Ormonde Man by Ormonde Jayne

I absolutely love the 120ml EDP, even though it’s no longer available. It’s my definitive fragrance: majestic, green, and deep, dominated by hemlock with a creamy finish of sandalwood and vetiver. The oud is barely noticeable, but it’s worth it. Long-lasting, understated, and truly a masterpiece.

Smells like a lush, wet green forest of class. The hemlock gives it a brutal personality. Very masculine, mature, and stylish. It’s the scent of an ancient elf: elegant and powerful.

Exquisite aroma, but the performance is just adequate. You need to apply more to skin and clothes for it to last.

Classic and elegant cut. Aromatic, woody, with a very present talc base. Opens bright, not fresh, wrapped in energising spices and a green touch like pine or cypress that isn’t quite either. The opening is brutal, but the most elegant part is the dry-down: woody and powdery. I would like to feel more of that softened facet. You can detect the sandalwood and musk. I liked it, but didn’t love it. Ideal for formal occasions and middle-aged men. It denotes class. Performs well, is masculine, and a good proposition, although not one of the best within the brand.

Elegant and slightly mature. Versatile for any weather. Excellent performance and projection. Opens with green bergamot, then a fresh cypress with a body of woods and an oud accord that gives it exclusivity. The sandalwood is barely noticeable and doesn’t add creaminess, but rather a clean, non-soapy scent. A good, very masculine perfume that is liked and perfectly perceived for many hours.

If you enjoy stripping cedar branches to inhale that resin, this fragrance is your thing, though it goes further: it’s an oriental fir with a subtle oud and hemlock that transports you into a conifer forest with the wind at your back. Masculine, green, clean, and elegant, it feels mature yet approachable. Love at first sight; I bought it the same day I tried it, without a second’s hesitation.

It’s a lovely composition with notes of wood, spice, and conifers, but I found it rather timid. It lacks punch and feels weak, and mind you, the brand isn’t cheap. If I’m paying that price, I expect longevity; what’s the point of paying if it doesn’t last?

A genuine delight: classic yet modern, elegant and sophisticated, crisp and dark all at once. Imagine a man in a white shirt, beige trousers, and brown shoes, everything immaculate and with his wits about him. This fragrance needs no introduction; he owns the room.

Meticulously crafted with top-tier quality. It opens with a sparkle of cardamom, pepper and juniper berries (aromatic and bitter) before giving way to soft woods such as oud, cedar and black hemlock, the latter being a signature of Ormonde Jayne. The dry-down is fresh, elegant and slightly masculine, though strictly speaking, it is a postmodern fougère and unisex. Correct composition, sobriety and elegance in a single bottle. To test it, a single button press. In 2007 Tom Ford popularised oud in designer perfumery, but three years prior, Linda Pilkington, founder of O. Jayne, got there first from the niche, including this substance as a fine and exclusive accent.

I have the 120ml bottle and have used about 30ml. It’s versatile, exudes class, and smells like an expensive perfume. I see it as semi-fresh, ideal for people aged 30 to 35 as a signature scent to project a ‘Gentleman’ image. The juniper is wonderful and the opening of cardamom and bergamot is spectacular. The only drawback is the projection: it lasts well on the skin but projects well for only the first 90 minutes. A pity.

If I had to define it in one word, I’d say sophisticated. It’s clean, bright, full of nuances, the kind of ostentatious gentleman who elevates status. Undoubtedly, a Lord’s perfume.

Woody, green, vegetal, slightly dry and resinous aroma. It reminded me of an ‘equivalent’ fragrance a relative gave me back in the early 90s, Carnivale PL. I looked online and they say it is an equivalent to Polo Classic or Green, but nothing could be further from the truth. As for similarities, it recalls Grey Flannel a little, but being a cologne version, much lighter. It also has a great resemblance to Wonderwood, but less resinous, with less incense and a green touch; it could be a variation of it. I think there is no need to have both: those who like the darker, resinous ones should go for Wonderwood, and those who prefer something lighter and more organic should go for the Ormonde one. As for its aroma, it is not versatile; it is formal and for fresh or intermediate climates, so its use is limited. Furthermore, at least for me, it wears out quickly and I would not use it more than twice a week. If you add to this that from the start it has low sillage and the price is high (around 140 dollars for 50 ml), you have to think about it. I would recommend not doing it blindly. I have Wonderwood and having tried this, I have discarded it for future purchases, even if I find a good deal. In my bottle it had low sillage from the start and lasted 8 hours; it is of the formal type for intermediate seasons. If you like it, better go for Wonderwood; it has better performance and price. Whoever said it has similarities with Acqua di Parma or some other citrus or fresh blue one is very mistaken.

It took me some time to get a sample, but I finally tried it and had a certain amount of anxiety. Sometimes expectations betray you, but not here: the interest was justified; it’s a magnificent perfume. Complex, I’d define it as a green oud or green woody. In 2004, before the oud explosion, few used it in the West. Schoen wraps it masterfully with coriander, vetiver, and other green notes. Try it; you’ll be surprised.