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Post by Poodle
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Smells Like Christmas Pomegranate Noir by Jo Malone 2005
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Raspberry, pomegranate, plum, rhubarb, watermelon
Heart: Lily-of-the-valley, jasmine, rose, pink pepper, clove, olibanum, opoponax, guaiac wood
Base: Virginia cedar, patchouli, musk, amber
Pomegranate Noir is the only Jo Malone fragrance I own and I really do love it. It always makes me feel warm and cozy and somewhat happy but I never realized why until I wore it to work one day. Someone came by my desk and said it smelled like Christmas in the office that day. They were right. It did smell like Christmas and I was the source of the aroma.
Photo Stolen DeviantArt
When I was younger I loved Christmas. I had many happy memories of it usually involving my favorite aunt. Aunt Wanda loved Christmas. She started shopping for Christmas on December 26th and had a collection of Santa Claus figurines that she displayed year round in her home. She put extra thought into finding everyone the perfect gifts as well. She never used pre-made bows; she bought ribbon and made her own. She was a large joyful woman and some would say she looked like what Mrs. Claus should look like. Sadly, she’s been gone for many years and Christmas just isn’t the same without her.
Photo Stolen Elizabeth Ellis Flickr
Pom Noir does smell like Aunt Wanda’s house during the holidays which is why it makes me smile. The fruity opening calls to mind the fact that she did a lot of canning and I get the smell of jams and spicy compotes that always lingered in the air in her house. Pomegranates were a favorite of hers as well. She’d also make those clove studded orange pomanders. A real Christmas tree was a must for her so the scent of evergreen was in the air and the wood burning stove added that warm cozy aroma that only wood can do. Her house really had that New England holiday feel to it. All of this is in Pom Noir. The florals never dominate and I barely notice they are there. It’s all spicy berries, evergreen, and warm wood. This is a comfort scent to me and it smells like my memories of Christmas.
Photo Stolen WikiMedia
It’s definitely unisex and has pretty good lasting power on my scent eating skin. It lasts longer if sprayed on clothing. I don’t think it’s very sweet since the fruits are offset by the spices and woody notes.
Further reading: Now Smell This and Memory Of Scent
You can buy Jo Malone Products at many Department Stores
In Australia Essential Mall has a range of Pomegranate Noir online
Beauty Encounter has sold out of their bottles but have $5/2ml spray samples
Surrender To Chance start at $3/ml
I love the fact that Pomegranate Noir smells like the holidays to me but what perfume, if any, smells like the holidays to you?
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! I hope you all have a wonderful season and I wish all of you a very Happy and Fragrant New Year.
Poodle XXX
Australian Perfume Junkies 
What a lovely review. PN is also my only Jo Malone scent and I love it. It reminds me of holiday in two different ways: the Christmas season you mentioned, and my last trip to Thailand because I bought the bottle at duty free on the way to Bangkok. Good memories all around.
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I love buying perfumes as souvenirs too. It’s such a great way to remember wonderful getaways.
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Hi Poodle!
Hi had a pretty cool Aunt Wanda too. A friend of my parents, who I called Aunt at least. She lives or lived, in New Jersey. Anyway, I digress. I have never tried any Jo Malone, but am in Vienna next week and I will go and give myself a spritz of this in your honour.
Hugs
Val xxxx
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I*
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I am honored and I hope you like it. Aunts like that are the best especially when you’re young. Everything seemed more magical at her house.
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Hey there Poodle,
Jin loves his Jo Malone 154 Cologne and I think he smells wicked in it. Sadly the few I’ve tried, except Red Roses, last about 30 minutes on me.
How long is pretty good? Are you getting 3-4 hours?
Portia xx
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Portia, PN lasts for ever and ever on me. No comparison to all the other Jo Malones. 154 is another strong one from this house and very masculine too. Very few people even know its existence
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Thanks for confirming that it does last. I wish some of the others were like that but no such luck.
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I agree with Christos. This one is nothing like the other JM’s I’ve tried. I get a good 3-4 hours and longer on clothing. That is amazing for me!
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Hi Poodle,
Thank you for your holiday memories and the lovely review. I haven’t tried Pomegranate Noir but reading your description and the fragrance notes has convinced me to give it a whiff. I especially like the idea of raspberry, pink pepper, clove and virginia cedar all together in one. I don’ have a special holiday fragrance but the smell of breads and cookies baking is what brings back the most memories for me.
Azar xx
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Oh yes, baking bread is a holiday scent for me too. Mom would always bake about 15 loaves of sweet bread and give them away. Slices of that toasted with melted butter…best breakfast ever!
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Poodle, that’s such a sweet reminiscence! Pom Noir always seems quite different from the rest of the JM line, and I love to smell my husband wearing it. As you say, it really is rather Christmassy – all velvety, berryish and spicy. Here’s to the memory of your lovely auntie, and may you and yours have a merry Christmas and happy new year.
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I wish the same for you Jillie. You know, I love it so much on me I never even though to try it on the hubby. That’s a brilliant idea. PN is much different from the rest of the line. In comparison to the others it really seems a bit “noir”.
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Pomegranate Noir does smell like Christmas but without the cliche of it. No orange and cinnamon but instead tart fruit and incense. There is also clove but very balanced and does not actually stick out.
Happy holidays everyone!
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Exactly! It’s not a cliche or air freshener Christmas scent. Although I bet in a candle in would be pretty wonderful too.
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This sounds like a fragrance my daughter would really like. Your review brought up wonderful memories for me of my first mother-in-law. I still love her dearly. She always did a big Hungarian Christmas Eve celebration. I was assigned the kifki stuffer and always got yelled at for munching on the filling! 🙂
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kifli
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Lol. I think it’s good to sneak a few bites as you prepare things. I think of it as quality control. I love Christmas eve celebrations because you then have all Christmas day to recover.
If your daughter likes foresty but not too fruity she might enjoy it.
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Thankyou for this! thoroughly enjoyed it and now I want to go shopping xx
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I’m so happy you enjoyed it. If you go shopping make sure to buy a little something for yourself.
Hugs.
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Every year I think I will make a pomander. How about you? Have you or will you?
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I haven’t made one since I was a kid. I probably won’t this year either. I haven’t even decorated this year except for putting a small tree near the parrot cages because they love the sparkle and the lights.
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Poodle – thanks for sharing your memories. And thanks for sharing Pom Noir with me after my horrific Wild Blueberry experience. It made me learn to not run from Jo Malone. I’ll have to get out the sample and give it another whirl for the holidays. Thanks for reminding me about the orange pomanders. I need to make some as I love how they spice up the house. xoxooxox Steve
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Wild Bluebell frightened me too. Dig that sample out and give it another try. If you make one of those pomanders let me know how it goes.
Hugs.
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HiPoodle,
I also like Pomegranate Noir, it was one of my first two perfumes fromthe line. My bottle is almost gone… I should wear it again soon!
Happy holidays to you! I think that winter holidays are great and Ihope you’ll enjoy them remembering your aunt.
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