I’m always crushing on something scented or other. My nose knows no limits. Candy Crush is where I showcase the beautifully scented things I’m crushing on right now so you can hopefully develop a crush too.
Every year Jo Malone London treats us to a quirky limited edition collection that explores an intriguing aspect of perfumery. To date we’ve enjoyed an entire tea party, taken a stroll through a herb garden and rocked the ages, amongst many other things. These collections are always really fun and they’re where Jo Malone London really stretches its olfactory legs, almost as if they get to test out their crazier ideas in these low-risk limited editions.
This year Jo Malone London brings us English Fields, a collection of five fragrances inspired by, and evocative of, cereals and grains. Created by perfumer Mathilde Bijaoui, who says that “to have cereals and grains as the main focus is a first” for her and that this is “somewhere in perfumery [she] has never been before“, English Fields is a celebration of a savoury style of gourmand that is not usually explored within perfumery. Across these five fragrances, Jo Malone London gets bready, grainy and a little bit yeasty, presenting new and intriguing facets, all housed within the most handsome pastel shaded bottles dipped in matt, concrete-esque paint.
Let’s sniff through this quirky little collection…
Sunlight skipping across golden fields. Plentiful. Rich with precious grains. Hearty oat. Fluffy barley. Earthy rye. A warm and wholesome celebration. Cooled by the freshness of flowers. Poppies. Primroses. Cornflowers. Alive with colour. Dancing happily to the hum of crickets. The buzz of bees. The essence of the English landscape in five captivating scents.
Poppy & Barley
Possibly the most accessible in the collection, Poppy & Barley blends violets with blackcurrant, barley, bran and white musk. The result is a surprisingly spicy rose with an underlying bready facet (often found in rose) with a touch of carnation-like spice for good measure. It’s simple, clean and effortless.
Primrose & Rye
Vanilla and mimosa, blended with the tones of savoury rye. It sounds like a recipe for disaster – a blend of contrasts that don’t link up, but it’s actually really lovely due mostly to its softness. Primrose & Rye has a supple spicy character measured by just the right amount of sweetness and powder. It’s perhaps not the standout in the collection but it’s pretty nonetheless.
Oat & Cornflower
Definitely the standout in the English Fields collection, Oat & Cornflower also feels like the purest expression of what Jo Malone London wants to achieve with these five limited editions. It’s warm and dry, with a heavy dose of flour accented by a strong, nutty character. Vetiver livens things up in the base and it all feels like a contemporary take on L’Artisan’s Bois Farine.
Honey & Crocus
Most of the collection is gourmand in a subversive, savoury way but Honey & Crocus is the exception, because this fragrance is SWEET. It’s a plethora of sweetness with lavender, honey (such vivid, fresh honey) and almond milk. It smells like the most luxurious marzipan on Earth and I am HERE FOR THAT.
Green Wheat & Meadowsweet
I’d say that Green Wheat & Meadowsweet is the real surprise in the collection. Created to smell like an english field at dawn, this one smells like fresh wheat on a dewy morning. It is literally the smell of summer, with some sparkling grapefruit for zip and zing. Green, sweet, hay-like and wonderfully English, Green Wheat & Meadowsweet is THE scent for summer.
Availability
Each of the fragrances in the English Fields collection is available in 30ml Cologne for £47.
Disclaimer
Sample, notes, quotes and image one via Jo Malone London. Image two is my own.
The Candy Perfume Boy 