Osmanthus Eau de Parfum

I've never met an Acqua di Parma I didn't like. They are all classy, refined, very nicely blended fragrances that fundamentally I like to smell. I like the way they smell on testing strips and I like the way they smell on me. I've also never found one that lasts how I wished it would. As someone with close to 200 bottles in the collection and having got my nose on thousands of fragrances in my life, I still maintain that Colonia Essenza would be one of my top five fragrances of all time if it was a genuine 8 hour performer that stayed in for a whole day the way it does in the fabulous first two hours. I still think Bergamot di Calabria is one of the greatest citrus freshies ever made and that its longevity is the main reason it isn't exalted in its rightful place by the FragCom. I also think Sandalo is criminally underrated for the same reason. But at some point you kind of have to accept that their fragrances are what they are, and the price of such great blending, fine ingredients and (comparative) lesser use of Ambroxin, Habanolide and DPG as performance enhancers and sticky fixatives means that they are beautiful creations that you have to enjoy for what they are and stop comparing them to others. I feel that way about Sakura for example which is as beautiful and artistically fleeting as it is tender and evocative. So it is also with Osmanthus, which I've owned since 2019 and is one of the finest, most cinematically lush florals I've ever got my nose on. If I describe the neroli and osmanthus in this (oddly, the neroli is stronger and more distinct that the eponymous osmanthus accord here) as "effervescent and sparkly" you get an idea of how it feels on the skin. There is this orange blossom note on it that is dominant for the first hour or so and the blending of how it works with the florals is the big show here. It is so rich and full of golden sunshine. AdP aren't known for flamboyance but this has it. I reviewed Pas Ce Soir by BDK yesterday and this is an even more sunny and bright fruity floral but the pink pepper and the stronger patchouli in this makes it more unisex to my nose. There is some musk mallow in the heart that is one of more overt uses of a fixative to extend life that you'll find from AdP but it doesn't dominate and actually works nicely in bringing everything together. It pushes the performance out to three to four hours sillage and another three on the skin, which is about as good as these accords could feasibly get I feel. Even so, it is obviously not an all day wearer and you will need to top up at lunchtime if you want it to continue to perform. And that is okay. By AdP standards it is one of the better performers and is no slouch. Good enough is good enough. Try not to wish for more and just appreciate what it is. What you have here is your good jeans, a nicely fitted, crisp white shirt with the top few buttons undone, sleeves rolled up half way, suede loafers and Tom Ford sunglasses. It is a bright and warm day by the sea with cobalt blue skies and the taste of an Aperol Spritz making your mouth water. Everything seems to slow down and become more cinematic. You walk slower. You lean back into your posture. You smile at women and they smile back. You catch the surprised and captivated way people turn round to second glance you when they catch your sillage. It is a picture that is real enough not to feel mendacious but idealised enough to feel ideal. Osmanthus is the olfactory soundtrack to this. I am very proud and fortunate to live here in beautiful Dubai where such times and occasions are regular occurrences and the sun is a nearly ever-present hot companion. It is probably little surprise to note then, that Osmanthus is a much more regular reach for me here than it was when I lived in rainy, cold and humourless Rotterdam. I think they call that progress. Three Word Summary - Sexy Sunny Florals Scent - 9/10 Drydown - 7/10 Sillage - 8/10 Bottle/packaging - 7/10 Performance - 6/10 39/50

Understanding the house Aqua di Parma for what it is, I really do love Osmanthus. I've owned and loved Magnolia Nobile, as well as a few other Acqua di Parma fragrances, so I know this house's signature notes and I know what to expect. Typical for this "line" of perfumes, as well as most of the Aqua di Parma fragrances, Osmanthus does not disappoint because its notes are simple, high end, expertly executed and well defined. Osmanthus is no exception with definable top notes that are citrusy & spritzy neroli and green mandarin orange. These opening notes beautifully blend with middle floral notes of peony, other gentle white florals & ambrette (musk mallow). Something that tickles the nose, which I assume is pink pepper makes an appearance. And all of these lovely fragrances & ingredients perfectly land with Osmanthus, more musk and slight patchouli. Now, I'm reminded by some folks that this Osmanthus doesn't approach the fragrance of the real thing. And I'm not quite sure I've ever experienced fresh, true Osmanthus. But whatever it is, Osmanthus is a lovely, ethereal, soft & delightful perfume fragrance, surely not offensive in any way. I would never define this fragrance as unisex, as it reads completely feminine to my tastes. Unfortunately like many Aqua di Parma perfumes, longevity isn't great @3-4 hours, silage is moderate. I love Osmanthus a whole lot. Just not sure if it is full bottle worthy ONLY because of the price point and because of my history with Aqua di Parma fragrances. Sometimes, I just need a brief departure. In general, this perfume is a 9/10.

Aqua di Parma’s Osmanthus EDP is a beautiful, light, aethereal, sweet floral with strong fruity nuances and a subtle spiciness. The star of the show for me is as expected the osmanthus flower, combined closely together with peony, pink pepper and a very bright mandarine. The ambrette creates a soft, velvety base, together with a clean patchouli leaf. Everything is very smooth, flawlessly blended and perfectly balanced. It’s perfect for spring and summer season and smells very pretty and feminine. Is it worth the hefty price tag though? Not quite sure because of how it performs. Yes, patchouli in the base usually helps fragrances with longevity, which is moderate for this scent, but sits close to the skin. It’s an intimate scent but nonetheless very beautiful! I am sold if I could get it for a decent price that would match in my mind the mediocre performance!

I’ve always had a goal of finding fragrances that remind me of my travels. Acqua di Parma’s Osmanthus is the Christmas that I spent in New Orleans. If you stroll through the Garden District in December, you will frequently get wafts of the blooms of the sweet olive trees - AKA osmanthus. And this is as natural smelling as you’re going to find. Truly an archetype for accurate note representation. Sublime. That being said, I wouldn’t blind buy this if you aren’t already familiar with the osmanthus flower. I do think I may have written this one off as being too intensely floral for my tastes had I not made the NOLA association and sought this out. But the human mind is a fickle force, and this is one of my loves and my only true travel association fragrance success story to date.

This is a really good one. I agree it's waayy overpriced but damn it smells so good! Will probably get an FB for the scent alone. I saw this being compared to Inle so I checked its notes and the moment I saw jasmine note, I'm out. I won't even bother comparing both scents since jasmine note is headache inducing to me. I adore Osmanthus the way other people adore and repurchase Jo Malone's Wood Sage & Seasalt despite the performance lol. Will probably have to douse myself in this to last long on me lol.