Incense & Cedrat

This is really beautiful. Dark and deep but also sheer; it's an incredibly easy to wear classic style incense. The labdanum is the anchor of this composition on me - rich amber with a hint of leathery rose. Then the other resins float around that warm core. Really good and nicely blended. It reminds me of YSL nu, which was the first fragrance I bought for myself as a teenager. However, it's edges are smoother than nu's. It is very expensive, though, and if you have other good ambery incenses you probably don't need this in addition to those. If you are looking to fill that niche, though, definitely consider trying this (even if you wouldn't normally go for Jo Malones). Back to add: this is especially lovely in cold, winter temperatures. Humidity can make it a little heavy and dense, but cold wintry days bring out a gorgeous, metallic chill in the frankincense that make the scent a little more refined and ascetic. I like it even more in these early days of winter.

While I agree with prior reviews that this is a refined and subtle take on an established genre; I still adore it and find it practical for wear in my very corporate life. I prefer it on my skin to clothing. I've found a too-heavy spray on clothing can lean towards an ammonia smell. However, 1 spray on my neck in the morning and I continually receive wafts of mulled spices and incense throughout my day. I'm never concerned that I'm offending my colleagues while locked in a boardroom. And I receive compliments from the individuals in my life who would have occasion to have their face buried in my neck ;) I find the initial spray is a bit much; almost a cloying rendition of itself. However within a few moments it begins to dry down to smooth out the edges. 8/10 due to price and smell on clothes versus skin.

This fragrance is kind of slept on in the lineup of Jo Malone fragrances. It smells extremely classy and dark, and I'm excited to try it during autumn nights. It will also work in the winter and perhaps at night in the late summer. The sillage is decent, and it can be smelled faintly at an arms length. It's hard for me to judge the longevity because I tend not to notice colognes after a few hours, but others can still smell it after 4-5 hours. Overall, I'd give it an 8/10.

Oud, frankincense, and myrrh are not listed here. Perhaps they are accords rather than individual notes. Even then, the silky, satiny, sheer radiance of the incense notes graces the presence of the wooden core of the structure. I say core, because rather than a pyramid, this one seems to consist of sensual incenses dancing around a wooden center. They soften without losing radiance. Probably the best Jo Malone offering to date imho,

Love this. Works well with my chemistry, unisex in my opinion. A citrusy light incense that fits all seasons in the cool climate in my corner of the world.