It’s probably of no surprise by now that I’m a huge fan of the Cologne Intense line by Jo Malone. I’ve reviewed Jasmine Sambac and Marigold on my blog in the past, and I also own Velvet Rose and Oud. Myrrh and Tonka is my latest purchase, after having sampled it a few years ago. I bought this back in August although it is not what I’d call a summer fragrance.
Myrrh and Tonka is as the name suggests, a rich blend of myrrh and tonka with some lavender in the top notes to give it some freshness and a bit of an aromatic quality.
On first spray, I get lavender and myrrh. It smells almost medicinal which is a typical characteristic of myrrh. It slowly warms up on the skin though, and takes on a more resinous quality. At this stage, the tonka starts to peek through, and mixed with the myrrh, the fragrance becomes creamy, a little sweet, a little spicy and resinous. From there, it does not change very much at all and the wear is rather linear. I don’t think that’s a bad thing here as it is a very intoxicating aroma.
To me this is a cold weather evening scent. It is quite strong and has a rich, resinous quality which could be overwhelming in warmer weather. I also tend to spray on my wrists for the same reason. In terms of wear, I get around 6 hours with a strong projection for the first hour or so, and medium from then on.
While I think this perfume does lean ever so slightly masculine do to its balsamic character, anyone can wear it. I wouldn’t say Jo Malone’s Myrrh and Tonka could be a “signature scent” though, simply because I imagine it would be too cloying to wear in the warmer seasons.
I think Myrrh and Tonka is such a beautiful, addicting fragrance. It’s slightly spicy, balsamic, sweet and creamy. It’d make a perfect date night scent and it definitely makes an impact. There’s a reason why this is one of Jo Malone’s best sellers. It also layers beautifully with Pomegranate Noir which adds a jammy pomegranate dimension to the fragrance.
Myrrh and Tonka by Jo Malone retails for £116, but you can get it cheaper online. I picked it up for £110 from AllBeauty. I think £116 is slightly overpriced for the uniqueness of the scent profile and its performance.
All in all, I’m a massive fan of the Jo Malone Cologne Intense range. All of the scents I’ve tried have been interesting but not too challenging. I think that they’re all likable and have good performance – something which many criticise the main line for lacking.
While they’re slightly more expensive than the colognes in the main Jo Malone line, I think it’s worth the extra price for performance alone. I also think they’re a bit more complex which justifies the higher price.
Do you like any Jo Malone fragrances?
You can buy Myrrh and Tonka from AllBeauty here.
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