Romanza

The top notes of this green floral perfume are mugwort, orange blossom and angelica; heart notes are narcissus, sambac jasmine and violet leaf; the base notes are myrrh, vetiver, cedar, patchouli, civet and an amber accord. The bitterness of the opening, brought by mugwort and angelica, refers to absinthe, late 19th century drink par excellence. This lively green opening slowly softens with the arrival of indolic orange blossom and jasmine which add sensuality to the fragrance, without completely attenuating its greenness - which now darkens all the same. This greenness is also accentuated from time to time by the violet leaf which pierces the heart of the fragrance with its tender green and metallic tip, contrasting with the deep tone which will be that of the perfume until it fades. A note similar to creosote is also noticeable. The narcissus — whose carnal and animal accent is amplified by civet — then takes center stage and makes this complex perfume dedicated to a spring flower a paradoxical evocation of the heart of summer. I imagine a meadow in which cut and dry hay, slightly moistened by the morning dew and heated by the rays of the sun, release its herbs and chamomile scents which mingle with those of the flowers laden with golden pollen bordering this meadow, announcing the honey to come. The dominant colors are now yellow and ocher, although green has still not disappeared. Romanza testifies to an opposition between the dark-humid and the solar-dry which could be associated with the duality inherent to greek goddess Persephone (who is intimately related to the narcissus flower); a six months underground existence in the Underworld near the Styx, bringing Winter to the terrestrial world; then six months of an aerial and solar existence in Olympus, which bring the warm months. Outside, the regenerative spring is here, but death and corruption are not far away...

Romanza is such a poetic perfume. Created by Cristiano Canali for Masque Milano. This one made me follow Canali's work closely and he sure is talented. But in my opinion, this is still his best composition thus far. It is the only perfume from the house that really impressed me enough to not only own a bottle but a backup as well. It's a sultry Victorian floral perfume with a dirty, edgy, resinous base. Bourgeois afternoons, classical music, good wine, and lust in the air. It is a perfume of transitions, from innocence to sin. Quite a dramatical evolution, from the green, spring-like opening and the fleeting burst of absinth, to the rich narcissus-loaded floral bouquet in the heart. And oh, how ravishingly beautiful the narcissus is. Playing on its honeyed, grassy, and indolic facets. Harmonized with the help of a metallic-green violet leaf, an innocent hyacinth, sultry jasmine, and waxy beeswax. The base heats up with resins, cedarwood, and lots of civet, completing the fall into sin, imminent from the very first gaze. It is a brilliant evolution, and one would not believe that something that started as inoffensive could end up so pagan. If you try this perfume in-store and purchase a bottle on the spot, I don't know what to say. You'll either love it for how much more it has to unveil or be simply repulsed but how unashamed it is in truth. For Narcissus lovers and vintage perfume lovers, romantic-minded ones, and maybe even agrestic lovers, this is one to try. I can draw a parallel to a similar composition, in style, not in smell, the infamous Une Fleur De Cassie. IG: @memory.of.scents

Romanza is a beautiful, delicate, narcissus-dominant spring floral, with detectable myrrh sweet-spiciness in the base, and maybe a touch of ashy or dry-branches darkness. It reminds me of Diorissimo in spirit tbh; that inexpressible tenderness, that evocation of the first soft breeze of spring. Of course, Romanza is built around narcissus rather than muguet, and it’s not as syrupy-rich, but the feeling is similar. Also like Diorissimo, Romanza has a breath of civet floating above the flowers, buff against the pale yellows and pink-purples. Adds an old-fashioned perfumey feel. The other vintage scent that Romanza brings to mind is Futur, a 60s spring floral with a similar butter-yellow/pale-purple/beige palette. But Futur is clear as a bell and sharply aldehydic, while Romanza is softer, more nuanced, and sits on a richer base. Over time Romanza reveals a mellow, yellow, narcissus-and-amber-and-civet glow that goes close to the skin and lingers as the spring flowers float away. Romanza is basically a hazy, retro, narcissus-heavy floral reverie, but more scuffed-up and wearable than its actual vintage inspirations. The myrrh and animalic touches make it a bit earthier and deeper than spring florals usually get, while still retaining the poignant loveliness of the first mild day in April. A spring floral with heart, guts, and a functioning sex drive; one of the all-time greats.

