White Gold

White gold is absolutely stunning. I don't think I could ever wear it myself because it's very heady, so intoxicating and powdered, it's like the texture of somebody poofing a talc bottle in your face, to the point you can taste it. The florals glide and soar on top of this powder which is narcotic in it's addictiveness. The opening is very floral and full to the brim with jasmine and freesia settling to an exotic orchid which is delicate as the powdery orris root and cashmearan build. The balance between powder and florals is completely perfect and it dances between the two never settling to a linear smell. Despite this balance I'd say casherean is the main player in this scent because it assumes the role of warm, woody base giving it a cozy feel but also acts as a floral booster. It's also very complementary with orris or iris and carnation which are all present in this fragrance. I love perfume and I always like to think I'm open minded and not opposed to wearing ANYTHING. However, some fragrances just scream femininity and I imagine what it would smell like on a woman because that's where I believe it is more suited. This is one of those occasions. What I like about Ormonde Jayne is that they are not afraid to mix the synthetic molecules with the more natural or perceived as natural aromas. ISO E Super, Casherean, synth musks, Abroxan, when used correctly they can boost other notes and make an otherwise ordinary fragrance very special indeed. I think this stuff is a triumph, I sprayed the tiniest amount bearly even there and it was massive in projection and longevity. Please check this out, I thought it was amazing. Update: just realised why OJ are so heavily into the man made molecules due to the fact that Geza Schoen seems to be the nose of choice and even though White Gold doesn’t have a perfumer listed, I’d bet my house this is his handiwork, they all have his style written all over them.

Currently exploring the "Golden Trilogy" of which this one is of course a beaming bulging beauty, brimming with white florals (freesia, jasmine, plus vanilla, orchid and iris). A true floral explosion fit for either a man or a woman. Instead of going through stages of one floral protagonist to have a solo part, before the next olfactory dialogue begins, these flowers sing in unison and boy, do they resonate and harmonize well. It's a mini concert of florals, supported by the warm bass of amber, cashmeran, ambrette, opoponax, tonka, vanilla, and the missing glue and fixative is ISO E Super plus oak moss (one is synthetic and the other natural). It radiates like the sun in Zenith or the flame of a candle: a constant beam and flow of energy from start to finish, just as you pull those curtains away from the window and that warm summer stream of light warms your face and tickles your nose. This tickles quite a bit, in fact I find it quite overwhelming at first, even slightly headache inducing, but once it settles (after 8-12 hrs) it becomes a warm resinous floral closer to skin. This powerhouse just goes and goes and goes, not just whafting but billowing warm balsamic-floral friendliness in the most addictive manner. I'd call it the most unashamedly abstract interpretation of a strong summer sun. I hope O.J. is working on the yellow gold version as I type, for it must be done!! Verdict: 9/10. Near masterpiece for strength, beauty, brightness and sheer exuberance not smelled in a while. Being a fan of botany I was hoping for some isolated floral moments, but they all come at once and constitute an abstract modern floral...some initial headache, but a truly fantastic modern perfume fit for the 21st century.

**Update So I tried this twice and very unfortunately the quality is not in par with other niche fragrances, at least in my skin this does not last more than 3 hours. *One of my favs but for the price this should last a lot longer and it goes away pretty quickly. -------------------------------- Beautiful, stunning and elegant. It reminds me of Coco Mademoiselle except coco is orange and femenine and this one smells like the name, whiter, colder, more grey.....so less femenine, more unisex. It's a unisex crisp floral, white, elegant and smells luxurious. I did not smell any powdery notes [which I tend to dislike] this one seemed pretty fresh throughout and well balanced. An elegant, sophisticated but youthful (I said youthful not young!) A person who is walking on a sunny day with breeze, airy, carrying enough white flowers that when the air passes or moves them one catches the smell of recently cut, fresh white florals... then green notes. I think I found my Coco replacement! which I have been searching for because Coco is now everywhere. Niche perfumes tend to lean towards the "smells strange" route or be love/hate types... generally too artistic and not mass appealing ... this one smells like a niche [expensive and sophisticated] yet "pretty" enough to be liked by the general public [which I was searching for] Sophisticated Fresh White Floral that smells unisex

