Being that it’s spring, I’ve been reviewing perfumes that remind me of blossoms. Most of these scents have been borderline fantasy. They’ve been so perfect, an idealized version of nature. Olympic Orchids Sakura is a perfume inspired by spring blossoms that isn’t sweet or overly powdery.
Sakura opens up as cool, humid and earthy, like sakura blossoms on a foggy day. There’s a hint of licorice. But, for the most part, Sakura reminds me of damp dirt. This is a cherry blossom fragrance, so I expect some sweetness. And I get some of that. The damp earth mixes with licorice and a green almond. It’s bittersweet and never saccharine. The dry-down surprises me. It smells like freshly cut green grass and like a bleached, worn out cedar. Sakura is like the entire tree – dirt, leaves, blossoms and bark.
Olymic Orchids Sakura stands out from other cherry blossom scents because it’s not sweet. It’s not a fantasy scent. It smells like a cool, foggy spring day. It’s like the opposition of fluffy pastel pink blossom against moody gray skies. It wears as a delicate bittersweet floral that smells much more realistic than the rest.
Notes listed include cherry blossom, airy notes and light musk. Launched in 2014. PERFUMER – Ellen Covey
Give Sakura a try if you like mineral/earthy scents. Or if you like perfumes like Demeter Dirt layered with L’Occitane Cherry Blossom, Neil Morris Takashimaya, Hermes Hermessence Brin de Reglisse, Serge Lutens Un Bois Vanille and/or 1000 Flowers Reglisse Noire.
Projection and longevity are average.
The 1 oz EDP retails for $55 at Olympic Orchids. Other sizes and samples are also available for purchase.
Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Cherry blossoms in a foggy mist. Sakura is a standout because it’s a cool, earthy spring floral. It’s realistically beautiful.
Want more reviews? Try…
Fragrantica – Member reviews
Basenotes – Member reviews
I really appreciate you reviewing fragrances that I wouldn’t know about if you hadn’t mentioned them. I never see these perfume lines where I live so this is great for me.
🙂
Hi Victoria! Thank you for the beautiful review. As usual, you really “get” what I was trying to do in this fragrance.
Ellen, it’s such a great fragrance. It really does capture a more “realistic” version of spring. You did a great job capturing this moment and even the feeling of spring/rebirth.
I really agree with your descriptions on this one! I have the travel sized bottle of Sakura. I love anything to do with Japanese cherry blossoms so I was somewhat biased when I bought it. But I do like it. I must be overly sensitive to the particular musk or another ingredient though, because spraying it immediately makes my throat feel scratchy, something I rarely experience with perfume. Nonetheless, I like to wear it occasionally because it has an ethereal quality. Without smelling sweet, it smells white and pink…but not overtly ‘girly’ or sugary or powdery or any of the typical associations with cherry blossoms. I can’t quite explain how it conjures up a curtain of fluttering soft petals falling from the trees, without resorting to a ‘cherry’ scent or being *too* soft. Yes, there’s the feeling of nature, not sure that I smell grass or dirt, it doesn’t smell like a ‘natural’ perfume per se, but it smells outdoorsy. Anyway, it’s definitely one worth experiencing and I’m glad to have it when I want to recall certain memories.
It’s a really interesting cherry blossom perfume because it does smell like the great outdoors. It reminds me so much of early spring.
The musk thing – I’ve had that happen too (with another brand) and no cue as to why. And it happened out of the blue – I had worn it many times before. I blamed the musk as well.