1# nota di viaggio (rites de passage)

This is so gorgeous! When I spray it on my hand it turns my hand into a resinous pine tree log. I sniff it and sniff it and can't get enough. It smells somewhat different on my cotton T-shirt but it is just as good there too. I was so surprised when smelling this scent -- that there is something like that at all. After I had watched the introduction videos in the producer's website I marked those that would interest me. This was not in the list. And I don't know yet how those I marked will smell to me. Their big tester set will be a very interesting journey in the world of Meo Fusciuni. The start is very promising. This scent reminds me the very woody and resinous Uduviir (means Blanket of Fog, by Estonian HURM perfume) where benzoin is also in the list of notes. Edit: I only dared to finish this small sample 6 months later... I noticed someone had marked this as similar to Cowboy Grass. Really? I thought for a second. Yes, they are similar, I have a full bottle of CG. But I wouldn't have thought these two are similar by myself. Interesting how comparing scents works and doesn't work. The similarity was most probably hidden from me because I read the stories behind these scents written by their authors and these are very different stories and pictures. There you go, telling a story changes one's perception. Edit2: bought a full bottle despite the price. It is just so amazing, amazing among amazing.

Instant brilliance. A powerhouse pepper. Not pink pepper but black spicy pepper. Mixed with patchouly and oud. Some people say there is star anise which I pick up and understand. I quite like it. It's adventurous. It's almost exciting. Titillating to the wearer and subtlety alluring. It's similar to psychedelique in that the patchouly is pungent and enveloping to the point of almost intoxication. It is a powerhouse as I mentioned before. You can tell this is created from a real connoisseur. He cares about his work and this is more than just a job to him. It seems like an autobiography. This is what you want. If you are a true collector finding something like this is exciting. Perhaps this is the whole idea behind the name Rites Of Passage. It is an olfactory maiden voyage according to Giuseppe, hence why it is number one in the trilogy. It's about finding yourself and testing yourself. And this fragrance gets you in the mindset. A true artisan. This is the first in my samples and I'm excited to try the next of them. Stay tuned.

Bright, fresh, very natural gem from Giuseppe Imprezzabile. Every single note he lists for this perfume is detectable, yet I was still surprised with this blend. On opening, it’s very crisp and citrusy- black pepper grapefruit and bergamot, but that very quickly makes way to let the Ylang Ylang and frankenscense shine through until it settles into a Vetiver base. With exception to the pepper and bergamot, all the notes are present throughout most of the wear. It reminds me of a very natural hotel spa. Or like leaving the spa after you’ve showered with their amenities, and you feel relaxed yet very alive. Actually, come to think of it, it reminds me a lot of the Aesop skin care line. Very rejuvenating yet calming. Very beautiful. It’s listed here on fragrantica as a chypre, but I don’t get that at all. It’s very light and refreshing. Morning Daytime wear outdoors, but def an at home or bedtime fragrance as well. Very pleasing, but performance is not great.

I'm sure you all are aware of a cooking spice that we use at home: tellicherry black peppercorns. Very bright smoky sour bitter opening. It overpowers everything else that is in this fragrance and is so unbalanced at the start. Wait for the drydown in 10 minutes. It later dials back and shows a facet of very earthy resiny citrussy patchouli piney, slight woodiness. That wood is not your typical sandalwood. Quite a dark, piney smell yet with slight soft nuances with it. Still, big bad smoky tellicherry black peppercorn is bigdaddy all the way. A walk through a mysterious dark pine forest only to stumble upon a tellicherry peppercorn farm run by the indian cartel type of smell. I'd wear it to public or at home. Gives off a different impression. Very bold, a bit polarizing with the smoky black pepper. Statement maker. I'd give it a solid 8.5, definitely not breaking an 8.5. All season except for summer.

Sampling all of the brands scents at the moment. Sprayed twice on one arm and once on the other. The one spray didn’t last long, faintly lasted a couple of hours. The arm with two sprays lasted around five hours. I could smell the grapefruit throughout this time. It’s not a powerful fill a room scent but it’s not trying to be, you want to keep sniffing your arm because this is just so attractive and I’ve enjoyed wearing it so much. The patchouli and vetiver along with that grapefruit stood out for me. It reminds me of being somewhere (can only imagine Istanbul as I’ve never been) where it’s hot and you are taking a morning walk (for me it would be a coffee hunt!!) and just the smell of shops opening up, citrus fruit being juiced, maybe a little stale skin that hasn’t yet showered, it’s really evocative of warmth in a city. Really enjoyed wearing this.