Acqua di Sicilia

So few reviews after ages on the market, so sad. I'm about to rectify it and give a big yes to this gorgeous fresh and sweet perfume, the Italian way. First of all, this is a blasting perfume projecting like a rocket and secondly it lasts ages compared to some other perfumes from SMDN. Think summer, flowers and citrus fruits with a subtle hint of spices, that's what you get all day long. Then, the scent of flowers accompany the citrus fruits accord quite nicely, but this gets so prominent at times, that you may feel some odd bee will try to land on you because it gets sweet as flower nectar. Absolutely late spring, summer, early autumn fragrance. The perfume is mostly linear with spices coming through after about three hours. The perfume is very Italian, because it doesn't kill you with surprises and complexity. What you spray on you is what stays, and with this perfume it is just beautiful. Every association goes to the Mediterranean, to warmth and blue skies. The perfume is an all-rounder and versatile, so it will actually fit with just about every light occasion and even work environment. It is also a very unobtrusive perfume that will supply you with ample nice compliments. Also, it is clearly a timeless classic, a scent that will remind you of many designer classics of the 60's and 70's, but in my opinion salvages its own Italian brand.

A long overdue sampling Santa Maria Novella Acqua di Sicilia, or simply Sicilia, one of their many colognes available at their NYC shop and through boutiques like Aedes de Venustas, where I obtained my sample. It’s fresh, citric, and green, but with spicy nuances that add intrigue and resonance. Its main notes are bergamot, lemon, neroli, petitgrain, rosemary, and benzoin. I get a lot of the petitigrain and rosemary in the heart, especially, with a sort of herbal vibe. Fittingly, these notes make the fragrance feel hearty, rather than light, richer than what I’d expect from an Eau de Cologne. I think it’s very well done overall, walking the line between being highly agreeable/versatile and being a bit more niche and interesting, and it performs reasonably well, with decent density. Certainly it seems most appropriate for wearing on a summer day but it’s certainly pleasant and sophisticated enough to wear any time. Sicilia is offered in EDC concentration, like most of the line, and is priced at $135 for 100ml, sold at Aedes and its own house site. I like it a lot and will have to give it some more thought but I could see it being a nice item to have in the rotation, as I’m a fan of petitgrain especially, but also rosemary. 8 out of 10

Hannibal Lecter knows. Italy in a bottle. Straightforward, fresh and noble citrus scent with a subtle cypress. Perfect pick me up and summer travel companion. By the way, if you ever find yourself in Florence, visit Santa Maria Novella shop and museum, Via della Scala, 16. Enchanting place for eyes and noses. Hannibal was there. And Tom Ripley. 4/5

Unlike what I had first expected, this scent is wild and spicy. Viewing the name, you'd think it would be more fresh; however, this is a mix of freshness and spice. I believe this would be a perfect beach day scent. Obviously, the mixture of citrus and spice would make this scent primarily good for the spring and summer days; however, I am sure it would be able to be pulled off any other day of the year. When I first smell this, I am getting a very aggressive citrus fruit rather than the overall scent profile; this is a bonus. The spices mix nicely with the citrus. This scent is a win for Santa Maria Novella.

This fragrance is wonderfully citrus-fresh, very much in the style of a classic cologne like 4711. Just like Aqua Della Regina, a lovely warm clove note comes through (although not listed by the brand), which makes the scent particularly enjoyable. It is almost identical to Aqua Della Regina, but with much better longevity and a stronger presence. The only difference is that it is slightly less warm and spicy, but still very appealing.