Ahhh...this is so unisex and sexy. It fits its backstory from the brand notes very well. The scene I was transported to is very similar: It’s just like waking up at dawn in a beautiful baroque mansion/palace/estate in Tuscany or France buried deep in the countryside. The dew is still in the surrounding garden along with the mist and birds. There was a wild house/garden party the night before, the green fairy made an appearance and the whole thing was a magical joyful blur through the rooms of that place- the balconies, the libraries, guestrooms, hallways... The bedroom is alabaster white ceiling to floor with high arches and windows. White bedsheets are ruffled and clothes are tossed everywhere and there's a white linen canopy around the bed pulled open and lifting gently in the faintest morning breeze. You hooked up with someone and he was wearing a white shirt (of course). You smell his cologne on you mixing with your floral perfume. Maybe you take a few steps outside in the garden wearing that white shirt or maybe your bodies are naked and tangled still barely stirring awake. You haven't had a shower yet but the temperature is so perfect you don't feel too sweaty from the night before. You just feel wild, blissful and natural.

Nothing for me is quite like leaning in to enjoy the scent of the Poet's Narcissus (Narcissus poetica). This garden heirloom with its creamy white petals and abrupt corona, yellow with red trim, is prized not only for its beauty but for its spellbinding, unconventionally pretty fragrance. In Romanza, I am reminded of these blooms as they awaken on the crest of spring. I detect a wormwood and anise at the start, elevating and sublime, then the narcissus accord immediately unfurls and its that light shade of creosote typical of these flowers, sealed with honey and beeswax. A fleshy indole surfaces, and a jasmine and hyacinth is an attending chorus to the narcissus in this stage. It's anchored with a deep-green leafiness and suggestions of musky, bitter angelica root. The shift into the dry down is where the animalic and sensuous nature bares down on this effulgent cottage garden, sharp, shifting cedar and stewing sacred resins, something civet-like, yet creamier and more bulbous, “the love that dare not speak its name" has its voice here, lurking in the twilight. Romanza is enchanting.

Johnny R. Cash There ain't no grave can hold my body down There ain't no grave can hold my body down When I hear that trumpet sound I'm gonna rise right out of the ground Ain't no grave can hold my body down Well, look way down the river What do you think I see? I see a band of angels, and they're coming after me Ain't no grave can hold my body down There ain't no grave can hold my body down Well, look down yonder, Gabriel Put your feet on the land and sea But Gabriel, don't you blow your trumpet 'til you hear it from me There ain't no grave can hold my body down Ain't no grave can hold my body down Well, meet me, Jesus, meet me Meet me in the middle of the air And if these wings don't fail me I will meet you anywhere Ain't no grave can hold my body down There ain't no grave can hold my body down Well, meet me, mother and father Meet me down the river road And momma you know that I'll be there When I check in my load Ain't no grave can hold my body down There aint no grave can hold my body down There ain't no grave can hold my body down

got two 2ml testers bc narcissus are my favorite flowers and i read some good articles about the best narcissus fragrances and this one was mentioned multiple times. upon first spray, i am absolutely in love. if i can remember to come back and update this in a month or so i will. but god this perfume is beautiful. floral and powdery, light and reminiscent of older styles of perfume. definitely has a hint of baby powder smell but thats not a minus for me. its balanced well with absinthe and myrrh, overall making a fucking gorgeous composition with strong florals and a lot of depth. unisex and great for any time of day or occasion. makes me think of spring, and the way my moms makeup smelled. i love this perfume. edit: after wearing this for a while, it really is amazing. the musky aspects come out after drydown, leaving a deeper impression under the florals. smells like climbing through a damp tunnel out of the underworld, emerging into a spring forest where daffodils are blooming. smells like a hozier song.

This is the narcissus I've been searching for. Absolutely stunning FB worthy! Smells like a field of daffodils in the beginning. The promise of perfection, the renewal of spring, the infatuation of a first love then it turns dark, twisted, and bitter. Just like the flower itself which is highly toxic. A profoundly beautiful, intoxicating and deadly love affair in a bottle. Oscar Wilde would have worn this. It makes me me think of the loving yet tumultuous marriage of Vivien Leigh and Laurence Oliver. The adoration, the warmth of spring, the heat of summer, the promise of a lasting happiness only to have it sour and spoil because of the cruelty of mental illness. There is life and hope in this bottle and there is heartbreak and despair. I love it. I hate it. I want it. I need it.

