Acqua di Parma Colonia Assoluta

Esta Colonia Assoluta puede gustar o no gustar; me explico: Es una explosion de bergamota asociada con naranja agria. Recuerdo la primera vez que la olí me dije ¿Esto es todo? y salí de la tienda con el perfume puesto en mi muñeca sin comprarla; pero poco a poco la fragancia me fue hablando y contándome cosas... Tarde días en descubrir que finalmente me había cautivado por completo... Me enamoré de ella y volví a la tienda a comprarla. Como decía al principio es una explosion intensa y suave al mismo tiempo, paradógicamente de cítricos y esto va a predominar siempre. No es un perfume piramidal, sino rectilíneo (En sentido vertical, además) ya que si bien los demás ingredientes se van a ir dejando notar a medida que el tiempo pasa, estos sirven para ensalzar a los dos primeros.Las resinas van aparecer inmediatamente con el fin de envolver los cítricos para otorgarles una "clase" especial de sobria elegancia; después las notas de vetiver les dará ese toque verde de mágica naturaleza que hacen de esta fragancia algo gratamente especial, misterioso y claro al mismo tiempo. Poco a poca van apareciendo las flores que van a ir adornando ese altar sin ostentacion alguna pero con una presencia autentica por parte de la rosa de Bulgaria (Aunque no esté presente en las notas oficiales) Finalmente el musgo y el roble como sabios druidas dirigen el sacrificio animal con el almizcle; al final el ámbar unge para darle un suave toque de sacra eternidad... que en parte lo consigue pues el sillage es perfecto ¡Aún después de hacer deporte, sudar y ducharse consigue dejarse sentir! Además es de los perfumes que dejan estela y sus efluvios se tranportan muy bien con el aire hacia los demás.... Reitero todo aquí: los obsequios florales,las plegarias y sacrificios, son elevados al dios Cítrico (de ahí lo susodicho de rectilínea verticalidad) Entiendo que a muchos les haga pensar en colonias antiguas y/o a vieja barbería por ese pico cítrico tan intenso y les digo que algo de eso hay en la intencion de sus autores ( Además los grandes perfumes ingleses del siglo XVIII y XIX comenzaron en las barberías como Floris o Penhaligon's). Esta colonia es todo un homenage a ellas y un templo al cítrico tan usado a través de los tiempos para desinfectar y purificar en definitiva: limpiar,lavar... y esta colonia es de las que te hacen sentir agradablemente limpio, fresco, fragante... TODA UNA SEÑORA FRAGANCIA. Una vez más J.C. Ellena realiza una obra maestra y esta vez en colaboracion con B.Duchaufour.

First thing’s first, this is a masterpiece. I own quite a few AdP’s (oddly enough not Colonia yet) and this is the first of the lot I could actually picture wearing on the Riviera. Per a previous review, Essenza reminds me of what it’s like to *BE* on the Riviera.. some floral, some citrus, but a little heavy and oppressive in a humid way. Don’t get me wrong I love wearing Essenza in the drier climes of my native Bay Area but it’s something that *reminds* me of being there, not something I would actually wear there. Assoluta is something you would wear in Santa Margherita, Vernazza, Portovenere. I’ve heard talk of “Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Eau Intense is what you would wear here!” Nonsense. There’s no... substance to LBEI that would ever make you remember that this is what you wore on a boat going from Rapallo to Riomaggiore. There is no romance to Eau Intense, no wonder, no journey. Assoluta just feels at home here. So let’s get down to it. Performance... moderate. Won’t fill a room but you’ll smell it on yourself and others will too if they’re nearby. Will not last over six hours no matter how hard you try. That’s fine. The citrus actually does a decent job for lasting almost half of that before you get into the greener stuff. As for the #1 listed note, bitter Orange... honestly I don’t get it much on me. Certainly not in the way that something like R’Oud Elements by Kerosene gives you (which also has it as the main listed note). To me it is not a singled out note in and of itself but something that takes the bitterness (in this case a sour note) and honestly gives me the impression of... Lemonheads. Yes, the sour, bitter lemon candy. This is what this smells like to me for the first 30-45 minutes and honestly it’s really refreshing and comforting. Like an old friend. It’s such a well blended and well balanced fragrance that it just.. works. And it’s still light enough to be a go to hot climate seaside fragrance with CHARACTER that will go perfectly well with your tortoiseshell Persol 714s. This is the Riviera in a bottle.

