Bergamotto

This is like a modernized, stripped-back version of Bvlgari Eau Parfumee au The Vert, and I love it. Not at all long-lasting or diffusive, but the simplicity means you really get the citrus-rind and twiggy-leafy-greenness of the bergamot, in an airy formula that feels hazy and relaxed, with lovely garden snapped-pea nuances.

Bergamotto is an exercise in restraint. This is not a vibrant, sparkling citrus burst, but rather a very subtle, almost delicate interpretation of bergamot: elegant, airy, and quietly refined. It feels completely genderless, in the way many of Ellena’s compositions do: transparent, understated, and effortlessly balanced. Performance is intentionally soft. Projection is minimal, and the sillage stays close to the skin, creating more of a personal aura than a noticeable trail. While it is marketed as a parfum cologne, that label feels more like a rebranding: this wears very much like a classic cologne in terms of presence and longevity. That said, judging it purely on performance would miss the point. This fragrance is about nuance and lightness, about capturing the essence of bergamot in its most refined and polished form, without excess or ornament. If you expect impact, this may disappoint. If you appreciate subtlety and the art of reduction, it delivers exactly what it sets out to do.

As I have mentioned before bergamot is my favorite citrus note, I love that incredibly bright and ethereal sparkle it has, personally I find it works great over really radiant musky compositions like Dior Homme Cologne or Chanel Eau de Cologne. In this offering it sits atop of an uneventful slightly green slightly spicy slightly musky base that I neither dislike neither care much for. Definitely solid, definitely a safe composition lacking a certain wow factor.

Very citrusy and thus fades quickly. I like it a lot, but I might just use it on a stuffed animal for longevity.

Phenomenal opening that degrades in mere minutes.