The Christmas Fragrance Collection

Storytelling is at the heart of every Jo Malone London fragrance. This time however the story is quite simple: Christmas. An exquisitely decorated tree, the exchanging of gifts and a spirit of generosity, glorious carols and scents of cinnamon and clove filling the air, the conviviality of celebrating at home with loved ones over a beautiful meal, drinking mulled wine around a fire… there are so many elements we’ve come to expect from a classic British Christmas.

When it comes to making fragrances, Jo Malone London, however, celebrates Britishness by going slightly left of centre. This delightful, whimsical approach to creating scents that eschew the expected, is the raison d’etre of the British fragrance and lifestyle house. And so, for Christmas, it is no different. Enter Fir & Artemisia, the beautiful new cologne for the festive season.

Fir; a resinous, woody scent – which in many cultures is considered a symbol of strength, beauty and renewal – is typically associated with Christmas trees and wreaths. Teamed with artemisia; a wild herb with a green, aromatic fragrance, it results in a stunning fragrance that is totally off the beaten path.

Created in collaboration with Yann Vasnier (the longtime Jo Malone London collaborator and esteemed nose behind English Oak & Hazelnut, Silver Birch & Lavender and Whisky & Cedarwood), Fir & Artemisia is a festive medley that incorporates patchouli, white musk and a touch of leather. Housed in an elegant bottle adorned with a bow, the concoction defied the usual fragrance categorisation. ‘We initially didn’t even know how to classify it,’ admits Céline Roux, Jo Malone London’s Global Head Of Fragrance, with a chuckle. In the end however, Céline and Yann filed it under the term ‘amber aromatic’.

The rest of the limited-edition festive collection offers joyous surprises that will take you on a scented journey of discovery. Exquisitely tapping into a universal essence of ‘home’, (‘Because when you are home, you want something comforting, reassuring and calming,’ says Céline) is the Bitter Orange & Chocolate Ceramic Candle. If it sounds familiar it’s because it is. Not only has orange-infused chocolate long been a quintessential British treat that is especially popular at Christmas, the scent itself originally came to life in 2013.

This time around, the delicious scent has been reinvented as a fragrance for the home that speaks to dark and cosy winter nights where a dreamy indulgence plays a starring role – albeit with surprises.

While it takes its inspiration from its fragrant predecessor – call it a ‘looking back to look forward’ scenario – the candle is not a replica of the cologne. Rather, this new iteration, explains Céline, takes on a life and character of its own, conjuring a feeling of home. ‘Imagine baking a chocolate cake in your kitchen with a hint of orange. There is something so lovely about the scent of baking in the home.’ The end result? ‘A non-sugary gourmand fragrance,’ says Céline. One that cleverly manages to be sumptuous and sophisticated in equal measure.

The route of nostalgia doesn’t end there; other much-loved scents will also be making a comeback for the festive period. Ginger Biscuit, like Bitter Orange & Chocolate, also made its initial appearance in 2013 as part of the Sugar & Spice collection. Now a 100ml cologne, it is a delicious and contemporary take on the traditional and much-loved British biscuit that is infused with vanilla, creamy wood notes and of course the zing of the ginger. It is, explains Céline, ‘an irresistible scent that immediately surrounds you with comfort’. Which is exactly what you want at Christmas.

The warm and sensual Orange Bitters, inspired by the classic cocktail, has also returned. The zesty concoction – which includes amber and sandalwood notes – now comes in a cologne, diffuser and candle.

For an archetypal Christmas scent, look no further than Pine & Eucalyptus. Bright, bracing and enlivening, this aromatic green scent is essential Christmas morning fare. But just like all the scents in the Christmas collection, be it Fir & Artemisia or Bitter Orange & Chocolate, these are scents that transcend seasonal boundaries. And so, you can expect them all to give you a sense of comfort and joy that will resonate long after the festivities are a distant memory.