Osmanthus Parfum

As far as I know, I have never smelled osmanthus flowers, so can't judge how close this scent comes to the real thing, or where the "osmanthus" note is in the mix. The good thing about not knowing is that I could not be disappointed if there was nothing osmanthus-like in the scent. I tried my sample for the first time last night, and the scent is still lingering this morning, so it has good staying power. It starts out with a smooth citrusy, herbal, floral bouquet that remains throughout the evolution of the scent. After about a half hour, I found that the most prominent impression was of green tea with jasmine. In fact, I would classify this as a "tea" scent rather than a floral. The drydown holds no surprises, it's just a gradual fading of everything. I really didn't get much in the way of base notes.

I did not expect to like this fragrance, as I usually find "warm and sunny" citrus-based fragrances problematic for me. I think what really makes this special is the addition of beautiful floral and musk notes that keep this from seeming to "sparkling" to me. I find this scent stays more linear throught it's wear, which is unlike so many of the Ormonde fragrances that really bloom and change over time. The dry down smells much like the opening, just less citrus. This has turned out to be one of my favorite scents from the line, it is just perfect for warm weather when one wants something with a little impact without being overly heavy. I just adore this fragrance and it ended up being one of my first full bottle purchases from this line.

Was bracing myself for disappointment after reading the reviews of soapiness, as that is usually not something I am into. I don't find this soapy. It's a citrussy, softly herbal, (in a fruity way, like verbena) and the osmanthus and water lily add an exotic, aquatic feel. This really reminds me of a perfume I had and loved before it turned chemical on me (Molinard Aqua Lotus.) This is really beautiful, I could wear this in summer and spring months. It's also very unisex, it has a slight masculine vibe - the aquatics and musk and touch of herbs that are often so present in male perfumes. But overall citrussy, fruity, soft exotic soft herbs. Might not be a show stopper but very wearable, very fresh, very enjoyable.

The unmistakeable fruity fragrance of osmanthus that gets some citrus zip from the pomelo which is unmistakeable. I like the way the jasmine and lotus make the perfect supporting act to the leading performers adding some freshnessness and more depth. The vetiver and the artemesia come much more to the fore as the lead actors bow out after half an hour. They add their own herbally freshness with the musk their to restrain any potential harshness. I really like the opening but unfortunately I am not so keen once the transient osmanthus has gone. I know osmanthus is most definitely a top note and it doesnt last long. What a shame! It would be gorgeous to wear in a warm conditions.

As someone who grew up with osmanthus flowers, I have to say that Ormonde Jayne's Osmanthus does not smell like the authentic flower; however, it smells very pleasant and refreshing. To me, it smells like freshly squeezed grapefruit juice mixed with iced jasmine tea. It is quite sweet, but not overly sweet like the sugar bombs that are taking over the designer market right now. Instead, it smells like it was sweetened with a tad bit of raw honey. The tartness from the citrusy notes and the sweetness makes my mouth water. The smell is almost good enough to drink on a hot summer day.