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.

Tolu, oh my Tolu. For me this is perfection. This scent is addictive! I got myself a big bottle recently - for an important b-day - after having waited a number of years since our first encounter. All Ormonde Jaynes are phenomenal creations, but are darn expensive. This is a unique fragrance and a must try for the ones that, like me, love amber based, oriental, sensual frags in general. It is sensual and very elegant, it never screams but it whispers. It's class, refinement, mistery, elegance. It is genderless in my opinion. Starts off fresh and crisp with some bergamot/neroli/lotv, then goes balsamic on the juniper note, and mantains this freshness and transparency all the way through. It becomes powdery soon (amber, the resins) but still has a distinct note of exotic land, and this fresh, balsamic note. You cannot tell the flower notes distinctly, although you guess there is some powdery rose in it. The drydown is the best part, you can feel all the creaminess of the tonka and the tolu resin. Good longevity and moderate sillage (all elegant frags have, they never scream). A gorgeous one.

Resins, raisins, ray-zings. This is how this perfume goes, in short. On my skin the initial blast of resins becomes sweet and slightly fruity, and then gets transformed into the warm rays of sun in a darkened wooden hall that had seen many joyful celebrations. This is a perfume that unfolds narratively, making me want to tell a story. Here's a woody blast of the cleaned wooden paneled room, a smells of holiday cooking (raisins) way, way in the distance, and then finally, the smell of smell of expectation of another holiday coming to the warm wooden house where they had many good times and celebrations. However, all this is slightly far away. You're inside the house, but you're not in the epicenter of cleaning, cooking, and expectation. Actually, if, like me, you're steeped in Jane Eyre, having read it about twenty times, you'll follow me: this perfume makes me think about a big ball in Thornfield hall from Jane's point of view -- somewhere far away up the stairs. In terms of perfume it means a skin scent, subtle, without loudness. Highly recommended. Thanks for a sample, dear friend.

Oh how long I have waited to try this and today, the wait is over! Just as I dreamt of it being, just as I imagined the delightful tolu to be, a stunning masterpiece! I was hit with some citrus balsamic notes with the initial spay, I waited anxiously for the scent to develop as I knew there was much more to come, and how right I was. The more it develops, the more sweeter, more feminine it becomes. The amber comes out to play, giving it depth and warmth, at the same time the citrus is still present. I can definitely detect some orange blossom, this is making the sweetness more prominent. Once it settles, it turns into a powdery wonder, just enough powder to blend in with the spices, woods and flowers. An extremely elegant, romantic and sexy scent, very sensual too. The downside is it doesn't last on me at all, otherwise it would have been absolutely perfect! If I had to describe how this scent makes me feel when I am wearing it, I would say 'Like a girl in love, plucking out flower petals and saying he loves me, he loves me not'

This has to be one of the classiest yet still accessible perfumes I've ever smelled. This smells like quiet luxury to me. It smells like someone with generational wealth, as opposed to nouveau riche. It is so well-constructed and smells high quality. It's present without being ostentatious. The opening reminds me of a more modern Sisley Eau du Soir, which I thought was really lovely but I didn't have the vibe to pull it off (I may revisit in another 10 years). But this takes the best parts of Eau du Soir and makes it more down to earth and cozy. It's spicy and balsamic. As it dries down, it almost becomes soapy but not in a bad way. It's like the most luxuriously fragrant soap I've ever smelled, mixed with spices and amber. Also becomes a little sweeter. This can be a casual fragrance for every day and it can be used for special occasions. I love Ormonde Jayne, they make truly special fragrances that are elegant but never snobby and make me feel truly put together even when I'm not!

Love at first sniff, this starts out with a gorgeous medley of citrus and orange blossom, woods, vanilla, powdery tonka, and a floral note up front that smells something like ylang-ylang. I suppose it contains tolu balsam, which has a resinous, vanilla-like scent, and is usually used as a fixative, not the main attraction. Here it serves the usual purpose, with the main attraction being the florals and amber base. Once the scent stabilizes, I would characterize Tolu as a beautiful, sexy oriental fragrance with a lot of citrus, and just enough rough edges to make it unusual. It’s as if there were angles that don’t quite mesh together, but the mismatch ends up creating an interesting texture. After a while there appears a sweet, creamy note that reminds me of rice pudding. I love the juxtaposition of this soft, smooth stream with the rough one. There’s just the right amount of sillage, and longevity is excellent, 8 hours or more. Two thumbs up on this one!

I find the primary character of the top notes fleeting, but then the beautiful bright nuance of the opening manages to glow all the way through Tolu. As the heart of this fragrance starts to beat, a bouquet of flowers begins to blossom--velvety, smooth, lush, rich--their botanical aroma doesn't seek attention, yet their ethereal beauty hovers. The resins in this composition are featured with most prominent perfection. Frankincense, for me has a penetrating quality on a very primal level--balsamic, rich, a little sharp, teasing awake some deeply buried corners of my psyche. Tolu balsam married with amber offers some comfy, malted goodness, like a fresh-from-the-oven earthy graham cracker dipped in warm, full cream milk. A very regal presentation of what culminates into a creamy, smoky, earthy, woody, sultry delight. Just try not to love this--about as impossible as sneezing with your eyes wide open.

A structured and modern oriental beyond attempts to lean into images of feminine or masculine, a true in-between and on-its-own. Earthy and warm, Tolu can appear, depending on temperature and my mood, almost plush but not too sweet (no faux baroque or vertiginous flower secretions here to reinforce the reign of divas of whatever gender here), woody but never harsh (no armour of booze or desperate grapefruit bitterness to sound over softly beating hearts). A natural, clean, warm and sometimes happy balm, that is Peruvian tolu for me. I use also the stronger concentration (custom, more expensive - I couldn’t resist) that lets the base radiate into a bigger statement. However, there is a beautiful and naturalistic lily-of-the-valley layered into the warmth of woods and resins going on for while, which I love and miss in the higher concentration. For me, both versions masterpieces.

