Florentine Iris

I remember traveling on a train to Melbourne on a sunny spring day and testing this in a department store. Totally fell in love with it, it made my day and lasted so long, complimenting the sunny weather beautifully. Owning such an expensive fragrance like this was a pipe dream, so I sadly moved on. 4 years later, and I managed to find Florentine Iris, 125ml in the box for a great deal. Upon spraying this, memories of that sunny day in Melbourne came flooding back to me, instantly filling me with happy memories and good feelings. It's one of *those* fragrances. This is sunshine captured in a bottle, it knows it, and it'll make you remember it. This iris is powdery, but not in a feminine lipstick-y way (which I also love). This is a dry sort of chalk-y and bright iris. Totally unisex. Guys, don't be afraid to wear this. I've also tested Indonesian Oud, and I have to say that there's something similar between the two fragrances. Maybe they share the same base somehow, similar to how Annick Menardo's creations all have a similar base. I can't ignore some strange similarly here, even though they're polar opposites. This goes on my list of fragrances that I'd wear if I was getting married or going to a wedding. That list also includes Cartier Declaration D'Un Soir and Guerlain Habit Rouge. Elegant, quality, masculine florals that are somehow hopeful, youthful, confident and joyful. There aren't many out there like this! Since I got this BNIB, it came with an info pamphlet on all the Essenze line fragrances. It says that Florentine Iris is a genuine iris that takes 3 years to grow underground, and another 3 years to dry out. That's 6 years to produce this bottle of fragrance! That's incredible, and it shows. The quality here is amazing. Lasts and lasts. Would be excellent in winter if the strength was a bit higher, but this is perfection in spring summer and autumn performance wise. Worn smart casual and formally. Pretty much always appropriate for any occasion. Clean, sharp and unique. Yay adjectives! This is a spring staple in my collection. An iris must-have. Makes me happy, 10/10.

As a fan of bergamot+iris fragrances, I was curious to smell this. It was love at first spray: I was at an airport, saw the Zegna counter in the perfumery department and readily put my hands on this masterpiece. One spray after another I just couldn't get enough of its delicious opening. It smells divine: the notes are pretty much the ones listed here (while an experienced sales assistant swears she can smell a light touch of oud, too). It starts with a sparkling, bright citrus and jasmine, but iris is clearly already there. Then iris becomes the main player, with all its gorgeous, powdery, floral blast. Finally, the base turns into a musky/clean drydown. Overall, it is a masterly blended perfume with a linear and expectable evolution. Longevity is very good (10+ hours), but the sillage is discrete: it only creates a nice bubble and leaves a soft trail around you. Fun fact: one day I explicitly decided to overspray: 2 after each of my ears, 2 on the front and behind my neck plus a few sprays on my hair, inner elbows and on the shirt I was wearing. About 12 in total. I think I passed the line, I have never received so many compliments in one single day: all of my coworkers could smell me at a huge distance, I filled a large office room. Four of them said that I smelled really good and could perceive the clean/powdery touch of it (one of them thought it contained a note of incense). This is not synthetic at all, everything in it smells natural. I also don't think this is a head-turner or a panty-dropper (the originality of the composition is in the blending, rather than the notes themselves), but those who will notice you will also recognize your good taste and the high quality of this scent. Maybe just a bit overpriced, but the quality is all there. Final rating: 9/10. One of my favorites.

Among the fragrances in Zegna's former Essenze collection, Florentine Iris remains one of the most distinctive interpretations of iris I've come across. This is neither the lipstick-tinged iris of Chanel's Les Exclusifs , nor the understated iris accent found in fragrances such as Bois d'Argent by Dior. It also avoids the clean, soapy direction that has become something of Prada's signature. Instead, the iris here is remarkably soft, smooth, and understated, polished to the point where every edge seems rounded off. The musk lends the fragrance a silky, almost carnal softness. That's probably where my "silk stockings" analogy comes from. Beautifully executed, but personally I would have preferred a little less musk. If I had to pick one fragrance from the line to pair with a bespoke Zegna suit , this would probably be it. It captures the same sense of effortless refinement that the brand has always stood for. If Indonesian Oud represents the tailored suit, then Florentine Iris might be... the silk stockings underneath. Hahahh, just kidding—but that's honestly the impression it gives me. It has an elegant softness that complements rather than competes, adding texture without demanding attention. It's a shame that the entire Essenze collection disappeared after Zegna and Estée Lauder went their separate ways. It was a quietly distinctive line that deserved a longer life. Rating: 7.5/10

Can anyone tell me when the EDP was reformulated? The bottle I bought is missing a lot of what I liked about the sample I fell in love with. Posting here also, as some people who own the EDP left reviews here. From my experience of the EDP (sample of unknown batch), it's a high potency, musky, violet/iris/orris bomb with eternal longevity and great projection. A great fragrance all year round and so fresh! It maintains a fresh component all the way into the dry down. I feel like it leans feminine, as it immediately reminded me of something I'd smelled on a female before. I happen to love it though. The older (unknown date) batch lasts on clothes for days. The later batch which I purchased a full bottle of (A91, September 2021 batch) has none of the eternal freshness, is thinner, less complex, lacks the long-lasting orris root accord and after testing side-by-side on cards does not project in the dry down like the older one. The September 2021 batch definitely has a different formula, as testing side by side on cards, the long lasting woody-amber base molecules used are different. The older one can be detected on my skin even after two showers. The newer one washes clean off, leaving only a feint whiff behind and dying completely soon after. Feel so ripped off and saddened. My only hope now is to get the sample analysed and attempt a recreation!

