Colonia (Eau de Cologne) by Acqua di Parma
Bottle Design:
Adolf Loos
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Colonia 1916 Eau de Cologne

7.9 / 10 1147 Ratings
A popular perfume by Acqua di Parma for men, released in 1916. The scent is citrusy-fresh. It is being marketed by LVMH.
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Main accords

Citrus
Fresh
Spicy
Green
Woody

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes Top Notes
LemonLemon Calabrian bergamotCalabrian bergamot OrangeOrange
Heart Notes Heart Notes
LavenderLavender VervainVervain Bulgarian roseBulgarian rose RosemaryRosemary
Base Notes Base Notes
PatchouliPatchouli SandalwoodSandalwood VetiverVetiver
Ratings
Scent
7.91147 Ratings
Longevity
6.3935 Ratings
Sillage
6.0893 Ratings
Bottle
7.9862 Ratings
Value for money
7.1477 Ratings
Submitted by DonVanVliet · last update on 12/08/2025.
Source-backed & verified
Interesting Facts
The fragrance is part of the Colonia Collection collection.

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to
Colonia Essenza (Eau de Cologne) by Acqua di Parma
Colonia Essenza Eau de Cologne
Bergamot by Roja Parfums
Bergamot
Colonia Intensa (Eau de Cologne) by Acqua di Parma
Colonia Intensa Eau de Cologne
Acqua Viva by Profumum Roma
Acqua Viva
Colonia Il Profumo by Acqua di Parma
Colonia Il Profumo
Mister Colonia by Giardino Benessere
Mister Colonia

Reviews

82 in-depth fragrance descriptions
MasterLi

376 Reviews
MasterLi
MasterLi
Top Review 3  
An elegantly made and beautiful eau de cologne...
Colonia by Aqua di Parma may just be the Rolls Royce of eau de colognes. There are some instances where I liken this fragrance to a hand-crafted, elegant, luxury car. It's not so different in structure to many of the eau de colognes out there, true, but it's executed ever so beautifully.

With that being said, yes, it does develop much like an eau de cologne, the characteristic drawback being, it doesn't last so long. However that can be overlooked I believe, by it's smell.

It definitely doesn't smell generic. It reminds me of something very polished and luxurious, but it's a kind of carefree, relaxed luxury... not a stuffy, privileged and exclusive one.

The fragrance opens up with bergamot and lemon, and coupled with aromatic and rich lavender and aromatic rosemary, with hints of solid vetiver. I can also detect the coumarin in the base, and the floral undercurrent of rose, neroli and jasmine. It's such a great experience really.

It's absolutely unisex, and I highly recommend it as an experience. I do prefer other versions to this though (a favourite being Chanel pour Monsieur which I feel has more development than this).Dior - Eau Sauvage is also a strong contender. In terms of a favourite pure eau de cologne, I also like Guerlain - Eau de Fleurs de Cedrat.

However, all being said, this reminds me of a well dressed, elegant young person, who enters a room and catches the centre of attention there. They make an impact on everyone around them, and everyone is intrigued, impressed and interested in them, and want to spend time in their company. Then, as soon as they came in, they go out... leaving everyone in awe. This describes the experience I have of this one. Brilliant and dazzling in the start and beginning, then mellowing into something confidant and relaxed, before slowly fading away and vanishing. Beautiful & elegant, but eventually fleeting. Who said good things always have to last forever? It's definitely worth a try.
0 Comments
Aristipo

57 Reviews
Aristipo
Aristipo
Helpful Review 6  
A masterclass in how to stretch a citrus cologne without losing the plot
I don’t think I’ve ever reviewed this, even though it was one of the first full bottles on my shelf. I don’t know how closely it resembles the 1916 original, but what’s on my skin now is a masterclass in how to stretch a citrus cologne without losing the plot.

The thing about Colonia is that it never quite announces itself. You spray it on, and for a few seconds it’s just “ah, citrus,” like dozens of other things. But then, if you’re paying attention, it starts to hum. Not sing. Just hum. A slow, golden chord that stretches out across the next couple of hours.

It’s easy to miss how elegant it is. Maybe because it’s not trying to do anything clever. No tricks, no drama, no modern “twist.” Just citrus, herbs, flowers, and a warm, woody base that you don’t really notice until it’s already made itself at home. A good tailor never makes a point of the seams.

