Bvlgari
Bvlgari
1.1k votes
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
The mandarin hits first—vibrant and zesty—immediately joined by neroli's honeyed-floral brightness. These citrus notes are genuinely pleasurable, sparkling with Mediterranean warmth for a fleeting moment before the mineral aquatics begin their quiet takeover.
The aquatic and mineral notes ascend, stripping away citrus exuberance in favour of something cooler and almost austere—imagine cool water on pale stone, with a whisper of soap. The spice accord emerges subtly beneath, adding a peppery restraint that prevents the heart from feeling soapy or hollow.
Patchouli emerges with earthy, slightly woody character whilst frankincense adds a dry, almost incensory quality. The mineral notes persist faintly, creating a dry, slightly warm skin scent that lingers as a ghost of the fragrance's earlier freshness—intimate and fading.
Aqva Amara arrives as a contradiction—a fragrance that promises aquatic freshness yet delivers something considerably more austere and contemplative. Sicilian mandarin and Tunisian neroli create an initial burst of citrus vitality, but this is no cheerful summer spritz. Instead, these top notes serve as a gateway into Jacques Cavallier-Belletrud's real intention: a study in mineral austerity tempered by barely-there aquatic suggestions.
The heart reveals the fragrance's true character. Those aquatic and mineral notes aren't the typical ozonic sweetness of mainstream fresh fragrances; they're closer to the cool, vaguely metallic sensation of water on limestone, like splashing from a Mediterranean fountain on a baking day. There's an almost soapy quality here, though not in a clean-laundry way—rather, it's the scent of white stone and damp stone passageways. The citrus gradually fades beneath this mineral coolness, creating an oddly sophisticated tension.
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