SO and I were at the airport to fly to Rome (we live in Malta) earlier this year and he'd been meaning to find a new perfume, plus I owed him a christmas present, so I steered him towards the Essenze display, hoping he'd choose Peruvian Ambrette ;) (not carried in the airport anymore sadly). He sniffed all of them and tried a few, but when he got to this one, he decided it's the one within a second. We both LOVE this perfume. It's fresh in non-citrusy way, powdery, yet fizzy, a little sweet and overall very elegant. He only needs 2 spritz and this baby lasts the whole day on him and a few days more on his worn shirt. I love to wear this as well and on me it's more powdery and sweet. It actually turns a bit feminine on my skin. My SO doesn't like Dior Homme as he thinks it's too feminine. But this is the first perfume he pledged loyalty to. He actually said "I want to smell like this for the rest of my life". And that's grand coming from the guy whose olfactory vocabularies are limited to "pancake", "good", and "hmmm you smell good" (his highest form of praise). Have to say I'm proud of his taste. ;) Ah this line costs only €140-something in Malta airport while I've read that it reaches around 200 elsewhere.

Last January I went into the Zegna store in Venice to test it, I applied 4 sprays, 2 on the neck and 2 on my wrists, then decided to keep strolling around Venice to see how the fragrance would evolve and behave on my skin, since my bloody skin devours every single fragrance I apply. All I can say is that the smell is so beautiful that I went back to the store by the end of the day and end up spending 200 euros for a bottle!! For all those Dior Homme lovers (I include myself) I strongly recommend you this fragrance, the iris in this one is much more subtle and less lipsticky than Dior's creation, It is kind of a fresh Iris, and not so powdery, making it also an all season one, I actually prefer this one over Dior's, since this one is more versatile regarding seasonal wearing. Definitely try it if you have the chance, it is only sold in Zegna Boutiques, at least in Italy. Projection and longevity are average, 5 to 6 hours on my hostile and dry skin, which is already good, considering that only the amouage's creations persist that long on my skin, and they are beasts in the longevity department.

I have been nursing my bottle of Zegna Florentine Iris EDP since it was discontinued, always on the hunt for an incredibly elusive back up bottle. The EDP is one of my favorite fragrances within a very large collection. I stumbled on a barely used bottle of the EDT and picked it up. The EDT smells very similar to the EDP. A realistic, clean, crisp iris with a beautiful sharp violet note and a subtle ozonic accord in the background. The EDP is thicker, richer and better. But the EDT's projection is significantly better. The longevity of the EDT is surprisingly excellent. It lasts about 7-8 hours on my skin - pretty much identical to the EDP, at least for me. The EDT is sharper, brighter and perhaps slightly more masculine than the EDP. My wife prefers the EDT on me. I definitely prefer the more complex smelling EDP. Finding a bottle of the EDT has been a wonderful pleasant surprise while unsuccessfully searching for a back up bottle of the EDP. The EDT's current Fragrantica score of 4.42 is completely well-earned and justified.

This one is definitely a fresh kind of iris, which is actually pretty good. It develops beautifully on my skin, evoking a sense of fresh florals and a slight background make-up bag scent with some soda-like fizziness. I own Dior Homme and Van Cleef & Arpels Bois D'iris, and I can say that Florentine Iris is very different from those two. I feel very comfortable wearing it since I'm not bothered by feminine-smelling scents (plus hey, this isn't as feminine-smelling as Dior Homme). I've received some positive feedback so people seem to generally like it on me. Longevity is 12+ hours on me. Sillage/ Projection is moderate, which is appropriate for this kind of scent. It is versatile and can be worn to almost any occasion. Overall, this is a winner in my book. I'm yet to find any flaws. Rating: 10/10

The finest Iris. Florentine Iris is refined, clean, mature, and chic. Never sweet, never too powdery, reserved, but makes its statement utterly known. Acqua Di Iris is close, but it simply lacks the refinement, complexity, and quality of this beauty. A shame this is discontinued, but at the same time, I can see why it was. It was more than likely due to their intricate production and problematic distribution. According to Zegna, they harvest their own Florentine Iris for 6 years, it must be a pain and costly for them to do this for a single fragrance, especially for a scent most don't even know about nor care for. I've haven't tried the EdP -- but I think once the last of their distribution is sold off, it's pretty much going to be end of the line for this one. Grab it while you can.

