#laislablanca

I am a fanatic collector of beachy/summery scents for men. I'll detail what I own below, so you can get an idea of what I like, but let's just say that I could arguably call myself a tropical summer scent expert. Why get that out of the way? I think my fanaticism for #laislablanca is bolstered by my inability to escape it despite having so many options. When I first sprayed it on in the heat of summer, I must admit that I was conflicted. On the one hand, it did smell very nice, but on the other, it did not smell like other typical beach scents. I persisted, and I found the more I wore it, the more I liked it. The longevity and sillage of this are among the best for summer fragrances. Fast forward to winter. The uniqueness of this scent has made a strong scent memory tied to summer. I sprayed it and immediately it conjured up the beautiful feel of summer in my mind. Being winter, I can also say this can even push through the cold. Longevity is insane. I applied some yesterday morning, applied some Byredo Gypsy Water and later Marc Jacobs for Him over the top, and as I write this review over 24 hours later, all I smell on my wrist is #laislablanca. I never used many sprays, but I imagine that overapplication is a no-no. Now it is summer again, and man, does this stuff smell amazing. I sprayed it around 10 hours ago, and it is still going strong! So, forever more, this will be an amazing summer scent. As for the smell, what does it smell like and what does it conjure in the mind? It certainly has some floral aspects to it and also something that is slightly metallic in a good way, akin to Chrome type scents, on a slightly sweet backbone. For a man, this definitely has a slightly feminine lean to it, but is certainly unisex. It smells creamy, and perhaps the white bottle and name with Blanca has persuaded me here, but I do think of the color white. The tropical feel is achieved without coconut, melon, or bergamot/citrus, which is refreshing twist because it also sets it apart from anything else I own that I would consider being in the tropical summer genre. Finally, as promised, my summer rotation: Creed VIW, Tommy Bahama Set Sail St. Barts, Nautica Voyage OG, Hollister SoCal OG, D&G Light Blue (Eau Intense & Forever), Hermes Eau de Rhubarbe Ecarlate, Joop! Summer Ticket, Tommy Bahama Island Life, YSL L'Homme Libre, Diptyque Philosykos, Tom Ford Costa Azzura, Acqua di Parma Blu Mediterraneo Fico di Amalfi, Acqua di Parma Blu Mediterraneo Bergamotto di Calabria, DUA Cocolicious, DUA Coconut Ice Cream Gelato, Ed Hardy Love & Luck, Creed MI, BBW Tahiti Island Dream, ESSENCE OF BEAUTY Citrus Coconut EDT, Hollister SoCal Sunset, Bvlgari Aqua Amara, OP Juice, Hollister Wave 2, Rirana Coconut Nanas, JHAG Vanilla Vibes, Heeley Coccobello, Kenzo Homme Night, Jacques Fath Curacao Bay, JPG Le Beau, Bobby Brown Beach, Comptoir Sud Pacifique Coco Figue, Mancera Holidays, Xyrena Pool Boy, Estee Lauder Beyond Paradise, Guess 1981 Indigo, Loewe Paula's Ibiza, and a few others. I'm not sure how I stumbled across #laislablanca. Perhaps youtube, perhaps another review. In any case, I quickly realized that finding a bottle was hard. One person was selling decants on Ebay, and I managed to snag his last 5 ml, because it was selling like hotcakes for him (summer of 2021). He mentioned he had noticed a dramatic spike in sales and found his juice was the only stuff on Ebay or anywhere to be found. However, it does pop up on Ebay for near retail every now and then, plus you can occasionally find it online. I ended up buying 100 ml for the retail price of $200 plus I had a $20 coupon (Winter 2022).

