Italica (2021)

Sometimes you just have to smell like you want to be eaten. Well, look no further gourmand enthusiasts. Italica's been served. Yum. I've been waiting to get my hands on a sample for a while now, so I did enter this with a few expectations: 1. This perfume would smell exactly like an actual almond vanilla cake. Check! 2. This perfume would be a perfect Christmas Holiday scent. Check! 3. This perfume will lie close to the skin and will have mild projection. Hm... Actually, no. It projects a bit more than I expected! At least it does on my skin. Now I'm not saying it will be a performance beast or anything, we're still in the first hour, but Italica is actually heavier and headier than I anticipated. At first sprits, the opener straight up smells like an almond vanilla cake, extra milky. It's very sweet. Almost medicinal? Borderline cloying. But then it quickly mellows down and warms up into something I prefer. Twenty minutes in and I can really smell that bourbon pulling through, and the sweet note that was, at first, hard to discern, definitely smells specifically like toffee to me now. I don't smell cherry or any fruity notes. An hour in and we've gone from an almond vanilla cake to spiced egg nog with a splash of bourbon and I ain't mad about it. 4 hours in and the scent has settled down to a skin scent. Still smells like egg nog on me, or rice pudding, especially with the spiciness coming to the front. Must be the saffron and sandalwood working together. All in all a nice gourmand. However, I think I prefer Lira. If I ... layered them... I wonder how badly I'd regret it ...? Only one way to find out... ... Italica: 8 / 10 I'll be grabbing a 30 ML bottle for Christmas but probably won't splurge on a full one. Though the design of Cassamorati's full bottles are pretty worth it alone.

Italica and Lira are the first two Xerjof/ Casamorati fragrances I’ve tried. Italica takes one of my favorite notes, Almond, and makes it the star of the show, combined with the saffron, caramel and vanilla. The sharp opening with bitter almond definitely grabs your attention, and may be a bit too much for some people. Personally I don't get any of the “lactonic”/ milk references, but it does get delightfully creamy towards the dry down. I must say this is a rather unique scent which should not be rejected upon the first try. Unless you seriously hate almond, that is;) As I am going through my sample - at an alarming pace! - I am enjoying it more and more. It has an addictive quality and creates a delectable scent bubble that I now crave. Similar thing happened with Lira, so kudos to Xerjof. All in all, Italica is great for gourmand lovers who are aiming for a more grown up, more sophist scent. It manages to smell of a yummy marzipan but with a grace that prevents it from regressing into purely “edible” cookie territory. It is rich and dense but never gets “cloying”. Or boring. An absolute joy to wear, and I appreciate its longevity. I didn’t see it coming, as I am suspicious of the hype and quite picky with my full bottle choices , but both Italica are going on my gourmand wish list... Especially Italica - because unlike Lira, it is different enough from my FB gourmand I do own- Blianco Latte.

I am a gourmand lover. I swear by perfumes like Bake from Akro or Lait concentré from Chabaud. So of course I had to try the very hyped Italica that is always described as a gourmand lover dream. I hesitated a lot before ordering a sample because I am not a fan of almond extract and I was scared about the fact that most people were mentioning this note as being very prominent. But I',m so gload I finally decided to try it. The opening is a bit strong and very almondy, but on me it doesn't last long and I'm quickly left with the sccrumptious smell of a freshly baked financier. When I passed next to my mother she immediately said "mmmmh you smell like financier!". I don't have any saffron notes, just almond, sugar icing, caramel and some kind of milkiness in the background. It's sweet, fluffy and not as cloying as I was expecting (I wouldn't wear that during summer, but for fall/winter and even early spring it's perfect). It projects quite a lot at first but then it becomes more subtle (without being a skin scent) and you're still surrounded by a nice scent bubble at the end of the day. On clothes the lasting power is phenomenal: I still smell it on my sweater 4 days later ! It's definitely not a safe blind buy but if you enjoy gourmand scents it's worth a try !

