Colonia Russa

Santa Maria Novella Colonia Russa, or simply Russa, is one of the house’s many colognes and probably the example that I liked most when visiting the house’s downtown Manhattan boutique several years ago. Russa is a well-executed, fresh, semi-citric, semi-herbal blend that is agreeable and accessible yet has some intrigue. Its note listing consists of some expected fresh/citrus players (bergamot, bitter orange, lemon, neroli, petitgrain, verbena), but also rose, lavender, and rosemary, with a dry down to clove, castoreum, civet, benzoin, and tolu balsam. I find the civet and castoreum to be surprising, since the mix is not particularly animalic and what I get out of it that is most interesting is the thread of clove, petitgrain, lavender, rose, and rosemary that gives the mix a bit of intrigue. Still, it does not come off especially animalic, leathery, funky, barnyard-like, etc. to me so I suspect that these pieces are very minimal in terms of the construction of the fragrance. Unlike Sicilia, which favors the rosemary, Russa leans more so on the clove, mixed with the florals and citruses, and the sort of quirky spicy effect it has on an otherwise more mainstream garden of fresh elements. The blend feels carefully-executed and is very satisfying, perhaps ever so slightly masculine leaning but really quite unisex in the way that most aquatic, fresh, Eau de Cologne types are. It’s easy enjoyable, not unfamiliar to fans of designers but intriguing enough for those who adhere to niche offerings. Performance-wise, Russa is not as strong as Sicilia. It’s lighter and fresher, albeit similarly warm-weather-friendly, apt for a summer day, especially. Its pricing is similar to much of the line, however, at $125 for 100ml, so it leans toward being a fragrance that one needs to love to buy, as an EDC with moderate performance is a tough sell at $1/ml, sometimes, even. Overall, I’m impressed, though Russa demands some more tries from me, certainly preferably out of a spray of some kind rather than a dabber sample, but it remains a recommended try for others looking to explore the house, as it’s an easy winner. 8 out of 10

I got this for my husband as a gift and while it took a few tries to truly appreciate, now that I've had some time with it, I don't think he can ever be without Colonia Russa. The opening is a blast of citrus with enormous sillage, but it evolves into something more herbal and comforting that sits closer to the skin rather quickly. The base is incredibly masculine but does not smell animalic despite the castoreum and civet notes. I kept inhaling the skin around my husband's neck trying to parse out the different scents but all I can say is he smells AMAZINGLY MANLY (think eyes rolling into the back of your head!) but also clean and fresh. He loves it even more than I do and that's saying something.

If you thought Floris and Houbigant had it down think Italia 🇮🇹. As of now I have well over 100 fragrances on rotation and regularly turn to SMN for the decent and sophisticated quality and fragrance profile esp. Colonia Russa has to offer. You can use it after shaving, refreshing your face after demanding meetings or just for the joy it brings with the smooth, spicy and aromatic moods. It’s not a banger and it is rather inoffensive, however distinctly masculine and certainly not mainstream. If you are on the hunt for class... voila 👑

This is “colonia” at its best! It is the base what makes all the difference... as there is also a herbal-hearty complexity to it that makes it so much more noble than most colognes available today. It is amazing how SMN stays true to its formulas (one can only implore at the cathedral beside the shop that such grace endures). LVMH should look at this example while butchering Guerlain’s colognes, while entitling themselves a luxury-group? In this sense of staying true, it is SMN the luxury house...

The citrus top notes along with the mid notes of spice and wood make this a perfect year-round fragrance. Like others by this house it also lasts. It's a classic scent and denotes sophistication. Worth every cent. I gave a bottle to my college buddy for his birthday a few years ago and he brought it to the office to show it off and let his colleagues try it.