Cruise Collection - Escale a Portofino Limited Edition

Tried this briefly in Douglas after being recommended by the sales team as being a new and limited edition release for summer 2023. Let’s just say that I love the packaging better than the scent. It’s a pretty fresh, citrusy, bitter and green summer scent. Same old thing: bergamot, citron, petit grain... They added to these citruses... shocking: orange blossom and some almonds. Nobody has this kind of composition already in their collection: a fresh juicy citrus with a floral heart. Pretty and clean smelling EDT for scorching hot weather! Nothing complicated or new here but definitely too expensive. Nearly 100€ for the 75 ml bottle in the eau de toilette concentration. I have not tried the original version launched in 2008, but simply by looking at the pyramid notes, the 2008 version seems a more elevated and interesting version. I would probably go with that. I like my scents to have more layers and depth, to evolve and change over the wear time!! Easy pass. As an afterthought since I have tried both this scent today in the store, I liked better the new Chanel Chance Eau Fraiche EDP, another overpriced 2023 release!

It opens with a sharp effervescent lemon, which may be deterring to some.. but once that striking lemon calms down you are left with an elegant clean cozy soapy scent.... it feels like you are in a luxurious spa, surrounded by citrusy clouds, if that makes any sense. It lifts up my mood when I use it.. perfect for daytime and after the shower, after swimming, or before going to bed. Very nice, cheerful and yet classy fragrance, and a bit mature. Sillage feels strong and sharp at the very beggining due to the fizzy lemon, but as soon as it calms down, it becomes a weak skin scent.. you have to bring your nose to your skin to feel it. But if you do.. even after 3, 4 hours.. you will find that it lingers there. For a cologne, I think its rather decent performance. For its price.... I know it ́s Dior, but... still... a bit much. I will keep enjoying it this summer, and when its finished.. I will move on.

As someone who really enjoys a citrusy scent, I automatically like this. However, it’s not one of my top five favorite citrusy scents. It smells very much like I have a mouthful of those lemon head candies. 🍋 It also verges a little close to lemon pledge furniture polish. It’s definitely fresh and a bit green, but I don’t think this one is for me. I may layer it with a neroli or even vanilla fragrance and see if that works better for me, because I really love a freshie, but I find this is missing something. I do enjoy it more after about an hour.

What a fragrance to relaunch into the market while other houses focus on gourmand and white florals. This perfume makes me think of summer cruise holidays in the Mediterranean - the brightness of citron, the freshness of white florals, and the slight bitterness of green notes. The opening is sharp but the composition settles after 10 mins to reveal summer bright loveliness. It makes me think of Jeanne en Provence's Verbena Cedrat. A moderate like for the books.

This one reminds me a lot of Verveine from L'Occitane, but with much better longevity (the L'Occitane fragrance doesn't last more than one hour). Very fresh, bright and citrus. It opens with lemon peel (bitter and not sweet at all) and green. In the drydown get slightly more floral. Totally unisex and fantastic for days of extreme heat.