Italica is the embodiment of the movie Moonstruck if ever there was one. You smell the warm pastries Ronny pours his broken heart into after losing his bride. When he and Loretta go to his apartment above the bakery, he declares he will make love to her. At first she resists and then says, “leave nothing left for him to marry, nothing but the skin over my bones.” The next evening they attend the opera and Loretta wears a breathtaking deep red dress. If you’ve seen this movie, you know they end up together. Her mother asks if she loves Ronny, “Ma, I love him awful.” This perfume encompasses romance and passion. It is bold and sweet, definitely not for the faint of heart. It shines in cold weather when you are wrapped up in layers during an outing in falling snow. When someone hugs you, they come back for seconds. This scent requires a light touch to avoid becoming overpowering yet it lasts for hours. It subtly reminds me of the sugar cookies I bake and top with icing that has a hint of almond extract. Mouthwateringly good and very realistic. It’s the Italian bakery, the passion filled affair, the red dress at the opera, the enchanting moon, the engagement, and the sugar cubes plopped into glasses of champagne to celebrate. Bellissima!

Italica ist wie eine süße Erinnerung aus der Kindheit, die aus einer samtigen Schachtel entweicht und direkt die Seele berührt. Dieser Duft ist ein sanfter Widerspruch – teuer im Preis, aber ehrlich im Gefühl. Der Auftakt aus Mandel und warmer Milch entführt einen sofort in eine kleine Pasticceria in Neapel, wo der Duft von frischen Mandeln mit heißem Milchschaum verschmilzt. Dann kommt der Karamell und eine weiche, cremige Vanille – nicht schwer oder aufdringlich, sondern wie die zarte Füllung einer Sfogliatella. Darunter liegt eine Basis aus Holz und Moschus, die Tiefe, Struktur und Balance schenkt. Italica ist kein typischer „Gourmand-Duft“. Er ist vielmehr eine Erinnerung an den Geschmack des Lebens – nostalgisch, warm, menschlich. Ein Parfum, das man nicht trägt, um gesehen zu werden, sondern um sich selbst zu spüren.

One of the best gourmand perfumes I’ve ever smelled in my entire life! Soooooo addictive, sensual, and delicious.. like a warm dessert wrapped in luxury. Imagine being enveloped in melted almond cream, toasted sugar, buttery pastry layers and a soft sensual spice running underneath it all. It’s cozy and sweet but never childish or basic smelling.. that perfect balance of creamy and sophisticated with this edible warmth that clingsss to your skin in the sexiest way. That toffee note is perfection! Theres even a subtle fruitiness reminiscent of peaches/apricots! It’s literally mouthwatering. There’s a magic to Italica that’s honestly hard to put into words.. it’s like it bypasses your brain and goes straight to your senses. Hypnotic comforting and indulgent all at once. It doesn’t get much better than this <3

I was in Mykonos and came upon a Xerjoff shop, the SA was so pleasant and nice he introduced me to some new Xerjoff and casamorati. I told him what I favored and he introduced me to this and Xerjoff Starlight and Opera. I love all of them. I love Italica more than Lira, it’s more my style with the latonic almond note! On my skin it softens and sits beautifully with the perfect sillage. I would say this is unisex and perfect for any season. It’s high 80’s here in NY and I’m loving it. It turns almost more floral in summer and heat, then in fall and winter. I spray this on my scarf in winter and it’s so comforting! Highly recommended 10/10 Oh and the the Xerjoff house is one for the best totally worth the money!

What initially attracted me to this perfume was the bottle and what was inside did not disappoint in the slightest. I can only describe the scent that wafted out as being delicious. Somehow you can smell every single note in it at once but still easily distinguish between them. It smells like almonds, nougat, tonka bean, vanilla. It will leave you smelling like an absolute delicacy, sweetly edible. The one spray i did to try it on lasted me the entirety of the next 24 hours during which i was convinced to buy it. The only downside and the only reason i do not own this fragrance as of right now is the price. The only situation i will be buying this perfume for myself is if i miraculously win the lottery.

Wow, one of the more unique scents I have in my collection. I prefer this to Lira, simply because it's such a unique smell. The almond note is very prominent on this perfume, so if you don't like almond/amaretto notes, I would not purchase it. This perfume has a little bit of spice, but it's so beautifully done. On myself, it smells like a gingerbread almond cookie. I'm not sure how this perfume would perform in the office, as the almond note can be polarizing to some people. I love wearing this when I go out at night, but this can also be a good daytime perfume. When I wore this I got told, I smelled like Christmas :D

Italica is my go-to winter scent- the unapologetic Italian queen of gourmands who wraps your nose in cosy, sweet, milky, festive mouth-watering wizardry. It’s like biting into a warm almond biscotti fresh from the oven - comforting, a bit nutty, and seriously addictive. Smells incredible on its own but even better layered with Sol de Janeiro Bum Bum Cream and suddenly you’re a walking Italian bakery wrapped in velvet, blessed by the Pope himself. It lasts all day, gets compliments, and honestly, it’s the kind of scent that makes you wonder why you ever settled for anything less. Pure magic