This is the most authentic and elegant Iris fragrance I've had the chance to try. To my nose the scent begins as the most luxurious Iris bar soap with nuances of bergamot thrown in. It maintains that soapiness throughout but is even fresher in it's heart with the bergamot giving way to a beautiful jasmine which mixes seamlessly with the Iris. There are musk undertones all along and the composition becomes slightly more powdery as time goes by. I love this scent. It makes me feel very put together and elegant. This is 100% unisex. If you like smelling clean and fresh you will probably like it. The fragrance is expensive and discontinuation is sadly imminent. Scent: 9.25/10 Longevity: Long Lasting Sillage: Moderate Versatility: A Value: C-

One of my favorites. Fresh powdery Iris, smells like a rich person, gentle and calm, with a smile and a white crisp shirt and maybe a blue blazer. I find it rather feminine but I love it and it is very wearable. I layered it this morning with it's little brother Acqua Di Iris also from Zegna and off to work, and I don't know how many compliments I got!! Mostly things like "you smell very comforting" "clean" "fresh" "out of the shower" A female colleague said "I don't mean to say your other perfumes are bad but today, wow! I come to the room and it smells clean and like flowers, whatever you are wearing I'm gonna buy and wear" I wrote the name down for her.. Florentine Iris by Zegna, you absolute stunner!

This, for me, is the background to Opus V by Amouage. I know they came out at roughly the same time, so I'm not suggesting anything, but for me this is a decent-sized piece of Opus V -- Opus V has more going on in it, truth be told, but this also performs quite well. It's mostly a sweet, candy mush rendered through a bold iris note with some gentle white floral behind it. I didn't know what to think of it when I first got it -- I admit, I wasn't moved by it, but now I have grown to really like it. Not top tier for me, but still very pleasant and pleasing...

I'm wearing this as I type and I can describe this as fresh, elegant and classy. This is a well-constructed scent. It's a beautiful scent and one I will be wearing for the remainder of the winter and into the Spring. The notes are simple - the iris is very dominant and blends beautifully with the violet and musk. The bergamot is far more subdued here in comparison to the other Essenze scents where bergamot is the key player in the scent. The Zegna Essenze collection makes some very nice scents. This is definitely one of them.

Powdery,elegant and sophisticated...obviously more on the masculine side,but I could also be unisex. Interesting perfume,coupled with the Iris-Violet,makes this unique scent and powerful wake and hypnotic in my opinion. The sillage is heavy, it takes 2-3 sprays and lasts long. This perfume is the first E.Zegna I try .. and I was satisfied..smells good,elegant and floral, which should not be missed for all lovers of the Iris ...beautiful fragrance. Sillage: 8.5/10 Longevity: 8./10 Scent: 9./10 Overall: 9./10

This is the freshest iris in my collection and possibly my favourite iris dominant scent. In comparison to Dior Homme, this is much lighter and crisp. I normally dislike anything'fresh' but Florentine Iris, I absolutely love. This has a clean, cooling feel to it that I love in summer. It's very elegant and sophisticated but definitely can be a daily wear. Not sure about the longevity, but I just find that when you love a scent, you generally perceive it to be shorter lived or 'not strong enough.'

Umm.......I loved it, got it, wife loved it and took it!! Has since become her signiture scent, and she gets huge compliments. I did too!! This is certainly a unisex scent in my opinion, but it's very strange! For men and women, it can be worn as a brillient office scent. A hidden gem in the fragrance world. I blind tested this against Channel Blue with three employees at Dubai Duty Free. FI won on all three attempts, go figure!!

I think if one doesn't appreciate this fragrance, one is too far from reality, nature, universe, how things work, how living organisms act and behave. How they breathe, how they move, evolve and the main thing: how they become aware of beauty. This scent is such unique 😍 💖 words are not enough to describe it's harmony, softness and preciousness. I will never understand individuals, who dismiss this masterpiece

I loved this on first spray. It’s very luxurious Iris right from the top. It’s calm but confident, Powdery/musky but not in a casual or friendly way. It’s bossy. Clean, crisp, straight to the point and no time for games. This perfume feels so smooth and velvety (as someone put it). This was love at first sniff. Not a fan of powdery scents, but this one I’d definitely rock. Perfectly unisex in my opinion.

It seems that the multiple comparisons is always needed. After I tried Prada Infusion d'Iris and Dior Homme Intense, the Zegna's Iris wins out in all aspects. Extremely exquisite and graceful. With no doubt, Florentine Iris is a more crafted and refined modification of these two, especially of the Dior's. Occasion: suit and tie only. Longevity: 12+ hrs on skin, 2+ days on clothes. Rating: 8.5/10

Purest form of real iris in perfumery, period. If you don't like this, you don't like iris note. Almost 10 years in perfume hunting adventure and this never falls down off the throne of the best iris. Aside from the fact that the whole 'Essenze by Ermenegildo Zegna' line is distinctively high quality this is no exception, quite frankly, Florentine Iris is the one that got my into this line.