Escape to Tropicana, Mona di Orio Jabu

I’ve been interested in perfume since my teen years but I’ve been really devoting my time to this passion for the last 10-12 years which doesn’t seem like a lot considering the long history of perfumery. I just can’t think of the number of how many great fragrances turned into white crows before I was born or before I jumped down the proverbial rabbit hole. In current day there are many brands that I didn’t know when they were in full glory, when they were in the center of attention. I didn’t know Maison Mona di Orio with Mona as the captain of her brand. But I’m glad that Jeroen Oude Sogtoen keeps her legacy alive, letting people to get aknowledged with her style.

Subtle breeze scented with orange soothes the senses and lets your mind wind down. Jabu begins in a very tranquil & peaceful manner. The fruity smell of orange, despite being present, feels distant and kind of muted. It’s not an impression of holding orange half in your hand and squeezing it, but more like catching a whiff of it that was carried by the wind from the nearby grove. Intrigued by this smell you follow the trail and few minutes later you find yourself surrounded by lush green trees. Rustle of their leaves is almost like the bees buzz. Their verdant, slightly succulent & dusty scent fills your nose and tops the orange note which gradually fades away in the background.

Jabu is a complex perfume and just a little bit later it made me start wondering if I actually smelled petitgrain & orange earlier or if I was tricked by own imagination. When ylang ylang joins the composition I almost forget about what happened earlier. The perfume becomes more dense, overflowing with richly creamy scent of ylang. Its floral aspects are blended with a lot of milkiness. I also seem to recognize a luminous & sweet, honeyed facet, although it’s not mentioned officially in the notes. Honey note has a hint of something dirty in the back. Ylang ylang accord is very realistic and transports you to some tropical place where you could have summer holidays of a lifetime.

As hours pass the perfume continues to evolve, making Mona di Orio Jabu even more intricate. Exotic character of ylang ylang carries on for hours on my skin but in the meantime the fragrance gains more assets. Tropical flowery tones gradually transform into oriental woody concoction. The lead is taken by amyris – its smooth woodiness is a bit like sandalwood due to some creamy facets. Additionally amyris has a fine, powdery finish which often may create an impression of the orris root. On the other hand gaiac wood makes this part of Jabu more substantive and even slightly dark, almost resinous. Vetiver introduces a bit of dried, grassy freshness to this wooden melange.

For a great part of the day Jabu is a play between ylang ylang and these woody notes. But at some point amyris and gaiac wood become more blurry as if they were trying to form an alloy. Then the perfume seamlessly transitions towards the base notes. Bright and resinous ambergris adds density to the scent, and while it smells balsamic it also has a faint feel of something salted & marine to it. It makes Jabu feel sultry and sensual. In case of this perfume the plum is smoked so it adds almost an incense-like vibe. Aromatic tonka bean that smells creamy, balmy, sweet & spicy at the same time, completes the dreamy, imagery painted by this unusual fragrance. Would you escape to Tropicana?

Jabu by Mona di Orio is a very original fragrance with an intricate structure – the essences are woven together in a special way that probably cannot be encountered in other fragrances that came after it. When I first smelled this fragrance I immediately though that it’s a great alternative to a typical summer choice of a perfume. I usually reach for citrus and there’s nothing wrong about it. Should you be in a different mood to wear something summery yet interesting, Jabu might be of your interest. The perfume was first released in 2009, then discontinued after Mona’s sudden passing. Since last year Jabu and 3 other scents are back, in 10 ml format as part of the Discovery Set.

Field notes from holidays, Prada Infusion de Fleur d’Oranger

Summer is a tricky part of the year for me. I can love it or hate it depending on how bearable the temperatures are. I like mild summer, with temperatures around 22ºC because I feel comfortable then & can wear airy t-shirts, shorts or linen pants. Of course I also have a little arsenal of fragrances that help to keep me cool. I love my citrus fragrances. I also love Prada, as a self-proclaimed Pradaholic it will always have a special place in my heart. Plus in fact I find most of their creation to go along with my taste, it’s a double win. If Prada goes citrus, count me in.

Prada Infusion de Fleur d’Oranger opens with a bright orange blossom aroma. It’s a sparkling sensation that I like to compare to bubbles in a glass of sparkling water. Every waft of it feels like a little bubble that then bursts, releasing a tiny cloud of fragrance. Few minutes later the floral opening becomes more aromatic, more juicy thanks to a note of mandarin orange. It introduces a fruity vibe that is very pretty and delicate like a summery dress. Mandarin also adds a tiny bit of zestiness blended with citrus pulp sweetness. It gives me relaxing, chillout vibe. The feeling is fresh and invigorating like a quick summer rain.

Composition develops further in white flowers direction. There’s a handful of jasmine in Infusion de Fleur d’Oranger but it feels light and airy. Tuberose is there too but just like jasmine, it’s lightweight and transparent. However there’s a twist to these as many people detect some animalic dirtiness in this fragrance. I feel it too & to me it’s faint but stands out in the context of a whole perfume. Perhaps it’s some indole from jasmine? Once it fades away, drydown reveals a sweet & soapy scent of neroli. It’s clean and fresh like a white bed linen in a summer resort hotel. That Ephemeral Infusion launched in 2009 as a limited edition (it’s still easy to find online).

Two years ago (2015) perfume division of Prada decided to revive Infusion de Fleur d’Oranger by launching Les Infusions de Prada collection, which is now further expanded. The perfume opens with almost identical orange blossom note as its predecessor but on my skin it has more citric qualities. The effect of mandarin is more intensive so that the perfume feels more vibrant and zesty. It’s still a bubbly, sparkling sensation full of happiness but now this glass of water has a few extra orange slices inside. Fruitiness of mandarin orange blends well with orange blossom to provide a cotton soft veil of scent.

Further into fragrance development jasmine appears just like in earlier version of Infusion de Fleur d’Oranger. It’s the same kind of ethereal, airy jasmine with a delicate warmth that gives it a charming sunny vibe. In this version in practise I didn’t smell the animalic aspect of indole that was mentioned above. Instead when tuberose joins the composition I detect a creamy vibe from this Prada that smells gently of coconut and suntan lotion. When neroli finally appears I smell familiar soapy vibe that I so like in Prada fragrances. In 2015 however it feels as if it was slightly more powdery and musky, but this could be as well just my imagination.

Both 2009 and 2015 Infusions have the same ingredients listed – Tunisian neroli, Moroccan orange blossom, Tunisian orange blossom, Indian tuberose, Indian sambac jasmine. To me the differences between these two Infusions de Fleur d’Oranger as so minor that you could say that it’s actually the same perfume instead of a completely new one. Both were developed by perfumer Daniela Andrier from Givaudan. Also both of them are incredibly light and deserve a title of a fleeting beauty as they’re completely gone in 1-2 hours. Well, it’s a summer fragrance alright so you might want to re-apply during the day, it’s alright. Probably only things that makes a difference between them is the packaging. The newer version has simplified and more clean-looking packaging & the glass of its bottle has a gentle orange hue. Do you think you could become friends with this perfume?