Basilico & Fellini

Miyazaki's Amalfi coast. Have you seen Porco Rosso? This is what the courtyard of Hotel Adriano smells like. Pinstripe linen undulating on a clothesline. Fresh-cut grass. Perfect helices of lemon peel bobbing in seltzer. The faint tang of fig sap. And above it all a zesty, buoyant basil. Not a pizzeria basil, either. It’s a perfect 25C morning on the cusp of summer, all cotton clouds and Adriatic-blue skies, magicked into a bottle. Nothing earthen or antique about this herbal. B&F is unisex, clean, green, with polite potency. An outdoor scent that speaks with an indoor voice. My only regret is buying the 50 cc bottle, as it’s fast become my favourite Monday morning lift or just-before-bedtime aromatherapy. Mental Snapshot: The intro sequence of a Mediterranean manga; lovingly hand-painted backdrops of bucolic bliss and cel-shaded summer. Cartoon biplanes capering through the clouds. A sun-bleached villa basking on an island vineyard. Faceless gentlefolk mingling under striped parasols. And then fifteen minutes of exquisite culinary closeups. tl;dr: Ghibli Italy 🤌🏻🌿

This fragrance has secured its place among my summer favorites. It embodies the essence of a sun-soaked day, sparkling and bursting with refreshing vitality. The prominent green notes, reminiscent of a thriving tomato vine and aromatic basil, are beautifully pronounced in the opening. The result is invigorating. What sets this fragrance apart is its ability to balance that initial burst of greenery with the softness of pitahaya and fig. These elements round out the composition, softening the intensity of the green notes while still keeping it remarkably fresh. The result is a scent that remains vibrant and lively, like the perfect summer day captured in a bottle. In essence, this fragrance is a gem for enthusiasts of fresh, green, and mouthwatering scents. Its ability to evoke the sensation of a thriving garden in summer is truly remarkable. While it may not linger all day, the moments it graces with its presence are certainly memorable. If you're in search of a unique and invigorating summer fragrance, this one is well worth considering.

Basilico & Fellini starts with, of course, basil—fresh, leafy, and so crisp it could snap in the air. It doesn’t stick around too long, though, fading into this soft dewiness, like morning mist hugging leaves. Then the fig, all watery sweetness, takes over with a green, juicy burst of nectar and pulp without the weight. There’s something subtly tart in the background—a fleshy fruit of some sorts, but not the bold tropical kind; a quieter, uber soft breeze that you almost miss but is still there, light and carrying a hint of grass. After a while, it cools down, gets more grounded. The fig softens, the violet and woods push through, making everything feel dusted with a soft, almost powdery musk. It’s green and bright at first, then turns plush, gentle. Not overwhelming, just... so right. Perfectly summer, this fragrance allows you to effortlessly step into a fruity breeze that’s just sweet enough, just cool enough, lazy yet flawless. A scent that you won't be able to stop noticing.

I'm not sure what the heck people are smoking. There is no darkness inside of this fragrance whatsoever. It is fresh in every green way you can imagine. On top of that there is a juiciness that comes through from the dragon fruit as well as the fig. To top it off even further , the fresh grass and vetiver brings in earthiness to give the entire fragrance nostalgia for the Italian coast. Not necessarily the water, but the fields and the grass and the produce and the market. The inner workings of the vibrancy of Italian life. It is almost like a caprese salad. The quality of the ingredients is what makes the salad almost orgasmic. That is what I feel when I smell this fragrance. It is underground. Absolutely brilliant. Seductive. Earthy. Juicy. Vibrant. Green. I crave it.

People seem to be getting really hung up on the name, and while basil is present I think it’s subdued in a clean, green, summertime haze. It’s not anything like a handful of fresh basil. This is one of my favourite summer scents, I think it’s perfect for days when you know you’re going to be crammed onto a sweaty train and you want to smell fresh and clean in yourself, but not masked in cloying florals or unisex woods. Something about it works so well on my skin in hot weather. It’s also really unique: if could find something similar at a more modest price point I’d be delighted. As it is, my sample is sadly finished and it’s on the summer wish list. If I lived somewhere hotter, I would have this as my everyday fragrance without hesitation.

The opening note hits you like a grapefruit rind being pierced through, almost bitter but rounded out by an earthy florality. It really does evoke the impression of a citrusy gin cocktail upon first whiff, but as it relaxes into the skin, the (Thai?) basil note comes through more and more. Fig and dragonfruit notes present as mere suggestions for me. I really appreciate how there is a sparkly femininity to the fragrance's outer layer, but the aforementioned bitterness of the green accord gives the scent more of a complex and evocative character overall. You can smell the stems and roots of the botanical instead of just its leaves. Projection is pretty good, but run-time on the skin is a little suspect given what you're paying.

This is not the Vilhelm scent I expected to love the most out of the discovery set.... Dear Polly, Poets of Berlin, and Mango Skin are all nice enough scents but B&F stuck with me. Interestingly, it is one of the only perfumes in my collection that my husband actually likes (he prefers no perfume at all which means I strictly go off of my own preferences). The basil is photorealistic and aromatic and I do get the "licorice" smell that many reviewers describe but it's not harsh. My favorite part of this fragrance though is the hay and vetiver at the bottom that reminds me of the sweetgrass baskets my mother collects and that's why this was FBW for me.

