Acqua di Parma Blu Mediterraneo - Fico di Amalfi

I’ve always felt very much in tune with the seasons of the year and been conscious of how they mark the passing of time. Each season leaves its mark on the earth and on our senses; our connection to the seasons is primeval. We feel the warmth of summer, hear the sounds of spring, taste the fruits of autumn, and see the sights of winter. Scents, too, evoke strong associations with the seasons. For me, spring, summer, autumn, and winter all have a distinctive smell, and because of that I seek out fragrances to wear that best fit the time of year. Back in March, like many others who take an interest in fragrances, I began putting together a collection that would be suitable for spring and summer wear. After sampling Acqua di Parma’s Fico di Amalfi, I quickly purchased a full bottle. I knew immediately that it would work well for me through spring and summer, and by late April I was wearing it regularly. It has continued to be my go-to scent through the summer and has never disappointed. And now, as summer draws to an end and we move into autumn, I already know that Fico di Amalfi will work well through September. It might even be at its best in the early part of autumn; that season of “mists and mellow fruitfulness,” as Keats called it. Fico di Amalfi has stated top notes of grapefruit, bergamot, citron, and lemon. Many reviewers mention how citrusy the opening is, and yet, surprisingly, those notes bypass me almost completely. There is no bergamot or lemon for me and only the merest hint of grapefruit. Instead, on first spray, my nose goes straight to a green, fruity accord; a cross between freshly cut nettles and fig tree. It’s light, airy, and crisp. On my skin it remains that way for at least twenty minutes before a gradual change starts to take place. As it dries down, the green accord retreats into the background while the fig tree note turns to the fig itself. And as the scent develops, that fig note becomes rich and slightly jammy, without ever becoming overly sweet. Eventually, the green accord vanishes completely and is replaced by cedar and benzoin, adding a warmth to the fragrance that, unusually, still works on a hot day. It is at this stage that the fragrance feels like early autumn to me; it puts me in mind of trees hanging with ripe fruit, of misty mornings, and of warm evenings with a golden sun sitting low in the sky. I find Fico di Amalfi lasts on my skin for four to five hours, and once it has dried down it remains reasonably linear. As with other eaux de colognes that I enjoy, it is light and never outstays its welcome. Those who need it to last longer, do of course have the option to respray. For me, this is one of only a handful of warm-weather fragrances that border on perfection. It’s one that I’ll always have in my collection. Tested: Full bottle Seasons / Occasions: Spring, summer and early autumn Key thoughts: Green opening, turning to beautiful fig and supporting cedar/benzoin. Not too sweet. Overall rating: 9.5/10 Buy full bottle again: Yes

Think Citrus and fig opening, floral jasmine mid note and a subtle wood base. As everyone says, think warm stroll on the Amalfi coast in linen trousers and a summer shirt, and this smells like that. I'm extremely happy with this fragrance, infinitely more complex than the price would suggest and I'm pleased with my first departure into summer fragrance that goes beyond design branding. I'll do my best to make an objective analysis below / First up, is a strong citrus blend. Fico di Amalfi stays true to its marketed notes, strong citrus from grapefruit show first, with a realistic lemon/citron under note. This isn't candied and fake, this feels like a realistic note to my nose, which carries class. This makes way for fig notes, subtle and sweet, walking a fine line between the proposed fig nectar and fig itself. Think instead of fig with extra sweetness, a blend between how it tastes and how it smells. These are the top notes. Giving way, these notes blend into something floral as the dry down occurs. Jasmine and pink pepper are vibrant and playful, still giving a hint to the original Colonia's vintage class and ADP's profound DNA. This is light, this is classy, this feels like a well engineered veer away from the top notes. Finally, the very base is woody. Not a peaty bog or a thick smoked wood, but a lighter wood, something you would find on a beach or a soft-wooded tree within a bay. It is inoffensive and subtle, thus not taking away from the light features of the fragrance. Again, incredibly well crafted and stays true to the "tone" of playfulness and class that this fragrance is paraded for. It's an incredible fragrance, far suited to warm sunny weather. This should not be worn in any other circumstance. Too playful for night, too fresh and invigorating for anything but a sunny day. A jack of none, but an Ace for summer fragrance. This doesn't last long, as expected of citrus fragrance. 2-3hrs is what you can expect. This also doesn't fill a room. It was never meant to. It's classy, it's understated yet a maestro within it's category, this isn't a "notice me!" fragrance, this is a "I feel great" fragrance. If you like realistic citrus, don't mind or even like fig. This is blind buy. It's got such a unique character and awesome depth for such a low price. I couldn't pick fault in anything minus longevity, I eagerly await the "La Riserva" range. 9/10

