Jeroboam Kun Amo courtesy of Jeroboam

The latest extrait from the Paris-based Jeroboam brand, Kun Amo, proudly showcases the humble pear as its muse, proving deftly, and in its own emphatic way, that it isn’t just guava that is predicted to be the scent of the summer (N.B: I’ve smelled a whole bunch of mangoes recently too). Using the characteristic musk-forward approach of house perfumer Vanina Murraciole, Jeroboam’s Kun Amo delivers a pretty shot of nature-identical pear, before extending the sweeter, slightly oceanic tendrils of the initial accord long into the heart of the fragrance.

Photo used courtesy of Jovoy Mayfair

Transforming a pear accord – something that might traditionally be considered quite a flighty, flirty, yet passionate note that’s often teamed with clean floral bouquets – into something more statuesque and seductive, isn’t as simple as metaphorically taking the protagonist’s hair down and removing her glasses (a la She’s All That). There’s a palpable boosting of certain aspects involved: using maltol to extend the pear’s overall sugary sweetness, subtly dosing the cashmeran so it hypes up the salty oceanic molecules and adding mandarin and raspberry ketone to respectively introduce and bridge out the hero accord into the combination of assorted musks and ambery woody molecules listed in the base.

Perfumer Vanina Murraciole and Jeroboam brand owner Francois Henin pictured in London last year

Of course, none of this technicality really matters – I include it only to remark on how the perfumer has managed to expand the scope of something young and frivolous to make it feel far more mature and considered, whilst still retaining its initial innocence. The inclusion of almond and the boozy, amaretto tone in the spine of the fragrance does this in an elegant way and even though the musk components seem to want to amplify the nuttier facets on my skin, the body of Jeroboam’s Kun Amo is all quite moreish and addictive.

via Unsplash

A friend of mine (bonjour Clemence!) said recently that it smells like “a pear brandy, but without the brandy” and, at first, I figured that she might have misspoke, but upon reflection – and another wearing – I totally understand what she meant. Kun Amo is, to further steal her parlance, a pear liqueur. It’s a sassified pear cocktail that’s been ripened and seasoned to create a musky perfume that should long live up to its translated name (from *Esperanto): With Love.

Notes: almond, bergamot, mandarin, pear, jasmine, ocean spray, raspberry, cashmere, sugar, ambery woods, musks, cedarwood

Disclaimer: a sample of Kun Amo was provided by Jovoy Mayfair.

–Oli Marlow, Contributor

Jeroboam Kun Amo

Thanks to the generosity of Jeroboam we have a 30 ml bottle of Kun Amo for one registered reader mostly worldwide (with some exceptions), so please click here to see if you qualify. To be eligible please leave a comment about what strikes you about Jeroboam Kun Amo and where you live. Draw closes 7/10/25 and will be announced two weeks later.

Check out their new website JeroboamParis.com

Please read Oli’s review of Your Oudhness, Karl’s Ambra, Nicoleta’s review of Floro (* which includes an in-depth discussion of  the language and origins of Esperanto).

Your Oudhness was a top 10 Best of Scent for Oli 2024.

Francois Henin was Michelyn’s MVPP (most valuable perfume person of 2021)

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