Acqua di Parma Blu Mediterraneo - Mandorlo di Sicilia

It can be a little difficult to find yummy, cozy gourmands that work really well in the heat of summer. Mandorlo di Sicilia is one that smells amazing in the summer. It is airy and fresh and smells like a cross between and almond cookie and a fizzy rootbeer. The opening is fizzy rootbeer for me. It is sweet, spicy and effervescent. As it dries on the skin the effervescence goes away and I start to smell the almond and it transitions from fizzy rootbeer to spiced almond cookie. Sometimes the scent transitions fairly quickly, within an hour. Other times the rootbeer stage last 2-3 hours. I love both phases, so I am happy to enjoy both of them I wear this most often in the summer, but it's beautiful all year and it usually makes it into the rotation in cooler weather as well. It is a pretty unisex fragrance, but does lean a little more to the feminine side The first time I smelled this fragrance I was transported back to my childhood. There must have been a hair/skin/body care product that share a similar profile, because this is how my grandpa smelled on Sunday morning going to church. My grandpa has been gone a long time, so everytime I wear this I am reminded of one of the kindest, gentlest, funny men I ever knew. I'm sure at least part of my love for this fragrance comes from that. The performance of this fragrance is so much better than I expected. The Blu Mediterraneo line is not known for it's performance, but Mandorlo di Sicilia lasts all day and has a deceptively strong projection. I have been complimented wearing this most times I wear it. Even when everyone was wearing masks I was complimented by a cashier behind plexiglass, wearing a mask. I can smell it all around myself most of the day when I am wearing it, at leats 8-10 hours. I have a couple other fragrances that share some similarities with this one, but Mandorlo di Sicilia is my favourite. Lolita Lempicka Green Lover is a bit similar, but it is a bit heavier and leans more green. It is also a bit more masculine. It may be an good choice for anyone that finds this one a bit too feminine, but want something similar. The drydown of Nishane Ani is also similar, but it is the deeper, heavier version. The ADP Blu Mediterraneo bottles are a beautiful cobalt blue. The bottle has a generous sprayer and I only need to apply 3-4 sprays for excellent performance. The retail price of this line is pretty steep, but Mandorlo di Sicilia is an excellent fragrance with solid performance and attractive packaging. Tester bottles are often available for a steal and are an excellent choice for anyone on a bit of a budget.

Okay honestly I kind of get the root beer float comparisons, but MOSTLY, this smells to me like almond extract made into perfume. Literally as soon as I sprayed it, it smelled like I was sniffing a bottle of almond extract, but without the sharp alcohol that you get from that. The best way I can describe this scent is if you got a whiff of almond extract in your kitchen after making vanilla shortbread cookies 6 hours ago. You really get more of that gourmand 'almond cookie' smell in the air, while you get a hint of the star anise if you smell this directly off of your hand or wherever you applied it (I always apply on the back of my hand the first time I try a perfume). This to me is the definition of gourmand and I'm now realizing is one of the only "true gourmands" that I've ever tried. I can literally almost taste it. Beautiful stuff, if you like almond cookies or the smell of almond extract you will LOVE this. I don't think it's overly sweet at all but that's purely subjective and up to personal preference and sweetness tolerance, of course. Having purchased a 5oz bottle with about 4.25oz remaining for $50 off marketplace, I'm a very happy man. For the money I paid, this is an insane deal but even for the money Jomashop is charging for the full 5oz bottle, it's still an amazing price IMO. Projection is STRONG for the first half hour to an hour. One spray on the back of my hand completely filled my space (I was in the car at the time, which probably contributed, since my hand was closer in proximity to my face than it usually would be just walking around), and surrounded me in a delicious scent cloud on my drive home. After that first hour, it mellows out and has probably a half foot of projection but like I said, you will continue to get whiffs of it in the air. Even though the perfume itself is not super strong on my skin after two hours, I'm still smelling it in the air which to me is a positive sign. Great for going out for errands, maybe even for wearing to sleep or just around the house. I know low longevity is viewed as a negative by most of the community, who want something that will last all day, but it becomes irritating for me at times. A lot of the time, I want to be able to spray something in the morning and apply something else entirely in the evening depending on how I'm feeling then. Super strong perfumery makes this difficult and while I love a long-lasting perfume, I'm starting to find a lot of joy in perfumes like this that light up your world and give you the smell you're craving for a couple hours and then allow you to move on.