This is just pure class. Cold and bracing like stepping out of the sea and into the sun, the wind chilling you slightly as you pick up your sandy towel, suncream still clinging to your wet skin. This IS a fragrance of paradoxes, but very well balanced ones. It warms up, but always with this delicious coldness through the middle. Colonia Assoluta opens with a bright bittersweet orange and tart lemon — simultaneously bitter and sweet. It is also juicy enough to actually make my mouth water while paradoxically retaining a classic astringency. The citric tartness also stays throughout the dry down while marrying to some powder, clean floral touches, creaminess, light woods, expensive soap, and more suncream. It's thoroughly addictive and makes me feel like an aristocrat on an Italian tour. You won't smell like anyone else with their designer freshies — you'll smell tasteful, refined and, at the risk of sounding snobbish, like you have a clue. Someone below mentioned Dickie Greenleaf: that's spot on. Easy to wear, and perfect for Summertime or in high heat, I've been complimented by women (not men yet) whenever they get a whiff of it. Elegantly masculine in a refined but relaxed way (women could easily wear this, too), I get about 5 hours of arm's length projection, with longevity around 10 hours. I had a sample and loved it but hadn't tried any of the other offerings from AdP except Chinotto di Liguria (also very nice). So I tried them all out and Assoluta stayed my favourite by quite some distance. I couldn't get the Assoluta out of my mind — the way it made me feel — but knew it was discontinued and hard to get hold of. Nevertheless, online research led me to find a 180ml bottle at 50% discount. I bought it right away and am delighted, knowing that I made absolutely the correct decision to own this fragrance that I could not stop thinking about.

This is one of the best wear to the office fragrance i own. The citrus verbena/ bergamot ,oak moss musky vibe is very attractive. I have gotten great feedback. Longevity is not bad for a citrus fragrance, above average in my opinion. When I wear Assoluta I will reapply one good spray to my chest and one to a wrist right after lunch before coming back to the office. For some of my fav's that don't seem to last as long I use the small 3 mil atomizer just for that purpose. There are many that do not last the 8 to 9 hours I am at work. I try to never over do it to start the day. Assoluta is a very becoming fragrance for a man to wear. Assoluta just makes me feel good when I wear it, as well as being a very versatile fragrance. Classy quality about it. My wife likes this on me quite a bit. Sniff this out if you can. Acqua di Parma is a quality house. Price point is a bit high, I would opt for this when I am in the mood over a fragrance like Eau Sauvage etc. Purchasing Assoluta is a much wiser decision if I base on wearing it often or a signature scent. The difference in cost spread out over a year made a lot more sense for me to purchase. You would have to weigh that out. For us fragrance enthusiasts we all seem to wear many different ones so it becomes harder to justify many full bottle purchases. It is a quandary. I have no remorse for purchasing. If you love to wear citrus blends Assoluta deserves to be considered ,I tested some other Acqua di Parma citrus blends and opted for this one. Sometimes they are so close and you can go back and forth and drive yourself nuts..I have.. I give this two big thumbs up.

It isn't often that we use the word "ultimate" to describe fragrances, or anything in life for that matter. After all, overuse of that word would diminish its power. However, in the case of Acqua di Parma's Colonia Assoluta, it is the ultimate Mediterranean barbershop fragrance. Of course, there are many variations on the barbershop scent profile, but few are able to evoke images of the experience so perfectly. Anyway, it's no secret that its concept is not unique, but this concoction is like no other. Normally, citrus notes tend to be zingy, piercing, and trigger that familiar tingle in one's nostrils; such is the orange note in it's younger brother, Essenza di Colonia. Here though, the marriage of bitter orange, bergamot, and ylang-ylang creates a lovely bittersweet, banana-esque fruitiness that is both sharp and smooth as butter. It's character is one of wisdom and youthful purity, never veering too much in either direction. Initially, my snappy ignorance made me dismiss this fragrance. But, I saw its potential and gave it chance after chance, and was eventually rewarded. If rumours of its discontinuation are true, then I am glad I picked it up in the nick of time. Colonia Assoluta is one that will be cherished for many years to come.

