Colonia Club Acqua di Parma 2015 Eau de Cologne

In recent months, I had to hold back quite a bit on Parfumo in my activities. This was neither due to the excellent community nor my love for perfumes. Rather, I came to the realization that the perception of a fragrance is such a subjective feeling that - despite all preferences - does not always match one’s own mood and especially not one’s own lifestyle.

Primarily, I fell in love with oriental fragrances (especially Amouage) in recent years, only to then find that there are hardly any situations left in which I can (bear) them. Even fougeres, which stand lush, woody, and green in the base, ultimately got on my nerves despite all my affection. What was the reason for this?

From being a couch potato, with over 20 kg of excess weight, I returned to an active lifestyle. Gradually, my sluggish and cuddly basic attitude had to give way to my rediscovered urge to move. At first, rest days and action days balanced each other out. Smoky, heavy fragrances or powerful fougeres accompanied me through the moderate days, as well as on hikes in the autumn forest. But year after year, my sports routine increased, along with the physical and olfactory strain that came with it.

After one time when the remnants of Amouage Interlude from the previous evening almost made me vomit during a hard interval training session, as if someone was smoking next to me, I decided to use my fragrance treasures only very rarely and with caution (holidays, going out, etc.) and I frustratedly experimented with fresh scents from the mainstream segment. No fragrance from this area appealed to me, as either the top note was too synthetically fresh (dish soap) or the base was incredibly sticky sweet (tonka), creating an inner defense. Nothing seemed to fit anymore, and every fragrance throughout the day generated a certain feeling of disgust.

At some point, I remembered "Acqua di Parma Colonia Club" and, in my desperation, bought a small bottle. Tested during sports, I was immediately thrilled by the incredibly fresh, sparkling top note. It conveyed to me the incomparable feeling that probably everyone knows when quenching their thirst with Bitter Lemon, Orangina, or San Pellegrino: Tingling carbonation, the essential oils of citrus fruits, with the bitter components of the peel and the crystalline, sugary sweetness immediately invigorate body and mind.

As a cologne, the fragrance also does not tend to lose itself in an exaggerated sillage or longevity.

In the second phase, a green soapiness develops, which conveys a well-groomed feeling. Light fougere nuances resonate. The mint remains sparkling and triggers another freshness kick.

There is no actual base. That's a good thing, as this would trigger a certain feeling of disgust for me during physical exertion. Vetiver, musk, and amber create (probably due to the resin in the heart note) only a dry and soft contrast to the freshness. After two hours, the fragrance retreats closely to the skin.

If I evaluate the fragrance as a composition in the classical sense, I must criticize it for being one-dimensional and lacking a drydown, thus missing out on essential elements of the art of perfumery. However, in my case, this "flaw" is ideal and provides me with an everyday fragrance that perfectly matches my life and my feelings.

Anyone who has had similar experiences to those I described should definitely test "Acqua di Parma Colonia Club." All others will likely justifiably be bothered by the exaggerated mint and the missing base.

By the way, the shower foam from "Rituals Samurai Yuzu," which was unfortunately discontinued, went in the same direction (the sparkling effect).