CASABLANCA by OLIOR: Bitter Orange and Jasmine

There is a version of jasmine that smells like something you would find in a high-end boutique. Polished, expensive, almost architectural. And then there is jasmine as it actually grows, heady and alive and slightly intoxicating, the kind that gets stronger in warm evening air. CASABLANCA is interested in both versions, and the tension between them is what makes it worth wearing.

Bitter orange opens the fragrance, and this is the right choice. Where sweet orange would make things too cheerful, too simple, bitter orange carries an edge. There is a slight sharpness to it, almost aromatic, that lifts the opening and gives it a certain sophistication. It tells you from the first moment that this is not a basic floral.

The jasmine arrives and takes over the heart completely. This is a jasmine-centric fragrance in its mid-section, and if you have any reservations about jasmine, you should probably try CASABLANCA on skin before committing. The jasmine here is lush and full-bodied. It does not whisper. But it is balanced by the warm, slightly spicy quality left over from the bitter orange, which stops it from becoming too dense or indolic.

The base is tonka bean and sandalwood. Tonka bean is one of the most pleasant base notes in perfumery. It smells warm, slightly sweet, with a hint of almond and vanilla, but it is softer and more nuanced than vanilla itself. Combined with sandalwood's creamy woodiness, the base of CASABLANCA is deeply comforting. The fragrance dries down to something that feels warm and close to the skin, a gentle, inviting finish after the more assertive heart.

CASABLANCA is a feminine fragrance in character, built around brightness and floral confidence. It works beautifully in spring and summer, especially on days when the light is good. There is something about the bitter orange and jasmine combination that seems to brighten in sunlight, to become more alive when it is warm.

If you are looking for an everyday floral that has genuine personality without being difficult or demanding, CASABLANCA is worth serious consideration. It is joyful without being naive, elegant without being cold. It smells like someone who knows exactly who they are.

CASABLANCA is available from OLIOR in 50ml and 100ml. Notes: bitter orange, jasmine, tonka bean, sandalwood.