I agree with this being described as "fresh" and find it to be a fresh woody gourmand. It's almost like vanilla mint ice cream, or a root beer float, from the start and develops into a cedar-balsam based Jordan almond scent after a while. Sort of collectively reminds me of teaberry, which is a Pennsylvania-centric flavor made from a wintergreen plant, thus has a bit of a minty flavor, and is often an ice cream flavor at PA ice cream parlors (and where I'm from). At the same time, I do sense the anise and almond and see how that translates to a sort of minty-herbal sort of smell. Reminds me a tad of candy-coated fennel seeds as well (fennel seeds and anise give off a similar vibe in my opinion, although less licoricey in fennel seeds). It is largely a vanilla scent when all is said and done with hints of the aforementioned. Not a rich or heavy vanilla, but a chilled vanilla that is not at all overpowering on even the hottest of days. I used up an 8 mL travel spray of it and found it to be quite long lasting on my oily-leaning skin, especially in the summer. It made me feel yummy smelling, yet clean, and sort of classy while also wearable for work and the outdoors. Maybe I'm partial to this scent also because my grandparents on my dad's side are from Sicily and Calabria and feel a sort of connection to it in that way also. I want to get a full bottle of this at some point!

I'm quite surprised to see so many people saying that this doesn't belong in the Blu Mediterraneo line because it's not "summery enough". This, to me, is a perfect fragrance for people who don't particularly enjoy wearing overly fresh citrus scents. I'm one of those people and that's why I love wearing this in hot weather! This is a lovely, sweet almond & vanilla scent that's freshened up slightly with a bit of fruitiness. It's not at all overpowering and lasts quite a long time on my skin. It never jumps off the skin, but it remains noticeable when people come close to you. To me, the overall vibe of this fragrance is a kind of "glorified sun tan lotion" scent. I mean that as a positive. There's nothing cliché about this though. It's quite gentle. It's undoubtedly unisex. It's very inoffensive and easy to wear. I can't put my finger on it, but there's just something about this scent that reminds me of the summer time. I've loved wearing it for the first time this summer and I plan to always have a bottle handy in the summer time. I can perhaps see why people might think this is a cold weather fragrance, but I just don't think it has enough warmth for that. If you're on the look out for a summer scent that isn't your typical "fresh" citrus smell, you should definitely check this out!

Despite the name, Mandorlo di Sicilia leans far more orange creamsicle than almond on my skin. I understand the root beer comparisons floating around, but for me, it's a creamy citrus scent. The vanilla here is surprisingly wearable in the heat. Not cloying or heavy, but smoothly blended with the orange, giving it a soft gourmand quality that doesn’t overwhelm. For a fragrance marketed around almond, I get virtually none of it. It’s also not nearly as feminine as often described; I’d call this firmly unisex. There’s absolutely space here for a man to wear this confidently, especially if he has a taste for gourmand scents as I do. This isn’t your typical summer fragrance. Rather than reaching for freshness or marine notes, Mandorlo di Sicilia invites closeness. It’s a rare warm-weather gourmand that whispers "come closer" instead of projecting loudly. Speaking of projection: it's subtle. I catch occasional wafts, but it wears close to the skin. Longevity is still unconfirmed, but based on its performance so far, I estimate around 8 hours. Will pick up a full bottle to scratch my gourmand itch in the hotter months.

The anise is very soft and the overall impression I get is “cola”, which makes sense because a majority of the top notes used in this AdP are used in colas. The fragrance does not develop over time. It basically stays the same as when you put it on. This is a softer scent with little projection, so anyone wanting to radiate “FRAGRANCE!” will be disappointed. This is a perfume you wear for yourself. The longevity is ok, but when you see all the citrus you understand. I smell none of the woods in this. No cedar, no balsam. The ylang-ylang and jasmine are also imperceptible to me. Just the citrus, anise, and vanilla are notable with a slight whiff of the peach. Again, that’s because those notes are in cola which we perceive as one “taste” due to the common nature of it. However, in a fragrance it’s superb. People almost universally love cola because it’s universally appealing. I’ve yet to show someone this fragrance who doesn’t like it. Easy blind buy if you like a more personal scent space.

