"Essenza di Zegna" is one of my favorite fragrances from the past ten years. Light, spicy, a scent for every day, and for me, unmistakably unique and above all, delicious. Unfortunately, it's no longer available in stores here in Germany, but with a bit of searching, you can still find it. Understandably, my excitement was high when I first read about "Essenze." Renaming, re-release, reformulation? No, a very small new series of fragrances.
And it looks good when the five fragrances stand side by side in a row. They are united by the bottle, yet the liquid differentiates them minimally. The box is a gray monolith in cube form, with a minimally offset writing field and a structured bottom - elegant and a promising understatement. The bottle is a solid, massive cube made of clear glass, framed at the bottom with a gray base and filled with an olive liquid. The heavy cap made of gray metal and magnetic closure echoes the ribbing of the base. A beautiful, simple bottle, just to my taste.
The scent certainly lives up to its name. Patchouli all the way. A light bergamot provides the classic opening without appearing too fresh and citrusy. But patchouli is immediately present and takes the reins. It becomes green and herbal, yet very gentle and enchanting. It must be the tonka bean that caresses the nose. But pepper interrupts and tickles a bit now and then, sometimes it even scratches a little metallically. In the background, you can also find dry woody notes of cedar. Just when you think you've discovered some of the more hidden nuances with a deep breath, patchouli steps back into the foreground and gently overshadows everything else.
This game can go on all day; the individual notes do not tire. The sillage is pleasantly unobtrusive yet present. It envelops the body but is not disturbing to the environment. The opening is, of course, more intense, but after about 30 minutes, it settles down and remains a good friend for nearly ten hours. Some last remnants can still be found the following morning. Overall, a convincing and delightful symbiosis of longevity and projection, especially since patchouli is not necessarily to everyone's taste. Due to the harmonious interplay of the few ingredients, it is also a good fragrance for all four seasons, which I can imagine wearing on any occasion. Masculine, distinctive, but also not too strict and dominant. Well-balanced, the scent lifts the spirits.
A fantastic fragrance that, along with its four siblings in the Essenze line, clearly plays in a different league than the other fragrances from Ermenegildo Zegna. The price is almost a different sport: just under 200.00 euros is asked for 125ml of EdT. Is it worth that price? Everyone must decide for themselves. However, I don't know any other fragrance where patchouli is so prominently featured and yet never becomes too overpowering or dominant.
Patchouli has invited its friends to play, and they are having a lot of fun together.
FLUidENTITY 12 years ago