Calycanthus
Acca Kappa (2003)

Intensely sweet I fell in love with this sweet, pretty perfume upon first sniff and bought a large bottle. Calycanthus is a beautiful winter flowering tree with yellow blossoms, and I have not seen any other perfume that is based on this flower. I was hoping to buy a unique, uncommon, yet comforting perfume. Unfortunately, although it is a lovely interpretation of calycanthus, it opens and ends on a uniform sweet note, thus lacking in depth and character. It is pleasantly floral, in the La Chasse aux Papillons tradition, and does not offend anyone with its polite sillage. It has become my everyday "office" scent.Pros: Light, sweet, clearCons: Powdery, prickly, lacking in character

Calycanthus is a beautiful and refreshing interpretation of an old English garden.

My childhood home is built on 4 hectares, 2 hectares being an English garden complete with white gravel paths, archways and a vineyard. Calycanthus takes me back there.

It opens quite strongly with sweet, dewy jasmine and orange blossom. There's also a rather green feel to this fragrance, making it smell like a natural bouquet of flowers rather than a perfume.

As it develops a sweet powderiness begins to show. It doesn't overpower the composition, but it does however give Calycanthus a clean-like quality.

This fragrance is all about sparkling florals and sweet honey. It's not particularly unique, but it is distinctive. A wonderful Spring fragrance in my opinion.

This fragrance is pretty, feminine, fresh and lasting. It may be niche, but Calycanthus is not a fragrance so daring that it can't be worn by perfume novices. I do believe that a majority of people will enjoy this fragrance, one reason being that it's a nicely composed jasmine scent, one that doesn't overpower or turn rancid on the skin.

I offer a 3-part review of Calycanthus (a night-blooming jasmine soliflore by soap/perfume company Acca Kappa):

Part 1: This is the most feminine and delicate fragrance I've smelled yet-absolutely beautiful, floral without being sharp, heavy or dusty.Sweet, like eating carambola rather than a mango.


Part 1( aftermath) My (now ex-) boyfriend says its smell reminds him of disinfectant.
I have never disagreed more about a scent with him that about this one. I can see that there is a strength about it, and a very floral fragrance is not for everyone or every day, but I still have to have this one!

Part 2: I really want to try Glicine...I no longer like this one because it is too sharp.....

OK, Part2!:I found a bargain bottle, I'm going to have it again soon-yes!!!

It's an unusual fragrance-and it has the touch of sharpness and soapiness that most florals will have-but it's unforgettable and it wears so beautifully during the spring and summer!
So I've learned my lesson: If your boyfriend doesn't like your favorite perfume, drop the guy, not the fragrance.

(Well-this isn't my absolute favorite, but it is a beauty-Let's hope my nouveau beau (who has better tastes) will enjoy it as much as I do....)

Part 3: Nice honeyed floral, sharp, doesn't blend completely with the skin, doesn't sit quite right. Lovely in a way, but very hard to wear--consistently disappointing, while still somehow attractive to me. I would have never bought it, if I had been discriminating enough in the first place.

The calycanthus flower is found in Venice and blooms in the heart of winter. To received this flower is to give a gift of love and care.This pretty wildflower intoxicates the air in the Venitian gardens and reminds you that spring is not far.It's heady scent warms your spirit just like the honey in this fragrance.The bouquet of honey, jasmine and musk does this little flower justice.Acca Kappa have captured the 'pretty' alluring aroma in their version. The blend is sweet and balanced and creates a true dulcet floral. The more you inhale it the warmer your feel...It makes you smile..

Calycanthus is a soliflore of a flower by the same name (calycanthus floridus, which is a flowering shrub). According to the Acca Kappa marketing, calycanthus is "a flowering plant often found in Venetian gardens, [blooming] uniquely in the heart of winter..." Whether or not you want to take their word for it, the fragrance is a very, very pretty floral. The aroma is sweet and similar to that of a violet flower (not leaf), but it retains some of the 'green' aspect of the flower underlying the sweetness.Compared to other Acca Kappas, this is a sillage-monster, but compared to most florals the sillage is a bit low, but the longevity is pretty good. This is an EdT, whereas most AKs are EdCs. This is an 'off the beaten path' fragrance (in the US) for sure, but if you come across it, give it a try.