Doolciiisssimo Hilde Soliani Profumi

Sweet? No, thanks. And isn't the name of the fragrance warning enough? But when unboxing the sample (thanks, Ergoproxy!), curiosity won out - it can't be that sweet, can it?

Yes, it can, goodness gracious: So this is what sweetness in superlative smells like, with a bang and a rattle. What does it remind me of? Marzipan? No, that's not it. Frankfurt Crown Cake, the calorie bomb original with pure buttercream and very sugary almond caramel? Closer, but still not close enough.

Ah, I've got it: Cantuccini! The super sweet Italian almond biscuit slices, rock-hard, only enjoyable after dunking in sweet Vin Santo or espresso. The scent is certainly even (!) sweeter. And definitely not a cookie copy. But similar to the Cantuccini, you get almondy-aromatic sugary stuff of the well-dried kind here, nothing sticks or clings.

There's something to it. Interesting. Upon closer sniffing, even elegant. A mischievous spirit peeks around the corner, cheekily giggling… Mind cinema: a Rubenesque woman joyfully carrying her Juno-like forms through the world, always up for a bit of fun. (According to photos online, the perfumer Hilde Soliani is indeed a Juno, and she seems to enjoy laughing heartily.) Irony is certainly present in this superlatively sweet little potion - and casual mastery as well.

Aside from a slight dimming down, the scent hardly develops. It lasts well, but thankfully it’s not shower-proof. After the shower, an espresso was in order. Classic, "hot as hell, black as the devil, pure as an angel..." - just this time without sugar ;-).

For me, not a wearable perfume. But if you like sweet, you should give it a try - who wants to be next?