Acqua di Portofino Acqua di Portofino Eau de Toilette

Another lovely Italian Acqua. The similarity in name to the successful Acqua di Parma is surely intentional, as this one also revolves around lemon, and not sparingly.

Actually, this wouldn't normally be my thing, but on the test strip, there was also, and above all, a fantastic green note that somehow seemed to involve mandarin. And cedarwood as a top note is quite a hit! It smelled sensationally good; I couldn't help but spray this perfume on.

But then came the disappointment. The paper strip seemed to have absorbed a lot of lemon, but my skin is not made of paper. A strong lemon overshadowed everything. The delicate top note that appeared so well on the paper was barely even detectable. The lemon completely overwhelmed me. I find that unfortunate and frustrating. When the lemon faded, the wonderful top note was gone as well.

The receding lemon revealed a fine cologne accord with a modern touch, which entered into a nice dialogue with the previously strong lemon. A spicy heart was somewhat understandable with a bit of imagination. Ultimately, the cologne note also cleared the field. In the drydown, a beautiful, distinctive, somewhat chypre-like base emerges. The listed notes of musk, patchouli, and vetiver are all recognizable. The musk leans more towards the sharp, soapy side than the creamy-opulent. With all the lemon and the chypre base, I see a certain similarity to Chanel's Pour Monsieur.

Well, it's all very good, but I can't forgive the lapse with the top note. Here, one should have broken away from the competitor and presumed model Acqua di Parma Colonia. A more restrained use of lemon would have greatly benefited this perfume. Perhaps I will test it again, but this time on clothing. If paper neutralizes the lemon a bit, then maybe a shirt sleeve will do the same.

I tested the Eau de Parfum version.