With the "Man" series, Bvlgari has now discovered a product palette that they can exploit in all directions, just like a typical perfume designer has been doing in recent years. If I haven't miscounted, there are currently 12 Bvlgari "Man"-something perfumes, all going in different directions or sometimes even in similar ones (Bvlgari Man in Black Cologne Man in Black Essence). The Bvlgari Man Terrae Essence is the latest product from the Italian house in the Man series and stands out on the shelf with its transparent orange/brown bottle.
The name "Terrae" suggests that the scent revolves around the theme of earth. But earth in a perfume, is that even possible? Or is Bvlgari just playing with our imagination, making us think and convince ourselves that the perfume has something to do with earth? Well, I can say that Bvlgari has crafted this composition quite cleverly. Somehow, this earthiness oscillates in the scent between dust-dry and muddy, sometimes one way, sometimes the other. This is continually underscored by a slight smokiness. The citrus in the top note is just a sweet, unobtrusive companion but gives the Terrae Essence a pleasant freshness and makes it seem more versatile to my taste. Vetiver is also clearly perceptible and adapts very well to the citrus fruits, balancing the earthiness nicely. Otherwise, the scent progression changes relatively little; shortly after spraying, it becomes clear what Terrae Essence is all about. The name is indeed programmatic, and with that, Bvlgari has captured the theme well overall.
Above all, I am positively surprised that a designer fragrance with recognition value has finally appeared again! A quality that has been missed over the last few years among the many shower gel freshies and bubblegum show-offs. For me, Bvlgari Terrae Essence is even borderline niche because it comes across as unique. The perfume is by no means appealing to everyone, especially not after the first spray. Many will likely have to get used to this type of DNA, but those who embrace it will find that the scent can fit very well into an autumn collection.
Longevity and sillage are somewhere in the middle at 4-6 hours. A bit more depth would have done the perfume good and possibly provided better performance, making it a bit softer. A hint of guaiac wood would have also fit here. But the latter is just my own gut feeling.
Tip: Test first, then buy. And please test multiple times and, of course, on the skin. A blind purchase can quickly turn into a mispurchase here.
Philipp91 4 years ago 