The drydown is where it really shines. You don’t smell it and think “nice, vetiver!” or “is that rose?” You smell it and think, someone well put-together was just here. And maybe they left their scarf behind. Sure, it doesn’t last forever. But that’s kind of the point.

People talk about it like it’s conventional, but I actually think it’s pretty weird—how quiet it is, how little it asks of you, and how much it gives back in presence. Maybe it’s like a well made chair: not exciting, but if you sit in it long enough, you realize everything else feels off by comparison.

PS: Oh and I love the Art Deco bottle, with its elegant crest and geometric sans-serif typeface.
2 Comments
Miaw2

339 Reviews
Miaw2
Miaw2
Very helpful Review 2  
Classic italian
There is not much to write about this fragrance. A classic italian cologne thats timeless.

Opens with a beautyful blend of citrus and herbal notes and there isnt much development.

I love how the rosemary note is done in this cologne - i guess it does gives it a barbershop smell thats really good to me.

In the drydown it gets a little powdery but i cant identify the notes.

Longevity, sillage and projection are weak, but acceptable for an EDC.

Updated January 2014
0 Comments
Elijahrb67

120 Reviews
Elijahrb67
Elijahrb67
Helpful Review 2  
The pinnacle of the "barbershop" fragrance
There are many fragrances that conjure up the smell of going to the barbershop. The smells of the shaving cream, aftershave and talcum powder all resonate from with this 'barbershop' that fragrances like Colonia tend to invoke. In my eyes, Colonia is the pinnacle of the barbershop fragrance, and easily the best of it's genre. It's opening is comprised of very fresh and decadent citrus notes, with some powdery florals peeking through. The combination of the citrus and powdery notes create this very creamy and rich feeling that smells like vintage shaving cream in the best possible way. The dry down sheds some of the powdery smell in exchange for a sweet, woody and earthy accord that has a bit of warmth to it. The result is truly the scent of a barbershop, and a very enjoyable one at that. I tend not to mention how many compliments a fragrance gets me, as that's a very vain and unimportant aspect of wearing fragrances, but I am not afraid to say that I always receive compliments when I wear Colonia. It's just that great!

I'm quite shocked that Colonia doesn't get more attention than it does. Despite it's age, it's managed to stay quite a bit more timeless than other classic scents with the barbershop accord, and it's a good bit more enjoyable than a lot of the others. Colonia is always a fragrance that I can rely on, especially during hot summer days when you need your fragrance to feel refreshing. This one will remain a staple in my collection for sure.
0 Comments
WRoth

154 Reviews
WRoth
WRoth
2  
Colonia by Acqua di Parma
This fragrance opens with a lively blend of citrus and herbal notes. At first rich lemon dominates the accord, but gradually gives way to lavender and rosemary. The lemon note now adds translucence to the conservative herbal composition, but there are moments the scent smells rather stuffy on my skin. As the fragrance progresses the herbal notes disappear and floral notes emerge. What is supposed to be soft, powdery rose smells like a pissoir on my skin. I smell urine, lemon scented disinfectant and urinal cake. The only saving grace is the verbena which I can distinguish very close to the skin. The dry down is sweetened by ylang-ylang which adds a honey-like quality to the woody notes. Honestly, the dry down is the best part of the fragrance.
0 Comments
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Statements

212 short views on the fragrance
5
The greatest citrus cologne
0 Comments
4
Smells like summertime on the Grand Canal. Gentlemanly citrus with great longevity for an EDC. One of the classics. Lemon-heavy. Amore!
0 Comments
4
Italy in a bottle.....simple as that!
0 Comments
4
1
Classic of all classics.
1 Comment
3
The A-List Italian Cologne
0 Comments
3
The creaminess here is very nice the modern Italian man in a bottle
0 Comments
3
Smells lovely, but it lasts as long as a clean aftershave. Not worth the retail asking price, as similar and better options exist.
0 Comments
1 year ago
2
This is happiness in a bottle and everybody interested in fragrances should at least try it.
0 Comments
2
Like a vintage Ferrari, there's a reason why this is still a classic. Refined citrus, powdery floral with a woody base that's done right
0 Comments
7 years ago
2
The smell of expensive shaving cream. Rich, foamy, smooth and soapy with just a hint of citrus and herbs.
0 Comments
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