And when you kiss me, I'm happy enough to die.

Jo Malone Orange Blossom

Let me say right now how good it is to be open-minded when it comes to perfume. For example, after trying L’Artisan’s Fleur d'Oranger 2007 and not finding it all that fascinating, I just didn't think I'd be that into orange blossom/neroli scents. Nice, but nothing I was wild about.

Then I was in the mall the other day and, on a whim, I got a generous 2.5ml sprayer sample of Jo Malone Orange Blossom. Jo Malone describes Orange Blossom as follows:

The scent of clementine leaves in the morning dew sparkles above a heart of orange blossom and water lily, transporting the wearer to a garden oasis.

In the intervening ten days, I’ve used up the whole sample. This is remarkable for a number of reasons. One, I have hundreds of samples, so it’s rare to reach for the same sample more than one use at a time. Two, it hasn’t been all that hot here, and I generally think of orange blossom as a warmer weather scent. Three, I honestly did not think I liked orange blossom scents at all.

And yet, I am so taken with Jo Malone’s Orange Blossom. The initial application is just as lemony bitter little thing, it quickly grows sweeter in an orangey way, which is so delightful! Where Fleur d'Oranger 2007 is this wispy, faint scent that seems more about being an embodiment of aesthetic than a real scent, Orange Blossom amplifies all its good qualities to become this wonderful presentation of flowers on orange trees, gentle and sweet and warm and light and a little bitter, but strong enough to be real and yet simultaneously complimentary to the wearer. Its both orangey and lemon-limey, but not in a fake cola way, and less bitter or salt and peppery than Fleur d’Oranger 2007. It both stands alone and warps to accentuate the wearer at the same time, and wears well at both low 60 degree weather and high 80 degree weather. I can imagine it being worn equally by a young woman in a polo uniform, cap, pony tail, and knee high black riding boots on her champion pony and by a young woman wearing a red and white checked shirt with rolled sleeves, Wranglers, and well-worn cowboy boots who washes down stalls as part of her weekly chores. It seems to flexible to fit any kind of woman, from high class to working class, and yet is just strong enough to stand on its own.

Even now, as I write this while sniffing at what is left of my sample on my hand, I still am truly shocked by how much I like it. I mean, Jo Malone, while well-made, is really not supposed to outshine a L’Artisan limited edition scent, particularly one that costs a 3x the price. But Jo Malone has won my heart. It’s true. And though I honestly thought I wasn’t all that into anything orange blossom based, here I am clamoring for a bottle. And this, dear readers, is a great reminder that you should never rule out a scent based on what you’ve thought of others with similar notes. It might be the one that wins you over. In my case, it certainly opened the door to more experiences with neroli/orange blossom scents.

"There’s a ghost in my lungs
and it talks in my sleep,
wraps itself around my tongue
as it softly speaks.
Then in walks, then in walks,
then in walks with my legs
to fall, to fall
to fall at your feet."
- "I’m Not Calling You a Liar," Florence + the Machine
(You can listen to the song here)

Want more reviews? Try...
~ a review from Ayala at SmellyBlog
~ a mention from EauMG

And she feeds you tea and oranges that come all the way from China...

L'Artisan Fleur d'Oranger 2007

Fleur d'Oranger is part of L'Artisan's limited edition Harvest Series. Released in 2005 and then again in 2007, L'Artisan describes it as follows:

Once upon a spring, the flower of the orange tree blossomed as never before in the fresh, green, honeyed atmosphere of the Nabeul orchards.

A suave, delicate perfume, with very feminine tones, reminiscent of the intoxicating scent of the orchard at the end of a day's harvest and the almond sweetness of oriental pastries.

Fleur d'Oranger is beautiful and strange. The citrus is so light it seems evanescent. It's more about spice and a bitter edge, like an orange rind that has been cured in salt and pepper. What is so interesting is that this isn't sweet or spicy in the way most scents are. It isn't overtly masculine or feminine. It doesn't smell like anything else. I've tried it several times, in different seasons over the course of a year, and this one still baffles me. Other reviewers have used words like "light," "airy," "gauzy," and "almost ethereal." I'd say all of those are right on the money. When I first tried this, I really had no use for it. Now, a year later, it seems...more complex. It's like being able to see subtle differences in color or taste subtle differences in food that one couldn't when we were younger or less experienced of the world. After about half an hour I get more citrus from it, but it still floats above the skin for me, separate, apart, chaste and beautiful. The sweetness gives it a little hint of tea like notes on me, but very gently.

I see the beauty and complexity of it, and while I appreciate having tried it, and would probably appreciate a small sprayer of it (say 8-10ml decant), I am truly flummoxed for when I would wear it. Quite honestly, none of my daily goings on seem appropriate for this. Marie-Helene said in her review for The Scented Salamander

This is a fragrance for aesthets, people who like rare perfumes and appreciate the idea of wearing a vintage. In final analysis, buying it might constitute more of a powerful vote for a way of life than for the scent itself, which is more like a subtle trace, since it is not a perfume centered on the wearer and meant to magnify him or her but rather meant to celebrate the beauty of orange blossom captured from a field in Nabeul.

I think this might be dead-on. This definitely is a scent that seems like artistic endeavor, and I applaud it as a unique effort. Certainly if I found myself in a "lottery winner" type situation, I'd buy a bottle just for the sake of having one.

You can only buy Fleur d'Oranger in 100ml for a whooping $295. Luckily, if you want it, despite being an LE, you can still get it all over: direct from the perfumer, high end departments stores, and online from Luckyscent, Beauty Encounter, and Beauty Habit. But if you can't handle the cha-ching and still want to try it, you can get samples from Luckyscent and The Perfumed Court, as well as larger decants from The Perfumed Court.

"Now, Suzanne takes your hand and she leads you to the river.
She is wearing rags and feathers from Salvation Army counters.
And the sun pours down like honey on our lady of the harbour.
And she shows you where to look among the garbage and the flowers.
There are heroes in the seaweed. There are children in the morning.
They are leaning out for love and they will lean that way forever..."
- "Suzanne," Leonard Cohen (you listen to the song here)

Want more reviews? Tons available for this one. Try...
~ A review from Robin at Now Smell This! (note: review is of the 2005 edition)
~ A review from Bois de Jasmin
~ A review from Perfume-Smellin' Things
~ A review from The Scented Salamander
~ A review from Sakecat's Scent Project
~ A review from He Smells, She Smells
~ A review from Fragrantica
~ A review from Sakecat's Scent Project
~ A review from Pink Manhattan
~ A review from Perfume Shrine (note: 2005 edition)
~ A review from Scent of Abricots
~ A review from Invisible Magnet