a scent worth cherry picking

There’s always a quickening of the heart whenever a package is delivered from Jo Malone HQ as I know I’m in for a beauty treat. This season’s fragrant offering doesn’t disappoint.
Sakura Cherry Blossom Cologne is a limited edition for spring and is inspired by the full bloom of the cherry tree. Indigenous to many East Asian states, every year the Japanese Meteorological Agency along with the public track the cherry blossom. The blossoming starts in Okinawa at the beginning of the year, reaching Kyoto and Tokyo at the end of March. From there it creeps into areas at higher altitudes and northward, arriving in Hokkaido a few weeks later.  The Japanese keep a watchful eye on these forecasts and cluster in large numbers at parks, shrines and temples to hold flower viewing parties.

After finding out a little more about this sacred blossom, I was eager to try Christine Nagel’s (Master Perfumer) interpretation of the flower. It’s floral and powdery, most certainly, but yet not too sweet or overpowering, thanks to the olfactory taming of bergamot and mandarin. It’s unquestionably a romantic fragrance, but creative enough to be sophisticated.  Soft and warm when worn on the skin, the fragrance lingers throughout the day, wrapping you up in notes of happiness.

Sakura Cherry Blossom Cologne is available this month and costs £34 for 30ml and £68 for 100ml. www.jomalone.com