Jo Malone London's new fragrance is an exotic, floral thing of beauty

A must-have addition to your fragrance wardrobe...

Nothing sends fragrance fanatics into a frenzy quite like a new launch from Jo Malone London.

Well established as one of the most authoritative names in fragrance, few things are as iconic as a bottle of Lime Basil and Mandarin or Peony and Blush Suede.

The newest launch, Jasmine Sambac and Marigold Cologne Intense, is no different. Made with carefully sourced, exclusive ingredients, it's fresh, heady and delicious and just the thing your fragrance wardrobe has been missing.

Below Celine Roux, the brand's Head of Global Fragrance, has shared all about her inspiration behind the brand's latest scent of dreams – and when you're done here, be sure to check out the Marie Claire Fragrance Directory.

What is the background to Jasmine Sambac & Marigold?

'As a brand, Jo Malone London is quintissentially British and we find inspiration everywhere in this country, from ingredients to lifestyle moods and trends. But once in a while, Cologne Intense lets us look outside of Britain and focus on a precious ingredient

Take us back to the moment you came up with the concept for the new Cologne Intense

'Jasmine is a noble ingredient in perfumery and it's always been at the back of our minds to have it in the spotlight. We travelled to India when we launched the brand there, so I used this moment to explore the culture of Jasmine.

'I was captivated by their particular interest in one variety, Jasmine Sambac. The scent is spectacular and it was clear this was the most special and precious one, so it felt like the right match. The aim was to create a scent that represented the warm and sunny vibe of the markets, with an addictive facet that makes you want to go back again and again.'

What is so unique about Jasmine Sambac?

'It is the queen of Jasmine in Southern India, the one they adorn their hair with and use in cultural rituals. I wanted to dive into this universe so I travelled to India three times and followed its journey. It is picked early in the morning when the blossoms have just opened, surrounded by serene countryside and beautiful women in saris treating them like precious jewels.

'In terms of the scent, it has a very pretty, floral lightness to it. Other jasmines, such as Jasmine Grandiflorum, can smell quite animalic, whereas the Sambac variety smells fresh and sunny, like you're inhaling it directly from the bush itself.

How did you transform Jasmine Sambac into a Cologne Intense?

'Jasmine Sambac had to be the star, but it needed a contrasting "twist". While visiting India we were blown away by the amount of Marigolds everywhere in the markets – in garlands, as decorations, on cars, surrounding the market stalls.

'They're both flowers, but with very different characters: Marigolds are big and bright with a fruity, green scent, while Jasmine Sambac is small and white with a pure florality.'

Jo Malone Jasmine Sambac & Marigold Cologne Intense, £115, Harrods

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You'll find us spritzing this everywhere while dreaming of India.

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