#LaIslaBlanca from Ramon Monegal’s Ibiza Collection. This is a deeply special fragrance for me in particular. I’ve been holidaying in Ibiza once or twice a year since childhood, through to my adulthood. I was raised liberal, naked and bohemian, on the beaches and hidden coves in the pine-scented magical north of the island. One day, I plan to live there permanently, as Ibiza’s sun has set in my heart Ibiza is referred to as “The White Island” hence the name ‘La Isla Blanca’. The decor in Ibiza is white chic, with an attitude of laid-back tranquility. Monegal has perfectly captured this, “luminous salty purity and transparent freshness” which is the free spirit of Ibiza. This is an impressive example of how to do aldehydes in a contemporary way - there’s nothing old-fashioned nor old-lady at all, it’s also perfectly unisex. I love the use of the gin note - Monegal has captured the sparkling, transparent, aromatic nature of a generous Spanish measure of gin, complete with rustic ice cubes as they clink against your glass, with the ozonic aldehyde tonic fizzing against your nose. The jasmine, almond blossom and salty heliotrope make the gin more deliciously artisan, whilst the white musk, tonka and patchouli anchors the scent into a grounded base. This fragrance remains soaring, like a white bird effortlessly harnessing a thermal lift, set against the colbalt blue Mediterranean sky. For me, ‘La Isla Blanca’ is simply stunning and is the best of the 3 in the Ibiza Collection. Its longevity (probably due to the heliotrope) lasts for days on clothes, and breathes as you breathe against your skin, to coexist with your (sweaty) day and night of existence. It’s described as a, “long lasting uninhibited eau de toilette” so the100ml bottle will certainly last a long time due to its potency (plus I love the magnetic cap). This has the potential to become my signature scent - watch this space. Edit: It’s my signature and I haven’t looked back. TOP Anise, Ozonic Aldehydes, Gin HEART Almond blossoms, White Jasmine, Salty Heliotrope BASE Tonka bean, White Musk, Patchouly

Ramon Monegal La Isla Blanca is amazing scent! I have no words to describe it... Maybe that's the smell of Heaven? Key words to me are - soft, sunny, clean, comforting, transparent, natural, fresh in a very gentle way, sparkling, but rounded and super cozy at the same time... The opening is to die for! So inviting, so airy, fresh in a different way! It's like a fairy tale story - imagine you're waking up at a beautiful Elf castle, then you're going to a marvelous terrace, the sun is rising, the green garden nearby salute you, the sky is blue, the air is crystal clear and you're feeling happy and calm... La Isla Blanca smells like the tiny sweet-green harmony we experienced in our childhood in a very cozy, alluring way due to the almond nuances. People who are afraid of floral-aldehydic accords - please don't pay attention to this. Nothing dated, noting mature. Every note here is put in the perfect dose to make the whole composition balanced and rounded. Final words - for me La Isla Blanca is a fantastic scent in every aspect that can be described as a magic tool, which stops time and make people happy. The more I'm wearing it, the more I think it reminds me of another out-of-this-world stunning scent - Herbae by L'Occitane.

Every once in a blue moon a summer scent comes around with the capacity to blow me out of the water, this time around all my credit and praise goes to LA ISLA BLANCA belonging into the IBIZA collection from Ramon Monegal. But where to begin when words cannot do a single justice to a masterful formula, well, La Isla Blanca opens up with a cocktail of citrus married to fizzy aldehydes, fresh sparkling essence of anise and ginger to elevate the introduction to olfactory bliss territory, absolutely brilliant, but this is not just a beautiful bottle, the scent develops into a majestic sweet floral heart, pairing jasmine and heliotrope to ozonic notes, developing a sweet marine character contrasted by subtle salty tones, but what’s even more impressive is that throughout it’s curse the composition releases a creamy coconut lime accord that is unbelievably seductive ,yet relaxing as a summer getaway to a Caribbean island. The incredible concoction bottoms out with the addition of everlasting white musk for an extremely long lasting ride. Overall, LA ISLA BLANCA lasts over 12 hours on my skin and is always present, easily detectable throughout the wearing , truly impressive.

Bright, out of the normal, daringly fresh, unique, not elegant but distinctive. I ́m not a perfume expert but I smelled this for the first time 3 months ago and I had to get it (I have 80+ perfumes). My nose isn ́t as trained yet but when I like something I just get it despite all the mumbo jumbo that I read about reviews. I live in a hot climate country and this comes to life with the heat, even in an AC climatized environment it lingers and lingers for 12+hours, even the next day I smell it from 2 feet of distance on my clothes. I bought the discovery set from Monegal and gave me instantly 40 euros off my next purchase. I tried Hazy rose, Flamenco, Ole, Invisible but not, Isla Blanca, Cafe del mar, etc, but isla blanca is the one that is just beautiful. I give it a 9 out of 10, its missing 1 point because I know in the future the frosting white paint from the bottle will chip off (the sample bottle I tested had that appearance). Other than that I ADORE this smell, it makes me feel calm, as if everything in life has a solution, and that feeling has no price. Cheers.

