Acqua di Taormina

Well, I never thought I'd be the first to review a perfume on Fragrantica - no pressure then! Acqua di Taormina is a small independent house in Sicily and this eponymous offering was their first perfume. It's straight out of the Italian cologne tradition. It opens with a burst of lemon, tangerine, bergamot, cedar and a vegetal green note, all with moderate projection. Half an hour later almost all the notes are present: the citrus trio, lily, cedar, sandalwood, oakmoss and musk. One hour in and the citrus notes have gone. Lily takes the lead with the vegetal green note. The moss and musk in the base remain strong but the cedar is weaker and the sandalwood is faint. Four hours in and the perfume is turning into what I can only describe as a warm accord. There's still a hint of that vegetal note in the background along with oakmoss and musk and still a little bit of lily. The cedar and sandalwood have long gone. Five hours in and it's almost impossible to distinguish individual notes anymore. What you're left with is an accord and that lasts until about nine hours after application. Tutta Italiana! It's all very 'by the Mediterranean in the spring'. So, will I be buying a second bottle? I'm not sure yet, especially as I have a nearly full bottle of Acqua di Parma Colonia Assoluta so I'm well catered for in terms of classic Italian cologne, but I think I will explore the house a little further and try one or two of their other offerings and I'd certainly encourage others to try this independent house.