SORA DORA
MALLOW

2023

sweet almond
orange blossom
ambrette
black musk
vanilla sugar
heliotrope
violet
pink pepper
raspberry

‘Mallow is the story of a candy-flower that explodes in the infinite sweetness of violet powder. A temperamental, mellifluous fragrance. A singular contradiction. The real illusion of a harmonic vision in contradiction. An incessant olfactory morsel for our ears, eyes, mouths and fingers. For Mallow cannot be smelled. You listen to it, you see it, you drink it and you touch it. Like so many ultra-ephemeral peppers, this fragrance is dangerously inspired by your most sensual shadows. Updated by heliotrope and the most secretive of orange blossoms, violets will encircle your neck and wrists all the way to absolutes. The score is written. Now it’s your turn.’ – Sora Dora

Sora Dora has expanded their range in 2023 with Jany & Mallow; both of which are rather sweet scents. I have a strong preference for Jany, as this Mallow didn’t work out for me.

Mallow follows the ever-popular and common theme of a very sweet floral. More on the feminine leaning side, with nods to fragrances like Kilian Love Don’t Be Shy. It’s a style that’s been overdone in my opinion, so while it’s good that Mallow is certainly a different take on it (I wouldn’t consider is a clone), it isn’t among the better renditions for me either.

Whereas the beauty of this scent-profile often lies in its soft, smooth texture, Mallow feels thin, powdery and sharp. The florals are much more pronounced, with a sharp violet being prominent. It gives me the same colder feeling at times as freesia or lily-of-the-valley fragrances as well and to me, that style of floral clashes with this much sweetness.

The powdery heliotrope/almond sweetness feels very retro and I could easily see this in a 90’s/early 2000’s women’s designer release, with a contemporary taste for sweet added. I’d argue it smells a bit dated.

Overall, one of my least favorites from this house.