My first impression upon spraying was, “Yuck! Old smelling yuck!” But oh my, did the dry down change my mind! Once those top notes mellowed I smelled something completely different and unusual. Or had I smelled something similar before? When I was a JV cheerleader, I remember asking the varsity cheerleading coach what perfume she was wearing because she always smelled so good. Chloe Narcisse. Romanza triggered that scent memory for me but I doubt I’ll be confirming because Chloe Narcisse is crazy stupid expensive on ebay. I have an enormous perfume collection, but I have nothing like this. It’s unique and I thoroughly enjoy it. Could definitely be unisex and maybe even a tad masculine-leaning, but as a woman who knows her own self, this fragrance feels very comfortably “me”.

Generally greens and florals are a miss for me, but this is an outstanding, unforgettable scent. It is extraordinarilly green, bright, complex with definite wood and warm undertones. The silage and longevity are amazing, as is the vacillation between green astringency,the narcissus which does not share the same DNA to my nose as other "white florals" and the warmth of artemisia and violet leaves followed by woods. The high pitch of the floral green stays true for hours. I actually am finding this addictive and different. Other houses have attempted this, but not succeeded. As a wood, amber, spice oriental lover--I'm surprised by just how much I like this, so it's definitely in spring-summer rotation. I agree it is not easy to wear, but this is a persuasive perfume.

My comments based on a 3 ml sample. A dark and waxy daffodil, smoky black notes, a feeling of dampness...Indolic flowers drooping after a heavy rainfall. Yes I can smell the paint the others are getting, but it’s not unpleasant. Immense staying power, creating a haunting aura throughout the day. I have longed for something similar to Caron’s original Narcisse Noir (the one I remember from the ‘70’s), this isn’t the same but there are nuances that point to it. Romanza has less neroli/orange blossom notes but that same “dampness” I adored in NN. I enjoyed it so much, a couple of squirts on my left wrist lasted a good 8 hours sending delicious wafts throughout the day. I’ve ordered a full bottle. Not a bargain at $235 AUD for 35 ml, an indulgence but it’s a beauty.

Ive been to Europe, twice...both times for the Gay Games...its basically the Olympics for queer athletes. Once in Amsterdam in 1998 and the other time was in 2018, in Paris. I got to see more and travel around Europe with my sister, her fiance' and her best friend who was participating in the Games....we went out to a countryside close to Giverny in Normandy. And all the herbs, floral and 'wildness' you smell in Romanza, popped up in my olfactory-engine, IMMEDIATELY..as if I was transported back to Giverny. Romanza is that countryside in a bottle. To be even more honest Romanza smells like a patch of wild flowers that a genet or civet, pissed on. Incredible perfume.

This is both a literal reference to the blooms of early spring (bitter-pineappley opening) and, in my mind, deeply evocative of the smell of air travel, especially in the dry-down. I mean literally the smell of stepping onto the aeroplane; a sensually overwhelming encounter with the cosmetic aroma of coiffed flight attendants, the inorganic materials (Seat upholstery? The accordion sheath that funnels you through the door? Cleaning agents?)...Unsurprising maybe, as daffodils tend to smell a bit ozonic-gasoliney. I like it a lot, there’s dynamism here. And good company throughout a day—stimulating to the nose in its facets.

Masque Milano Romanza (2015) - green narcissus - #cristianocanali ‘s perfume starts the act with fruity licorice Anise and Rose. Then, it’s heart sharp green Hyacinth, creamy Jasmine, powdery Violet leaf and the star of the show - the most beautiful Narcissus absolute I have smelled. This ingredient and perfume can be quite a shape-shifter, from being salty-skin animalic to incense-like hay & tobacco. It’s supported by a woody and resinous base which creates contrast and balance amongst the heavier florals used. On my skin, the balance between civet-like notes and lush verdancy is wonderful.

Romanza is a very complex scent, an unusual combination of fragile fresh flowers, green nuances (I even pick up something like lily of the valley in the top) and quite thick, but very enjoyable animalic base. The fragrance lasts forever. I smelled it on my colleague in the evening (it was all around her), she applied it in the morning. It is a dirty fragrance in a good way (actually a play of innocent floral fresh and dirty nuances), I think it is one of the most enjoyable narcissus fragrance I've ever smelled.

Ok. I love Masque parfumes. I must admit. I started with Montecristo, and then I had the chance to try Romanza and I discovered and understood the idea of both the essence. When I tried it for the first time I suddenly found myself in the foyer of an early 1900 theatre, looking for a smile I could drawn into. The complexity of flowers, wood and amber takes you somewhere in the past. When you turn, you’ll see Dorian smiling.

