JO MALONE
GINGER BISCUIT COLOGNE

2023

ginger
cinnamon
nutmeg

caramel
hazelnut

vanilla
tonka bean

This is a re-release of Ginger Biscuit (2013).

‘The Ginger Biscuit cologne from Jo Malone London boasts a seductive scent of Christmas. Housed inside the British brand’s iconic packaging, this aroma is enriched with a mix of spiced ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, smooth caramel, tonka bean, and roasted hazelnut. Spritz on your pulse point and allow the festive notes to envelope your body – we think you’ve found your new signature fragrance.’ – Selfridges

This is… well, as the name says, a mix of ginger and ‘biscuits’. Upon first spray, I was instantly reminded of the type of caramel-vanilla gourmand from Casamorati Lira. But you also get the differences.

The ginger goes quite spicy and overall, it becomes a spicier take on that dry, cake-like vanilla base.  I can’t say it reminds me of something completely; as mentioned, the Lira DNA is prominent to me, but only half the story. Fans of fragrances like Alghabra King Of Flowers and maybe even Roja Parfums Sweetie Aoud may like this opening scent, but will likely experience it as a watered down take on those. I could picture Ginger Biscuit as a hair spray of King Of Flowers. That’s even more true when you give Ginger Biscuit some time to settle in.

When I smell my arm up close, there’s a greener tinge with more of the ginger at first, whereas in the air, more of the sweetness is dominant. Most of the wear leans into that caramelized ethyl maltol, spicy vanilla in a soft, second-skin manner in a linear way. The base feels like your average basic gourmand that perhaps deserved more credit when this first released in 2013, but with the re-release in 2023, the market is flooded with cheaper fragrances in this style.

I feel like this could be a more interesting take on this DNA, if it leaned more into the ginger and packed more of a punch in general. As it stands, it’s pleasant, cozy, but not the most exciting.