ORMONDE JAYNE
BIJOU ZAFRAN

2025

PERFUMER
Geza Schoen

pear
Saffron

iris
benzoin
cypriol

mineral amber
patchouli
leather
vanilla
musk

Based on the notes, this is a re-release of Nawaf Zaffran (2025).

This one was a pleasant surprise. As someone who’s not the biggest fan of the usual saffron-leather overdoses, Ormonde Jayne does it in a manner that suits me well.

Perhaps it shouldn’t be that surprising, given how Ormonde Jayne is usually styled (in my opinion one of the best quality and classier brands on the market). This fits right in.

It opens more floral than I expected, but also with a fruity undertone. And that fruitiness really sets apart the first hour of the wear. It is quite bright, semi-sweet. There’s a hint of gasoline-ish leather underneath, but in an airy, light way.

After a while, the fruitiness subsides and the fragrances takes on the more common saffron-leather drydown. However, it still feels somewhat clean. Polished, transparant, sharp. Like slick, modern leather with an elegant edge, instead of a rougher one. I do prefer the opening, but as a whole, this is an excellent take.

This fragrances has been compared to Marc-Antoine Barrois Ganymede by several people. While I absolutely wouldn’t go that far, it has a hint of a fruitier Ganymede, mineral side (like New Notes Akigala Mandarino) and more leather. So not really Ganymede, but I can definitely see a Bisch-esque styling here. Which makes sense, because frequent Ormonde Jayne perfumer Geza Schoen laid part of the foundations for this genre of perfumery with the Escentric Molecules line. I believe he’s the nose behind Bijou Zafran.

Thumbs up.