Ormonde Jayne Woman : Perfume Review

Star rating: 5 stars–outstanding/potential classic, 4 stars–very good, 3 stars–adequate, 2 stars–disappointing, 1 star–poor.

Beauty borders on tangible and intangible. It is not one thing or another, itself being a combination of parts, some of which are slightly odd. The difference between pretty and beautiful is in the juxtaposition of  strange elements with expected ones. In Ormonde Jayne Woman, it is a bitter resinous note of black hemlock, folded into the cardamom and sandalwood laced composition. The combination of spicy vibrancy and sultry sweetness lends Ormonde Woman a memorable character. The warmth of amber provides a brocaded background for the interplay of woody and sweet notes.

I would not classify this as an evening fragrance just because I want to smell it constantly and feel comfortable wearing it notwithstanding the occasion. It was the first fragrance I have sampled from Ormonde Jayne, and it still remains my favorite.

The mysterious black hemlock is a type of spruce, known also as Mountain Hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana). Other Ormonde Jayne woman notes include cardamon, coriander and grass oil; black hemlock, violet and jasmine absolute; vetiver, cedar wood, amber, and sandalwood.

Picture: Couple On Veranda At Night, rubiyat.com.