Cerruti
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
Yuzu and cardamom create an almost peppery jolt, the citrus note refusing to settle into typical brightness but instead presenting itself with green, slightly tart characteristics. Cardamom's warmth immediately complicates the picture, generating a spiced-citrus accord that feels vaguely unsettling in its lack of obvious sweetness.
Basil emerges as the composition's true centre, lending a savoury, aromatic character that transforms the aquatic cascalone into something genuinely herbal rather than ozonic. The woody notes begin their gradual ascent, adding a dusty, almost powdered sweetness that grounds the greenery.
Cashmere wood and Brazilian rosewood dominate, leaving behind a soft, warm woody signature with faint basil memories and the ghost of yuzu's citrus. What remains is understated and skin-close—a gentle woody-herbal veil rather than a pronounced base projection.
Acqua Forte arrives as a deliberate contradiction—a fragrance that pursues freshness with an almost architectural precision rather than the usual effusive citrus sprawl. Olivier Cresp has constructed something quietly confrontational here: yuzu's sharp, slightly bitter grapefruit character collides immediately with cardamom's warm spice, creating an opening that feels both invigorating and deliberately restless. This isn't a fragrance content to be merely pleasant.
What distinguishes Acqua Forte from the legion of fresh citrus offerings is its commitment to green austerity. The basil note refuses to play supporting role—it emerges as a savoury, almost herbaceous voice that transforms cascalone (that synthetic aquatic heart) into something more botanical than watery. There's an unexpected verdancy here, as though you're standing in a sun-warmed kitchen garden rather than poolside. The woody progression—cashmere wood and Brazilian rosewood—adds a subtle, almost dusty sweetness that prevents the composition from becoming austere or soapy.
Add fragrances to your collection and unlock your personalised scent DNA, note map, and shareable identity card.
3.3/5 (94)