Ormonde Elixir

My first (but certainly not my last) full-bottle purchase from Ormonde Jayne. I agree with the last reviewer who situated Ormonde Elixir closer to Ormonde Woman than to Ormonde Man: to me, the hemlock is star of this fragrance. It's gorgeously woody, pungent, green, and resinous, recalling the mist-shrouded coastal forests of Northern California and the Pacific Northwest. The addition of Cambodian Oud, which is much darker, denser, and a tad medicinal, is a masterstroke. The oud imparts depth and an exotic, mysterious quality that one could imagine clashing with the hemlock. Rather than dial down or mitigate the woods, though, a third is added: sharp, spicy, wholesome cedar! I can't think of any other fragrances featuring such a densely entwined wood accord like this one, making Ormonde Elixir the most "decadently" woody fragrance in my collection. There is also a green-floral accord of grass, violet, and jasmine, as well as a spice accord of cardamom, coriander, and sandalwood. They all combine beautifully to form the most regal and ethereal of afternoon strolls in a lost forest kingdom, air rich with the cool, misty air of the coast, light given form and grace in its passage through the ancient canopy. In a word, OE is utterly transportive. It's also incredibly potent, lasting at least eight hours on my skin and filling the room with 2-3 sprays. I don't quite know how to categorize it in terms of occasion, season, and gender; it's so unique and photo-realistic. Perhaps a bit more on the masculine-formal side, and best in spring and fall, as I feel very cold weather would stifle it but high heat would render it overwhelming. It's a bit on the pricey side, given its resemblance to Ormonde Woman. So, if you like the sound of this but don't want to spend this much, and don't mind losing the oud, just go for OW. They're both magnificent.

A velvety, plush version of the Ormonde signature greens anchored with a beautiful oud. Rather than sparkling in the sunlight, as the original, it's the woods at dusk as the sun falls and the smells of late summer permeate the atmosphere with melancholy and witchiness. The opening is a beautiful blast of grass, cardamom and a citrus note held together by a deep woody animalic oud that is like the witch calling you deeper into the heart of your own wildness and sensuality. The heart is oud, violet, grass and maybe rose, like dark purple velvet. Very visual and seamlessly articulated transitions. As it wears, more of the Ormonde signature projects, while close to the skin is the smooth oud. In the heart the oud is the star. The oud is exceptionally beautiful, alive in its complexity. A smooth wood that is maybe naturally and wisely the star of this composition. Not obvious but of course obvious with the beauty of this composition. Here the oud wood is embellished by the traditional floral and green notes of Ormonde signature. It's the witch. Wow. The oud eventually has a leathery character and then soft powdery. This is how I had always wished Ormonde Man/ Woman smelled. I also live in a dry hot climate and maybe this works better here because of the oud. More than worth the money I think, it smells that good. The only negative is the whole show is not extremely long lasting, maybe 4 hours on my skin. Possible to improve performance by spraying on fabric. I'm so glad that in the world of Linda Pilkington and Ormond Jayne there is still a love of fine artistry, natural materials, and a celebration of brand and creativity that keep delighting and surprising.

This is hands down the best oud - it breaks the mold - and while I adore the classic tobacco-rose-amber-musk notes of most oud centric perfumes this one is entirely different and yet perfectly complimentary to all the complex facets of real oud. Ormande Elixir opens bright fruit, freshly cut clean grass, with oud & cedar notes that are powdery like sawdust and fresh, sticky oud resin. Jasmine is a note that can run the gamut of indolic to fruit juice sweet, and it is a bit of both here, ripe and juicy with only the tiniest bit musky, perfectly blended to boost the fruit-like nuances of real oud oil. The cardamom and coriander aren't really noticeable or were so fleeting in the opening that I didn't register them. This is the 3rd wearing of my sample and thus far the dry down has only grown deeper, darker, more resinous with the opening notes morphing from fresh & fruity to a rich, sexy, amber oud molasses. As this is an 'elixir' it is quite powerful and long lasting but never obtrusively so - I get wafts throughout it's wearing and the sillage depending on body temperature is anywhere from above skin scent to arms length but never overwhelming me or others around me with it's presence. If you've grown a bit tired of the classic Oud perfume profile give this one a try, and be prepared to open your wallet for a full bottle. A delight.

In my humble opinion this version of ormonde is the best one. After succeeding so much with the ormonde man and ormonde women fragrances, it was time to create a unisex version. This version takes the original and adds a ton of real Cambodian oud in exchange for the Agarwood in ormonde man. That change makes it deeper, more animalic and sexier. Then it adds the voilet and jasmine from ormonde women. Making it a little more unisex over the original. But that makes it more intriguing to my nose. I’d say it’s perfectly unisex. It’s just amazing stuff. After sampling I had to go for the full bottle. You don’t really hear anybody talk about this and they should be! Underrated gem! This is perfect in fall time. 9.5/10. Borderline masterpiece. I took a half a point for the fact it’s a flanker. And I just don’t like flankers lol. And I didn’t like how they used the elixir branding... cmon OJ your better than that! Sample First Ladies and Gentlemen.

Elegant and naughty, a true dandy's scent.... This is gorgeous from beginning to end. Take Ormonde Jayne Man, spice it up, slightly reduce the greenness (or just take Ormonde Woman as a base, reinforcing the aromatic nuances) and double the perfume oil concentration, and you will be half way there... because on top of all that, there is a Cambodian Oud (the real thing), which is to day for. Very very sexy, taking this juice into an upper-class naughty fragrance, perfect signature for the modern dandy... Wild and elegance mixed to perfection. A good example that it is not only rose what can be successfully combined with Oud... (don't believe it, just check it out, you will not regret it, I promise...) Uniqueness: medium-high (just because It's based in other perfumes from the brand) Scent: 9/10 Performance: high Would I buy it: Yes (already part of my collection)