From fragrance to Jo Vodka: we spoke to Jo Malone CBE about why – after years of making headlines in luxury perfume – she’s got her sights set on shaking up the alcohol industry.
Few names resonate in the world of luxury British fragrance quite like Jo Malone CBE. For decades, she has shaped the way we think about fragrance: first with Jo Malone London, the globally recognised empire of colognes and candles, and later with Jo Loves, her award-winning return to perfume after selling her first company to Estée Lauder Companies.
Now, she’s hoping to craft bold new stories through another sense, turning her attention from scent to taste with the launch of Jo Vodka. Here’s everything you need to know.
When scent meets taste
The transition from perfumer to vodka-maker might sound surprising at first, but Jo Malone CBE insists the parallels are everywhere.
“This will be my third new business venture, all of which I have proudly put my name to, and Jo Vodka felt like a natural and personal fit,” she explains. “I’ve always told stories through scent but I started to wonder what might happen if I applied everything I’ve learned from fragrance to a completely new medium, and to me, the world of smell and taste are inseparable. The spark really came when a close friend of mine who works in the drinks industry suggested spirits – vodka in particular – as the next step. It’s the purest of all spirits, almost like a blank canvas which really excited me creatively.”
You can feel Malone’s decades of fragrance expertise in all aspects of Jo Vodka too. For example, just like her award-winning fragrances, each new vodka fusion is described through notes rather than conventional flavour profiles: “It felt natural to craft these vodkas in the same way I create fragrances – layering botanicals with precision and purpose, focusing on balance, nuance, and emotion,” Malone elaborates. “Just as in perfumery, where I work with notes to build a story, I wanted to tell stories through taste to evoke moods, memories and feelings in a whole new way – through something delicious.”
Arguably, this comes easier to Malone than to many, not least because of her synaesthesia – a rare gift where her senses blur together. “When I smell, I can see colours and experience scents in a vivid, more visual way,” she reveals. “Throughout the production process, I always led with my sense of smell before tasting – it helped me understand the character of the liquid and the direction I wanted it to take, and I was fascinated by how many parallels there were between distilling and fragrances.”
Malone’s innate sensory instincts, which also inspired the brand’s tag line, ‘when scent meets taste’, was supercharged by Master Distiller Joanne Moore and close personal friend Fran Langlands Pearse who helped shape the creative direction of the brand. Together, the three women formed a trio who dubbed themselves the ‘vodka angels’.
“Our different perspectives allowed us to complement each other and bring our individual strengths to the process,” explains Malone. “We’ve created something that tells stories through taste the way I’ve always done through scent.”
A new take on vodka
As for the vodka itself, it bears all the hallmarks of Malone’s commitment to quality – just like with all her fragrances.
“Quality ingredients are at the heart of Jo Vodka, starting with the careful selection of cereal crops used to distil the spirit,” Malone explains. “We primarily use British wheat, which Joanne believes delivers the most neutral and clean base – the ideal canvas for showcasing the layered botanicals that define each of our fusion vodkas. Each botanical also undergoes a meticulous evaluation process where multiple batches are tested for taste extraction, essential oil purity and moisture balance. Only those that best capture the essence and character of each expression in the Jo Vodka trilogy are selected.”
Equally, in an alcohol industry where flavoured vodkas are often dominated by artificial extracts, Malone’s vision was different. “I chose to focus on luxury fusion vodka because it is the purest and most versatile spirit to add natural botanicals to,” she explains. “Unlike many flavoured vodkas, Jo Vodka takes a purist approach – working only with natural botanicals, applied with precision much like in gin-making but delicately, to create something refined, elegant, and truly original. Just as scent notes have always been part of my voice, taste notes are now another way for me to speak, connect and create meaning.”
The commitment to luxury even extends to the bottle itself. “We wanted something elegant and unique, a work of art in itself that set it apart from other bottles in the category,” says Malone. “The red stopper was added as a trademark, acting as a compass guiding you to the experience, while the label’s textured paper nods to the scent blotting paper I’ve always used in fragrance.”
Finding the right fusion
Ready to shake up the alcohol industry wherever necessary (in signature Jo Malone CBE style), Jo Vodka takes us away from the convention of a ‘signature drink’ too, encouraging a ‘trilogy of moods’, just as a perfumer creates a wardrobe of fragrances for different occasions.
“When creating Jo Vodka, I wanted each fusion to reflect the different versions of who we are,” Malone reveals. “We shift depending on our mood, environment and the people we are surrounded by, so Jo Vodka was created with the modern woman in mind – someone who isn’t defined by a single mood or setting. Whether she’s hosting, travelling, celebrating or simply enjoying a quiet evening, there’s a fusion to complement her moment. I hope Jo Vodka will appeal to a broad international audience that is excited to travel the world and try new experiences, picking up a bottle of Jo Vodka at Duty Free to take with them.”
Find the right fusion for you:
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101, The Purist: crisp, elegant, and quietly powerful. “The Purist is for those refined, quiet moments – perhaps enjoying a beautifully made martini at home, with good music and space to think. It’s about simplicity, confidence, and clarity.”
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102, The Bohemian: light, playful, and sun-drenched. “The Bohemian is the free spirit – perfect for sunshine moments with friends, whether that’s a beach gathering, a garden party, or simply unwinding with something refreshing at the end of the day. It’s playful, easy-going, and full of light.”
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103, The Artist: expressive, social, and alive with energy. “The Artist speaks to creativity and connection – a highball in hand, at a dinner party full of conversation, art, music, and personality. It’s for those moments where individuality and expression take centre stage.”
Building a legacy
Then, there’s the legacy that the entrepreneur wants to leave behind, and her answer to that question is as bold as her pivot into spirits.
“My legacy is about breaking boundaries – stepping into a new industry while discovering and defining the five senses of Jo. This was the first step towards sharing that message,” she teases – hinting perhaps that she won’t be stopping at just scent and taste when it comes to tantalising our senses…
“At this stage in my career, reinvention means having the courage to take risks and evolve while staying true to who I am,” she reflects. “It’s about challenging myself creatively, stepping into new territories, and finding new ways to explore my five senses – whether through scent, taste, or design. Reinvention doesn’t mean starting over, it’s about building on everything I’ve learned and staying curious.”
Her advice to women considering their own bold pivots? “Every business I have ever launched has always been based on trusting my own instincts. I feel as women we have a natural intuition and I would encourage other women to trust that inner voice more often. It’s not about being reckless, it’s about being bold, backing your ideas, and knowing that creativity and instinct are just as valuable in business as spreadsheets and forecasts.”
And, ultimately, that’s definitely something to raise a glass (of vodka) to…
Quick fire:
Your vodka in three words?
Passionate, creative and unique – an adventure in vodka that will never make you look at vodka in the same way again.
Preferred serve: straight, martini, or cocktail?
It has to be the Bohemian by Jo Cocktail – over crushed ice – really cold served with soda water and a slice of lemon.
Signature scent while sipping?
It has to be Jo by Jo Loves – definitely!
Ultimate cocktail party guest list?
I’d invite all the people I love creatively – those who ignite my imagination and fuel my spirit. I would have adored having Picasso there, and Christian Dior – visionaries who not only shaped culture but embodied true entrepreneurial fire. And of course, no party would be complete without my friends and family!
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Lead image credit: Jo Vodka
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