Perfume Review: Pomegranate Noir by Jo Malone
I’m in the noir mood this week. Maybe it’s because fall is coming, and my nose inadvertently is seeking out scents that are redolent of harvested goods, especially those from the trees. I grew up around apple, pear, plum trees of any kind, and August was usually the prime picking time, and I would literally hang out in the garden and on said trees consuming large quantities of what they had to offer (and paying for it later, obviously). I really miss that, and, while on the subject, I’d like to mention something that I’ve wondered many times since I came to the U.S. – why is it so uncommon to grow apple/pear/plum trees in your yard? I’m not speaking for the whole country, of course. I’ve lived in the Midwest, and I’ve traveled around a bit, and never did I notice such a thing. But back to the noirness. Pomegranate Noir is my choice for today, and it’s not just for the reasons mentioned above. I first smelled it last year when it came out and acquired a bottle but ended up not wearing it enough, so it was promptly disposed of. Just last week, however, I was in a store, and was immersed in a most gorgeous incensy sillage coming from the sales lady. “Passage D’Enfer! No doubt!” thought I. “What perfume are you wearing?” was my next verbal question to which I thought I already knew the answer but thought I’d seize the opportunity to show off my perfume knowledge. Busted! Pomegranate Noir. No. Way. Within 24 hours, a bottle was on my dresser.
Pomegranate Noir is a cologne by Jo Malone, a British perfumer. While I adore the scent, everything about it (except the smell) just seems odd. First of all, I’d never call it a cologne. It has all the attributes of eau de parfum. Second, it’s listed under the Fruity category on Jo Malone web site when fruit is the last thing I smell here. Third, it does not smell like a pomegranate. It smells like potpourri, pine trees (co-worker’s comment today), incense, dried fruit, patchouli – leather, if you will! Fourth, it’s supposed to be “inspired by the allure of a scarlet-coloured silk dress”. Silk? Scarlet-coloured? How about a heavy black brocade drape? Please don’t get me wrong. My intention is not to question/mock anything. I just couldn’t help but notice these discrepancies. My mistaking it for Passage D’Enfer wasn’t accidental. Both scents are heavy on frankincense, except Pomegranate Noir delivers on the noir promise by adding patchouli and plum while The Passage Through Hell is marked by so much musk it takes me straight into the bathtub filled with soap bubbles.
Pomegranate Noir can be found at Saks and Neiman Marcus stores and online, as well as directly from the Jo Malone online shop.
Image source: www.jomalone.co.uk
21 comments August 21st, 2006