Top Notes 
Aquatic notes
Balsamic notes
Bitter orange
Woods
Bergamot
Heart Notes 
Fennel
Basil
Elemi resin
Fruits
Jasmine
Base Notes 
Oakmoss
Sandalwood
White musk
12/01/2013
Apicius
224 Reviews
Apicius
Very helpful Review
3
The Moss Boss
Tirrenico is one of the controversial perfumes here at Parfumo. If its ratings are mostly negative than not because it is in any way bland or boring - but because it is truly beautific.
Most people would classify this strange fragrance as an aquatic. They get impressions of different kinds of maritime scenery. The presentation of Tirrenico on Profumi del Forte's site surly underlines this. However, I have a doubt.
What I smell here is actually my personal concept of moss – and not much else. It is green, cool, iridescent like some sort of aldehyde, and only slightly tart. A certain saltiness can contribute to impressions of sea air. Also the fennel impression mentioned by some users is plausible to me. I do not get lots of development. To me, it looks like there is only one single mossy ingredient in here. Having said this, I understand the fragrance pyramid as a description of the perfume's character rather than a list of ingredients.
Now to the different kinds of maritime scenery: this salty green moss does not easily fit into the picture of a gentle sea breeze. It is a hurricane. It is one of those notes that are light and airy on first sight but then develop an almost unbearable power once you have exposed yourself to them for some time. Just like a hurricane, it may start with a gentle salty breeze, then gradually become more fresh and windy but at some point, you have to run and hide or get blown away.
When you finally reach the eye of the hurricane, all is quiet. The water now smells like a stale, nauseating juice – rotten harbour basins with dead fish in it. This happens if you allow the hurricane to completely roll over you. Be warned: overcharging the olfactory sense will lead to seasickness!
It is very difficult to use Tirenico which I have only done twice so far. The usual generous spritzes at both wrists and neck are too much. One small spritz at one wrist, levigated with the other is enough. Keep it away from you neck and if you can, from your clothes!
Tirrenico is truly disturbing. Just like wild animals get alert when they sense the slightest whiff of smoke, the (main) ingredient of Tirrenico sets the human mind into such a state of alert. In some situations it may be adequate to use the tiniest amount of Tirrenico to draw some attention to one's own person – but if that would also bring you sympathy is a different story.
Since Tirrenico is a quite monolithic fragrance one could think about layering. The day after I wore Tirrenco lately, I grabbed my all-time winter favourite L'Homme Sage by Divine. That is a highly refined warm, smoky and resinous fragrance where a bit of oakmoss plays a hidden cool counterpart – which you hardly notice at all. Tirrenico sticks a little bit, and it gave me the impression that some leftover moss molecules from the day before were enough to slightly enhance the mossy part in L'Homme Sage.
My understanding of oakmoss and tree moss is that it is mostly not used as a main ingredient in perfumery which makes me also a bit insecure about this note. However, it seems to add a little oomph to woody, chypre and other perfumes that otherwise would be a bit boring. Since oakmoss has become restricted, I think I notice less new perfume releases with it or even with tree moss as an explicit fragrance note. Is it out?
I recommend Tirrenico for testing, but preferably on a paper strip at first. And if you want to keep the strip, keep it away from your clothes or bag within a sealed plastic box or envelope.
Most people would classify this strange fragrance as an aquatic. They get impressions of different kinds of maritime scenery. The presentation of Tirrenico on Profumi del Forte's site surly underlines this. However, I have a doubt.
What I smell here is actually my personal concept of moss – and not much else. It is green, cool, iridescent like some sort of aldehyde, and only slightly tart. A certain saltiness can contribute to impressions of sea air. Also the fennel impression mentioned by some users is plausible to me. I do not get lots of development. To me, it looks like there is only one single mossy ingredient in here. Having said this, I understand the fragrance pyramid as a description of the perfume's character rather than a list of ingredients.
Now to the different kinds of maritime scenery: this salty green moss does not easily fit into the picture of a gentle sea breeze. It is a hurricane. It is one of those notes that are light and airy on first sight but then develop an almost unbearable power once you have exposed yourself to them for some time. Just like a hurricane, it may start with a gentle salty breeze, then gradually become more fresh and windy but at some point, you have to run and hide or get blown away.
When you finally reach the eye of the hurricane, all is quiet. The water now smells like a stale, nauseating juice – rotten harbour basins with dead fish in it. This happens if you allow the hurricane to completely roll over you. Be warned: overcharging the olfactory sense will lead to seasickness!
It is very difficult to use Tirenico which I have only done twice so far. The usual generous spritzes at both wrists and neck are too much. One small spritz at one wrist, levigated with the other is enough. Keep it away from you neck and if you can, from your clothes!
Tirrenico is truly disturbing. Just like wild animals get alert when they sense the slightest whiff of smoke, the (main) ingredient of Tirrenico sets the human mind into such a state of alert. In some situations it may be adequate to use the tiniest amount of Tirrenico to draw some attention to one's own person – but if that would also bring you sympathy is a different story.
Since Tirrenico is a quite monolithic fragrance one could think about layering. The day after I wore Tirrenco lately, I grabbed my all-time winter favourite L'Homme Sage by Divine. That is a highly refined warm, smoky and resinous fragrance where a bit of oakmoss plays a hidden cool counterpart – which you hardly notice at all. Tirrenico sticks a little bit, and it gave me the impression that some leftover moss molecules from the day before were enough to slightly enhance the mossy part in L'Homme Sage.
My understanding of oakmoss and tree moss is that it is mostly not used as a main ingredient in perfumery which makes me also a bit insecure about this note. However, it seems to add a little oomph to woody, chypre and other perfumes that otherwise would be a bit boring. Since oakmoss has become restricted, I think I notice less new perfume releases with it or even with tree moss as an explicit fragrance note. Is it out?
I recommend Tirrenico for testing, but preferably on a paper strip at first. And if you want to keep the strip, keep it away from your clothes or bag within a sealed plastic box or envelope.
Rachelg
