Bitter Orange & Chocolate

To buy or not to buy, that is the question... I do really like the scent, but I guess the reason I run away (fast!) from Jo Malone frags is they are so freakin' light! There is like no sillage at all, and I feel like I need 10 sprays just to get that "cloud" of perfume I want (and I usually only spray twice with most perfumes!) I just can't help but think of it as "watery" and it makes me feel like it's not worth the money. I really like this scent though. It's not really sweet but it's still yummy and gourmand. Definitely like a Terry's chocolate orange, as many of you have mentioned. The bitter chocolate is quite nice, and not bitter at all in a bad way. I like the lack of sugary sweetness but the fact that it's still so edible. So I guess my problem is the strength and longevity now. Is it really worth it? I'm not so sure. I think I might be able to find similar scents out there that are more "rich" and full-fat. EDIT: I did end up purchasing this, and I chose it over the ginger biscuit one, which I liked but didn't love. So why did I buy it? One, I figured I might regret it later since it's limited edition, and I could always sell/swap it later if I wanted to. Also, over time I felt the scent did not fade as fast as other Jo Malone scents, and I still felt "yummy" several hours later. The sillage isn't great but it turns out the longevity is, so I feel it's worth it. I really do love the scent!

I remember commenting that we had Jo Malone stores here in Greece but never had the chance to visit one. So, when “Sweet and Spice” collection came out, I’ve decided it was about time to do so. I had already chosen which perfume I would buy but, further, convinced my husband to come along and smell it because of his allergies (we had a little issue with “Daisy Oh So Fresh”) and, of course, his opinion is always welcomed! Fortunately for me, we both loved this fragrance. In fact, I enjoy this perfume so much that it has been now over two months of constant use, thus making me forget about the rest of my perfumes. Added to my skin, I can easily smell the powdery chocolate and oranges scents, loving further the way that the vanilla – coconut combo hits me. It makes me feel coming out of a pastry shop. The longevity is good, but it gets even better and yummier if I layer it with 'The Body Shop’s' Coconut Body Butter. To me, it smells exceptional, true to its name and of excellent quality. If this wasn’t a limited edition, I would easily make it my signature scent. As a compliment, my husband also commented that it would be a pity if I finished the bottle, due to some lovely memories from a recent trip to London only wearing 'Bitter Orange and Chocolate'. I know he is right, but now being so addicted to it, I just can’t help myself!

Wow! So much better than I expected! First of all, the lasting power of Jo Malone Bitter Orange & Chocolate is tremendous. Over 10 hours and it's still very easy to detect on my skin. The initial spray on my skin is a blast of juicy bitter orange which is literally a combination of bitterness and sweetness mingling with the aroma and richness of the cacao/chocolate. This is more spicy than sweet to my nose ... rich, luscious and delectable. This is dark chocolate so it's not supposed to be bursting with chocolatey sweetness, more of a deep and warm touch. The chocolate in this scent maintains its presence until the end, very nice! For the fragrance's longevity and ability to satisfy my craving for dark chocolate, this is worth every penny.

Smells exactly like what the notes offer: festive orange rinds coated in sweet dark chocolate on a blanket of warm tonka. A little bit spicy from the nature of the aromatic bitter orange. There's a similarity between this and Guerlain's Gourmand Coquin - except this is more citrusy than rosy, better for a bitter orange fan like me. Silage and longevity is exceptional - lasts over 12 hours on me. One thing though: this is a very mass-pleasing gourmand like Guerlain GC. Right now I prefer something more polarizing and less well-rounded in the gourmand category. I'll cherish the bottle but won't agonize over finishing it.

For me all perfumes of Jo Malone during 5 last years were real diappointment as its longevity was 5-10 minutes maximum despite some smells seems divine at th ebeginning. The only two exceptions in terms of longevity were the Noir Pomegranate and the Bitter Orange and Chocolate. It is really sad that so strong and sweet EPD as the Bitter Orange and Chocolate was so quicly disconnected by them. I still have few drops of this perfum and tend to use it for special ocasions in the evenings. It has that strange and very appealing combination of quite pronounced citric smell enveloped in the chocolate-vanilla layer.