Poppy & Barley

One of my favorite scents I have ever had. Smells of whiskey, milk, diluted stone fruit, a dried flower with small yet sturdy petals. Like a rich, antique grain. It is all tied together by an extremely subtle soapy base note which becomes more prominent the longer you wear the perfume. The florals balance the powder and the grains and milk balance the syrupy alcohol. I do not really smell any citrus, I mostly smell lactonic barley with a light yet distinct floral. And the tiniest bit of musk, somehow, it makes the scent much more human. This perfume smells the way it feels to have someone look at you and tell you so much with their eyes that can't be said with words. The well-dressed kid in your class with a family secret. The business woman who grew up in farm country and never tells anyone where she's from. On the surface it's elegant and restrained, but there is that little bit of milky alcohol scent that implies something more that you will never know. It's like stepping into another person's home: all the smells that are there on purpose (laundry, scented candles, soaps) but also the smells that are naturally created (warm milk, skin on blankets, the dry field outside the open window). You choose what to focus on. It can be either impersonal or intimate. All in all, this is a very put-together scent, unique, in control, and though most rate it as highly feminine, I find it unisex or androgynous in some way. I would be intrigued by someone wearing this if I had never smelled it before. Sadly, I wore it for two or more years so I have to take a break and let it surprise me again some time in the future.

First Jo Malone purchase--was really torn between Red Roses and this. I smelled both in store this summer, so I experienced the recent release, but I purchased English Field collection instead. It's linear like most Jo Malone I've tried: watery, fleeting rose with just a hint of fruitiness. The violet and greens, soft as it may, definitely played their roles in creating the quite convincing poppy fantasy note. The grains make it more grounded, I feel. It's fresh, it's clean, perhaps not groundbreaking but I adore 'cotton' effect. This is definitely my preferred feminine floral fragrance for daily basis. Relaxed outdoor weekends in a bottle. Not much projection but I do catch whiffs of it as I move sometimes, even after four or five hours. On humid days, I can still detect it sitting on my skin after eight to ten hours.

I adore this. It was my second favorite of the 5 but now closing in on being the 1st.... This juice undergoes a very unique transformation - at first a pretty floral that is Dipqyque style, but once settled it becomes mellow and creamy, which turns into a grainy sweetness that I love. I can not stop sniffing it on my wrist throughout the day. This is long lasting - which is a wonderful thing because it is a limited edition and I do not want to run out of it too soon!

Soft rose and soft blackcurrant jam. Very soft, jammy rose. I'm not getting any violet and this does not smell powdery on me. The barley / bran note sits at the bottom of this fragrance and gives it a warm, comforting undertone. This sits on your skin and doesn't project at all. But I get better longevity on it than a lot of Jo Malones. I'd say around 7-12 hours. Soft, rosy, comforting perfume. Perfect for everyday wear, office-safe, and lovely.

A nice, gentle, flowery scent, not overly sweet. Emanates something clean. The poppy is noticeable but not cloying. Not ground breaking but definitely not your usual perfume. My favorite from this collection and as far as I understood the top best-seller form the five limited edition scents. Longevity is nothing to write home about, but it's a lovely summer scent for those who like it different.