This is so uniquely beautiful. I know coffee isn't listed as a note but does anybody else get it as well? I'm talking rich, freshly brewed espresso coffee. It is DIVINE! That note seems to stay from the moment I put it on to the moment it's wearing off and I lurrrrve it ♥ Aside from the caffeine addict in me loving this - that orchid is just LUSCIOUS. The Spices, Amber and Vanilla (only a hint of Vanilla on me) compliment the Coffee and the Orchid beyond belief. I am *crazy* about this. For some reason, the dry down on me is similar (but not identical) to Cartier's Du Dragon...which is just another reason I love this perfume! WOW, WOW, WOW. What an introduction to this niche brand! MEGA thank you to the lovely fragrantician who sent me a decant of this...think it's safe to say I'll be getting my hands on a big bottle when I can LOL xxoo

Gosh this is signature scent worthy. Sometimes you just know true love when you sniff it. This fragrance gets where it needs to be quite quickly and then stays there all day. It opens up a tad green and a tad zesty. Quickly it starts drying down very breefly might i add, into a very noticable and slightly cloying and indolic lily of the valey. Then it transforms, again very swiftly, into a more woody and creamy base. The tolubalsem hits and it smells like the most fancy sauna oil in the best way. I say oil because that's what it's texture feels like to me. even though it is a deep heavy scent, it is not cloying. It will never bother anyone. A soft sheer and balmy veil covers your skin and the balsems light up and create the most beautiful warm, golden scent bubble. This is the classiest cosy scent i have ever layed my nose upon.

Gorgeous, Rich, Resinous, Spicy and Warm composition from a lady who knows how to create an unforgettable scent that will stay with you for a lifetime. I initially tried a sample from the discovery set and immediately fell in love with it; ordered a bottle and have since enjoyed many winter nights enveloped in this deep scent made with tolu, muguet (I love this note present at the beginning), rose, amber and frankincense notes. I have also tried a mini candle, courtesy of the Ormonde Jayne Boutique in Bond Street which is absolutely lovely and hypnotic. I shall be getting the travel spray set to be able to enjoy the scent while on my travels. I do look forward to many years of pleasure surrounded by this beautiful perfume. Excellent longevity and sillage. Double thumbs up! Thank You...x

A great scent to wear in chilly weather. Very warm and of course resinous. The tolu is strong in this one. It is a tad sweet but it is all perfectly balanced. After a while you detect the orchid, neroli and aromatics which prevent this becoming too heavy. They cut through the resins and define the fragrance and are more evident with time. Can you tell it's a winner with me yet? There is something about it that reminds me of cartier baiser du dragon but this is more interesting. I fear reformulation took away the fire in Cartiers dragons kiss. So sad. Further down the timeline and there is a soapiness which I don't mind for a change. I get good longevity and good sillage in this 20 degree room. I also think a fella could easily carry this one off. It is borderline unisex.

A beautifully structured, sublimely balanced, brilliant take on the "oriental" genre. Tolu turns the genre on its head by using fresh, sharp green herbal notes as well as a tinge of fresh, watery flowers on top of the ambery, incensy, resinous base, rather than the typical sweet vanilla and warm spices. This creates a gorgeous and disarming interplay between warm and cool notes that has me unable to stop sniffing my arm. I see a couple of reviews calling it powdery, but I'm not smelling powder at all. Though incense, to me, doesn't read as "powder", as apparently it does to others? (I consider scents like violet, iris, and some types of rose "powdery"). This review is based off a few hours spent with a decant; Tolu's immediately going on my BUY list.

It's the only OJ I know and I have to say: It's gorgeous! The scent is not all that flowers that are in the notes-the base is the strongest part from the get go. the top and middle just make a floaty appearence but only shyly in the background. Amber, incence and surely tolu(though I don't know what it should smell like) + orange flower/ orchid with a hint of juniper I think, is most prominent. but it isn't too strong - the sillage and longvity is good, but it isn't too intense! Now I feel I've the same problem as with SCENT by CN: hard to get, expensive-and of course I want them! I feel like a dork because my right wrist seems to be glued under my nose-just can't stop sniffing TOLU! Everyone who has the chance please try to enjoy this dreamy one!

♡ It opens with a fresh aromatic brightness that slowly melts away, revealing one of the most beautiful dry-downs I've ever experienced. On my skin, Tolu transforms into glowing amber wrapped in golden honey and soft balsams. It feels warm without becoming heavy and rich without ever becoming overwhelming. There is always something keeping it luminous. What I love most is its depth. It doesn't unfold in a straight line—it evolves naturally, almost as if it's breathing. Hours later, it reminds me of a luxurious spa: glowing resins, soft balsams, clean skin, and quiet comfort. This is a fragrance that rewards patience. The longer I wear it, the more beautiful it becomes. ♡♡♡♡♡ Timeless, comforting and deeply soulful. ♡♡♡♡♡

I'm quite sure my good Fragrantica friend who sent me this dropped it in the envelope by mistake because I wouldn't give this to anybody. Not even my mother. It's Awesome This develops along the lines of Black Orchid for me, i.e, spicy but well grounded in woody, orchid-y glorious goodness. I see previous reviewers are describing it as classy, sophisticated, feminine. I agree to a point, but this is too sensuously earthy to be that refined. I think this scent could be fronted by Gaby of Desperate Housewives. I.e, someone who is well kept, wears all the right clothes and goes to all the right parties, and plays with the lawn boy when the husband's not looking. Now that's Tolu - the well kept girl's secret