As a collector, I am quite often drawn to limited edition fragrances. However, to prevent breaking the bank and turning my house into a hoarder’s den, I need to be selective. As a fan of Anjali Perfumes (read my article about the line here), I was thrilled when I heard about Kadamba, a fragrance inspired by a tree that grows in South and Southeast Asia. Because of the rarity of the kadamba essential oil Anjali used, the fragrance could only be produced as a limited release.
But let me tell you more.
Commonly called burflower-tree or laran, the Neolamarckia cadamba tree produces scented orange to yellow flowers, named kadamba, kadam, or cadamba. These flowers bloom at night and radiate a deep and narcotic scent. I have personally never smelled the flowers or the essential oil, so I asked Anjali, who grew up surrounded by these trees in India, to describe their aroma to me. “They aren’t similar to either white flowers or roses” she said. “Their scent is a little musky and animalic with shades of ylang ylang”.
The common thread in Anjali Perfumes is the use of unique spice blends that beautifully elevate the compositions and honor Anjali’s Indian heritage. In Kadamba, she included fresh ginger root to brighten the heady nature of these deeply fragrant flowers.
At first, I smell lemon and ginger candy with the slightest hint of tropical fruit. The sugary and tropical sensation might be conferred by the musky sweetness of the kadamba and the creaminess of the coconut.
While these characteristics might suggest an intensely floral and heavyset fragrance, Kadamba’s opulence is balanced, first, by the brightness of the lemon and ginger, and then, by the airiness of the frankincense. The ambergris imparts a mineral, salty aura that further softens the sweeter and headier notes. I do not clearly detect rose or marigold.
Later in its life cycle, Kadamba reminds me of Tiger Bright, one of Anjali’s other creations. The tobacco and sandalwood notes not only provide structure, but also lend a smooth and opulent signature to the fragrance.
Kadamba is lush, bold, and long lasting, with a beaming sillage.
The notes are listed as they appear on the Anjali Perfumes website:
Top: Ginger, Lemon, Kadamba
Middle: Frankincense, Marigold, Rose, Coconut
Base: Frankincense, Sandalwood, Tobacco, Ambergris
I reviewed Kadamba from a 30 ml bottle I purchased personally.
This fragrance is no longer available (I don’t mean to tease, but this is too good not to be talked about); however, you can check out Anjali Perfumes’ other offerings and stay tuned for new releases on her official website and on her Instagram page.
Anjali launched her line in 2021 and handcrafts her fragrances in small batches in Bainbridge Island, WA. Her creations are inspired by art, images, landscapes, and memories from India (read my interview with Anjali here).
Photo by me.