Romanza is a very special perfume... almost Victorian! Is a surprising harmony,narcissus is very obvious but also jasmine! I love it because it is so strange and at the same time fresh also thanks to the violet leaves. It is an astonishing, sophisticated fragrance as it was long ago. Yes, I want it... I love it! Sillage: 8.5/10 Longevity: 10./10 Scent: 8.5/10 Overall: 9./10

This is art from a source of pure brilliance. A divine expression of an abstraction that outshines that which it attempts to emulate. The best fragrances inspire a wide range of emotions. And even if you've not set foot there, it places you squarely. This is therapy. A therapeutic Starship. Take this and be taken away.

I am a lover of narcissus, and this fragrance does not disappoint. From a greenish opening it moves to its narcissus heart which is a complex slightly bitter floral, even a touch animalic, which are some of the aspects of the narcissus. It is a unisex and long lasting fragrance. Excellent.

On me, it smells as though I'm walking through a jasmine garden. Kind of animalic, hint of urine scent up close. Very interesting to me, as I find myself smelling it often. Its not a dark scent, very floral and light with a dense body, including vetiver holding it together. Very nice.

Yes, lust is the right word for it ;o) and the name 'Romanza' fits very well - a kaleidoscope of olfactive emotions. I agree that it was one of the best perfumes at Pitti 2015. I recommend it for both, men and women, but I think that on men's skin it is even better.

What an amazing narcissus ! This scent has a mystic aura that I totally love. The animalic side appears very subtle to me and the scent keeps evolving and being surprising with time. Will definitely track down the creations of this Mr Canali as of now !

It's just an amazing scent... my favorite of the last Pitti Fragranze. Amazing fresh narcissus bitter green-powdery start with following green violet, dry bitter narcissus powder and dirty civet accord. Just a beautiful lust.

This is actually how I hoped ELDO's "Afternoon of a Faun" would smell like. I smell a sweaty animal that has chased nymphs all day in the woods, taking a nap in a meadow filled with daffodils. Very impressive fragrance!

Reminiscence of times when fragrances were still allowed to be eccentric: dandyish narcissus and a good sip of civet result in a diva-like fragrance that can be worn by both sexes with a little courage. Great!

The fragrance is lively and green, and I’m not sure how to describe it better; it feels like bringing the freshness of a garden into your home.

Absolutely beautiful fragrance. It smells like summer hey mixed with a little bit of honey on my skin. Very unique and non banal.

Comes out on Tuesday, 4/26. Can't wait. I've been dying of anticipation. I pre-ordered it.

Smells like bouquet or like garden full of flowers, literally... Very nice, fresh flowers!

A perfect dandy, a perfect vamp. Magnificent hyacinth agreement, great fragrance.

Reviewing a bottle from 2025. Romanza was launched in 2015. This is a unique melancholic indolic floral which to me is about beauty and it's inevitable decay. Romanza opens with a waft of fresh bitter absinthe closely followed by indolic almost animalic white florals (orange blossom,then narcissus and jasmin). The narcissus is not convincing. Hyacinth adds it's own earthy floral decay. Surprisingly airy on a base of patchouli and aromatic woods/amber. I can see this being challenging for many but personally I like the unusual funky opening, it is the mid accords I find more challenging. I suppose I like my florals fresher. Quality- very good Unisex - these florals are not pretty Performance- very good ,arms length sillage, lasts 6-8 hours Romanza smells like a vase of once beautiful white florals now slowly dying. It has the same feeling as Brown Flowers by DS&Durga although they smell different. This is part of the Sentimental Relationships series inspired by Dorian Gray about the excitement and disorientation of new love. To me it does not have that energy, instead, it seems to reference Dorian Gray as Narcissus - doomed by his own mortal beauty; and so, I feel the name is misleading. I would have called it "Beauty & Decay". 7.0/10

Romanza won’t be easy to describe, and certainly would never be filed under easy to wear. This is an example of a perfume that is top shelf, but one that I will likely not buy. I do get the urine scent, but only when sprayed close to my face or when my wrist is brought near my nose. Oddly I don’t pick up the animalic quality from a couple of feet. I’ve never smelled real civet, but I think the perfumer must’ve gotten close with this composition. But that note—whether real or just my imagination— does dissipate after the first couple of hours. Normally that would be an automatic pass for me, but the middle part and the base are stunning. A thick, herbal blend with realistic, slightly indolic florals, Romanza never overpowers but maintains presence for many hours. I avoid the word interesting because it’s overused. But that’s the first descriptor that comes to mind. It’s not often a perfume leaves me with a loss for words, but Romanza is not your average perfume. Post review observation: I just realized that the perfumer, Cristiano Canali, also created Zoologists Bee, which is, and remains the only Zoologist perfume I own. I love it but can understand how Romanza and Bee can both be polarizing.

