Il Mondo di Odore

Tolu is a spicy oriental with floral leanings. The overall aroma is a sensual one sans any dramatic transitions. It smells more linear than it is....and that is something I chalk up to blending. The ingredients are certainly top shelf ....albeit polite. The opening is a slightly woody citric accord with spice added courtesy of clary sage. As soon as I smelled it, I knew I would like it no regardless of where it led to. I have a "thing" for smooth....and also for juniperberry. As I enjoyed the opening, the floral heart started to make its escape upwards ; slowly but surely unfolding its wings and spreading a subtle signature onto my skin. The combination of orchid, rose and muguet displayed itself quietly and manifested a gender indifferent accord. So far, Tolu is a dignified scent, but not a stuffy offering by any means. It also is a shared fragrance for those who like their orientals with nary a ripple and a dash of spice. There's no obvious discord in Tolu and any...

Is it me or are Ormonde Jayne's releases all on volume control? Personally, I prefer to control my own projection by spraying accordingly. I'm finding the "midrange" a little stingy on these samples, but other than that, the scents are quality and well put together. The opening of Orris Noir is a semi muted conglomerate of high grade iris and a smidgeon of coriander and pepper. It's a sophisticated accord that sticks around for quite some time. These 3 players are intertwined and smell almost as one. I, for one, don't see the citrus putting in much work here, but the blending may be the reason that the bergamot doesn't get much visibility. Or....it could just be me. The davana note in the top becomes apparent in the middle accord and lends a woody-fruit aroma to juniper and bay. It's a nice transition and a very smooth one at that. The fragrance deepens here in the heart accord and emits a richness that is very satisfying. The jasmin seamlessly app...

The first thing I noticed about Champaca is how subdued the volume is. This EDP could never get loud enough to become annoying. I also noticed how "shared" this fragrance actually is and possesses a comforting aura from start to finish. The Ormonde Jayne site describes Champaca as a pale, orange flower from India. The scent actually does emit a subtle orange......almost like the orange in a rendition of sherbert. There is a creamy texture like the site describes as well......and they give credit to the Champaca absolute. Whatever the source of this wispy, cream like texture, it still reminds me of the aroma orange sherbert gives off while I am imbibing. If nothing else, it's pleasant enough to enjoy it. There's listed neroli, pink pepper, bamboo, freesia absolute, basmati notes, green tea, myrrh and musk. I do not recognize most of the listed players except a hint of pepper and the same goes for tea. The drydown exposes a background musk that's nice, but this ...