Edit: this is for the 2023 version of La Isla Blanca. It wasn’t on the site when I first published this. This is a gorgeous summer scent that is perfectly paired with sunscreen lotion and beach vibes. My wife loves it so much I’m positive she will sneak by and use it. Much more floral than Light Bleu Eau Intense (for comparison sake because the two scents are nothing alike, but do share an olfactive family and a white musk background) and quite long lasting. It’s very refreshing and invigorating. Pretty sure there’s nothing else like it on the market.

This is a gorgeous fun scent. It's sweet, floral, fruity. Long-lasting scent. Definitely a summer fragrance. Reminds me of going on vacation on a beach on clear water and nice bright sunny days a tropical paradise in a bottle. Its not offensive if overspray. Long-lasting scent. I think anyone can wear this. I kinda smell mango vibe in this. I love this fragrance. It makes me happy when I put it on. This is also my first fragrance from this line. Will be wearing this all summer.

What can I say? This stuff just works! Clean and amazing for the hot weather! Long lasting beast I must say. I'm not a compliment chaser but this gets them. To me it smells like a tropical vacarion drinking a piña colada under a tiki hut. Just that setting there, the smell of not only the air around you but also the happiness surrounding you. It's a stunner for me. 9/10 ー🎅

حس طراوت و تازگی گلی مرکباتی مشکی بسیار متفاوت و حال خوب کن پخش و دوام بینظیر در اوووج کیفیت ----------- Scent & Quality: 10/10 Longevity: 10/10 Sillage: 10/10 Creativity & Uniqueness: 9/10 Affordability: 3/10 ----------- Overall: 8.4/10

I couldn't stop thinking about the creamy quality to it. not like a dairy cream, but more like a fine cosmetic cream. it's the aldehyde, and it very well pulls the whole scent together. very fresh and pleasant, clean yet sweet

Notes as referred to Ramon's Monegal official site Top Notes: Dates , Cassis, Pine needle Heart Notes: Almond Blossoms, Heliotrope, Ylang-ylang Base Notes: Sandalwood, Frankincense, Guaicwood

Masterpiece. Using it since it’s been out. Never replacing it

This is the original release. The latest release is trash.

The fragrance is a smooth, soothing and "nice" summer choice. Maybe I was hoping for a bit more complexity. It smells to me more artificial than I like. It is well-crafted to be sure, but the aldehydes cast a strong shadow over the rest of the ingredients, at least to my less than great nose knowledge. I. would recommend this as a fun summer scent; it does not, however, approach some of the other summer fragrances that already exist. As a gift I would love it, but not full bottle worthy for me.

An interesting hot weather fragrance; floral, juicy and spicy. Don’t think I have smelled anything like it before (probably a few hundred fragrances in). Could have sworn there was some fruit like cassis or berries in here, but probably a combination of the ginger and heliotrope. The opening is a bit sharp until the aldehydes calm down, after that it is lightly salty sweet and floral. Plus points for originality. The notes match the ones above so this is the correct version.

Summer in a bottle a real banger !!🔥

I'm a big fan of the earlier Ramon Monegal line up, Impossible Iris, Kiss My Name, Lovely Day, etc. As a result, I made quite a few assumptions about this fragrance prior to testing it. I shouldn't have. I thought it would be Monegal gentle, a bit breezy, and natural in presentation...nope. It's stronger than I imagined it would be given my experience with the earlier fragrances, but it's not just stronger, it's more synthetic. That's not inherently a bad thing to my nose, just unexpected for some reason. I should have paid more attention to the listed aldehydes for a clue. I also assumed the ginger would dominate. Typically for me ginger in fragrance (and food) means it is front and center to my nose. It can't be missed here, but surprisingly, it gives way to anise rather quickly. I think I smell coconut, but it's not listed here or on the RM site...hmm, *bad nose* I definitely get the almond blossom but it's not sweet for me and a fleeting pine made a short lived appearance. There is also something a little dusty (think shell) which strangely makes me think of white, like the homes and shops of Ibiza I've seen in pictures, but there's not nearly enough to make me think those homes are on an island. La Isla Blanca is ok...actually impossible to actively dislike it. It is a good warm weather fragrance and will find many, many big fans despite the unfortunate choice of bottle color and graffiti. I just assumed I would be one of those fans.

