Qi is a pleasant fresh floral fragrance with an addicting tea note. It opens initially with lemon blossom which gives the impression of sharp citrus, but has that soft white floral touch. This is combined with gentle neroli and freesia which adds a clean airiness. The tea note is prominent right from the opening too, and is the dominant note throughout the scent. It’s a sweet and addicting tea note which combines very nicely with the osmanthus, hedione and rose. In the base, the tea is made ever so slightly earthy as the mate presents itself, which rests gently on a bed of musk and benzoin. This is one of the better summery freshies from Ormonde Jayne as I find it’s got a bit more character than the others I’ve tried, however it still doesn’t blow me away.

Champaca is a very light and delicate scent which is inoffensive and clean. It initially opens with a contrasting combination of soft neroli and sharp pink pepper, before the champaca itself becomes present which is sweet and a bit fruity. From here, freesia adds a powdery white floral touch in combination with the neroli, while green tea emerges very gently. However, I’m not sure how you can really vote for the notes of bamboo and rice, who even knows what they smell like? Overall, this fragrance is very pleasant on the nose - gentle, clean and inoffensive while still remaining fairly interesting. For me though it’s simply too weak, disappears very quickly and isn’t very memorable unfortunately.

Osmanthus from Ormonde Jayne is a tropical fruity and floral scent which is great for the summer. It utilises the unique note of pomelo at the forefront of the scent, which is reminiscent of grapefruit with a hint of mango, alongside the star of the show which is osmanthus - with its milky apricot accord. From here it has a gentle heart of white florals, namely water lily and jasmine, which are delicate and elegant. There’s a slight spiciness from the pimento as it settles into a musky base of cedar and labdanum. This is a very pleasant fruity floral scent and works really well in the warmer weather, however it’s very gentle and lacks some much needed depth and character. Overall a very pleasant fragrance but not worth the retail price.

Jasmin Kusamono is the epitome of a fresh and clean jasmine-forward scent. Initially it opens very fresh and fruity from the Nashi Pear, with a sharp kick from the pink pepper. However, within seconds you’re greeted by a powerful and dominant jasmine note which is thick and soapy. The heart is comprised of a trio of classic white florals - lily of the valley, orange blossom and most importantly jasmine which takes the forefront. These rest on a creamy, musky base of sandalwood to give it some lasting power. This isn’t necessarily a complex scent, however it’s a fantastic option for lovers of jasmine and has surprisingly good longevity for a fragrance as fresh as this. Jasmine has been my mother’s favourite smell for all of her life and so this scent will be a gift to her, so that she can smell it wherever she goes.

Jupiter is a very interesting fragrance which seems to change throughout its life. Initially it opens up green and earthy from the davana, patchouli and vetiver, before a powerful oud and dark incense take charge backed up by a leathery labdanum. There’s also a sweetness coming in from the saffron. From here you’d expect the fragrance to stay quite linear but the scent changes depending how close you are to it. Upon smelling my arm into the dry down, I’m still greeted by a slightly abrasive oud and incense combination with earthy patchouli. However when it comes to the sillage around me I pick up much more of the sweet, musky ambrette and salty ambergris. Initially I was going to sell this on however the musky sillage captured my attention and so it’s earned it’s place in my collection. At times I get whiffs of it in the air and am reminded ever so slightly of a lower quality, more affordable version of Roja’s Musk Aoud - but with a much more prominent use of oud.

While I wasn’t a fan of Oud Fortius, Oud Altius is a different story - this is much more oud focused in my opinion, with amazing sweet fruits and florals. It initially opens with a fantastic juicy raspberry note backed up by warm spices, mainly cinnamon and cardamom. From here the raspberry stays prominent as soft florals of rose, iris and saffron join the party with a gorgeously soft frankincense. A gorgeous oud and leather then emerges in the base which is both smooth yet rugged. Oud, rose, saffron and raspberry isn’t a new combination and yet it never gets tiring. This fragrance achieves the same thing as Ombre Nomade without inducing headaches for everyone around you. It’s far more subdued and sophisticated with great quality.

Oud Fortius is a warm spicy oud fragrance that goes in a different direction compared to your typical oud. In the opening you’re blasted straight away with a powerful note of spicy caraway, paired with lavender and bergamot. An earthy patchouli and soft geranium is joined by a woody base comprising of oud, sandalwood and cedar which creates an aura of rugged masculinity. The caraway comes across more like cumin to me, it’s very spicy and smells very reminiscent of real cumin. Personally, I’m not a big fan of this scent simply due to the overpowering note of caraway. I imagine if realistic spices are your thing then this is a great option and has fantastic quality, however it’s not for me.

Frangipani is a very fresh and summery scent with an addicting citrus-tropical kick. It opens with a delicious note of sharp lime and lime blossom, with magnolia in the background. Soon after this the frangipani takes centre stage with its fruity and tropical nuances - this is not a note you often see used, however it’s absolutely lovely. The heart is comprised of an array of fresh watery florals and a juicy plum to back up the frangipani, before developing a sweet nuttiness in the base from the vanilla. I almost get an almond accord coming through even though it’s not listed. This is a very pleasant fragrance to wear in the summer however I wouldn’t say it’s wowed me. The frangipani is a very interesting and enjoyable note however the overall scent comes across a bit too simple. I would’ve liked this to have a bit more depth to the base and take you on more of a journey.

Fan Your Flames is possibly the most interesting and highest quality coconut fragrance I’ve ever smelled. Upon first spray you’re blasted with this ultra-realistic coconut note which is both nutty and delicious, paired with a deep, boozy rum accord. From here the scent develops a dark and smoky tobacco note, reminiscent of old-style pipe tobacco rather than modern tobacco. There’s also a hint of sweetness from the tonka bean in the background. While a relatively simple scent, this fragrance has so much depth and character. It can be a bit challenging and definitely won’t be for everyone but I think it’s fantastic, the quality is incredible as always is from Nishane. This is such a unique fragrance, and if you love coconut is definitely one to try.