[On skin] Opens with a fantastic burst of fizzy root beer. It's playful, sweet, yet mature and has surprising depth, smelling very natural too. I'd say it's completely unisex. A warm, playfully sweet, and inviting scent. I could definitely see this as a summer fragrance, but it somehow does have a warm vibe to it. It's intimate and inviting, and honestly, I find it addictive as the wearer; I just keep going back in for a sniff. After about 15 minutes, the fizziness settles, and the root beer evolves into more of a root beer float, with creamy vanilla stepping forward while the root beer scent is still very much there. I don't get much citrus on my skin. I truly love this fragrance, probably because I have positive childhood associations with root beer. My only wish is that it projected more and lasted longer, but that's a common desire for me with these Acqua di Parma scents. Regardless, I got myself a small bottle just to enjoy at home every now and then.

Finally, I've found the scent I've been searching for to end what feels like my never ending pursuit. This is one of the few, the very few fragrances that had my heart from the moment I sprayed it until it wore off. So often a fragrance I enjoy just doesn't work with my body chemistry or I absolutely love the opening and it turns on me later on. I'm also a fan of vanilla fragrances but wanted something I could wear throughout the summer that wasn't too heavy and this was it. The almond, the anise, the vanilla, it's exceptional and I'm sold. It wears pretty close to me and has decent longevity, but because I can't get enough, of course I wish it was stronger, however I have zero issues spraying this all day. In my top 3 fragrances of all time.

I fell for this one hard after a friend gave me a decant, and now I have several bottles. It’s a strong vanilla almond on me with star anise as a supporting player. I have no idea why this gives off a root beer or soda scent but it does and I’m here for it. It’s more than that of course, but I love the entirety of it. It doesn’t remind me of any (so far) in the “reminds me of” section. It’s so unique to me. In my California Mediterranean climate and on my normal to dry skin, I get wonderful strong sillage, and it lasts on my skin almost 24 hours, until I take my next shower. Sure it’s a skin scent by then, but it’s still a strong skin scent. Before that I get 3-6 feet of sillage. I hope they never stop making this!

Simply love this fragrance. It's Summer here in Australia so been wearing it quite a lot (Both casually and professionally). What more can I say? Works perfectly for me for the whole day and it's a great start after a shower. I usually spray both the wrists, neck (front and back plus the shirt collar) and I get the whiff going the whole day long. And each whiff makes me smile. I think it's a perfect scent for work as it's not overly strong but that doesn't mean that it's weak - as I said before, it works perfectly for me. I'm not a big fan of overly strong and cloying fragrances so this one is one my favorites. Love the dry down too... My first ever review here on Fragrantica as well. :)

Imagine taking a stroll through a Christmas market in Central Europe - the scent of warm roasted almonds coated in powdered sugar mingles with the aroma of vanilla chimney cakes and anise cookies. For the past 8 years Mandorlo di Sicilia has been my scent of choice for the Advent season - warm, cozy and delicious. This is a true gourmand without a trace of synthetics. Lasts for about 6 hours and stays close to the skin but I don't mind reapplying. I've worn it in summer too but it felt out of season. It is at Christmas when it is truly beautiful. A great day scent to wear while gift shopping and baking the traditional Czech almond vanilla rolls and the other 20+ kinds of cookies.

Absolutely love this gorgeously elegant green almond beauty. The anise at the beginning makes it wonderully unusual. (It also makes this smell like root beer to many at the start; anise fades away within 15-20 mins, and the almond tree because the star.) Blends well with everything from boozy Angel's Share for a date night, to any citrus MFK or a soft peach (eg Peche Cardinal) for a hot summer day. Much less sweet than some of my other favorite nut/vanillas, like Xerjoff's Italica. This is a classic and a crowd-pleaser for such good reason. You can wear it anytime, to anywhere; it is unlikely to offend, and highly likely to snag a compliment.