I really tried to convince myself that this was not worth paying for, because I almost never buy full bottles anymore - not since I calculated that I'll need to live at least another 130 years to use up what I already have. My son will likely inherit a large collection of half-empty bottles at some point in the future, lucky him. In any case, I failed to talk myself out of purchasing White Gold a few months ago - and I have no regrets. It's rich and complex, and due to... "something" in the notes (the orchid, carnation, cashmeran and/or labdanum? I'm really not good at this) it has this consistent "bottled luxury" effect on me that few other fragrances (Cuir de Russie is one) have on me. Best worn in winter maybe? It really agrees with the snow and the crisp icy air.

This perfume is extraordinary, it reminds me of winter, snow,feast days... this is pure elegance. The opening is very fresh and floral, (it seems to me that there is an anise note but I'm not sure) then, after a while the jasmine and freesia evolve, with the orchid and the jasmine that illuminate everything creating a wonderful atmosphere . In the drydown it is more "dusty". I love this perfume Sillage: 9./10 Longevity: 9./10 Scent: 9./10 Overall: 9./10

- WARNING: rather challenging scent. Seriously, try before you buy. This is NOT your friendly neighborhood white floral. Before White Gold , I’ve tested about 500 perfumes, mostly niche, but I’m left utterly speechless by this scent. White Gold was out of my vocabulary. It still is. The opening of White Gold is unfathomable: bitter, freezing, medicinal, and powdery . I’ve come across the term "pollen-like" in a couple of other perfume reviews, and I suspect this is what White Gold aims to achieve- although in a post-modern futuristic icy metallic chrome-shiner sort of way. The "medicinal" aspect of the perfume brings me back to a (literally) "bitter-sweet" memory. As a child, when I was sick, I found it difficult to swallow those tiny antibiotic capsules, so my mother would open them up and mix the powder inside with cane sugar to make it more easy to take. Unfortunately, the beginning of this perfume evokes that unpleasant memories vividly. Thankfully, the dry-down becomes less bitter-sweet-medicinal, and more human-friendly. Like many other Ormonde Jayne scents, White Gold is complex, with numerous cool-tone white florals whispering to each other. However, these flowers are quite different from the loud and sweet stereotypes registered in your mind. Instead, they are like thousands of translucent ghosts of flowers - zero sweetness, icy cold, too fragile for the living world. Despite any changes throughout the fragrance, the bitter-sweet, medicinal powdery note persists from beginning to end. If you have tried Iperborea by Lorenzo Villoresi, imagine amplifying its most unpleasant bitter powder aspect, and you may get an idea of what White Gold smells like. In summary, White Gold is aloof, medicinal, powdery , full of subtle changes. Definitely not the typical white flowers you imagined it to be.

I have tried all seven perfumes from Four Corners and Gold Trilogy. White Gold is my favourite one out of the collection. I feel like perfumes by OJ are of good quality but some of them are polished so much that they become good but ordinary. People would not pay £200-300 for a perfume that smells like other more affordable ones on the market. White Gold is an exception in my opinion. It is a very powdery jasmine scent. Jasmine and cashmeran make such a interesting combination. As light as air, gentle, fragile, hugging you like a spring breeze. I can feel a bit warmth and sweetness from amber, tonka and opoponax. There is a hint of medicine-like bitterness as well. White Gold becomes crisper and more indolic as it develops on the skin. However, its longevity and projection are terrible on my skin. Three sprays on my arm, after 30 mins I could barely smell it unless I put my arm within 10 cm of my nose. It is a gorgeous and unique scent which I really enjoy but is it worthwhile to buy a full bottle? Another white floral perfume I love is Carnal Flower by FM. Two sprays last me almost all day. I know tuberose and jasmine perform differently and probably unfair to compare them. But still, OJ is even more expensive than FM, I expect OJ to do better. Is it difficult to find a good quality jasmine-dominant perfume? There are too many rose-jasmine perfumes on the market. If anyone knows a jasmine perfume that competes with WG please let me know.