Assoluta is strange as a cologne because contains no neroli, and instead has a long list of notes such as chili pepper, ylang and bitter orange, which makes sense when you look at Duchafour's baroque oriental creations. Ellena must have done the editing here and Assoluta has that airy quality Ellena is famous for. So essentially you have the master minimalist meets Mr. More is More, who together set out to reinvent the classic cologne. What I THINK they did was try to take the `wetness` out of citric freshness and play up the tang and bite of citrus but with dryer elements, while putting a surprising amount of gentle florals in to balance out any harshness. The image i get from Assoluta is of fresh laundry dried in the sunshine on a hill beside the ocean. Maybe an orange or lemon grove is nearby. Its a quiet, still kind of freshness and definitely does not enter the territory of 'juicy' or 'dewy'. Assoluta is beautifully balanced for the entire duration of its sillage and has a transparent presence that reaches out gently without creating a wall of scent. Longevity is surprisingly good for a cologne and the drydown has its own personality to look forward two.

I have 11 from acqua di parma and recently found a new old stock bottle for close to twice what a discounter colonia costs. Side by side, Assoluta and Colonia OG come off with that ADP massive blast of citrus and they smell very similar with the OG being a little more harsh and powerful. The dry down transition after 45 minutes is where it goes into different directions. While the OG Colonia moves into a more floral and green territory, this is more creamy, spicy musk. Essenza goes into this sharp, peppery green territory. This Assoluta is the weakest of the three, but that doesn't mean much, because the other two are explosive. I think this composition leads to an anosmic reaction over time, because it's less harsh, green, peppery, so they discontinued it. Probably probably complained "I can't smell it after an hour" believe me, it's very much still there, it's just not behaving like other ADP offerings. The very high end crystal bottle line does this too. That's probably why you can get them at discounters for 1/3 retail. I give this an 8.5/10. Really beautiful fragrance. It's not sweet, it's not overbearing. Pure summertime joy.

2018 Update - After repeated wearings, I've come to find that I really enjoy this much more than after the initial wearing that prompted the review below. Once I came to terms with this being a very different fragrance than the original - not a flanker - I was able jettison the bias of an irrelevant benchmark and judge this on its own merits - as a well-constructed citrus - woody - patchouli construct with a touch of amber and floral sweetness - jasmine/rose. Old (2013) Review - I have to say this is a bit of a disappointment to me after the original, which is one of my all time favorites. The citrus opening on this one seems more synthetic and lacks the original's nice balance with an herbal note. There is less complexity and less quality to my nose. The dry down is also very pale and never completely looses the touch of sweet industrial solvent that spoils this for me. Not a negative because overall it's still a decent, wearable fragrance. It's just that its a bit like the undistinguished child of a legendary parent to me.

If you think AdP Colonia Assoluta is anything like AdP Colonia, think again. While it's in the same spirit of a traditional citrus EDC, Assoluta stands on it's own for it's uniqueness. Instead of the neroli, bergamot, and lavender triphecta of the traditional EDC, you have a bitter orange, bergamot and ylang ylang combination that provide the essence of the fragrance here. The open is a blast of citrus, primarily lemon verbena and the bergamot and bitter orange that sustain into the drydown. The ylang ylang and jasmine then come in, but the bitter orange and bergamot keep it from getting overly floral. The result is a nice balance of citrus and floral, tempered by the earthiness of the vetiver and oakmoss in the base. The only downside to this fragrance is the performance, I get a measly 3 hours and this is a skin scent on me. AdP Colonia is still my signature scent, but AdP Colonia Assoluta is a good alternative for when you're looking for a change but don't want to veer too far from the original.

