Jo Malone Incense & Cedrat Cologne Intense

It’s not that I don’t like Jo Malone, I actually love them. Their  fragrances are innovative, and English Pear and Freesia is one of the loveliest scents ever created. BUT –  my problem is the smell  just doesn’t last that long. Obviously, as cologne, they are not as strong as eau de parfum. BUT, another but…it’s a different story with their Cologne Intense.

And the new Cologne Intense, Incense & Cedrat, is right up my street. This collection from Jo Malone London is defined by rich and rare ingredients, and this lovely new addition was created by Master Perfumer, Marie Salamagne, using the scent of Omani incense, the most precious in the world.

Produced for over six thousand years, it is harvested from the revered Boswellia sacra tree found in a swathe of land between ocean and desert, Dhofar. The harvest is passed down through generations. Twice a year the tree is incised allowing resinous sap to seep our, dry and crystallise.

Now, in recent years, the Boswelia sacra has become increasingly threatened – no surprise there – so, for the first time in perfumery, Jo Malone London have used NaturePrint technology to recreate the scent of Omani incense, thereby capturing the scent without harming the Boswellia sacra or its environment.

How do they do it? Well, resinous incense tears are taken to the fragrance house to create and infusion and essential oil; this is then analysed in the laboratory in order to recreate the scent, using natural ingredients, directed by the excellent nose of a Master Perfumer!

“For me, creating an incense fragrance for Jo Malone London meant a scent with a signature elegance and modernity,” says Marie Salamagne, Master Perfumer. “We wanted a fragrance that played with the brightness of incense, its natural freshness, while embracing its inherent warmth and woodiness. Incense is multi-faceted. My challenge was to accentuate its many qualities and to tame its dark character.”

This lovely scent is enriched by three layers of resins, each one intensifying the character of the incense heart. The lemon and pepper notes of Elemi bring out a radiant freshness as the fragrance opens, Amber-like labdanum ciste highlights sensuality at the heart, and sweet benzoin accentuates an addictive richness at the base.

It’s a very heady, yet fresh scent, very more-ish, and if you like deep, woody fragrances you will love it. It is a masculine scent, but it has that freshness that lends itself to being perfectly unisex. I love it. Try it!

It also combines perfectly with Oud & Bergamot for a woody fragrance, or Red Roses for a spicy, sensual rose scent.

Jo Malone London Cologne Intense Incense & Cedrat, £110 for 100ml, available June, at Jo Malone stores, locations, and jomalone.co.uk. Join the chat on social media with @JoMaloneLondon and #CologneIntense