Taffy Ta’ifi: Ormonde Jayne’s English Take

After a day of luxuriating in Etat Libre d’Orange Jasmin et Cigarette, I decided to follow the floral path that stretched before me to a willing sample of Linda Pilkington’s Ta’if parfum (2004) for London-based house, Ormonde Jayne. My first thought was of roses spread on apricot silk, sugary delicacies strewn about in preparation for afternoon tea. Pilkington manages to cook, or otherwise transmute, some very potent notes (saffron, pink pepper, Ta’if rose oil) into a sweet and subtle pudding of sorts. I can’t quite decide whether I’d like this on the lawn at Ascott or served to me in bed, maudlin expression, covers pulled up to my nose. But, like recently reviewed Cologne du 68, there’s something soothing in its un-effaced femininity and use of premium-quality ingredients, blended like a rose water blancmange in the back kitchen at Alain Ducasse. Unlike some of the Middle Eastern mukhallat which employ Ta’if rose oil (damask rose from Arabia), there’s nothing even remotely dirty about this scent (even the musk in the drydown is sweet and oddly presentable). In fact, if ever there were a perfume that you’d like to wear to an award ceremony, this would be it: sexy enough to have the men greeting you with more than a peck, but clean and breezy enough to make sure you’ll get seated well the next time you’re nominated. And, as you’re a Brit, that’s a very good thing. Just worry yourself about the dress, Dame So-and-So ....