Jo's Scent Notes: Jo Malone London x Paddington Orange Marmalade Cologne
I don’t know anyone who doesn’t love Paddington. Even my TV-refusenik husband has watched Paddington and Pddington 2 at least three times each, and is always up for another screening.
My abiding memory of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is her sharing marmalade sandwiches with Paddington, at the start of her Platinum Jubilee concert – and oh, what an amazing memory to leave us all with, giving such an amazing insight into her sense of humour.
I was utterly heartbroken, then, to have to miss the press tea celebrating the launch of this most unlikely yet genius special edition for Jo Malone London, at their Marylebone townhouse, having to be elsewhere for a presentation. (There were tears when I saw the photos by my perfume writer chums.)
It’s a completely inspired collaboration, because – well, nobody knows anyone who doesn’t love Paddington, do we? As a marmalade-maker of many decades’ standing, this slightly bitter orange confection was always going to push my olfactory buttons. It’s zesty with orange peel, at first sniff. I also I find it quite green, to start with – and in that phase, there’s a tartness. (I try not to cheat and read a perfume’s list of ingredients before writing Jo’s Scent Notes, so as not to have my impressions shaped – but doing so after writing the body of this review, it turns out there’s clary sage in there – which accounts for the slightly bitter, aromatic edge.)
Like marmalade itself, though, this isn’t over-sweet – not really a gourmand, of which we’ve smelled so many, lately, but fresh and ultimately even a little woody. (I’d actually LOVE to smell this on a man’s skin – never mind a bear, because as well as being very wearable, it’s totally shareable.)
What I really enjoy, though, is the sort of ‘golden halo’ which soon wraps itself around that citrus heart – Cashmere woods, and I reckon a little touch of that oh-so-fashionable ingredient, a honey note. There’s a skin-like muskiness that comes through, eventually – and don’t blame me if you end up sniffing your own skin – in that comforting way you used to sniff a favourite stuffed toy, perhaps…?
I’ll be thinking of Paddington – and The Queen – with every summery spritz.
