Another year, another fabulous collection! You just know that with my Scottish blood there was no way I was going to miss this Highlands Collection!
Just like with the Wild Flowers & Weeds Collection from 2019, this collection beautified its glass bottles with flower motifs. But that’s not all! They also brought back Wild Achillea from that collection to go alongside the three new fragrances inspired by The Highlands; Highland Heather, Mallow On The Moor and Melancholy Thistle.
While I didn’t pick up Wild Achillea because it really did smell too much like weeds to me (but seems to be a fan favourite, if its out-of-stock status is anything to go by), I couldn’t leave any of the other three scents behind!!!
Luckily, this year I was in London for two days at the beginning of August so even though I did my dutiful visits to my local Belgian Jo Malone counter in INNO (with no luck), I was finally able to get my hands on the Highlands Collection in Selfridges! And thank goodness I checked there as I was seriously starting to despair after not finding it in Harrods, Covent Garden or St. Pancras Station. But that’s fair enough, since the UK has technically had the collection out since May/June.
Now I do warn you that Jo Malone has conflating information on their website about the exact notes, and their order, for each cologne in this collection. Even Fragrantica (my usual trustworthy source), wasn’t much help as they didn’t even try to list the notes.
So, I’ve done my best to combine the information from both the descriptions from the noses behind the creations as well as the actual listed notes on the official website. So hopefully I will have covered all the relevant notes even if their level of importance might be slightly off, so take this all with a grain of salt.
Jo Malone Highland Heather Cologne
Upon first spray this is the most masculine scent of the bunch thanks to its vetiver opening note. However, as it develops (over a few minutes not hours), the lavender floral base really comes into its own and transforms the cologne to one with a slightly more feminine touch (I think Highland Heather wouldn’t have been amiss in the 2020 Lavenderland Collection). But even so, I would say this cologne very much caters to a unisex labelling even if, admittedly, the bottle itself is quite girly.
- TOP NOTES: Cypress and vetiver
- MIDDLE NOTE: Heather
- BASE NOTES: Amber and lavender
Jo Malone Mallow On The Moor Cologne
Anyone for Parma Violets? If so, this is the perfect cologne for you! I love the quintessential British sweet even though my friends always equated them to eating soap, which fair enough…it’s an acquired taste ;)
Mallow On The Moor has that same exact powdery softness to its overall violet scent with the base note of roasted oak giving it a certain warmth as it develops.
Do be warned though, this one is strong! Less is more when applying this one ;)
- TOP NOTE: Violet Leaves
- MIDDLE NOTES: Mallow and orris root
- BASE NOTES: Heliotrope and roasted oak
Jo Malone Melancholy Thistle Cologne
This one reminds me of the Roger & Gallet Sandalwood soap set. Think of a nice smelling masculine soap and you have this one nailed! Whereas Highland Heather has more of that “airy quality” that is a masculine aftershave, Melancholy Thistle has a powdery depth which makes it more akin to a soap. Either way, you will be smelling clean! I would also categorise this one as unisex even if it does lean on the more herbal/floral side thanks to its notes of thistle and English ivy.
- TOP NOTE: Thistle
- MIDDLE NOTE: English Ivy
- BASE NOTES: Broom absolute, coolwood and patchouli
As for longevity, all three colognes lasted upwards of 4-6 hours. And that was just on my skin, wear time was even longer on my clothes! This is way above average for colognes which belong on the weaker side of the perfume scale thanks to their low perfume oil to alcohol/water ratio, and hence usually only last up to 2 hours.
Talk about performance!!!
There you have it, my picks from Jo Malone London Highlands Collection.
Did you sniff or pick up any scents from this collection?
Have you ever visited The Highlands? It’s on my bucket list! Even though I spent 3 years at Edinburgh University and I’m half Scottish, I never actually managed to do it. I know…“Shame! Shame! Shame!”
What are you hoping Jo Malone’s next year’s limited edition theme is going to be?
P.S. The flowers in my photos are curtesy of the random roadside by my local Lidl (except for the blue thistles which are artificial and a lucky recent find). I’m sure all the cars that passed me by were wondering what on earth I was clipping the local wildflowers for. What can I say? Creative needs must!!!
xxxemma