Britannia

Britannia, inspired by Roja Parfums Britannia (2016)

Britannia has the shape of an old-fashioned floral oriental with modern gourmand weight in the middle. A citrus top of cedrat (a large, fragrant citron) and bergamot gives way to peach, rose de mai and jasmine, with heliotrope adding an almond-powder texture. Cinnamon and clove bring spice before vanilla and cocoa take over, building a dense, caramel-like amber. The final stage dries out to sandalwood, vetiver and a smoky amber.

About the original

Roja Dove released Britannia in late 2016 as a 100 ml parfum (extract), sold at launch through Harrods, Selfridges, Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman. A different Britannia, limited to 60 bottles, had marked the Diamond Jubilee in 2012; we base ours on the 2016 Parfum. It is also unrelated to Roja's Great Britain, a leather chypre with a similar name.

Our version

Ours is an independent eau de parfum made to evoke the same character. It is not Roja Parfums stock, not an official relaunch and not the original formula.

Who it suits

Sweetness is the deciding factor here. Vanilla, cocoa and spice make it heavy and powdery, and at least one critic found it cloying, so it best rewards people who already enjoy gourmand ambers and vintage florals. Roja positions it as unisex.

Related scents

• Roja Parfums Great Britain

Notes of the original fragrance, as given in the launch information.

Top notes: Cedrat, Bergamot, Mandarin, Tangerine

Heart notes: Rose De Mai, Jasmin De Grasse, Champaca, Heliotrope, Cassie, Violet, Peach

Base notes: Cinnamon, Clove, Patchouli, Vetiver, Sandalwood, Vanilla, Cocoa, Orris, Ambergris, Musk

Cedrat, bergamot and mandarin open before ripe peach and a dusting of cinnamon and clove take over.

The floral heart combines rose de mai, jasmine, champaca and violet, with heliotrope and cassie (a mimosa-like acacia flower) giving a powdery, almond-tinged texture.

Vanilla and cocoa then build a thick, sweet amber, which slowly dries to sandalwood, vetiver, patchouli and musk.

Is Roja Britannia still made?

We have not been able to confirm whether Roja still makes Britannia, so we say nothing about its availability.

Is this the 2016 Britannia or the 2012 Jubilee edition?

The 2016 Britannia Parfum, the version that went into wide distribution. The 2012 Diamond Jubilee Britannia was a separate limited release of 60 bottles.

How is Britannia different from Roja Great Britain?

They are different fragrances. Britannia is a sweet, peachy floral oriental; Great Britain is a powdery leather chypre with rose and violet, which we also make.

Inside the EU, delivery is free on orders of €49 or more. Below that it is a flat €4.99. Outside the EU, delivery is a flat €4.99 on every order. We send every order in 1 to 2 working days. It arrives in 3 to 7 days across the EU and in 7 to 14 days outside the EU. You have 14 days to return an unopened bottle.

Roja Parfums and Britannia are trademarks of their respective owners, and all rights remain with them. Parfumour is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or connected to Roja Parfums in any way, and no business relationship of any kind is implied. Our product is an original interpretation created to evoke a similar scent profile, and the trademark names are used purely for honest, descriptive comparison, so that you can quickly identify the style and fragrance family you are looking for. We make no claim to sell the original product, and we do not use the same ingredients or formula. Any similarity lies in the overall impression of the scent as interpreted by our own perfumers, not in the source materials.