Today Marlen and I are comparing notes on Ormonde Jayne Tolu. Tolu has notes of juniper berry, orange blossom, clary sage, orchid, Moroccan rose, muguet, tolu (a Peruvian tree resin, see picture at right), tonka bean, golden frankincense and amber.
He says: Being a huge fan of orientals, especially those that highlight amber and vanilla notes, Tolu was an instant love-love relationship. Opening with a full blast of orange blossom tinged tolu and amber, this is one of Ormonde Jayne’s richer and heavier scents. This one can take its place aside Keiko Mecheri’s Loukhoum when it comes to cloying factor, and I will admit that even for me the first 10 minutes of Tolu are, well, intense. But it really doesn’t take long for the magic to appear, the golden frankincense notes to open, and the warmth to envelop my senses.
It doesn’t surprise me that this is one of Robin’s least favorite Ormonde Jayne scents, considering that Miller Harris Terre d’Iris wasn’t really her cup of tea either. The two scents share a kinship in the richness of those sweet basenotes. If Terre d’Iris had a buttery and mossy flavor, Tolu has a more honeyed and amber flavor. For me, Tolu is strictly a cold-weather scent, and a rather formal one at that. If you love Guerlain L’Heure Bleue, Serge Lutens Rahat Loukoum or The People of the Labyrinths Luctor et Emergo, this one might be perfect for you!
She says: As much as it pains me to take the "thumbs down" position on a fragrance from Ormonde Jayne, Tolu is the only fragrance from the line that I simply can't wear. It starts with a lovely, spicy-aromatic orange blossom, then quickly turns into a heady mixture of sweet resinous notes. The dry down is calmer and milder, with frankincense and what Marlen aptly describes as a honeyed amber. The florals in the heart notes are hardly noticeable, and there is the vaguest hint of powder, lending a velvety finish.
Like all of Linda Pilkington's fragrances, it is beautifully crafted, and the quality of the raw materials shines through in the finished product. But unlike Marlen, I am not a huge fan of orientals, and there is something about the combination of the rich, heavy base and the persistence of the clary sage note that I find overwhelming, even on a cold winter day.
Ormonde Jayne Tolu has excellent lasting power. A 50 ml bottle of Eau de Parfum is £54.00, the parfum is £78.00 for 17.5 ml. For buying information, see the listing for Ormonde Jayne under Perfume Houses.
Note: image of Tolu Balsam via Wikimedia Commons.
How funny – this is what I am wearing today since it is a nice cool day. I agree with Marlen that is is a sublime and wonderful scent – after the first 10 mins. It is quite elegant and I think different for an 'oriental'. I find that most OJs age well and the bottle that I have smells more lovely this year than last. Go figure. As for Robin's opinion – well you can't be perfect! Still crushed over the Hugh thing and now Tolu..my faith is shaken. LOL!! Keep up the great work.
Oooh, you've picked my favourite OJ! I simply didn't 'get' any of the OJs at first, then quite suddenly I fell in love with Ormonde and Tolu. It was Tolu that worked its way into my heart. I love its floaty cleanness – it's a resinous scent that doesn't have the faintest hint of that greasy, eaten-a-curry note that some ambers seem compelled to express. I think it's the most dignified oriental I know. And like all the OJs, it has a subtlety to it even though it's not exactly shy. Love it.
F, agree completely that the OJ improve with age…I like all of mine much better after 6-12 months.
I am ashamed not to appreciate Tolu more than I do, because it is so obviously well done. Hugh Grant is another matter entirely.
N, I think Tolu is the favorite of many, so I am the one who is out of step here! And agree that the amber is beautifully done, in fact, if I had to wear an amber-heavy scent, I'd pick Tolu over just about anything else.
I love Tolu, but then again I love orientals. I can see why it is not something you would like if the genre is not what you like. Great review duo! I also like the picture, because it reminds me of a book on plants I used to have as a child.
R, I've mentioned how much I loved Tolu. Well, the love affair is over. After the lovely spicy orange blossom note fades, the resinous accord is too heavy for me. I still consider Tolu a masterpiece, but it's not for me. Thank goodness I didn't purchase a bottle!
I love Tolu too, and I wear it sometimes even though it gives me a howling asthma attack. It's actually that persistent clary sage note that gets me. Without it, Tolu would be a beautiful but bland balsamic-amber-incense, all bottom with no top, but that luminous sage, like the high silvery voice of a violin, throws it all into relief and gives it depth and contrast. Tolu is a pretty powerful oriental, though, so if that kind of thing isn't your thing, oh BOY is this not going to be your thing!
