Coming soon is the Jo Malone Rock The Ages Collection – a limited edition range of five fragrances that stamp the identity of the brand as very firmly British. I have a funny – as in strange – reader who, whenever I mention anything British, leaves me a comment with a link to a website that’s all about how crap Britain is! Odder still, the premise of the site is that anything bad that’s ever happened in American history, ancient or current, is Britain’s fault. I’m not sure I can change his or her mind with one of these fragrances (Tudor Rose & Amber) but how anyone could fail to love Lily of The Valley & Ivy, I have no idea!
So, Tudor Rose & Amber caught the back of my throat – it’s so strong and smells of old wardrobes to me! It’s that very hefty, old fashioned rose with such a deck of amber that it’s overwhelming. There’s also clove and ginger in there and unless you adore this very old fashioned type of scent, I’d suggest avoiding. The dry down is a little more forgiving – it goes into something warmer and more skin compatible, but that first blast!
Lily of The Valley & Ivy is completely different – light, floral, green and fresh with a little bit of sweetness to round it off. It’s really so pretty I’d gladly wear it every day. Of course, all fragrance is highly individual and down to the taste of the wearer but if you love a light-hearted fragrance that instantly feels like yours, Lily of The Valley is my punt.
The fragrances I haven’t tried are Geranium & Verbena and Birch & Black Pepper – the fifth fragrance in the Jo Malone Rock The Ages collection is Pomegranate Noir which I have never got along with although it’s a best seller, so I’m clearly in the minority.
Jo Malone Rock The Ages attempts to capture Britain’s heritage, whether it’s punk rock (Birch & Black Pepper), Edwardian summers (Geranium & Verbena), Georgian London (Lily of The Valley & Ivy) or the dark Tudor years (Tudor Rose & Amber) which is a very lovely concept. Just so glad I didn’t live in Tudor times – as if plague and beheading wasn’t enough, I really couldn’t have borne the smell. 😉
The Jo Malone Rock Of Ages launches in March and each cologne is £42.
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