I have two sample sets of OJ perfumes, and I've been making my way through them, sampling each one. I like this one the best so far. It seems to be a pleasant white floral with some green notes and woodsy elements. I don't perceive the powder element that others have mentioned, and that powder element is usually a deal-breaker for me. For example, Aromatics in White Clinique For Women is so powdery to me that I just can't stand it. I'm not sure that I sense all the notes in the pyramid; it's pretty well-blended. I don't think it is full bottle worthy, but it is interesting.

I do not know why this one is marketed for women. IMHO it is unisex like Rose Gold and Black Gold. It is indeed one of the few "white flowers" fragrances suited to a male audience. It is rich and intense and long lasting. I believe chemical compounds like cashmeran boost the natural components. But in fact it smells very natural. SPLENDID! I can say it is worth its price... unfortunately the price is really really high.

I have to say - I don't get much of any of the other notes on my skin. I'm not sure if it's because I stay in a hot, humid country - but it's just sweet, fresh jasmine flowers on me. Occasionally I do get whiffs of something vaguely powdery (I love iris, I'm not complaining), but most of the time, it's just solely jasmine. No spice or greenness here. Gorgeous. But I have to agree - poor longevity.

The white, powdery musk reminds me a little of Narciso Rodriguez EDP. This one is more floral and less nail polish-y. It feels white and fuzzy and cozy from the powdery musk. I find this scent very addictive. I like it, but for this price, I may just need to stick to Narciso Rodriguez.

EDIT: I hate to admit this but my initial wearings of this fragrance was not a pleasant experience. The first few sprays were marked with an overload of indolic jasmine. I am guilty of terrible first impressions, but it is a work in progress. DISCLAIMER: Do NOT test on paper. Test on skin!! After my first week of wearing it, I let the bottle sit. I revisited it and the indolic and overbearing heady white florals were significantly tempered. This gave way to a nice spicy pink peppery vibe, which changes the overall impression and message the artist was trying to convey. To sum it all up, the white floral and pink pepper gives it a very clean laundry vibe. Imagine a very white colored, creamy, yet at the same time effervescent scent that wears like a veil. The longevity is great, and it is a bonafide springtime banger. 8.5/10.

I have to agree with FlorecitaBonita, i have the Rose Gold and Black Gold, no longer that 2 to 3 hours on skin. On cloths it lasts longer, but for this price longevity should be much longer. The Fragrances are very nice smelling.

Remember I live in the GMT time zone ... whence the year has now proceeden unto the new one ... and I do wish you all a happy new year - even my confirmed ... sceptics ... ... and that would have included my arch 'skeptic', whose rather strange absence from this forum actually grieves me more than most of you are likely to imagine. Moreover, this applies to all my incarnations: all of them wish you thus. And as it's now nearly a whole year since that silly episode that was prepostrously blown out of proportion, and moreover a transition to a new year has elapsed: this 'fume now ... what kind of 'fume is it? ... well - we've had a galbanummy osmanthussy one ... and we've had a mossy-ambry one (I think) ... now by the same token what's this one then ... well it's very musky , & it's very orrisey ... so I suppose it follows that this is a very musky orrisey 'fume! Certainly, if you just love musky-orrisey 'fumes - as I do - give me musk & orris, & you can keep oud & all that - you will love this: this is the epitome of a musky-orrisey 'fume! Not only that, but ambretty -musky! All the better. @emxlio and @Houdini4 -- I mean yes it is stunning , this one! I have a softspot for Susan - the Ormonde Jayne specialist in the Selfridges boutique ... but there is no way she pitched me into a rash decision with this one* ... it just ... could have been custom-made for me, this one - for real ! *Not that she ever has pitched me into a rash decision, I hasten to add - forall her incorrigable enthusiasm! Ormonde JayneTM have one gem of a sales-lady there.