Gershwin

Opens with a Superb, bright and zesty bitter orange and lemon. It's got a nice peppery kick as well. It's a great way to get away from the "household cleaner product" that lemon often get associated with. The Incense isn't a big part of the opening on me. I barely notice it. But in the mid it's playing a bigger part, and the citruses calms down and opens the way for a woody accord and the incense. The pepper is also still kicking. The drydown has a surprising (to me anyway) amount of citruses left. It's mostly the lemon that contributes to the citrus smell from the mid, for me. On me the incense never overpower any other note, and the woods never quite reach the levels of the citrus, incense, and pepper. I never got the water lily or clove. The water lily i wish i detected, but clove is best when it's barely/not at all noticeable in my experience. A somewhat good comparison to my nose is "Guerlain, Aqua Allegoria Orange Soleia" (that i own at this point and have a lot of experience with), but, more 3D, and with added black pepper and incense. That wonderful Maria Candida Gentile signature herbal signature is there too, that makes all her fragrances distinctly "Maria Candida Gentile" fragrances. In the end, i really love this as a spring/summer/autumn citrus fragrance. The pepper and incense gives it some backbone even for early autumn days. I would wear this as a day fragrance. It's bright, uplifting, and energizing. Perfect for casual wear, work, or even formal events. Personal score: 9/10. I'd happily have this as my only citrus fragrance. It covers all the uses i have for a citrus fragrance, and then some. Strong recommendation to sample.

I'm wearing this right now, sprayed from a tester. I went back to re-test after the first time on paper because it really took my brain and heart and probably guts and wanted to wear it on my skin. I really enjoy it on myself. I see there are many notes but Gershwin basically smells like a revitalising combo of citrus flowers and incense on paper. On my skin the incense takes it all and it's delightful. It smells straight incense but so tamed, soft, rounded and not harsh as for many incense perfumes. I'm not a fan of incense generally speaking. Too churchy and gloomy, almost acrid in many rendition, but Gershwin smells divine and comforting on me. I would buy it just for sniffing purpose, because it doesn't smell like a socialite's perfume, if you know what I mean. Gershwin is intimate, only vaguely religious but surely mystical enough to support a cosy meditation session. Completely unisex, it stays fresh for long time and it almost smells of tenderness. I guess the complimentary notes make this incense less harsh and more wearable. I don't know exactly what kind of inspiration it comes from and what Gershwin had to do with incense, but for me the conjured image is that of a very peaceful sanctuary in the southern countryside surrounded by trees in bloom.

Well, this is another fragrance I really should've got around to reviewing before now, but wearing Gershwin again today is an uplifting experience for sure and worthy of writing about. I will begin by saying that although the overall vibe of the fragrance is very familiar the delivery has more sweetness and life than anything I might make comparisons to like Avignon, Birley, Missiones, full incense, Heeley etc. etc....but from those you can tell it's a crudely frankincense based fragrance. Gershwin is alive with citrus in the opening mainly lemon and grapefruit but sweet not saccharine and anything but bitter, with a hint of peppery woods. The fizzy, translucent resins of mastic, elemi, galabanum and above all Olibanum are perfectly rendered and so bright and happy, such is their effervescence. I'm not sure this smell evokes Porgy and Bess or Rhapsody in Blue for me, but it clearly did for gentile. The drydown is very subtle, supremely clean and not the biggest projector or performer in the world, when compared to the incense comparisons I made above. Some fragrances you allow some concessions because of the way they make you feel, this certainly was an enjoyable experience for me today.

I came across Gershwin in Rome one winter and never forgot it’s magic. I’m so glad I found a bottle for sale on eBay six months later! Gershwin in my opinion is not a perfume but a state of mind - like Erik Satie’s Pièces froides scratching at my soul every fall. If it was up to me, I would of called this ‘Satie’ (I feel Satie is a better suited ambassador than Gershwin). At first blast the frankincense smells like its drenched in freshly squeezed lemon juice, then the pepper comes through. I am grateful for the pepper as it stabilises the frankincense and stops it from becoming too sickly sweet. If you love being transported to another time and find comfort in the occasional internal reverie, then this perfume is for you.

Gershwin is a fresh and citrus fragrance of classic lines playing the typical eau de toilette, with a very natural result, is made with good componenetes, is traditional and very Mediterranean style. The effect of the water lily matifies the floral part very well always in a second plane that is light and clean. The drying I liked a lot with a light background smoke effect and something dry, due to wood and incense, giving a global aspect of solar heat very summer season. Although sin of lack of duration and wake seems to me a good fragrance that is also very well balanced. Rating: 7