Orange Blossom
Jo Malone London (2003)

Here's the thing. I received an English Pear and Freesia for Christmas and decided to switch it for something more like me. I sniffed a bunch in Nordstrom with my COVID mask on, and thought I was getting a nice citrusy feel from this one, although I had seen online previously that it's supposed to be floral.
I take it home and smell it without my mask, and lo and behold - smells like pure jasmine to me. I think it's orange blossom to be fair, but I associate this white floral scent with honeysuckle/jasmine/etc. It's nice! But I do not want to smell like jasmine, so now I'm going to exchange this for something else.

For what it's worth, I honestly believe that this is one of the best orange blossom perfumes out there. Every time I review one of these, I point out that orange blossom oil is so beautiful that the key to crafting a great perfume out of it is largely to let it shine and just not screw it up, and I think Jo Malone hits the nail on the head.

The actual orange blossom note is perfect, like the smell of an orange tree in full bloom. It's supported by a touch of petitgrain, which gives a quiet woody depth and may very well account for the realistic "tree" smell. There's also a touch of bitter honey to cut the sweetness and a perfectly measured hint of cumin to add just a bit of spice. It's clean and soapy, but not too much, but also bright and citric like a glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice.

I know many serious perfumistas don't really bother with Jo Malone, but this is a must-sniff. Thumbs way up!

Orange blossom cologne with a water lily note.

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This is an absolutely beautiful feminine floral scent, that makes me think of warm weather and sunny Spring days when all the trees are in bloom and the lilac bushes are flowering!
When you first spray it on, it comes out smelling like fruity orange drink or orange lollipop due to the super sweet and sugary clementine top notes. However, the top notes don't last very long at all. The lollipop scent fades out and disappears altogether after less than ten minutes, and the fragrance develops into a gorgeous Spring bouquet of lilacs and orange blossom!
I will say that, for a scent that is named "orange blossom", the lilac note is actually really dominant! I can smell the white floral notes, but I can probably smell lilac the most! Personally, I love the smell of lilac, and it's hard to find perfumes that come in this scent, so I think this perfume is wonderful! I know this whole line of colognes is made to layering scents, but honestly, I would buy this one and wear it on it's own! It is a very gorgeous, delicate, and extremely feminine scent, and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes white florals, but also to people who love the smell of spring lilacs. I don't think you'll be disappointed!

This was my wedding scent - chosen before my recent obsession with fragrance and my introduction to the niche scent world. Had I known about Frederic Malle, Terry de Gunzburg, Serge Lutens, etc etc. at that time, perhaps I would have chosen differently, but after spending weeks smelling things, this is what I selected. It is just all-around beautiful and not too heavy/not too light. I find the sillage and longevity to be quite good. I also now realize how much I love orange blossom and citrus-floral blends, and this one is so lovely. I have smelled many, many of the Jo Malone fragrances and this one is still my favorite, and everyone I know who has smelled it, has really loved it. It's just a sweet, inoffensive scent. Not the most unusual, but also not something you'd smell on anyone, and I have received numerous compliments when wearing it. Definitely worth a sniff, and perhaps a purchase.

It's no wonder that this has only gotten one negative review out of 22. The reason is that it's hard not to like orange blossoms, and this is as close to orange blossoms as you can possibly get. Sweet, spicy, and full of joy. My next trip to Nordstrom will be to buy this.