Oh my goodness! This is beautiful! Warm and inviting and not overly sweet. This is wonderful!! This was a blind buy because I purchased the big 5 oz. bottle on sale and I am thrilled to say it is a hit!! Masterfully blended, the notes are working together to create a warm and cozy feeling. I personally think that this would work all year long regardless of the seasons, of course, this is only my humble opinion. There is florals, fruits, vanilla and woods and it works perfectly well on my skin (I cannot tell you how happy that makes me ✨😆✨)!! All in all, an excellent purchase, a wonderful scent and a happy me!!

This is a soft, powdery & not too sweet gourmand scent, that can be worn all year round. Anise & citrus notes in the opening add a bit of freshness; almond & vanilla create a fluffy, delicious cloud, that is very addictive... I usually wear my gourmands in autumn & winter, but Mandorlo di Sicilia is so light that I can enjoy it also in warm weather. And in winter I like to layer it with other vanilla fragrances. List of notes from the official website: TOP: Star Anise, Italian Bergamot, Italian Orange HEART: Green Almond, Ylang Ylang BASE: Madagascar Vanilla , Lebanese Cedarwood, Tolu Balsam, Musk

This smells like an adult version of a rootbeer float. Light, effervescent, playful. Something you might enjoy on a small yacht off the coast of Amalfi. Small batch soda with less sugar and more anise, vanilla bean gelato, blazing hot sun but a cool oceanic breeze ruffling your big sun hat. The most dominant notes are certainly the vanilla, green almond and anise - but are followed closely by the Ylang Ylang, peach and something warm and a little bitter/earthy grounding it all ... probably the tolu balsam. I also get black jujube from this. I love it! A unique summer gourmand.

Root beer float! I just love the first few sprays of this scent - I can practically hear the fizz from the root beer as the scoop of vanilla ice cream drops into the glass. It's so bright and fizzy and delicious! After it settles, the root beer becomes quiet and it turns into a sunny almond-vanilla that - while gourmand - is definitely wearable in the heat of summer. I do wish it lasted longer, but reapply and there comes the root beer again, which to me is not a bad thing. This is unique, I don't own another gourmand that I love wearing in the summer.

I don't think I would want this to be anymore concentrated than it already is. How much sillage and projection do you need from a fragrance that is undeniably gourmand? Let's say Mandorlo di Sicilia was an Eau de Parfum, then the reviews would consist of comments such as: "Too cloying," "Baskin Robins in a bottle," "sickly sweet" or some comparison to pancake syrup. Gourmands never win. They're either harshly underrated or bashed when they've gained popularity. Have you ever been picked on by the "cool kids" because you didn't fit in? Case closed.

I was searching for the perfect almond gourmand scent for summer which has sicilian summer vibe, and takes me back into my favourite holyday memory. And this is it!♡ Stunningly fluffy, cloud light almond desserts + freshly picked , juicy velvety soft peaches and the aromatic balmy south italian citrus scent in the air. And the composition is twisted by some anise, which makes the aromatic and fresh vibe more potent so makes the whole fragrance wearable for summer.( at least for a gourmand lover like me) Love love love ♡

Probably my fav from the entire house. It's a well-balanced gourmand, not cloying as the usual ADP style. It opens with an orange, kinda play-doughy. But it gets better as it drys down. I mostly pick up was vanilla, lots of vanilla - soft, creamy and adds a hint of sweetness. It reminds me of BDK Rouge Smoking a lot. The vanilla is well blended in the almond, which is the same type I find in Rose D'amalfi. This is more wearable than D'amalfi as that one is too dense and can choke the wearer sometimes.

Smells like ice cream, cookies, pie, archangels! Essentially an anti-perfume and just a fantastic smell. Suitable for all weather and occasions. Never cloying, not masc or fem, just perfecto. The almond comes off green (mandorlo means almond tree) which keeps it in perfect balance with the vanilla, not becoming too sweet. Projection is enough for it be noticeable yet inoffensive. And longevity is great especially on clothes. I can't get enough of it. 5oz bottle worthy.