This fragrance, like nearly the entire Acqua di Parma line, should come with a warning label: "DO NOT USE in anything less than hot weather". I first discovered this quirk when I was testing out Acqua di Parma's Colonia for the second time. Well, let's just say that I was trying a few other fragrances simultaneously, so I decided to test Colonia in the crook of my elbow. Most of the other fragrances I was testing were both stronger and of higher concentration, so I was shocked to find that I was getting whiffs of Colonia many hours later. And it was different than the Colonia I had experienced before... So different that I was wondering if it was an entirely different fragrance, despite it having been sprayed from the same tester. Needless to say, there was only one difference - the location of the spray. Since it was a slightly warmer day than usual, and since it was sprayed on the inside of my elbow, the fragrance was operating in higher temperatures. The Colonia performed admirably, almost glowing, providing a soft but easily noticeable aura that was overpowering much stronger fragrances. So why does this matter to Fico di Amalfi? Simple. It has the same Acqua di Parma DNA. I cannot help but be convinced that many (but certainly not all) people who complain of short longevity must be wearing Fico in climates where it would be unsuitable. From what I can tell, temperatures less than 26 Celsius (around 80 Fahrenheit) will not allow this fragrance the chance to properly bloom on the skin. I recently wore Fico di Amalfi on a hot summer day in California. The temperature was slightly above the threshold I mentioned. Spraying myself with the usual 4-5 sprays on the neck and arms, I ventured outside to meet some people for lunch. Let's just say that I earned many compliments... Many emphatic and repeated compliments. Fico easily lasted more than 5-6 hours that day, providing a gloriously powerful trail of sillage that smelled like a fresh breeze catching all of the most beautiful elements of the Amalfi coast. A strikingly beautiful fragrance, but as with the rest of the Acqua di Parma line, don't attempt to wear this in anything less than hot weather.

A case study for how green sulfurous notes can be successfully handled to provide a refreshing and tantalizing effect. Generally speaking, this doesn’t happen. Grapefruit and the bitter green acrid facet of figs usually feel like the equivalent of inhaling chemically sour sandpaper. In Fico the grapefruit top is very well rounded by the juices and zest of other hesperidics, providing a smoothing dimension to its sour and sulfuric qualities. The contrast gives the grapefruit an underripe and green quality. Bracing and refreshing. The same trick of contrasts is presented in the heart with the fig accord. Obviously fig has a fruity aroma, usually sweet, a touch watery, creamy and honeyed, and sometimes a touch earthy. Then there is the other side of the fig accord which is a piquant torn-green-leaf type note, i.e. green and sulfurous. The contrasts here are a waxy fruity peppercorn and the citrusy green white floral note of jasmine. Still bracing and refreshing, now well rounded and less sharp than the opening, and if you were to give a very quick sniff of the top and the heart without taking note of the transition you would get the impression that the top is still going; these layers have remarkable continuity and cohesion. The base layer keeps to the brief as well by using the fruity side of fig to accent a very peppery cedar and floral soap musk combo. This isn't as perfectly impressionistic as the top or the heart but it serves the brief very well. Simple. Stupidly simple actually. But it works so well that you find yourself asking “why isn’t this done more often?” - or at least I ask myself that. But then Acqua di Parma have been masters of the “cologne” family of the perfume kingdom for more than a century, so perhaps I should give them credit and acknowledge - fully and without question, by the way - that they know what they’re doing. Fico di Amalfi is a summer staple for me. It’s simple but very good from start to finish, I can spray it on me and forget about it or choose to spend some time on it for study and be very happy either way. Excellent.

This is my current favourite summer-based fragrance. I remember testing it back in my Barcelona trip 1 year ago in the airport along with other Acqua di Parma's. And after this entire time I found the 30ml variant in an astonishing discount so I decided to make a purchase. Describing this scent is quite easy. Italian, very photorealistic, citrus, gourmand, juicy, mouthwatering, fig-based fragrance. When you first spray it it's a damp explosion of Mediterranean Sea winds, leaving a very clean and airy fruity scent on your skin. It's like you join a club which smells like sweat and cigarettes and you use this to "cancel" that dirty environment with something clean. The name "Fico di Amalfi" describes this fragrance perfectly, it's a straight-forward landscape on the Amalfi coast filled with fig trees. It smells very natural btw In my opinion this fragrance doesn't lack performance for what it is, contrary to what people are disappointed on. I get around 6hrs of soft projection living a very peaceful scent trail in the first hour. I think its a good longevity for the naturals it offers. About versatility, this is very limited in wear ability when it comes to weather or climates. Only summer or hot springs. It can be worn in a variety of situations tho. It can even be pulled off during a heat picnic date with your gf, or just at leisure times. The box it comes with is a very smart idea. If you put the box and the fragrance packaging side by side it's like u got 2 different Acqua di Parma products. The atomizer is standard and wide and then 30ml bottle is perfect on-the-go. Fico di Amalfi reminds me a little bit of Wulong Cha from Nishane. Both are top notes citruses heavy but the Nishane one lasts longer. Acqua Di Parma Fico di Amalfi is a fig-based, reminiscent of the Mediterranean sea, very photorealistic citrus, light and airy fragrance. Perfect for the summer time or for the beach. 9.25/10. I'm in love with this scent