My favorite of the OJs too. Very soft and powdery amber. I hope to have all the Tolu product line.
:O)
Victoria O
OK, don't faint, R, but this is the third OJ scent I like. I don't like it as much as Ormonde Man and Isfahan, but it is OK. I'll stick with my initial take on her line — leave out the cheap musk note, and they're OK. I like Ta'if, too. I said don't faint!
Obviously, her woody, resiny combos shine. So funny this one is your least favorite. We seem to be scent opposites, and that's why there's so many 'fumes on the market, to suit all of us.
I've been sitting here in an 82-degree humid room for about 10 minutes since I sprayed on the Tolu, and the drydown is quite nice. The real test is I'm not leaving the house, adn I wonder how long it will last in the 90+ temps outside.
BTW, you have some real sampaquita and champaca and osmanthus winging their way to you, so you can experience The Real McCoy. Couldn't resist!
R, I have a sample of Tolu but haven´t tried it yet. I got my sample during summer & it smelled too overwhelming, but since I like orientals I should give it a try now that it gets colder.
I like the OJ fragrances, though I haven´t had time to test them all…They are unique compositions & I think it takes several tests to fall in love with them. So far, I like Ormonde best.
Thanks V — I thought this one would be more to your taste than mine
I, yes, I would agree with the masterpiece designation too. She just has a way of making fragrances with her own unique signature, even if I don't love every single one.
T, wow, that is dedication, to wear it even though it brings on an asthma attack!
V, I wish I had asked LP in her interview which was the best seller. Am guessing it is this or Ormonde. Good luck getting that whole product line, LOL — the gift sets are gorgeous.
Well, we can't be complete scent opposites if you like Isfahan & Ta'if! And YAY, champaca & all!
Ormonde is lovely, although even that one I prefer in cooler weather. Hope you will like the Tolu
Robin, I'm with you. This is by far my least favorite OJ. I made the mistake of trying this on a hot summer day, and oh boy did I suffer for hours and hours afterward. There's just something in there (the sage? the tolu? the frankincense?) which makes me queasy and nauseated. I have no interest in giving it another try. And I do love other orientals…just not this one. *shudder*
I feel that this can go either way for me when I finally get to try Tolu…I mean I love L'Heure Bleue and Rahat…but some of the notes in Tolu put me on my guard…Have you reviewd Ormonde already, R.? (! should just do a search!) That is the one that I want to try most, because it apparently has a hawthorn note, my very favourite note in the whole perfumed world.
PS. Just did a search, and of course you have reviewed it…and no hawthorn note…I even looked at OJ site…*weeps* Who is the evil person that told me it had hawthorn…That's it, nothing to look forward to anymore.
OK, back from the furnace blast test of Miami. The Tolu turned very sweet in the basenote drydown, as Marlen noted it would. That is because of the tolu and amber (labdanum). I am starting to think that many perfumes that I dislike have the problem rooted in the basenotes. So, I've decided to just use my hand sanitizer cloths to wash them off. I typically apply fume to my wrists, so this should be easy. I have no problem with having to reapply frequently, in fact, I don't like most perfumes that persist.
Blame it on a short attention span
Oh, and the dislike of sweet ambery drydowns.
Colombina — hawthorn, that's new to me! You mean Craetagus, the berries? I didn't know it was available as a raw material. Off to track it down.
L, It really is better in cool weather, but there are plenty of things that I won't give a second chance to as well
Really, hawthorn? The only things that spring to mind with hawthorn are FM Hiver & Apres L'Ondee, but maybe it is in there & just not listed?
Oh, and came up with 2 more: Kenzo Flower & SL Daim Blond.
See, we really are not complete scent opposites: we both like sweet ambery dry downs.
And this is my favorite Ormonde Jayne!
It is similar to Musc Ravageur and Ambre Sultan in its sweet heavy drydown, but to my nose, it maintains delicate sprinklings of spice and flowers. I wore to bed last night and when I was up to check a sick kid at 1 a.m., i loved it even more than at 10 pm!
Hope you don't mind hearing from another Tolu fan:). I originally tried it in summer, and liked it a lot even then, so I'm expecting to love it in the Fall (though I'm not quite ready for a full bottle). And strangely, I'm only OK with POTL and Rahat; both seem have more of “cherry/foody” scent that i'm not completely crazy about (I've only tried Rahat once, though, so I should give it more of a chance).
I really enjoy the “duelling sniffers” format. . . and your blog in general.
Judith
L, So sorry you still have a sick child…wishing you some good sleep, and glad you have the Tolu since you like it
J, Now see, I love POTL & Rahat, so have to disagree with Marlen in comparing them to Tolu. They are both as you say more cherry/foody, and neither has the heavy dose of amber featured in Tolu. Glad you like the blog!
