Eau d’Italie – Acqua Decima – Italian summer in a perfume bottle 7.5/10
A wonderful refreshing citrus aromatic scent from this Italian niche house. Acqua Decima features a bracing top of lemon, mandarin and mint. The heart features citrus and floral notes of petitgrain, neroli and hedione (jasmine). It sits on a base of white wood and vetiver. Lemon and mint dominate to my nose. Not particularly long lasting, 4-5 hours is about the max I get from this. So, you will need to respritz. Shades of Xerjoff 1861 Renaissance in the citrus / mint combo.
Acqua di Parma – Colonia Essenza – Modern update to a classic cologne 9/10
Colonia Essenza is an elegant, citrus aromatic scent from a brand known for them. Soapy, clean, stylish, and perhaps one of the best crisp white shirt scents going around. Superb interplay between the citruses and floral notes. Neroli is the main note in the scent. Grapefruit, bergamot and orange provide further mood enhancers. Jasmine and petitgrain add a floral touch. A fresh out of the shower vibe at a better price than Tom Ford Neroli Portofino, Colonia Essenza is a no-brainer for those that love clean scents. This one lasts 6-7 hours on my skin. It is hard to beat the original Colonia but this is a wonderful flanker to the brand’s classic.
Acqua di Parma – Cedro di Taormina – Take a trip to Sicily 9/10
Excellent use of citruses are on show in Cedro di Taormina, but here they’re given a bit of twist. The citruses at the top are accompanied by an herbal note of basil. The mid-section of the fragrance is the most interesting. Nose tingling, spicy black pepper and an aromatic, somewhat medicinal lavender take over. The cedarwood and vetiver in the base makes for a satisfying conclusion. Classy stuff indeed for its 5-6-hour longevity on my skin. Cedro di Taormina will whisk you away to the rugged clifftops of Eastern Sicily, overlooking the Ionian Sea. My favourite from this Blu-Mediterraneo line, and one of my favourites from the house.
Have you tried any of these fragrances? What’s your favourite Italian cologne?
