Photo of Cherimoya fruit by Gail©

“We had an abundance of mangoes, papaias and bananas here, but the pride of the islands, the most delicious fruit known to men, cherimoya, was not in season…"  – Mark Twain, The Sacramento Daily Union, October 25, 1866, from a letter dated Kilauea, Sandwich Islands (Hawaii) – June, 1866.

Photo of Cherimoya fruit  by Gail ©

Perhaps it was serendipity – or just a fortuitous coincidence – but the very same spring day that Jo Malone Tropical Cherimoya Cologne and Jo Malone Cattleya Flower Body Mist arrived at my door, my local market began offering imported cherimoya fruits for sale!  At the time I had yet to taste the bright green, heart shaped fruit with the "pine cone" skin, but that afternoon I simply was too busy to stop and buy one.  When I returned to the market a few days later, there were only seven cherimoya remaining, and the bright green skins had started to turn brown.  I picked one up anyway.  I had to know if these strange, prehistoric looking things were as good to eat as I had heard.  I also wanted to compare the smell and the taste of the fruits to my new Jo Malone Tropical Cherimoya Cologne. The cherimoya tree is native to the mountains of Ecuador and Peru.The fruit is now cultivated in tropical and semi tropical zones across the globe, harvested in the northern hemisphere from September through February and in more southern climes from March through May. Today I tasted my first cherimoya fruit and can confirm the opinion of Mark Twain; cherimoya is indeed one of "the most delicious fruit(s) known to men".  Cherimoya has a delicate, heavenly flavor and scent, a combination of firm banana, vanilla, pear and a hint of strawberry with the texture and aroma of crème brûlée – hence its nickname, "custard apple".

Jo Malone Tropical Cherimoya by Gail©

Jo Malone Tropical Cherimoya Cologne, like the cherimoya fruit itself, is an exquisite combination of bright fruits and light, velvety vanilla cream.  My first impression of the cologne is one of fresh, slightly tart green pears.  Within moments the mouthwatering scent of the real cherimoya fruit envelopes me in a perfume that is as much a unique texture as it is an olfactory delight – buttery, lactonic, creamy and full of humid, tropical aromas with just a breath of coconut. The heart of the fragrance, warm, fruity, luscious (I can't think of a better word!) stays with me for up to five hours supported by, and eventually fading to, the mild, woody spice of copaiba balsam and vanillic tonka bean.  With the limited edition Jo Malone Tropical Cherimoya Cologne I don't have to wait, like Mark Twain did, for the fruits to come into season. I can enjoy the heavenly scent of Cherimoya year round.Notes: Pear, passionflower, cherimoya, copahu balm and tonka bean.

Jo Malone Tropical Cherimoya Cologne and Jo Malone Cattleya Flower Body Mist  via Jo Malone

"… inspiration came when I was traveling around Brazil. We loved the flamboyant vibrancy of the flowers and the sumptuous textures of the fruits… so we thought why not create two fragrances instead of one?” – Celine Roux, Jo Malone London Head of Fragrance Development

Gail's cattelya orchid and Jo Malone Cattelya Flower Body Mist©

Tropical Cherimoya Cologne is a taste of fabulous fruit in a bottle.  But Jo Malone didn't stop there. They added another fragrance to the Hot Blossoms Collection!  Complimenting the exotic crème brûlée of the cologne, Jo Malone created a sister scent, Cattleya Flower Body Mist.  This second fragrance is a sparkling, green, grassy citrus with overtones of sweet earthy vetiver and a hint of bitter gentian. The overall effect is crunchy, sweet, citrine freshness reminiscent of the scents of the Pontinara hybrid orchids and the Cattleya named Hawaiian Wedding Song "Virgin" that grow and bloom in my greenhouse.  he body mist layers beautifully with the cologne, giving a lift and extra sparkle to the fruity custard of the cherimoya.Notes:  Citrus, orchid petals, gentian and vetiver.

Cattleya Orchid by Gail©

With the new Hot Blossoms Collection, Jo Malone ventures far from the English countryside and familiar cottage gardens to the exotic beaches, jungles and mountains of South America. The Hot Blossoms Collection embraces both the flamboyant scents of orchids and the juicy, alluring perfumes, tastes and textures of "the most delicious fruit known to men", the cherimoya.

Disclaimer:  I would like to thank Jo Malone for the lovely bottles of Tropical Cherimoya Cologne and Cattleya Flower Body Mist.  My opinions are my own.

Jo Malone Tropical Cherimoya Cologne ($70 – $140) and Jo Malone Cattleya Flower Body Mist ($65) are available for a limited time from May 2018 at jomalone.com and Jo Malone London boutiques nationwide.

Gail Gross – Senior Editor