Parco Palladiano XI: Castagno

I have a love/hate relationship with this one, my first from the Parco Palladiano collection, and i almost have them all, this is a really unique smell it is spicy and so fresh at the same time i don't find the herbal tone that the others Parco Palladiano's have and yet the elegance is there, you will be notice with this one in a crowded room! But here lies the problem, on my skin is too loud too intense i only can stand 2 sprays one on my hand and one on my clothes and 12 hours later is still strong! In the right dose it has a calming effect on me. In my little country we have a flower that everyone calls "Flor Del Muerto" and it is sold in a great market called "Mercado Central" (Central Market) i think is Marigold the name lf the flower but when you enter this Market you can smell this parfum in the air! Because of the combination of this Flor del Muerto, wood and spices that are been sold! It js unbelievable. The quality in this one is uncanny! But try it first! Fragrance: 8/10 Originality 8/10 Longevity:.10/10 Sillage:. 9/10 Versatility:4/10

Lemongrass, ginger, and chestnuts surrounded with a honeyed, woody base. What a great fragrance to wear into Spring/Summer that doesn't incorporate florals or fruit. I get no smokiness or incense whatsoever, though I can see how some may interpret the black pepper and cumin as a kind of herbal smokiness. Not campfire nor church incense for me either. If you're familiar with ginger candy, this evokes memories of that ooey-gooey, taffy-like candy that's lightly dusted with powdered sugar. And, kind of like how that ginger candy sticks in your teeth, Castagno will stay with you for quite some time, but in a pleasant kind of way.

I am definitely in the minority because I was really disappointed with this scent. Bottega Veneta has been a great find for me in the past. I have their first two masculine scents and the Magnolia unisex fragrance which is a beauty. Okay, so I love the chestnut note in Replica-Fireplace and I read that this scent has it too so that caught my attention. The head scratcher though is that this is a fresh/warm weather scent. Long story shortened.......chestnut, to me, is best for heavier/woody/cold weather aromas.

If the super dry spiced up woodiness in the discontinued Gucci Pour Homme is your jam, then by all means try Castagno. The drydown reminds me so much of GPH. Obviously I'm not saying these two are identical but they definitely give out the same scent profile. One prominent difference is at the top Castagno has the chestnut note, neither sweet nor too gourmand-y.

After wearing it for about two hours I was finally struck by the scent when a breeze came up behind me. Beautiful, so when I looked it up again on here and another scent website I was surprised to see it rated it so low. Then I thought about the manufacturer, the brand, I get the feeling it's rated lower because of the high price.