Must love basil! I understand how someone might find it too much like dinner, but I love it. The opening is like picking fresh basil. It just makes me happy. Very refreshing and uplifting. Basil can have a liquorice facet and I pick that up here. I love fig and while I have other figs, this is different enough to add to my collection. It's green, juicy and herbal with a touch of creaminess. The dry down is pleasantly grassy with a bit of that creamy fig remaining. This is a picnic with caprese salad and figs on a gingham picnic blanket over freshly cut grass.

I've been using a sample I got recently and oh my god it feels like this fragrance was tailor-made for me. The basil herby scent hits you right away, then is folded in with the subtle sweetness of the fig. It's warm and refreshing, reminiscent of the day drying up after a summer shower. It reminds me a lot of the L'occitane limited edition winter walk hand cream, which I also love to death. But yeah, if you love a herbal smell or fig you'll love this, but def not everyone's cup of tea. I'm gonna make a caprese salad while sniffing my wrists vehemently, bye.

One of the best new green fragrances I've come across in a long time. I love the smell of fresh basil and had been looking for a perfume that plays around its characteristic sweet herbal freshness.......well, here it is! B&F is all about basil, interacting with other green notes and vetiver. I was surprised to see fruity notes listed in there, as I can't detect them at all on my skin. There is nothing sweet or coy about this one; It has punch, it has grit, pleasant sillage and is an absolute hoot to wear on a summer day! A great one to try.......

This is a delight, much to my surprise. I looked at the notes and though, "fougère." But the basil is done just right. That is what hits you at the outset. But it's tinged with a sweetness. I'm reminded of a sweet pizza without the tomato sauce, if that makes sense. Over time, the scent dulls but maintains its freshness. Why I really love this is because it's a great alternative to the average Joe scent. If you want to stand out or if you're just tired of smelling sweet/gourmand/sexy, try this one. The projection is decent, as is the longevity.

As fig scents go this is probably the brightest and happiest I own. I have about 20+ fig fragrances and this is not redundant to any I already have. It is, as many have remarked, very green on the opening. The fig is faint until about 20 minutes or so and it then comes through. It's not terribly long lasting but I love it so much I don't mind reapplying. It's not a nighttime or date scent but surely close enough to office safe. It unisex and can be worn about at any age. Really universally likable which confuses me that it isn't rated higher.

It opens soapy but soon settles into a fantastically refreshing scent not unlike Fico di Amalfi from Acqua di Parma. There's not much character arc - the green freshness stays pretty much the same throughout the wear. Good sillage and staying power for a citrus fragrance, and it stays forever on fabric. I sampled this and won't invest on a full bottle as there are more affordable fragrances around that do the same job, but I can't say there's much here to fault. It's a classy, carefree scent, a beautiful breeze of summer wind on a warm day.

This is my favorite from the Vilhelm sample set. I normally don’t like many aromatic scents, but this one is special. I’m a sucker for fresh basil, and this smells like you just plucked some right off the vine, with a touch of sweetness from the fig. This is for spring and summer. It’s a bit too cold for me to be wearing this now, but I’m looking forward to adding it to my perfume lineup in the warmer months. I do not see much of a similarity to philosykos. I’m not a big fan of philosykos to be honest.

Superrr summery. My Italian summers in a bottle. The basil and fig are blended so well, it's fresh, it's green, it smells like a hot Tuscan day by the pool, with a basil plant and a fig tree nearby, and the grass is cooking under the summer heat. There's white wine and tomatoes nearby too. Stays smelling very clean though, with a sparkling feminine leaning edge but overall perfectly unisex for the summer months. For me its way better than Philosykos, which is fig but too literal. Love this.

Absolute love! Bright fresh green basil opening that settles into a semi-sweet fig on my skin. I definitely get the anise that others are smelling as the scent develops, but that's actually from the basil note - basil and anise share an aroma chemical that gives them both the scent we associate with licorice. I love that this fragrance captured that aspect of basil, although some people might not care for it. Longevity isn't great on me, but I'll happily respray this one.

This scent is like the love child of Philosykos and Venise. It's herb-y but not in a sharp way. The fig adds softness to it and the mint gives it dimension. It's supposed to be inspired by risotto bianco. I've only had mushroom risotto but if risotto bianco tastes as half as good as this smells, it would be bliss. This gives old Greek Nonna's herb garden on the windowsill vibes and I am HERE FOR IT. This is one of the few scents that heals my soul.

Starts out with a milky fig, followed quickly by the briefest flash of basil then enveloped in sweet meadow hay, like rolling in the grass with tiny wildflowers. It doesn't make sense, you wouldn't think this combo would work until you smell it for yourself. Lack of longevity is the only reason I'm not rushing off to purchase it. Edit: it took all of three days to break and order a fb, I couldn't take it any more--this was a must-have for me

Very special. One thing I love about this scent is how specifically it recalls a memory I have of studying abroad in Avignon in 2003. Every morning I would open the bathroom windows while getting ready, and the room and air smelled just like this scent. I don’t know if it was the bath products, the plants in the garden below the window or something else. But this scent transports me to a wonderful summer, which makes it magic. ✨

Basil forward with a strong grassy base, tamed by a juicy dragon fruit and light fig presence, with a little bit of vetiver and violet orbiting in the distance to add some nuance around the edges of the fragrance. Beautiful for the summertime. Very wearable for something so bold in its execution. Shares a lineage with fragrances like Philosykos, but manages to bring something altogether unique to the table. 8.5/10