This is one of those scents that MUST agree with your body chemistry or the results could be devestating. The almond, milk, vanilla and saffron notes are front and center on the first spray and stay that way on the dry down. It is quite powerful and the sillage is moderate. On me, it settles gently into a beautiful cloud of creamy cherry perfection that instantly lightens my mood. This is a bedroom scent and I would only wear it for my personal comfort and enjoyment. It has a sweetness that may be offensive to most. I have a sample from NM, but I will get a bottle for the summer.

Ok so I loveeeee sweet perfumes. Like they’re my fave ever. I never thought I’d EVER come across a perfume that I’d consider to be potentially too sweet for me, but this might just be it! Like it’s a LOT.. but I am obsessed of course lol. This is one of the best gourmands I've ever smelled, I’d just have to use it sparingly since it is surprisingly almost too much even for me. I'm not religious, but this is what I imagine heaven to smell like.. like yeah it's over the top okay sureeee.. but girl come on its heaven lol like I thinkkkkk I'll manage lmao

Marzipan, a very light pink Play-Doh accord and pink Nesquik powder. There’s a very high quality magnetic musk and saffron blend in this fragrance, which is fabulous because it keeps the fragrance from smelling immature. Addictive, luxurious and alluring. ¿Is it too snobby to say that this fragrance must be paired with a beautiful face? Well it should. I notice that almond accords really resonate with my body chemistry or that almond really shines on me and I’m addicted. This was recommended by Betsy.

DAMN. THIS IS DELICIOUS. I bought this 6-8 mos ago... I used it as soon as i got it and mind you, that was the time i was on the hunt for the perfect milky perfume. I sprayed this and i thought it was divine, the almond milky note is decadent. Fast forward to today, it has macerated into this marzipan dessert... It is so strong that I only needed two sprays that lasts me 4hrs. Not blind buy safe. You really have to know what you like, as a person, before delving into big purchases like xerjoff.

I have never been a gourmand lover and only order a sample of this to smell it. I also ordered several others from Xerjoff to sample. Well, I was blown away by this scent. My husband loves it and it is simply amazing. Powdery, refined, almondy, a bit of a ginger bread and the rest is simple delight. I cannot get enough of this fragrance. WOW. I also purchased la capitale from xerjoff. They are both fabulous and I have quickly fallen in love with this house.

Italica is a gourmand masterpiece. It is a symphony of sweet indulgence: creamy almond, caramel threads, and a whisper of vanilla warmth. It’s rich yet refined, like wandering around Italian streets at sunset enthusiastically: timeless and unforgettable. On the skin, it leaves a trail of luxurious sweetness that lingers for hours, maybe a full day. For those who adore sweetness, Italica is not just a fragrance, but a magic waiting to be cast.

Just received my bottle from Xerjoff. Can confirm it is the exact same fragrance. Same notes, same performance. As for the presentation, I seem to be in the minority, but I really like the new bottle and box. I found the velvet a bit gaudy. The new frosted red glass is gorgeous in person. If you're a big fan of this fragrance there is no need to panic and hoard the old style, unless you love the velvet. The juice is still the same.

I have it in my collection for over 5 years and this winter i rediscovered, how phenomenal it is 🥰 I don't like gourmands anymore, but this one is something that I always have to have in my collection. It's perfect in that coldest winter day, when I need something conforting and deliciously sweet. Agree with a reviewer below, that 1-2 sprays is enough (and i can't say this even about Guidance 🙈, thats how strong it is).

Got a 30ml bottle a couple of days ago. I really like this fragrance,it's sweet and you can tell that it has a good quality ingredients. I get mostly almond and vanilla. Very beautiful bottle and box. Performance however is not very good cosidering the price. I get about 2-3 hours with moderate sillage. I have Uden and Starlight and they both last a lot longer. I would recomend this one if you like sweet fragrances.

I am absolutely obsessed with this fragrance! It's so unique, sensual and intoxicating. It literally makes your heart beat faster when you smell it. I love the saffron, almond and vanilla bourbon notes in here. It lasts extremely long. The only thing I don't love is that after 6+ hours, the main scent that stays is toffee and a bit of caramel, which smells a bit odd to me. But it's one of my all-time favourites.