Hmmmm. . . then I suppose it all makes sense. I do like amber–love Ambre Narguile (which is certainly “foody” but lacks the cherry)
What is the “Hugh Grant” thing you are crushed over? I'm dying of curiosity – I love Hugh Grant!
LOL — she is disgusted because I do not care for Hugh Grant. Now you can be disgusted with me too!!!
Oh that's OK! everyone is entitled to their own taste. I was all worried he'd run off and gotten married or something. He is one of my imaginary boyfriends : )
Tolu was not one of my favorite Ormonde Jayne blends. However, I tried Tolu in the searing heat of this past summer.
Methinks it's time to test again.
Thanks for the reviews & comments!
If you love amber, would definitely suggest you give it another try!
I wonder if the reason you don't like it is that you sprayed it too heavily? This is one I like. But I spray just a little on one wrist and transfer it to the other. All day long I can appreciate it, just by raising my wrist. It's very hot here. I don't know if I would spray more in cooler weather. I'd try it a bit more…then more, more, more, as it wore well. By contrast, I spray a lot of Ormonde Jane for women. Karin
K, I was dabbing on a few drops from a sample vial, so that really wasn't it in this case. I tend to wear perfume lightly anyway, even with a spray bottle. I think Tolu just doesn't suit me
Now that the weather is cooler (and I got some application tips here) I tried Tolu again. What a difference! This is really wonderful. I wonder if it did change a little with time, the juice is much more “golden” colored than my other Ormonde Jane samples.
My 8 year old daughter asked if she could snuggle with me “because you smell so good”. I just “melted”.
;o)
Thanks for the suggestion to try Tolu again. I'm very glad I did.
C, that is such a nice story, glad you gave it another try! My son can't tolerate any fragrance that doesn't smell like cookie dough. His favorite is the Antica Farmacista Vanilla Bourbon.
this really reminded me of Dune. Do they share similar ingredients? I'll have to look it up on line now! Tolu is absolutely gorgeous – but i fear I will be walking out with a bottle of Ta'if when I visit the OJ store in London next weekend!
I do love Ta'if myself. Don't know if Tolu shares any ingredients with Dune…
I was wearing Tolu the other day, and in the evening, as it started to wear-off, I put Ormonde Woman on top of it. It combined beautifully.
Nice layering combo, thanks!
Another nice layering combo, i just discovered, is Ambre Sultan and Tolu. I sprayed my Ambre tester and discovered there wasn’t enough for a full wearing, but by then it was too late – so i scrambled around in my sample box for something to layer it with, and Tolu jumped out. The Sultan adds a touch of skank to Tolu, which is lovely, but a tad too polite and sophisticated for me!
Robin,
Hi there. I know I am a little late here – ok, a LOT late (5 years!). Oh well!
ANYWAY, I received the sample pack from Ormonde Jayne and I am falling in love again. This is getting to be an expensive proposition.
I haven’t finished sampling but I’ve been struck by the magic in Tolu. I don’t think I have ever smelled anything like it and I cannot stop sniffing my wrist. I find it fascinating. I read above that you did not find it so and for some reason that makes me sad, even though I know not everyone will like everything. I know I will have to splurge for Tolu soon. It has wrapped it’s addicting tendrils around the neurons in my brain and now, I am done for.
I also really like Ta’if (is it really possible it smells juicy?) and Osmanthus. I will need Osmanthus (need?…ok!) for the Spring and Summer next year. I am undecided about Ta’if……now or later????? Then again, Woman is realy interesting. Oh, much too expensive. I think it is a blessing that Sampaquita, or was that Champaca, makes me sneeze like crazy.
But I do have a question to you – do you think Tolu is too “anything” for work, or should In keep it for my private life? I am still not good with judging sillage and stuff like that.
Oh, do not be sad, we just have different taste!
And truly, I think anything can be worn to work if you are very careful. Tolu is rather strong, so I would tend to dab on a small amount rather than spraying…perhaps decant some into a vial for that purpose. Then find someone you trust at work, and ask if they can smell your perfume from a few feet away. IMHO, nobody should be able to smell your scent at work unless they’re VERY close to you.
Thanks Robin,
I agree with you on the amount of sillage that should be present at work, so thanks for that. I think I will refrain from wearing it to work, or be really sparing with the amount. Dabbing a drop on wrists and that’s it. I notice wrist dabs wear off most quickly. Probably due to the amount of hand washing necessary in daily life.
I dab on the outer forearms…easier to smell anyway, although it isn’t a pulse point.