Romanza has some special taste, how to describe? It...... some smelly, it should be beeswax? Romanza very green, like many people have said, but I never smelled hyacinth. Base Notes like a Chanel N ° 19, but more difficult to close. It is not for me, I can only say so. Romanza smell like N°19, which is also a classic that I love, but Romanza cuts off Chanel's unique fat powder, making it look more cool and glamorous. Narcissus in Greek mythology is the incarnation of a beautiful boy, obsessed with reflections without knowing it. This story is actually similar to the aroma of Romanza. It is really appropriate to describe Romanza who is solitary and self-appreciating. Romanza is so egoistic. Its green is pale, savage, and primitive, like a messy, maddening vegetation that quickly devours life. Masque's spirit of daring to sacrifice sales has resulted in a completely freehand work. Although this does not contain practical advantages. Definitely the most niche work in Masque.

I was scared to try this after reading the reviews, but I have to say it’s not as bad as folks imply. There is what could be perceived as a urine element but if you have smelled Slow Dive or Bee those are way stronger and less tolerable, at least to me; this on the other hand is a fresh picked bouquet that has been baking in the sun, that maybe smells a little sour and acrid, but in the best way. Not sure I can wear this regularly but it’s not something I’d hide from others or only wear in the house. Curious to see how it performs in the heat outdoors and whether the skank is amped up or muted- i may even want more of it than is currently present in the fragrance.

Kind of a weird scent. Hard to describe. I don't get the "bad breath" note, ( thank goodness). I really wish I could tell you more! Definitely different... My Mother-in law smelled like this. Like an herbal muscle liniment. This starting to remind me of 34 Blvd Saint Germain. Liking this! Also giving me Terre d'Hermes vibes! :)

Sometimes a review describes a perfume so well that it seems silly to try to explain it again. Mmmmgood's review just below encasulates this perfume very well. I have nothing to add.

This is wonderfully rich, challenging, and complex. A feast for the nose and the brain. Pretty yet dirty-sexy too. I would definitely approach a stranger wearing this.

beautiful clean opening and then it gets ruined ... it becomes animalic and not floral, the smell of urine. rancid. then it turns back into dark floral, damp, wet pages ... strange. I would not buy it but it is very different from what is in the current market. strong note of anise. too much. 5.5 / 10 strong performance.

Smells like breath. Not halitosis exactly, but it's just slightly unpleasant. Very unique though, and somehow a little addictive to smell.

Rancid . That's the word for it. The top has a certain kind of fruity-sourness which can only be found in wild berries , since this untamed, refreshing sourness has long been filtered out through generations of human selection, you won't find it from any fruits easily accessible in supermarkets. What comes after is the rancid tone of narcissus . I'm curious, why, to so many people, this scent is registered as "green"? To me, this is more like withered petals, dead leaves, or fermented hay. "Green" is too lively a word for it, this scent is languishing, like a sick Victorian beauty dying of consumption. I also sensed a weirdly high-pitched, very unnatural wet-paint tone , perhaps that's the hyacinth? It disappears into the sour berry+rancid dead leaves tone, with a very subtle charred hint of gasoline creeping in and out of the scene. If I move further, strangely, this rancid mixture becomes lighter, clear-er, like a fresher pile of hay with newly picked herbals . Light-hearted, simple-minded jasmine happily join this fresh-herbal overtone. The sour-berry + rancid leaves last for hours, jestingly took a dark turns to a wet, inky tone for a second, then rested on a solid, smooth, rounded woody-amber base.

I love and bought a bottle of L'Attesa and with that came a sample of Romanza. I love Narcissus and I can definitely smell it here. But I like Narcissus when treated like Nicolai's Le Temps d'une fete where it stays breezy and spring like throughout. Maybe it is the Jasmine Sambac that is ruining this for me but it just has a muddiness to it. I agree that there is something dirty about this but not in a good way. In fact, I wish it was dirtier to add some more oomph. All and all this is just a maybe meh for me. I will sample again to make sure.

