Brera

Brera is one of those scents I wouldnt normally reach for, as rose isnt typically my favorite thing. However, I have to say, I truly appreciate the artistic vision and the story behind it. its very well executed. The scent truly evokes what I imagine an old Renaissance painting would smell like, with the scent of aged paint, dust and history. It feels somehow very dramatic, And for that reason i would put it in the gothic category, making it an excellent choice for this time of year as we approach Halloween!

A round and sweet rose-patchouli with saffron. A familiar theme, but so rich and beautifully executed. Rose and jasmine merge to create a spicy, voluminous, and rose-forward floral accord, supported from above by saffron and from below by vanilla/labdanum. Good sillage and longevity.

Reminds me of MFK Oud Satin Mood but more refined and less loud. So far the entire range is very elegant.

A spicy rose patchouli. Brera is inspired by the Pinacoteca di Brera, the Brera Art Gallery in Milan. It is one of Milan’s most important public painting galleries, with a large collection of Italian paintings spanning from 4000 BCE to the 20th century. Among its collection, Francesco Hayez’s work Il Bacio, or The Kiss, moved Alessandro Brun, the creative director of Milano Fragranze. He therefore took Brera as the theme and invited perfumer Violaine Collas to create this fragrance. From the first spray, the most noticeable notes are saffron and chili pepper. It is a dry, slightly sharp kind of spice, with a faint leathery edge. After a while, the rose becomes more apparent. It is a rather heavy, dark rose, with a touch of green geranium. So this rose does not smell soft. It feels like a cool rose with stems and leaves attached. Once the patchouli comes through, the sharp spiciness from the opening is toned down a little, and the rose no longer feels as cold and rigid as before. Labdanum brings out a sticky resinous amber quality, with a slight leathery nuance. Brera is not very sweet. Although vanilla appears in the drydown, it mainly works to balance the composition and make the whole fragrance feel rounder. It is better suited to autumn and winter, or to cool evenings. In cold air, the rose becomes clearer, while the resin and patchouli gain more layers. In very hot weather, the saffron, chili pepper, labdanum, and patchouli may feel a little stuffy. Both projection and longevity are very good.

Second sampling from Milano Fragranze, Brera, a resinous rose/saffron blend, a touch spicy without the spices overwhelming the rose. It’s not too sharp or heady, and not overwhelmingly floral (despite the inclusion of jasmine and geranium on top of the rose), a balanced blend that features the smoky labdanum, also, with pepper and vanilla as well. The vanilla is revealed gradually over the first couple hours, producing a sweeter dry down to the spicier, more resinous opening, but the overall scent profile stays largely the same throughout the wearing (so far). I like it—not as impression-making as Basilica but still a nice perfume that I’d recommend that everyone try. Brera, like the rest of the line, is priced at $135 for 100ml in EDP concentration, sold at Perfumology, Luckyscent, and some other boutiques—very reasonable pricing, and it like Basilica, it performs very well. Quite the treat and great value. 7 out of 10