I didn’t think vanilla and anise go together, but the folks at Jo Malone did, and it’s my new favourite scent.

I love Jo Malone perfumes, I like the concept of combining scents to create a unique scent.

It’s the perfect cold winter’s day scent, the first notes are fresh and heady, and then mellows into an exotic citrusy scent.

Here’s how it’s formally described:

Vanilla & Anise, the latest fragrance from the World of Jo Maloneâ„¢, transports you to the floral landscape of Madagascar and captures the fleeting moment of the blossoming rare vanilla orchid. The fragile cream and white flowers found on the vanilla vine are a precious discovery: only one or two appear in the morning, and seemingly vanish by late afternoon.

I was initially a little sceptical because I detest anything vanilla scented that isn’t food and anise smells like liquorice, which isn’t a scent I’m crazy about.

But this works! It doesn’t have that sweet vanilla smell, the sharp anise scent counters well with exotic scents like neroli, wild fennel, tuberose and white amber.

Interesting fact: I got the perfume at the Jo Malone store on 23 Brook Street in London (Mayfair), Jimi Hendrix lived at that address in the sixties.