Most prominent notes to my nose: Rotten egg, burnt aluminum, sulphur. Even though the florals and sweetness are so pleasant I can’t get over that most strong awful musk

Just recently bought this cologne on a blind buy.In which i thought it had great notes and good reviews. The opening is amazing i get coconut lime mix, almonds that's very relaxing but that only last for a minute before the dreaded Ozonic Aldehydes come in and take over. For me that's when this cologne went great to headache inducing. This note for me at least smells like IPA Alcohol as its dry's down. I had to remove the fragrance as could longer deal with the blistering Ozone note that emanates and steals the show from what would be a great fragrance. The longevity is insane though as i could still smell ozone after 10 hours of spraying it into my clothes.

I don't know what it is about this scent, but it is doing the same thing that D&G Light Bleu Intense did. Upon applying it to my skin, it turns into an putrid rotten egg smell. I can't use this fragrance at all, no matter how nice it may smell on paper. I would say to make sure you get a sample or (at the bare minimum) get a spray or two on you skin before buying this. It most certainly isn't blind buy worthy.

I just wanna make it clear to everyone (even though its been stated here once or twice) that this is not the perfume you see in the listed notes and accords! this scent has been completely changed and only 2 notes from the former DNA stay in this new one (almond blossom and heliotrope). also in the YouTube reviews, though there aren't many, they're pretty much all talking about the old scent. I unfortunately blind bought this partly because I bought into the hype, and partly because I can be an idiot who at times can't control his spending habits *sigh* not knowing that the current La Isla Blanca is completely different. The opening to me is very piney and almost citrusy even though there aren't any citruses listed (must be from the cassis), then the florals take over. I also want to add that this is really feminine! at least the new iteration. I also got a comment saying so as well. I first tried this earlier today when it was quite chilly and was ultra disappointed. it smelt very unspectacular for the price and honestly very basic, reminiscent of this one fruity hand lotion my sister had. And what put salt on the wound was this free little Acqua di Parma sample that was thrown in with my order actually impressed me more than the bottle I paid for. But fast forward a good few hours and its slightly starting to grow on me, I think because now I'm warm inside my house, as the notes are really starting to come out in the warmer environment. So I feel this will shine it's brightest and come alive in high heat, I just have to wait for it to come. Please, I urge you to sample this first and not to blind buy, especially considering it's price (unless you're ultra rich, then go for it). I'm just praying this fragrance will throw a curveball in the summer, and I kinda have a feeling it will... also if anyone is familiar with both the old and new scent and could tell us if they're in fact somewhat similar in some regards or totally different that would be super helpful. Updated Review: Not summer yet but yep, this is really starting to grow on me. Gone from a 4 to 5/10 to a strong 7-8/10 in scent, overall a 7 just because I admittedly still do think this fragrance is a kind of overpriced. £100ish is a great price for this I'd say. You are getting a niche scent that cannot be found in the designer world. Although it is great value in the sense that for a summer scent its very strong and as a result you don't need to use so much. £165 retail is pushing it though, I think. I get this piney, bitter-juicy opening which becomes very floral and salty in the mid, and dries down completely to florals. Admittedly I think the drydown is the weakest part. I don't detect much of the woodyness and frankincense in the base, though maybe it will come to me sometime. This scent has also grown to be one of the most addicting in my collection. I can't stop sniffing my wrist when I spray it, especially in the mid. Unfortunately no matter how much a fragrance grows on you, it will never turn from feminine to masculine or vice versa, so yes this still smells feminine to me and that won't change lol (although the piney juicy opening is actually unisex I'd say). This is a scent that truly will thrive in high heat. Though this scent is very long lasting, it just isn't at all suitable for cold weather which is when I gave my first impressions. It's like having an ice lolly on a cold day.. but again that's me, if you wanna wear this is cooler/cold weather go for it. Looking forward to wearing this properly in the coming months. Was it still a moronic move me blind buying a £147 fragrance even though now I'm not so much feeling the regret? Absolutely, but I know now.

