Santa Maria Novella
Santa Maria Novella
122 votes
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
The opening is a chill of aromatic intensity—eucalyptus and mint deliver an almost numbing freshness that clears the sinuses, whilst lavender provides structure beneath this green clarity. You're immediately alert, almost surprised by the fragrance's refusal to coddle.
The heart reveals the true complexity: cistus and myrtle soften slightly into the mint's harshness, whilst wild fennel introduces a subtle herbal spice that suggests anise liqueur filtered through sage. Everlasting flower emerges with a faintly leathery warmth, lending unexpected sophistication to what initially seemed purely botanical.
Oakmoss dominates the final hours, its earthy, slightly mineral character anchoring the fading rosemary and fennel. The composition becomes less about impact and more about a persistent, ambient greenness—a whispered reminder of Mediterranean stone and salt air rather than a declaration.
Cala Rossa arrives as a bracing slap of Mediterranean clarity—wild lavender and eucalyptus converging with a penetrating mint that feels almost medicinal in its precision. This is no soft, powdery lavender; it's the austere variety that grows on rocky hillsides, stripped of romance and dressed instead in sharp green angles. The mint doesn't sweeten the composition; rather, it amplifies the sense of invigoration, creating a top accord that feels more invigorating tonic than fragrance.
What distinguishes Cala Rossa, however, is its refusal to remain a simple herbal splash. As the initial brightness settles, a sophisticated herbaceous spine emerges: cistus and myrtle weaving through wild fennel's anise-tinged greenness, whilst everlasting flower (helichrysum) introduces a subtle, almost leathery warmth that prevents the composition from becoming one-dimensional. Rosemary anchors everything, lending an earthy, slightly peppery gravitas. The spice accord—100% present in the data—manifests not as obvious cinnamon or clove, but as the cumulative peppery bite of these Mediterranean botanicals in concert.
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3.8/5 (159)