Poppy & Barley

Poppy & Barley, inspired by Jo Malone London Poppy & Barley Cologne (2018)

Blackcurrant opens with a tart, leafy fruitiness before the poppy accord comes through. Poppies have very little scent of their own, so this is a perfumer's construction: green and crisp, with rose and violet supplying the petals. Barley in the base adds a dry, cereal-like note, faintly musky, that keeps the flowers from going sugary. The whole thing feels airy.

About the original

Poppy & Barley first appeared in early 2018 as one of five 30 ml colognes in English Fields, a limited edition collection. It was later issued as a full-size cologne (reported in 2019) and remains in the brand's regular Cologne line. The official notes name blackcurrant, poppy and barley, with rose and violet in the description; launch coverage also listed white musk. It is unrelated to Scarlet Poppy Cologne Intense, a richer, sweeter poppy scent from 2021.

Our version

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

Who it suits

Floral lovers who want something lighter than a classic rose or violet perfume should find it easy to wear. The blackcurrant gives it a sweet edge, so a buyer hoping for a purely green, grassy scent may find it prettier than the name suggests.

Related scents

• Jo Malone Scarlet Poppy Intense
• Jo Malone London Oat & Cornflower Cologne

Notes of the original fragrance, as published by the brand.

Top notes: Blackcurrant

Heart notes: Poppy, Rose, Violet

Base notes: Barley

Blackcurrant leads with a tart, slightly leafy fruitiness.

The heart is a poppy accord, green and crisp, filled out with rose and violet so it reads as a light bouquet.

Barley closes it with a dry, grainy, faintly musky note.

Is Poppy & Barley the same as Scarlet Poppy?

No. Scarlet Poppy is a 2021 Cologne Intense with ambrette, iris and tonka bean, much richer and sweeter. Poppy & Barley is a lighter Cologne. We make both.

Was Poppy & Barley a limited edition?

It first came out in 2018 in the limited English Fields collection, but Jo Malone London later added it to its regular range, where it is still sold.

What does barley add?

A dry, cereal-like note with a touch of musk, which grounds the floral heart.

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.

Jo Malone and Poppy & Barley are trademarks of their respective owners, and all rights remain with them. Parfumour is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or connected to Jo Malone 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.