Okay, first thing’s first, the opening smells really close to Acqua di Gio Absolu; aquatic and fruity. It was so close, in fact, that I was immediately disappointed and thanked the fragrance gods that the near impossibility of getting a bottle forced me to get a decant instead. However, after a few minutes, La Isla Blanca came into its own. It’s salty and ozonic, but it’s not as screechy as Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Eau Intense. It gives the impression of standing on a beach, taking in the salty ocean breeze. It’s not as fruity or tropical as I was expecting, and I can’t lie and say I don’t wish there was a hint of pineapple, melon, or coconut here. There’s sweetness from the florals and the tonka bean, and the almond does give a slight amaretto vibe the more it dries down. Overall it’s a beautiful fragrance, and it’s one I wouldn’t mind owning a full bottle of. Unfortunately that seems to be quite a task.

My blind test notes: Fruity. A little like Erba Pura. Tropical. Palm leaf, something green. Strong seaweed almost bordering secretions magnifique category. Maybe something yellow floral, sea notes (though could be the seaweed.) Also reminds me a little of zoologist bat. Well well! Definitely have a different interpretation of notes than the creator :D But he did achieve the by the tropical seaside feeling for sure. Thanks, Ramon, I've been missing that this year! Trying hard to adjust my now enlightened brain to work with the notes listed but it's not working. Seaweed and sea notes are etched into my brain with this one. Definitely a little funky. **Get in touch to swap samples! UK only. ***

Coconut, almond, lotus ocean mist. Splash of zesty coconut, with sweet coating almonds, & lotus sea breeze mist hits sharply first and goes milky creamy coconut and almond blend. I really liked the summertime ride & vibes when this juice hits my skin. It's feels a bit like a a sweet coconut sun lotion with bits of booze around. I am really surprised that both the coconut, & the lotus aren't in the pyramid as i can sense them quite clear. I can't detect any jasmines, or patchouli, but i'm surly can detec hints of musky sweet anise which gave it the vibe of strength at the beginning but not that much then settles into a summer time sex. A Double Dose of Delightful Infusion.

I smelled the first "edition" with ginger from a tester bottle only and I loved the scent, unfortunately, I was told all the bottles were withdrawn by Ramon and he planned to change the scent. Apparently, this has happened as the notes are different now from the ones I knew, also listed on Monegal site. I haven't smelled the new version yet but I'd love to... I hope it's better than the previous version as this one is not available anymore.

This is quite original. Mediterranean-style fragrance, think Carthusia Vides. Uplifting and meditative, easy to wear and easy to like. Very dry composition to my nose, more than mint, what I get is a strong spearmint/ mojito undertone. Soft and aromatic, elegant as well. La Isla Blanca pretty much summarizes what you get, perfect name. Well done Monegal

On me the dry down is just Aqua Amara . I like it but no as incredible as the few YT reviewers made it seem. Super long-lasting though... and my skin drinks frags. Edit: I take that back. This is good stuff. My wife hates it though (cause it's a beast) but it garners compliments every time. Edit 2: Dang this is so good after letting it macerate.

Aldehydes, heliotrope, musks, powdery notes... smells festive, happy and white. Almond blossom is a beauty here. Somewhat fresh but not usual. Smells very very expensive and lady like. You could wear this as an affluent woman at someone's summer wedding.

An attempt to elevate and enrich the aquatic fragrance category by highlighting florals and less conventional fruits, bringing a new twist to a style that usually leans on marine and citrus notes. Not really my thing, but I can see the effort.

This fragrance would be so much better if the screechy aldehydes were toned down and maybe add a little vanilla and coconut. Still a solid scent but this one needs a remix. 7/10 imo

To the people saying the notes are wrong: they are not. This is the EDT, which was discontinued. It was recently rereleased as an EDP with different notes.

I’ve tried several fragrances from his house and none have been a winner to me. I don’t understand the hype around these fragrances... Sorry aboot it.

This smell very similar to Gisada Embassador, any one having the same though ??

It's not Gin but Ginger that goes in this notes listing.

Smells like fresh squeezed juice on the beach.