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Karenin
Very helpful Review
3
Zegna Essenze Sicilian Mandarin
I just can’t help giggling when a mainstream fragrance company expands its portfolio by launching a supposedly exclusive range of scents. What many of these brands don’t seem to get is that producing true niche fragrances is not so much about expensive materials, fancy flacons, ludicrous backstories or exorbitant price tags. Masterful blending, willingness to push the envelope and, above all, a competent creative direction also play a vital role in the process.
The Italian company “Ermenegildo Zegna” has been around for about a hundred years, producing chic men’s clothes and accessories. As for their fragrances, I vaguely remember smelling one of their mainstream concoctions- a totally clichéd mix aimed at gentlemen for whom spritzing on their “cologne” is nothing more than a mundane morning routine whose sole purpose is to cover up all traces of body odour. So when I learnt Zegna had introduced their exclusive “Essenze” collection, I first produced the aforementioned giggle and rolled my eyes. Here we go again! But after reading a couple of favourable reviews, I was curious to try them for myself to see if the praise was justified. So far I’ve sampled five Essenze scents and I can conclude that what these fragrances lack in the originality department is generously made up for in terms of quality, consistency and, yes, competent creative direction.
It is my firm belief that when it comes to summer scents, there is hardly anything more uplifting and satisfying than a well-made, citrus-based eau de cologne. Nonetheless, there’s a downside and a quite a substantial one at that- the fleeting nature of its notes that makes the pleasure extremely short-lived. “Sicilian Mandarin” is Zegna’s attempt at composing a cologne-style fragrance. The result? An impressive one indeed! It opens with a burst of mandarin which is zesty rather than sweet and truly natural smelling. The mandarin is backed up by bergamot (also a natural note, reportedly from Zegna’s very own Calabrian orchard). On my skin, during the first fifteen minutes the mandarin and the bergamot play a tug of war in which the latter note eventually prevails. The citruses eventually land on a gentle mossy base. For a citrus-centred fragrance, "Sicilian Mandarin" has a decent longevity, but (not surprisingly) a reapplication will be necessary every three or four hours.
“Sicilian Mandarin”, just like its siblings from the Essenze family, doesn’t beat about the bush when it comes to its composition. It also lacks profound complexity, which is not necessarily a problem provided that things are done with care and dedication. All in all, “Sicilian Mandarin” is a very solid and pleasant scent that successfully captures the essence of summer. Ben fatto!
Itchynose
