Most perfumes I like are not new releases or even if they are, it seems reasonable to test them thoroughly before voicing a definite opinion. This is very far from the truth in this case, as Jo Malone’s Mimosa & Cardamom was launched in the beginning of September and I tried it for the first time yesterday, giving me about 24 hours (including sleeping time) to produce this informed review.

The reason I feel I must talk about this scent RIGHT NOW is that to me, now is the perfect time to wear it. I don’t really care about seasons when it comes to perfume – I wear heavy florals and rich orientals in summer and fresh citrus scents in winter, if the mood takes me. But sometimes, fragrances do have a sweet spot, a certain weather and moment in time for which they are perfectly suited.

For Mimosa & Cardamom, it’s the moment when late summer turns into early autumn. The sunny, honeyed, slightly sweet mimosa is of the summer, while the subtle cardamom and vanilla-like tonka bean look forward to autumn. This is pretty much all there is: I get a touch of succulent rose (before I checked the notes, I suspected it was some sort of fruit), and heliothrope and sandalwood are also listed.

Despite the simplicity, it’s a clever piece of work and smells lovely. It’s both creamy and powdery, but it’s the powder of the golden pollen of mimosas, not the scent of make-up. The spiciness is gentle, but makes the fragrance more interesting than a mimosa soliflore would have been (at least that’s what I think, as I adore cardamom). For a cologne, it has decent staying power, 6 hours at least, although I find the last hours less exciting than the first.

I have a habit of saying that I’m not a huge Jo Malone fan, that the scents are a bit too safe for me. The truth is, however, that the bottles I own – Blackberry & Bay, Wood Sage & Sea Salt, Birch & Black Pepper – are frequently worn and I have no doubt this will also be true for Mimosa & Cardamom. Especially in these coming weeks, either to match the early autumn sun or as an antidote to first cold rains.

PS The yellow flower on the photo is of course not a mimosa, but as I’m experiencing a severe scarcity of mimosas, this had to do. The small green creature came in from the garden with the bloom.