Bottega Veneta
Bottega Veneta
534 votes
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
A sharp, resinous volley of juniper and stone pine pierces the senses with almost bracing clarity, supported by bergamot's citric snap. Within moments, you're standing in a coniferous forest after rain—green, mineral, slightly austere.
The aromatic restlessness settles as clary sage emerges with herbal sophistication, whilst labdanum begins its slow transformation from sweetness into something earthier and faintly spiced. Pimento crackles gently beneath, adding a subtle black pepper warmth that prevents the composition from feeling too cool or detached.
Leather and patchouli take centre stage, developing a dry, grainy texture against lingering traces of balsam fir's sticky resin. What remains is a muted, skin-close whisper—intimate and deeply introspective, though regrettably fading rather quickly.
Bottega Veneta pour Homme arrives not as a cologne but as a contemplative study in restraint—a fragrance that whispers rather than announces. Daniela Andrier has crafted something decidedly austere, where juniper's green-grey bite collides with the sharp resinous thrust of Siberian Stone Pine, creating an opening that feels more alpine cabin than designer fragrance. The bergamot provides a fleeting citric thread, but this isn't about brightness; it's about geological coolness.
What sets this composition apart is how the heart notes transform the narrative entirely. Clary sage introduces an herbaceous, almost medicinal quality that plays beautifully against the animalic warmth of labdanum—a note that typically reads sweet suddenly becomes faintly savory here, anchored by balsam fir resin's sticky, woody balm. Pimento adds an unexpected spice, a whisper of black pepper and clove that prevents the fragrance from becoming overly solemn. This is where the fragrance finds its personality: contemplative yet tactile, restrained yet richly layered.
Add fragrances to your collection and unlock your personalised scent DNA, note map, and shareable identity card.
Yves Saint Laurent
4.2/5 (82)