I'm so confused about these Acqua di Parma Colonia fragrances! I've tested all three - Colonia, Colonia Assoluta and Colonia Intensa (is the last one right??!) -on paper strips in a department store and one of them really appeals to me and I love it. The other two are nice but something's missing for me in those two that is in the other one. Anyway, at some point I'll have to go back, test them again and perhaps write on each paper strip which fragrance it is and then I can actually figure out which one it is that I absolutely LOOOVE! Still, it's very confusing that this trio of fragrances have pretty much the same name, which leads you to believe that they're very similar, but in some ways they're very different - that's kind of strange!! They all smell very high end and classy though (and the bottles look great!) and even though they're not cheap there are fragrances that are much more expensive that aren't even a fraction as nice as these so I think they're well worth splashing out a little on!!

I am an Acqua Di Parma nut, so I was super happy to get my hands on this discontinued gem of a fragrance. ADP uses the ancient Spugnatura (sea spong) method to extract citruses and I have owned so many I can pick them out of a lineup blind. They just feel different, and the quality is always there. This smells like it has mixed Colonia, Colonia Essenza, and Eau Sauvage together but with a key difference that separates it from the pack. First, the red pepper, and red pepper fruit are unique to this line. It's interesting and nice. Second, the drydown has a more prominent resin and wood feeling, but not heavy enough to impede it from being worn where it belongs, in the spring and scorching heat of the summer. Performance is really good for an EDC. As far as comparisons go, I've owned and tried them all, and to my nose, this one shares the most DNA with the original, but being spruced up and better than the original. Overall great release and a real shame it's discontinued.

A MODERN CLASSIC Very high quality . Another fresh out of the shower, classic beautiful unisex from the colonia line. This is high quality , equally wonderful as the original colonia , it's more modern I guess. ,,, it opens with a blast of orange and citrus and has an earthy aromatic feel to it. Full of cedar, Cardamon and. Oakmoss. Like a walk in the woods. Boy I love this one. Both colonias are great , I am not familiar with the others as I believe they are more for men. This one is quite unisex for sure although it leans to the masculine side like the original Colonia. I find this one is soapy and a touch more modern and even yet more wearable by a lady than Colonia. I like both though,alot. To me this is a fragrance you can wear to work, to play and to go for a walk in the woods. It never feels old or heavy or out of place. It just feels clean and fresh and well groomed. Who wouldn't want to smell like this :)

Very fresh, bright, and sweet citrus. Dries down to powdery, slightly sweet vibe. Very nice. Scent: 9, Performance: 6, Overall: 8 Update: Dry down remind me of Essenza's floral soapiness but less balsamic tanginess. A bit of an odd, round or obtuse feel. More modern and less old school than original Colonia. I previously preferred this to the other Colonia lines but now I think I prefer Intensa and original Colonia (except it's weak performance). Scent: 8, Performance: 6, Overall: 7 UPDATE (8/13/2022): After revisiting this for a while, I've decided this might be the most versatile of the Colonia lines. More modern than original Colonia, less tangy than Essenza, fresher than Intensa. Real shame it's been discontinued. Bought a backup bottle and sprayed it just now to test it and it's a "WOW" scent. Now debating whether to get a 3rd back up bottle...

With a heritage like Avignon, Eau D'Italie, and Timbuktu on the Duchaufour side... and First, Déclaration, and Osmanthe Yunnan on the Ellena side, this lovechild literally reaches out and says, "I love you" when first sprayed. AND ALL DAY. Wow, this is good. It really IS the best of everything! To the yearling nose it may bring to mind the original Dolce & Gabbana for men in the dark blue box, back when it had life. The yearling nose, however, wouldn't remember its powerhouse days, and that fragrance was too strong to wear anywhere but a night club. But in the hands of these two master perfumers, this cast of notes balances buxom beauties and staunch masculines in a relatively minimalist composition of formidable longevity to create something entirely new and revelatory in its ability to offer these notes served as never before. Shall I go on?

