Tolu

I have been trying to wrap my head around this frag in order to write a review for the past couple of weeks now and every time I think I have got a handle on it, it shows me another facet. Tolu is one of those frags that is deceptively simple at first but as you live with it for a while, it starts of show off different layers. It is one of those frags you need to invest a relationship in before you truly appreciate it. Geza Schoen has produced a gem here. The top notes of Tolu are very bright citrus and a spicy, green, herbal note. It reminds me of the opening of Nicolai New York Intense actually even though that is mostly Bergamot with pepper n cloves and I dont find any corresponding notes here. But oh well, just know it smells immediately captivating. The heart phase here is pretty muted, the floral notes mentioned are mostly minor facets adorning the glorious Tolu Balsam note. For once, a Perfume has been aptly named as the balsamic amber note here is the central deity here around which the others notes offer obeisance. The tolu balsam is adorned with tonka to give it a sweet edge and the ambery frankincense to give it the familiar rich amber note. All in all, truly a work of art by a Master Perfumer. Projection is nice and strong for about 3-4 hours and longevity is a solid 8 hours on my skin. I get a full work day out of it easy. In conclusion I would say None of these notes used in Tolu are things you have not smelled a thousand times before but they have been brought together here with a fresh flourish and aplomb that is truly something to behold. If you are an Amber lover of any sort, you owe it to yourself to get your nose on this. The simplest way I can describe this frag would be Nicolai New York Intense meets Tom Ford Amber Absolute. That is not really doing it justice but should give you an idea. I love this one and it's definitely become one of my all time favourites. 9.5/10

When I first tested Tolu, I thought it was similar to JD Jeffery Dames Duality and I still think that. I wore both perfumes because I considered buying both. I like JD Jeffery Dames Duality but, in the end, I decided I could do w/out it. Tolu was a completely different story. As I kept wearing Tolu and testing Tolu her secrets began to unfold for me and I became entranced w/ her beauty. Tolu starts off deep green, like an enchanted forest. That smell comes from the juniper and the Tolu balsam which is prevalent from beginning to end in this hypnotizing perfume. It makes this perfume smell alive. What I like about Ormande Jayne perfumes that work well for me is they smell alive and deeply connected to nature while still remaining a true perfume. Tolu has a Watery fresh orange blossom that throws a cooling tone over a very warm and woody fragrance. It gives this deep perfume lightness and an airiness that can sometimes be lacking in heavy vintage style perfumes. Rose is very strong here and is a powdery vintage style rose. But what impresses me most about this gorgeous perfume is how calming, warm and comforting it is. It literally beckons you to wear it. It is glamorous but down to earth at the same time. It is one of those perfumes that keeps calling your name until you surrender to its charms. Warm, rich, powdery, green, floral, amber that is sensual, womanly, seductive and quite bewitching. I am glad I got around to testing Ormande Jayne perfumes. I found 2 so far that I want very much and will end up buying. Tolu and Woman. Not everything they make is a homerun but what I like about this brand is when they get it right, they create magic. Tolu is in one word Magic. Edit: I retested JD Jeffery Dame Duality and couldn't do w/out that one either. If you like Old school orientals that are reimagined for today both Tolu and Duality are worth a try.

Ormonde Jayne fragrances are blended so beautifully it’s challenging to pick out any one note. Opens spicy and green. OJ’s lovely orange blossom is there, along with a sinus-clearing juniper. Maybe it’s just the juniper but I sense the Ormonde Woman DNA here, like I’ve arrived in the same rich forest on a different day, a different season perhaps. The rose and lily emerge after 20 minutes or so. I wish my skin didn’t emphasize the powderiness so much; the other elements get lost. It’s like I’ve encountered this perfectly balanced natural forest tableau and someone drives right through it with a dump truck of powder. It’s all the more frustrating because it’s so fucking perfect on paper, another gorgeous elucidation of that softness-meets-toughness-and-they-both-win thing that Ormonde Jayne is so very good at. Okay, listen. I’m back. The middle gets powdery. Like, really powdery. As we discussed. But I’m back to tell you that you need to stick with it. I left for a run feeling pessimistic about this scent, and by the time I came back and smelled my wrist, holy shit: something vanilla-y had entered the conversation to counter the powder and I was left with the perfectly balanced fragrance I had seen when I squinted through the powdery haze in the middle. Totally worth it. Tolu is so clever, so complex, one of the most alluring aromatic ambers I’ve tried. It's fucking interesting, okay? Just spectacular.

What a beautiful unique amber fragrance. It was my first purchase from OJ and my first love. And I have fallen down the rabbit hole and now own many more OJ fragrances. I called Ormonde Jayne to ask if they would please make an extrait version of this beauty. And was told that I can order a 45% extrait strength of Tolu, it’s a very strong version. Yes it costs about $120 more but it is so worth it IF you love TOLU as much as I do. As for the comments that are claiming they can’t smell anything but baby powder or some other crap, you must have a fake. Because this perfume is a beautiful masterpiece. People keep trying to buy perfume from cheap sellers and stores known for selling fakes and then come on here and give a bad review. That’s completely unfair and if you think you can buy a $150 fragrance for $25 then don’t complain when you get a fake. There are factories in Russia and China that do nothing but make fake perfumes. Fake bottles and fake perfumes. It’s also possible that you were sold a used bottle that was stored badly and went very bad. Heat is a perfumes enemy and when will ppl finally realize that you CAN NOT store expensive perfume in your bathroom. Even your good makeup should not be stored in your bathroom. It should be obvious to you if every other review raves about this beautiful perfume but you, that you were sold a fake or bad perfume . The only thing I can say now is 🙄 DUH

This was a blind buy at an online discount store, based on reviews from (YouTube) fragheads whose tastes jibe with mine. My first wear had me somewhat concerned, though, reminiscent of the way Musc Ravageur put me off, back in 2004, when the much smaller fragcom was raving about it. MR and Tolu share an aspect that I would call a 'wan ghost' - I suspect tonka bean, one of two notes they share - while being somewhat spicy and potent at the same time. This odd juxtaposition grated on me, but was likely what kept me coming back for more at the same time. Next to to Musc Ravageur, Tolu reminds me of a fragrance that instantly wowed me, Le Lion by Chanel. They share olibanum, which has a dark smoky and leathery feel, providing a rambunctious yet solid base and an almost-but-not-quite punk-like aesthetic. In addition to the ghost of tonka, Tolu balances its dark base with a floral headiness, dominated by orange blossom, while the lily-of-the-valley and orchid sing in wispy tones throughout the composition. There is a hint of green that lingers, adding substance to the floral song. The whole composition is balanced in such a clever way, that it keeps you on your toes, maintaining its potency throughout the day, wrapping you in warm comfort.