Ormande Jayne Osmanthus (2006) and Osmanthus Elixir (2019) Reviews + Scents of Spring Draw

April 25, 2020April 25, 2020

Flower Photo (in the manner of Georgia O’Keeffe) by Gail Gross ©

“Nothing is less real than realism. Details are confusing. It is only by selection, by elimination, by emphasis, that we get at the real meaning of things” – Georgia O’Keeffe

Osmanthus fragrans in bloom. Photo via Pixabay©

Osmanthus fragrans, a large ornamental shrub or small tree, native to east Asia and the foothills of the Himalayas, fills the early spring and summer gardens of the American south, east and west coasts with her unique, exotic perfume. The fragrance of blooming osmanthus, also know as Sweet Tea Olive, wafts a scent similar to gardenia and jasmine but colored with the odors and textures of musky honey and fuzzy peach skin, drenched in spiced golden apricot nectar. Imagine this scent woven into the cool air of a seaside garden and you might very well be experiencing Ormande Jayne Osmanthus Eau de Parfum.

Osmanthus by Jiang Feng

Introduced in 2006 by Ormande Jayne‘s founder and creative director Linda Pilkington, Osmanthus EdP was followed, in 2019, by Osmanthus Elixir. The Elixir brings an intensified version of the original amalgam of cool spring air and rich warm blossoms, this time placing the osmanthus in a citrus grove, warmed in the late afternoon sunshine. As you can probably tell from my descriptions, both the Elixir and the Eau de Parfum are far from photorealistic osmanthus soliflores. Rather, they are expressions and artistic impressions of the unforgettable scent of osmanthus in situ, the ephemeral perfume of the flower wafting momentarily in space and time – transient atmospheres and subjective meanings captured by the artist in bottles of fragrance.

Fruits and Flowers. Photo by Gail Gross©

The invigorating style of Ormonde Jayne is evident with my first takes of both the EdP and the Elixir. The Osmanthus EdP is predictably more diffuse, ethereal and pastel than her Elixir cousin. Beginning as a slight breath of pomello infused with the peachy, boozy qualities of davana, the Osmanthus EdP is lifted, brightened and then filtered through a sparkling pop of pimento. Elements of water lily suggest a sweet humid breeze or wetness that glides easily into the heart of the fruity Osmanthus and rich jasmine sambac. The effects of the lush osmanthus stay with me for about three hours before the roots and grassy elements of vetiver combine with the blossoms, brewing a cup of Sweet Olive Tea. Hours later, overnight in fact, I can still detect, on clothing, traces of the osmanthus flower integrated with woods, labdanum and musk.

Portrait by Di Li Feng (contemporary artist)©

Ormande Jayne Osmanthus Elixir behaves in much the same way as the EdP, but with a brighter, sunnier, sharper focus. The opening citrus notes are considerably more distinct and active in the Elixir than the EdP, creating a crisper edge. This clarity or depth of field is extended into the heart of the fragrance. The rich, wet, opulent notes of osmanthus, jasmine and narcotic water lily appear more intense, in marked contrast to the edgy, cool citrus and subsequent dry woody elements of cedar and labdanum. The tea notes I perceived in the Osmanthus EdP disappear in the Elixir. As the perfume dries, the influences of cedarwood, labdanum and musk color the persistently lush osmanthus, lingering on my clothing for twelve hours and more.

Notes (the same for both fragrances): Pomello, davana, pimento, osmanthus absolute, water lily, Sambac jasmine, cedarwood, labdanum resin, musk and vetiver.

Disclaimer: Many thanks to Europerfumes for the testers of Ormande Jayne Osmanthus EdP and Osmanthus Elixir. My opinions are my own.

Gail Gross – Senior Editor

Thanks to the generosity of Europerfumes, the US distributor of Ormonde Jayne we have a 120 ml tester of Ormonde Jayne Osmanthus Eau de Parfum OR a 50 ml tester Ormande Jayne Osmanthus Elixir for one registered reader in the US Only (you must register on our site or your comment will not count). To be eligible, please tell us what you enjoyed or found interesting about Gail’s reviews, and which one you would prefer to win. Draw closes 4/28/2020

Both Ormonde Jayne Osmanthus EDP and Ormonde Jayne Elixir are available at luckyscent. Use code CFB for free shipping on purchases of $30 !!

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