English Oak and Hazelnut Cologne Review

Yes, it might be a little late to discover this little gem, but hey – it’s never too late yeah? 

When we talk about wood, first perception that came into the mind of many will be either sandalwood or oud. This however, is far different from those two; being a more prominently “sunny” than other wood composition. English Oak was launched last autumn as a part of a annual capsule collection which is delivered in the form of cologne, body products and candles. For the first time in the brand’s history, they delivered two variants which solely grounded from one similar base note – the Roasted Oak Absolute.

According to Fragrance Director for Jo Malone, Celine Roux explains that “both fragrance was created exclusively with Roasted Oak Absolute, which brings qualitative richness to the fragrance while providing an unexpected twist, be it the fresh green hazelnut or juicy redcurrant variant”. The newly crafted Roasted Oak which were shown to Roux by Givaudan is now being reserved as a part of exclusive base to Jo Malone for 5 years – meaning you can’t find it elsewhere in the market for now!

For this review, we will pivot towards English Oak and Hazelnut, prominently mentioned as the more masculine version than the English Oak and Redcurrant. English Oak and Hazelnut pyramid construction consist of three singular top, middle and base notes of Green Hazelnut, Cedarwood and Roasted Oak respectively. This is the cleanest and by far the simplest cologne that I have come by thus far, minimal yet focused. 

The cologne starts with green hazelnut, not much of nutty accord but skew towards green palette. Hazelnut is then harmonized with clean and prominent accord of wood, roasted but yet transparent. When compared to oud, oak is the sunny boy while oud often comes by as dark and mysterious. 

I have received a couple of positive compliments upon usage, and most of them mentioned the scent for being slightly mature but in a simple way. Silage and projection is moderate, perfect for office and going out while longevity clocks in at around 6-8 hours depending on weather and surrounding conditions. When it dries down, it leaves white powdery trail while oak and hazelnut radiate faintly. I suspect there’s some hint of white musk in the concoction, which is not really a bad thing ;). 

Henceforth, if you are looking for masculinity and minimalistic within the Jo Malone line, English Oak and Hazelnut is for you. Three words to describe this cologne would be – Sexy, Woody and Simple. To bring out the wood more prominently, try layering it with Lime Basil and Mandarin J.

Pricing:

English Oak and Hazelnut, 100ML - MYR 515; 30ML - MYR 265

*Image courtesy goes to Jo Malone London.

-Willy-