One day in Sicily, Acqua di Parma Colonia Intensa

Those of you who have been following my blog for at least 2-3 months probably managed to notice that I have a soft spot for Italian perfumery. But this is not only about the perfume art in Italy. I really like the way people live there, their attitude, their big family meals, gelatos and of course the the essence of Italian fashion. The house of Acqua di Parma really fits the bill when it comes to Italian elegance and sophistication in fragrance and accesories. Established in 1916 this small brand grew into an iconic name. Many celebrities from Europe and US use products from their offer.

Acqua di Parma Colonia Intensa immediately bursts with a generous dose of extra juicy citrus blend. It’s very lively, vigorous and energetic mix that will offer you some of its energy in no time. This mix is composed most likely of grapefruits, oranges, tangerines and lemons; pulp and rinds. 15 minutes later the explosion of citrus fruit becomes a little bit more edgy and aromatic thanks to the bergamot and its green peel which has a nice and zesty smell. This fragrance is like a wake up.

A while later the composition becomes more spicy. A nice dose of cardamom, which despite the fact it belongs to the ‘cold spice’ category, it adds some warmth and gentle spiciness to the composition. The creators paired it with ginger which adds more prominence to the spicy accord. It also brings some sparkling fizziness like in a ginger ale. It also adds some freshness to Colonia Intensa. Leather is the aroma that appears next and it enters around the end of 1st hour. It has a little bit pungency at first but generally speaking it could be described as stylish and elegant. Its full-bodied aroma is substantial but also gentle and not overwhelming.

After some time you can smell a beautiful neroli note. It’s a bit cold, giving you a chill going along your spine. It’s fresh and effervescent, at the same time there is something soapy about it that gives you an impression of absolute cleanliness. To be honest the contrast between the soapy neroli and a bit dirtier leather is very intriguing and it smells so good! One of the key-role notes in Acqua di Parma Colonia Intensa is the benzoin resin. It adds much more density, structure and depth to this vibrant composition of citrus and spices. Benzoin in this perfume smells a tad creamy, balsamic and warm. I also get a feeling like it has some sort of caramely undertone which makes me think of traditional Polish fudge which is probably one of the yummiest sweets from Poland.

Later on Colonia Intensa becomes more of a woody composition. We have a lot of cedar here which is dry and earthy (no sweat!), some addition of guaiac wood for more structure and a bit darker flavor. There is also artemisia that adds some herbal, slightly medicinal and green tones as well. The drydown makes a focus on balsamic myrrh combined with the earthy and woody scent of patchouli. All this is placed on a musky base which adds a finishing touch of surprising freshness. This is the kind of fragrance that will make you feel pampered each time you wear it.

Acqua di Parma Colonia Intensa is a beautiful composition of truly Italian roots. The blend of energetic citrus, spices and woods is very classy and quite timeless I think. The composition veers a little bit towards masculine but woman should have no problem with borrowing this perfume from their men. The sillage of this perfume is rather average and it goes low after 1,5 hours. The longevity isn’t outstanding – on me it was 4-6 hours of a rather faint aroma. Despite that I think that it’s a great perfume. Colonia Intensa was launched in 2007 and it’s a follow-up of Colonia from 1916. Created by Alberto Morillas and Francois Demachy (now in Dior division).