That Tricky Tuberose (Perfume Review: Jo Malone Tuberose Angelica)

Tuberose scents are always tricky.  As a note,  either you love it or hate it. And, most people agree that the best tuberose perfumes have already been created (A toss up between Piguet's Fracas or Malle's Carnal Flower) Still, I am always interested with every new tuberose release. I remember a time when I didn't get tuberose at all (too heavy, too antique smelling) but I guess with age and experience, I have grown to love it. It could be hard to wear, and during hot weather days, it is almost unwearable. When I was at the Heathrow Duty Free store recently, I sampled Jo Malone's Tuberose Angelica on my wrist. I was on my way to Istanbul and when we got off in muggy weather, I remember sniffing my wirst and jokingly said, "this smells like cough syrup."  Well, what a difference a couple of temperatures make. Here I am in the desert, on a crisp fall day,with weather in the high 70s, and as I wear this again, I can safely say that this ain't no cough syrup.  Created by Christien Nagel for Jo Malone (one of her last ones before moving to Chanel) Tuberose Angelica is at once delicate and penetrating. It's more a a skin scent, it is more a whisper than a powerhouse, and that's just fine. It starts as a coconut-y tuberose, and is framed by jasmine, sandalwood, and amber. The over all effect is subtle before the herbaceous angelica kicks in, and the tuberose is very much tempered, though it never disappears. It's a very sensual scent, one that penetrates more than shocks, and I think it's very different from a lot of Jo Malone's safe but solid offerings. This lends to a more mysterious wearing, and the "cologne intense" aspect of it hugs you. If this scent were a personality, it would be more an introvert, but once you draw it out, you get to know its complex personality.