Jonathan Ward has built his reputation on being the finest candle maker in the United Kingdom, and so it’s no surprise that his fragrances can be found burning brightly in the lobby of Britain’s iconic Claridge’s Hotel. With a spectacular attention to detail, from the packaging right through to the scent, he truly is a master of his craft. His candles eventually spawned his equally amazing diffusers and, in a final touch of artistic ambience, matching room mists also arrived. With summer not always about citrus, it’s time to discover Jonathan’s newest pocket-sized trio of his ever-popular Abode Mist Intense collection.
If you’ve ever smelled a Jonathan Ward candle then you know what to expect - scented perfection. He truly is unrivalled in his ability to translate ideas into aromas. His Abode Mist Intense Trio takes two of his most popular scents but also treats us to an exclusive, so there’s something for everyone. Assassin Belarus is his deep dive into “the worlds that exist under those that shape our human experience”, Afreet sees us forest foraging to create an ancient recipe, while Kiss In Rio conjures up the sensuality of entwined skin. Your hardest decision will be which one to spray first?
Afreet draws on the idea of natural tinctures and ancient potions, so it’s unsurprising that the forest is our destination. It opens with a delicious blend of blackberry leaf and neroli, so you get a touch of the forager’s metallic knife edge, before a woody and peppered liquorice takes you deeper amongst the trees. The heart of the forest is revealed through a mystical black amber accord but, as a nod to the unexpected, a whisper of wild jasmine arrives to add an intrigue to the scent. With a final touch of hessian-like vetiver mixing with an earthy sweetness, Afreet is a glorious example of Jonathan’s skill.
Kiss in Rio celebrates stolen moments amongst tropical humidity, and it really is a story in two parts. The highly fragranced first spray immediately gives you a gloriously resinous hot leather accord that seamlessly mixes with an intoxicating jasmine, but then the magic happens. It brightens to reveal peppered citrus and dry cedarwood, which help to open the scent, and truly gives the impression of playfulness amongst the tropical heat. Within the fragrance you also get touches of earth scorched oakmoss before the anticipated whisper of cherry pie heliotrope gives you that final hint of lipstick. Kiss in Rio truly is an exquisite story through scent.
Assassin Belarus feels as if it’s centred around the aroma of dry black pepper and this, in conjunction with the cedarwood and ginger, manages to give the evocative impression of a gun barrel coldness. As the scent develops you start to get the most indulgent blend of birch tar and patchouli but, and this may sound slightly strange, there is a dryness and a warmth at the same time. It could be the vetiver that pushes that earthiness but the peat note almost takes you into the undercover world of the MI5 briefing room. Addictive yet distant, sensuous yet aloof, Assassin Belarus is a must-have in every home.
The Abode Mist Intense Trio is available from the Jonathan Ward website at thejonathanward.com priced at £48.50. Each set contains the three room mists in an exclusive 30ml size. Assassin Belarus and Afreet are also available to purchase as 100ml. [Samples provided by Jonathan Ward]
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