hortus conclusus

Some of you may remember I really liked the mystery a nd dark depth of Ormonde Jayne woman , but complained that its longevity left too much to be desired to justify Full Bottle Status? And then the lovely Mrs. Trefusis recommended OJ man to me in the comments, suggesting that might give me the satisfaction I crave? Well, a long, lingering encounter with OJ Woman’s masculine counterpart has lead me to conclude that this is the real candidate for possession! As witchy as Woman, but considerably more bold, this is a soft, sweet, dusty, cardamom, vetiver, birch tar party. A good, mysterious scent, perfect for any shaman you know, or you could wear it yourself, whoever you may be. I see it as definitely unisex, as well as well-composed—no component or note stands out from the rest in the composition. T he oudh--sometimes a stand-out centerpiece in fragrances in an annoying way-- is blended in here very well—it does not scream oudh. Rather, I find myself wondering—what IS that faint woo...

Don’t forget about the Tauer perfume giveaway! Enter Here . Ormonde Jane Woman is a very interesting fragrance; arresting, powerful, and very unique. It is a very intriguing blend of what I would categorize as ‘dusty’ smells—things that are not ‘powdery’ per se, but somehow feel dry and crumbly, as if the molecules are falling apart into little particles as they rise into the air. This is an unscientific way to describe the feeling I get when I smell violet, cedar, sandalwood, and some vetivers. Ormonde Jayne woman brings all of these together in one mysterious little fragrance, with the addition of ‘pure hemlock absolute’ which here sort of functions as a wild card, with a certain woodiness and round sweetness to it that somehow perfectly complements all the dusky dusty smells. The pepper and cardamom open up with spicy strangeness this unusual yet magnetic fragrance, then give way to a mildewy powderyness that is the heart of the fragrance (and I mean mildewy in the best possi...