery as time progress among my top 5 feminine scents of all times :)

Gorgeous, Rich, Resinous, Spicy and Warm composition from a lady who knows how to create an unforgettable scent that will stay with you for a lifetime. I initially tried a sample from the discovery set and immediately fell in love with it; ordered a bottle and have since enjoyed many winter nights enveloped in this deep scent made with tolu, muguet (I love this note present at the beginning), rose, amber and frankincense notes. I have also tried a mini candle, courtesy of the Ormonde Jayne Boutique in Bond Street which is absolutely lovely and hypnotic. I shall be getting the travel spray set to be able to enjoy the scent while on my travels. I do look forward to many years of pleasure surrounded by this beautiful perfume. Excellent longevity and sillage. Double thumbs up! Thank You...x

Tolu will always be softer, smoother, creamier, better matched and more refined than anything it might remind you of. A smell as velvety as a toddler´s nape.

Yes, yes, yes. Tolu, as in balsam. I'm such a nut about resins. I'm a total head case for them--labdanum, frankincense, oppoponax, pine and sruce--I'm there. I even love Youth Dew. So, here's another resin-heavy scent, this time tolu and labdanum accompanied by well-matched florals (some of my very favorites) and a few heady, camphorous top notes to clean and lift the formula. Best of all, it smells like a high proportion of natural ingredients.

Another one that I tried in London with Linda Pilkington at my side. Yummy blast of juniper and orange blossom ,lovely blended rose ! But oh the frankincense ,tolu ,amber - deep ,powdery . This is one of my favorites . Pretty gorgeous.

This fragrance is teaching me something aobut myself: I covet orchid.
Give me a fragrance with orchid and I'll give you my hard earned cash or a glowing review. This is no exception wiht me: Love it!
I'll chime in with other reviewer's comments on this being a cooler weather fragrance. Yep, Ithis is my experience too.

Now Tonka is a note I"m seeing more and more of in my samples lately, most notably Guerlain's latest Tonka Imperial. Tonka is a sweetish, almondy note and gives the fragrance a gourmand flavor. I am not a gourmand kind of girl, however, and appreciate the earthy amber and frankencense (or whatever it is that steers this back into woody wonderland)

Do you like Black Orchid? Then you'll like htis. If Black Orchid isn't too nauseatingly sweet to you, then this is one you should try. five stars!

This reminds me strongly of Dune. It's nicer and far more complex than Dune, but still, the resemblance is unmistakable to me.
It's another good Ormonde scent, but I'm giving it a neutral rating because I dislike Dune so much! See, I used to work next to a woman who drenched herself in the stuff. She would even spritz at her desk when I was eating my lunch right next to her. Dune-flavoured sandwiches... mmmm... ;-)
Sadly, that memory lingers, so Tolu is wasted on me... but if you like a warm, long-lasting, complex amber, this may suit you.

Update December 09: I've had more time with Tolu now, and I have more of it than just one tiny vial. It helps to be able to spray more, it turns out!
I really like this now.

On first try this was absolutely sickening and necessitated immediate scrubbing. I believe the temperature that day was also in the 90s(F) and extremely high humidity. Now that we're experiencing a rather cool day (under 65), Tolu is perfect. Not the least overpowering now, it's warmth, richness and even powdery-ness is appropriate, welcomed and absolutely lovely. Just remember...not a good choice for warm days, definitely a fall/winter fragrance.

Starts strong and sweet with a blast of orange blossom, wonderfully tempered by shadowy juniper. Within seconds a lightly spiced and deep amber dimension opens up, leading you into the already noted resinous 'warmth' at the heart of the fragrance. As the scent progresses waves of vanilla, amber and the merest whiff of delightful rose weave in and out of the aroma, all accompanied by subtly blended spicing.

There certainly is a very luxurious sense about this fragrance, and I agree it seems perfect for autumn days. Lasting power is good - it eventually peters out into a delicate puff of powdery amber.

Tolu Tolu Tolu!! I sometimes think this was also made bespokely for me in my more navel gazing moments! The Golden Frankinsense, the uplifting clary sage, the Moroccan Rose and the tonka beans (whatever they are!) are the most entrancing delightful combination. The warmth that it radiates and the colours - yes, real colours! - that it evokes are autumn in a bottle. It is pure genius and you can smell it the following morning in the most sensual way. I just cannot stop myself from dabbing more and more on each day! Even my 3 yr old appreciates it and of course, my other half loves it too, in that indifferent and then suddenly suprised way men have.
I have just ordered a bottle of the Bath Oil in Tolu to complete my love affair with it. Tolu is the nectar of the autumn gods!