Costa Mediterranea

Holy Neroli!!! Costa Mediterranea is one of those fragrances you can smell THROUGH the bottle, even if you haven't spilled any of it on the outside. You must have a STRONG STOMACH for this fragrance! It has otherworldly projection and longevity. It's like the Pink Sugar of masculine citrus frags. It goes on, and on and on... so you better LOVE it if you decide to wear it! Costa Mediterranea starts off with potent, sinus-tingling bergamot, lemon, and herbal elements. They radiate in a way that is sharp and dry. Spray it in only ONCE in the air and then walk through it, if you dare. Once the razor sharp top notes have long dissipated, and it enters the dry down stage, I can detect faint florals (primarily rose), and the earthy vetiver finally emerges to join with the bergamot and lemon. However, this is largely a citrus aromatic fragrance. Don't let the honeysuckle listed in the notes mislead you. This is a sporty citrus MONSTER. You've been warned.

Acqua di Gio has long been my favorite male fragrance. I tried to wear it myself, but it was just a bit too manly for me. At last I have found something that is like Acqua di Gio for my chemistry. It's not nearly so melony, but it has a nice, fresh, seaside vibe. The citrus I get is not nearly as strong as others, and it's more of a mix of sweet orange and grapefruit. I also get strong herbal notes, can't say rosemary for certain, but it's very dominant in the first hour. It's so well-blended and smooth and fresh, with a masculine edge that's not too much for me. Wonderful in warm weather. Seems clearly made for warm nights in Italy.

Even though this citrus forward scent was launched in 2002, it does not smell dated. It's a great Mediterranean medley of tangy fruits and herbal aromatics. There's nothing artificial here in this refreshing blend. Leans a little bit masculine but not overtly so, it's perfectly unisex. I think Costa Mediterranea could become my signature summer scent. One of my next full bottle purchases. This is an enthusiastic thumbs up!

Costa Mediterranea is a burst of citrus, especially bergamot. I can also smell orange, geranium and a little bit of rosemary in the dry down. This is definitely a summer fragrance which is perfect for the South Florida climate. I enjoy wearing this fragrance and I get many compliments when I do.

A classic mediterrean citrus, this one falls, in particular in the space between Goutal's "Eau d'Hadrien" and "Ninfeo Mio." It is less sweet than Santa Maria Novella's "Zagara" and without the "je ne sais quoi" that SMN's signature scent has, and it is minus the tea note that is present in Carthusia's "Mediterraneo" Altogether satisfying for citrus scent lovers, and hopefully this description well help you determine whether this is the best possible citrus for you or not.

On second thought, this is very similar to Santa Maria Novella's "Zagara". On paper, they are nearly identical, but my body chemistry does completely different things with them. I find it much less sweet in the drydown than Zagara, and that "Costa" has a more earthy feel to it. I also find the orange fruitiness pops out a bit more.

Nice fresh masculine classy safe frag. Very well done, but not unique. 8/10

My curiosity was piqued by this one since I love Mediterranean coast-inspired scents. Have given it a few wearings from a decant, I have to say that if you’re looking for sunny and uplifting, this isn’t it. In fact, the word that comes to mind is melancholic. I can imagine a small seaside pensione in a picturesque town on the Italian Riviera. It’s nearing the end of tourist season and most of the visitors have left. The middle-aged owner/manager sips a drink at his near-empty bar, reflecting on the end of another summer that that he made good money, hosted and met guests from around the world, and maybe had a romantic liaison with an American or UK lady on vacation. Still, he feels a certain unhappiness within. Is it his increasing sense of mortality? An impending loneliness as the town empties out for several months? I’m not sure, but I bet he’s wearing Costa Mediterranea. The scent itself is a dry, dusty citrus that doesn’t really evolve from initial spray. Somewhat aromatic but very subdued, even contemplative. Sillage and projection are virtually non-existent on me. There is definitely a marine note that lingers a bit before it all falls apart. Reading the marketing copy on this one, I’m just not feeling the “dazzling holiday on the sea” theme. I’ll stick with more bergamot-neroli-lemon-herbal oriented offerings to get my Mediterranean fix.

+1 on the sporty citrus monster assessment This smells like a refined, distinguished European fellow to me - a tanned gentleman in Portofino in a linen suit, sunglasses and stylish hat. I'm an older university student, so this scent struck a delightful and elegant contrast to the lightweight fruity florals the other women were wearing at school. That said, I think I'll gift Le Boyfriend with this sample and enjoy smelling it on him. This fragrance boasts a nicely sustained citrus that is delicious to smell, and the dry-down is a warmly burnished vetiver that I find delightful in the extreme. Very nicely balanced. Skews more masculine to my nose with its classic air, but could be a fit for the right lady. Beautiful, in any case.

Definitely feeling masculine. Probably the rosemary and seabreeze combo, the citruses are really lovely but this is too masculine for my tastes. Bit of a men's lockerroom vibe which I always ascribe to scents that are fresh and manly. Good quality though, plenty of woodsy notes on the dry. ** I have a pack of 12 Profumi di Firenze samples to swap - UK only **