Alessandro Mazzolari

Alessandro is an uber-intense powdery scent.

The opening is not my favorite. Alessandro is very specifically reminiscent of the pink opalescent soap that can often be found in American public restrooms, along with whiffs of something vaguely animalic and sharp (probably the honey note).

The good news is that as it dries down it looses its sharpness (and that unsavory soapy association) and becomes a soft powdery cloud of makeup and sweet almond oil. Wonderful stuff for powder lovers who are searching for that "makeup bag smell". I prefer this to Teint de Neige which to me smells much more like baby powder (rather than makeup) with bitter edge.

I am so stumped by this fragrance. The Mazzolari website describes Alessandro with three simple notes: almond, honey, and vanilla. My three favorite notes in all of fragrance! Surely this would be my holy grail?

Unfortunately, the composition of those notes just did not translate well to my nose. I had hoped for an amaretto or marzipan type of almond fragrance, but all I got was... vintage talcum powder? I normally love a powder scent, but this just felt like snorting Airspun face powder.

There is something distinctly old about this fragrance - less like Grandma's vintage Chanel and more like a dusty scarf you would pull from the depths of her closet. I thought my skin chemistry may be this issue, but it smelled the same way on paper.

Overall, I read Alessandro as a mature, unisex, expensive smelling powder bomb. It performed well, it just isn't for me. To all other almond enthusiasts, I would recommend against a blind buy as there is so much variance in almond notes.

Alessandro is a fragrance that I will not complain about. Because I like it very much.

Yes, it is very almondy, but I perceive the fine bitterness as a little touch, as it prevents it from becoming too sweet.
The honey is somewhat subdued, but it is present.
Dark powder, reminiscent of a makeup case, makes women's hearts beat a little faster. This gives it a cozy and warm feel.

The scent is overall soft and dark, somehow snug. It is by no means old-fashioned.

There are memories of Erbolario Mandorla and Etro Heliotrope, but these two fragrances are even lighter and more radiant. In contrast, Alessandro feels warmer and more inviting.

The sillage is quite good and fairly powdery.

Alessandro Test 3.0 / Right from the first moment, I thought this could be the beginning of a wonderful love-hate relationship. From "Yuck" to "Absolutely Delicious," Alessandro has played the fragrance piano up and down for me. This is because we are not only dealing with the three specified gourmet notes, far from it.

The already mentioned bitter almond note is very strong at the beginning. But after just three minutes, at least three lovely floral fairies swirl around my arm. Iris, heliotrope, and violet, delicate as babies. Because a nicely dry vanilla stands watch, an intense baby powder cloud emerges. I am really not into powdery scents when they come stomping in like KM Loukhoum Eau Poudrée. But here - it becomes quite precious and soft for me. And a very strong and beautiful memory of my early childhood comes to mind and stays lodged in my head.
The honey shines through its absence again, which is just fine with me. It is the dominant bitter almond that I don’t know how it wants to fit in here. Is it the simple troublemaker that annoys for no reason, or is it the nemesis that keeps Alessandro from being generic?
I choose the latter.
The sillage is perfect, my ideal 50 cm in every direction. For me, Alessandro is a pure girl’s fragrance that could seem slightly embarrassing on men and adult ladies. Hmm, can I write that here?

ADDENDUM several hours later: No, of course, one shouldn’t write such things about being embarrassing and so on. °Quickly backpedaling but swiftly° ;-)

Sometimes there are days when you need not only snacks for the belly but also something sweet for the mind to feel good, at least for the moment. A little bit of whimsical bliss aka a fragrant cloud to lull you.

I’m currently in the kitchen checking all my baking ingredients again. Yes, it’s going to be a fine Easter braid. Today I’ve put on a bit of Alessandro; somehow, I was in the mood for vanilla almond coziness. I mix the dough, and with every movement, I am surrounded by a cozy warm hint of almonds with honey, and I realize this combo would also fit into my baked goods.
The dough needs to rest a bit now, and I embark on another component exploration.

Alessandro starts for me - although not specified - somewhat floral with light alcoholic notes. Right after that, honey cream and many, many almonds (lightly roasted and caramelized) follow, wafting melancholically. They mix again and again, and this lasts for quite a while. This honey-almond mass then finally connects with threads of vanilla, a light liqueur (egg liqueur?) accompanies it. Rich fare. It lies and weighs heavily in the nose and stomach.

Well, and that’s it. A gourmand and linear fragrance that manages with little embellishment and is suitable not only for Christmas but also for Easter (because despite the sun, it’s still very fresh outside). If you’re in the mood for it - not a scent for every day and please don’t overdo it… [Heartburn?] ;-)
--
I’m putting the Easter yeast braid in the oven. After just a few minutes, a delicious scent
floats through the house, and my hungry pack can hardly wait to devour it.

I wish you all a happy Easter! Cheers to the bunny! ;-)

PS: an old braid?

Recipe: 175 ml milk, 500 g flour, 1 cube fresh yeast, 1 tbsp honey, 80 g sugar, 80 g butter, 1 small knife tip of real vanilla grated from the pod, lemon zest, 1 egg, 1 egg white, 80 g raisins (can be soaked in rum beforehand), 1 egg yolk, 1 tbsp milk, sliced almonds, pearl sugar
Preparation: Warm the milk in a small pot.

Yeast dough:
Put the flour in a mixing bowl and press a well in the center. Crumble the yeast in, add 1 teaspoon of sugar, the honey, and some of the lukewarm milk. Carefully mix with a fork and let the pre-dough rise for about 15 minutes at room temperature. Melt the butter in the remaining warm milk.

Add the remaining ingredients, except for the raisins, and the lukewarm milk-fat mixture to the yeast mixture and briefly mix everything with a hand mixer (dough hooks) or your choice of kitchen machine on the lowest setting, then process on the highest setting for about 5 minutes to a smooth dough. Optionally knead in the (rum) raisins briefly. But you can also leave them out!!

Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm place until it has visibly increased in size.
(at least 30 min, preferably longer)
Now line a baking sheet with baking paper.

Knead the dough well on a lightly floured work surface and divide it into 3 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a strand (about 40 cm). Place the dough strands on the baking sheet and braid them. Let the braid rise covered (20-30 min) until it has visibly increased in size. In the meantime, preheat the oven.
Top/bottom heat: about 180°C
Convection: about 160°C

Mix the egg yolk with milk and brush the braid with it. Sprinkle with almonds and pearl sugar. Place the baking sheet in the lower third of the oven.
Baking time: about 30-40 minutes (depending on the oven - always check)

Pull the braid with the baking paper onto a cake rack and let it cool.
Then… Enjoy your meal!