Homo Novus Acqua di Firenze

On the website, it says this fragrance was inspired by Michelangelo’s David, the blending of man and art. This fragrance took me by surprise. Originally I was bored seeing as how it opens as a woody spicy fragrance with some floral in the background. It was a fragrance where nothing stood out, kinda average. Then as I sat with it a smokiness developed and added some depth to it. Its not a campfire smoke, more like a match stick just lit. It later drys down to something that is almost sweet and leathery wood.

This fragrance has good projection and longevity. It created a noticable scent bubble around me that was not cloying and it lasted about 6 hours on my skin. It is an incredibly expensive fragrance where a 50ml will cost you €392 and a 100ml will cost €592. I was able to get a 8ml by going to the store in person (Florence, Italy). I cannot remember the price I paid but I recall it costing that much.

I first and last heard about the brand Acqua di Firenze at the perfumery conference a few years ago in Düsseldorf. There, they tried to introduce the new Italian label, which apparently was not crowned with success despite the ambitious bottles.

What I find not particularly helpful for a brand launch is the simple lack of sample materials. There were only a few samples filled in small plastic bags, which are hardly suitable for getting a truly comprehensive olfactory impression of a fragrance. The disadvantages, such as limited longevity and single-use, outweigh the classic glass or, for that matter, plastic vials - ideally with a spray nozzle.

In my little bag, after a good 1 ½ years despite good storage, there were only a few drops of the Eau de Toilette left. Nothing had leaked, but one wonders how the fragrance would have developed if I had opened and tested it shortly after receiving it. No matter - there’s nothing to be done about this circumstance now.

And Homo Novus is indeed a fragrance that knows how to please. Now, let’s quickly set aside the rather complex pyramid presented here. An interesting marketing tool, but if the marketing department of Acqua di Firenze cannot manage to create decent samples... but we’ve already discussed that topic.

What ultimately remains is a decent wave of sandalwood, guaiac wood, a tiny splash of oud, a little patchouli, some cozy amber, and a good scoop of musk. One might think that the top or even heart note has somehow fallen by the wayside over the not-so-long period of time.

Since the two sole owners/users of Homo Novus unfortunately did not bother to leave rudimentary scent impressions on Parfumo, the whole thing feels a bit like fishing in murky waters. It would have certainly been more enlightening otherwise. I perceive this Eau de Toilette as predominantly woody with a fine ripe smoky note that slightly touches on sweetness, preventing the creation from appearing too dry or dusty. I like it, but can this really be everything?

I still dripped a few drops onto kitchen paper (by the way, an excellent scent carrier and better than the usual paper strips in perfumeries - just not quite as sexy), revealing some nuances from fresher and greener to delicately floral notes. This must be a highly interesting fragrance, even if I can only catch fragments and can only guess the rest.

The brand should definitely be on the radar. I think the other creations are no less interesting, just somehow unknown.