I proudly own a bottle and wear it in spring and summer. I live in ltaly, not along the Riviera, but I can enjoy many sunny days nevertheless, and even if I need to go on with my working day, this fragrance is a big help. I mean, it will fit many daytime occasions, not only seaside conjuring situations only LoL. Colonia assoluta is a classic zesty fresh cologne, grounded by a warm musk patchouli base. It makes you feel clean, classic and timeless - whatever your outfit of the day is - joyful and ready to go, even if you are not planning to spend it strolling around some posh sailing club. It will not project much, it's a fragrance you wear for your own feeling good. As many others have said this is the colonia that has the best performance out of the 4 of the AdP Colonia line. Simply adore it.

Great take from J C Ellena on traditional Italian cologne (such as the original Colonia by AdP). All AdP colonias (except for this one) have shaky performance, development and longevity. This one, in my opinion the best version that delivers on all those fronts! Kind of niche version of Monsieur de Givenchy but with much beter ingredients and much smoother... Very Italian (smooth) citrusy/flowery cologne with citrus and jasmine being the major players. Average to linear but very fine scent, great for Spring and Summer, unisex with a little tilt towards masculine. If you are looking for a modern version of original colonia that delivers, look no further. Don't make my mistake with Purra that has great opening but dies down after top notes wear off. This one is worth a blind buy in my opinion!

I adore Colonia Absoluta! It is a classic, clean and fresh fragrance I feel comfortable wearing anywhere at any time during the year. I live in a city with a climate of four distinct seasons, and I feel comfortable wearing this fragrance during any of the seasons. It's safe for the office, the market or going out to a restaurant. I doubt 99% of the world would find this fragrance offensive so I consider it a safe bet for all occasions. I love the travel size, as it allows me to take this scent with me on business trips and vacations. The entire line of shower gel and shaving cream are top quality too should you want to splurge in other aspects of your grooming routine. This fragrance line will definitely make you feel refined, well-to-do and affluent, even it you aren't.

My signature if my budget would allow. Will always have a bottle, but it is a special day fragrance, rather than an everyday one because of the cost alone. I love ADP fragrances, i'm yet to test a bad one, but this is a great modern twist on Colonia, keeping the essence of the original, while making it more relevant to today. "Summer in a bottle" someone said in an an earlier review, or as my daughter would say.."you smell of Italy" as I first bought this on holiday on Lake Garda visiting beautiful Riva. Whatever, this manages to be light, citrusy, classy, long lasting and changeable, from bright citrus to a light,fresh, clean, musky smell in the dry down. Everything I expect of Italian style, class, quality and sophistication in a bottle....Love it!

Finally got a sample of this and had the same (wow) reaction as when I smelled the original. Just love it. It has a very similar taste to the og, but dare I say even fresher! And slightly more modern. Someone below said it reminded them of the og mixed with Platinum Egoiste, and I definitely echo that sentiment. A mix of original and Essenza in the dry down. Sad this was discontinued. I think it brings a lot to the table as far as the range of the Colonia line. Guess I was just late to the party. If you can't live without it there are still a few reasonably priced bottles floating around. If you haven't tried the original or Essenza, maybe look in that direction first. I don't recommend Pura or Futura. Intensa is good, but it's a whole other animal.

Assoluta is simply brilliant, an ideal summer colonia, complete with mild performance one should expect from such a composition. For me, “beast mode” and hot weather are a sure recipe for a suffocating, cloying experience. I therefore appreciate understatement in a fresh fragrance, and this one is a great example of classy restraint. What you do get is a delightful, cheerful citrus and verbena with just a hint of herbal spiciness. It’s that addition of pink pepper, paprika and cardamom that make this special and tilt it away from unisex toward a traditional masculine colonia. It’s blended with such a light touch that you can’t really identify ‘notes’ at all. What a summer masterpiece! So enjoyable, so of course they discontinued it...