Fragrant news- a new Jo Malone: Blue agave and cacao
October will be the month of the official launch of Jo Malone's newest endeavor. The London-based firm of skincare and cologne fame has been bought by the Lauder group and Jo Malone herself resigned on February 2006, however the continuation of the line is guaranteed. The newest offering is named Blue Agave & Cacao and is appearing at Saks stores in the US as we speak. The UK boutiques of Jo Malone also stock it, per my info.
The name, in classic Malone tradition, relies on the two (three tops! in Lime,basil and mandarin's case) anchoring notes of the formula. In this case blue agave and cacao.
Agave is an indigenous Mexican plant (although now you can see it all over the world), a member of the Agavacae family and blue agave is the basis for the production of tequila. Agave has other connotations too. Meaning "illustrious", it is the name of a greek mythological queen, the daughter of Cadmus, the mythological founder of Thebes, a city best known for its infamous offspring Oedipus. Agave was also a Maenad (literally meaning "raving one"), a wild female follower of Dionysus indulging in violent acts of ecstatic frenzy. Cacao is of course the popular name of Theobroma cacao, which interestingly enough means food of the gods. (theos means god and brosi is nutrition, food). I know you always knew there were divine properties in chocolate, I always thought so too!
With such references Blue agave & Cacao promises to be completely wild indeed.
The notes for the new perfume are: cardamom, agave, sea salt and chocolate. (well, cacao...) Early testimonies talk about the most un characteristic of the Malones to grace counters yet, contrary to the "light as in photon radiation" (per mr.Burr) reputation the line had till recently. Described as soft like cashmere and with powder-sugary cardamom notes, rich, sexy and edgy, for lack of a better word. The gourmand character is indeed a little foreign in the Jo Malone stable of scents, which are composed to be layered with one another in an effort of creating a unique personal scent, and although sweet it elicited comments describing it as sophisticated. It does sound interesting!
You can read some testimonials about it here and here.
Please note that in the first link there is a slight mistake: "agave" does not etymologically derive from the greek word for noble, which is eugenes (meaning "from good stock").
Pic courtesy of remo/flickr.
six commentsThis does sound strangely tempting. I like one or two JM’s, but none of them really thrill me.
Leopoldo - 28 09 06
That’s what i thought too! And it seems a departure for the style of the line, which as you say has not been thrilling.
I do like Pomegranate Noir and was recently taken with 154, which I recommend to you. A very rich, nice woody scent. I suggested it for women on my feminine autumn list, but technically it’s men’s. It also layers terrifically well with Red Roses and Amber and Lavender from the same line.
Orange Blossom is also good, but then I do love orange blossom perfumes 
perfumeshrine - 28 09 06
I agree, this sounds promising, and very unlike other Malones, which seem simplistic and lacking something…
chayaruchama () - 29 09 06
Let’s hope it lives up to the promise.
The one I will review next did not, alas!
perfumeshrine - 29 09 06
Dear Helg-
I just sniffed this yesterday, and…it’s ok. That’s all, she wrote.
Kind of disappointed, but it will sell !
chayaruchama () - 10 10 06
Hope springs eternal, I guess, and we all want to find new releases that are worth the sampling. Too bad if they are not. Thanks for letting me know and maybe I shouldn’t hurry so much to secure a sample.
perfumeshrine - 11 10 06
No trackbacks http://rpc.blogrolling.com/pinger/