I look hard at the list of notes and I'm not satisfied: I get leather, prosecco, exhaust gas and a very sour citrus. They are not listed. If you are after compliments, don't buy Romanza. It hardly gets you any. This is a sour, tart, harsh combination of ingredients most of which are dirty. There should be hyasinth but I can smell absolutely nothing sweet. This perfume makes me feel I'm drunk in an unpleasant way, or lost in an unkind city. I find Romanza interesting but not at all enjoyable.

Its a curious one. I cant say the spring flowers combine well with Myrhh and vetiver. Hyacinth, narcissis and jasmine almost clash with the notes from the East. The hyacinth and narcissis notes are strong and head clearing. Vetiver can also be piercing. There are no winners in this battle. It's too pungent. My cat moved away from me when she caught a whiff of this lol It's pretty linear. It has good longevity and sillage.

I appreciate the artistry of Masque Milano's Romanza, but I cannot get past the opening, which smells like a urine-filled chamber pot waiting to be emptied after a night of activity (carnal and otherwise) in a dusty, musty studio in London circa 1890. Not for me, but it is definitely worth sampling to see if it is right for you.

I don't mind smelling this on women but there is too much floral going on to label it as a unisex fragrance. Some people will, no doubt, find it very challenging to wear. It's interesting, artful, but not something for me personally. Make sure you try before you buy.

You're a cleaning lady coming home from work, your hands and skin saturated with sharp and abrasive cleaners, your hair powdered with thick dust, and your knees and shoes covered in bitter urine. Acid, dust, ammonia. Romanza by Masque Milano.

There is a sweaty animalic buttery monster on my skin. I refuse to believe there isn't civet in here, it's all I can smell! Maybe some myrrh and amber alongside it but truly just a suckerpunch of horse stable. No thank you.

gosh this is utterly terrible. It smells like STRONG urine with little hint of floral in the background to me.

Civet! That god damned ingredient! xD It is not listed here but now I see it is among official notes. I thought I was going crazy, smelling Zoologist horrors in other perfumes, but thankfully not. It smells the same as one bacteria from our mouths, you can detect it if you tend to floss and sniff. I do, because I would apparently sniff anything, proven by my episode of unwittingly sniffing sink declogger when I almost poisoned myself. Anyway, if there ever was a perfume that you should not blind buy, its this one.

Romanza plays Spring as the season of bittersweetness, with fresh, young stems, flowers and leaves all crushed together. Narcissus perfumes are a rarity yet Romanza bears a resemblance to Parfums de Nicolai le Temps d’une Fete. Both perfumes set narcissus’s green reediness in a woody, resinous setting, albeit with different orchestration. Romanza’s absinthe topnote performs a role similar to le Temps’s chalky galbanum, ushering in a grassy, green-floral range centered on narcissus. In the heartnotes the two perfumes diverge, though both transition from flowers to woods. Imagine Romanza’s basenotes as sitting an octave or two below le Temps. I have no idea if Masque Milano even knew of le Temps d’une Fete, but if they are taking on de Nicolai, they’re running directly into the fire. Le Temps d’Une Fete is one of Patricia de Nicolai’s strongest works, a Green Floral that has earned a place next to the other heavy hitters of the genre like Guerlain Chamade, Chanel 19 and VeroProfumo Mito. Romanza’s passing similarity in shape to le Temps is less important than the difference in its intent. Le Temps’s fresh-scrubbed freshness is pure sunlight next to Romanza’s midnight narcissus. Romanza is based on the attraction of opposites. Bitter angelica accentuates narcissus’s sweet vitality and from the very topnotes Romanza is filled with shadow and texture. The amber drydown has a growl that does not go gentle anywhere. Narcissus might be the image of spring, but the scent is the furthest thing from the stereotype of Spring prettiness. It’s mucky, muddy and messy. Romanza doesn’t hide narcissus’s chaotic side. It liberates it, offering a beautifully defiant take on Spring. The romantic fiction of the season is a birds-cooing, hand-in-hand cartoon of courtship. Romanza reminds us that Spring is brief and there’s no time for subtlety. It dispenses with the niceties and reaches a hand down the front of your pants while it looks you dead in the eye. Masque Milano’s framing of their perfumes as literary, operatic and episodic is well thought out and has led to a sumptuous style of perfumery. The perfumes are detailed and specific and I don’t question the producer’s/perfumer’s process, but plot and narrative aren’t a requirement to enjoy the perfume. Shear the story from Romanza and you’re left with an exceptional perfume with a detailed, calibrated aesthetic. Romanza is a provocative perfume from a young perfumer and I’ll keep my eyes peeled for future work from Christiano Canali. from scenthurdle.com