Innamorata Blumarine 2012

It took several sniff tests before I could bring myself to write a comment. A typical 50%-candidate for me, which makes it rather difficult to comment (at least for me).

Well, we start with a tried-and-true fresh fruit opening. Bergamot and mandarin are clearly detectable and provide a strong citrus note. I would have also guessed pineapple, but the third in the mix here is passion fruit, which is also an exotic little fruit. Overall, I find it quite strong, and it blends skillfully into the equally strong heart note.

Hmm, yes. The heart note. The flowers are very, very powerful here, somewhat piercing as well, yes, a bit oily even, without warmth. For me, it's a bit too floral, as it awkwardly straddles the line between delicate floral and oriental-sweet. Something doesn't fit together and feels uneven. A somewhat disturbing, piercing note irritates my nose, though I can't quite pinpoint what it is.

But, what luck, this disturbance doesn't last forever. Slowly, the latent headache-inducing intensity fades and makes way for a spontaneous association: an afternoon at the outdoor pool, preferably an outdoor pool by the sea, filled with saltwater. You've left the water and dried off, your skin smells of salt and chlorine. And now here comes buddy Kalli with the Ahoi candy powder packets from the kiosk! Wow! How it tingles sour and fruity when licking it straight from the hand! That's exactly how Innamorata smells now: like skin, salty chlorine water, and raspberry candy powder.

That sounds more questionable than it is, because now I find the scent the most beautiful and rounded. However, with this note, it also disappears quite quickly, without me being able to sniff anything substantial in the base. I can't smell it, in fact. Maybe it just snuck into the heart note early on without showing itself independently. I probably won't be able to solve this riddle either, as my sample is almost empty, and despite the summery outdoor pool ambiance, I'm not considering purchasing the bottle.