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Alhambra

7.2 / 10 40 Ratings
A perfume by Paolo Gigli for women. The release year is unknown. The scent is floral-fresh. The longevity is above-average. It was last marketed by Nello Gigli & Figlio.
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Main accords

Floral
Fresh
Woody
Green
Spicy

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes Top Notes
GeraniumGeranium LemonLemon MintMint
Heart Notes Heart Notes
VetiverVetiver OudOud Gaiac woodGaiac wood PatchouliPatchouli
Base Notes Base Notes
White muskWhite musk AmbergrisAmbergris
Ratings
Scent
7.240 Ratings
Longevity
8.128 Ratings
Sillage
6.927 Ratings
Bottle
8.134 Ratings
Submitted by Seglein · last update on 01/07/2022.
Source-backed & verified

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to
Marwah by Al Haramain
Marwah
Alioth by Essenzialmente Laura
Alioth
Aoud Flowers by Montale
Aoud Flowers
Duetto by Sospiro
Duetto

Reviews

4 in-depth fragrance descriptions
Florblanca

1166 Reviews
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Florblanca
Florblanca
Top Review 20  
Alhambra and Alhambra
The Alhambra (from qasr al-hamra - the Red Palace) was built over centuries. The first part was the Alcazaba fortress (from al-qasbah), later the actual palace was added and continuously remodeled. Besides the Myrtles Courtyard and the Lions Courtyard, there are many beautiful, semi-hidden spots in the Alhambra. The garden, which runs upwards to the Generalife, received its final appearance from the French during the occupation. The Generalife (Summer Palace) itself, which stands above the Alhambra on a rocky outcrop, is in a very airy position and is always caressed by a fresh breeze. Further up is the Silla del Moro (Seat of the Moor), where Boabdil retreated after handing over the Alhambra to the Catholic Monarchs in 1492, and even higher, at the summit of Cerro del Sol, is the Dar al-arusa (House of the Bride). And everywhere there are pipes and fountains with fresh, bubbling water from the mountains.

When entering the Alhambra area from the city of Granada, you first find yourself in a square from which you can go left to the Alcazaba. Straight ahead, you land directly in the "Theater" or the arena of Charles V, an ugly baroque block that Charles V had built here and which is simply an eyesore within this beautiful, delicate structure. Further to the right stands a small Catholic church and the Parador Nacional (state hotel) San Francisco, with its own small garden.

I have always entered the Alhambra from above through the gardens, when I stayed in Granada for a full 14 days during my 5-week vacation in Spain in 1985, visiting the Alhambra every day. Everywhere in the gardens of the Alhambra, there are rose bushes that bloom and scent abundantly from May to October, flower pots with geraniums, wild orange trees with ripe, inedible dark orange fruits, and beside them fresh, brightly fragrant blossoms. Boxwood hedges and cypress trees complement the garden and delineate individual areas, while rose arches lead from one small garden area to another.

Paolo Gigli's fragrance Alhambra reminds me of these gardens. Geraniums, specifically rose geraniums, provide a floral, playful opening, together with juicy, sun-ripened lemons. It smells fresh, floral, juicy citrusy, but not sour, rather clean. Not soap-clean and not detergent-clean, but sun-warmed flowers and citrus fruits, just washed off by a rain shower and smelling fresh again. This impression lasts a long time with Alhambra.

After a few hours, the floral notes fade, becoming greener, but neither woody nor patchouli-heavy. I also cannot perceive any oud. It smells fresh, clean, bright green, and it remains so for the rest of the time. I cannot sense any amber or musk in the base; Alhambra does not change anymore, it just becomes weaker.

Until then, however, the fragrance is well present, thanks to a decent sillage, and is certainly very pleasant for those around. Therefore, it is also well suited for daily use, even at work.

The longevity is also good; I could still perceive it on my wrist after 24 hours - despite multiple hand washes.

This fragrance fits the Alhambra as it is today. Without Moors, their exotic women, and their spices. No opulence, no bombast, no brightly embroidered silk curtains, no ottomans and thick cushions, no exotic foods and drinks. Alhambra is a fresh, enchanting fragrance that transports me anytime to the wonderful gardens of the Alhambra.

I traded for Alhambra from our Northern Light Fischlandmen and am very happy about it. Therefore, many thanks again at this point :-) dear Fischlandmen.
17 Comments
Dobbs

100 Reviews
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Dobbs
Dobbs
Top Review 18  
From Architectural to Fragrance Artwork
Alhambra - the world-famous castle built in Moorish style in Granada. A perfume bearing this name suggests a rather heavy, powerful, and spicy oriental scent. But none of that applies to this creation by Paolo Gigli.

Completely unaware of the composition of this fragrance, I chose it as the first of the 50 scent samples from Hasi's raffle purely based on its promising name. I was therefore completely surprised when I was initially greeted by an incredibly delicate, fresh hint of rose, shortly followed by the strong scent of (lemon) balm, which is likely due to the interplay of land mint and lemon. The rose and balm then merge in such a way that I initially have the impression of a blend of pure essential oils, which would emit a soothing touch of wellness in a fragrance lamp or in the form of a high-quality massage oil. It smells incredibly pleasant, but also has something "healthy" about it that doesn't quite fit with a perfume.

But ultimately, Alhambra is far from finished, and what is happening on my skin now is a grand olfactory spectacle. The other ingredients can hardly be distinguished individually, but they are finely tuned to ensure that the initially purely ethereal quality of the fragrance increasingly gains creaminess, warmth, and softness, without losing the freshness of the opening, which still lingers as a delicate whisper above everything. The base can truly only be described as sensual - subtle amber and musk, just barely recognizable as such, enveloped in fine cream, the whole thing bright and light, even minimally green from a drop of vetiver, yet still with depth.

Can anyone still follow me? I find myself in a similar situation as Turandot; the scent experience is hard to put into words. However, I can now establish the connection to the name. Even though I have not yet seen the Alhambra in person, I feel that I can find the scent reflected in the images of this magnificent structure: during the virtual stroll through the expansive gardens and water basins (the freshness and clarity of the opening), through the light-filled colonnades (the increasing creaminess in the heart note) into the elaborately designed interiors with the finely crafted, detail-rich vaulted ceilings, which find their correspondence in the sensual, ambered base.

It was not difficult for me to add this treasure to my wish list, even though the realization of this wish will still take quite a while given the price.
14 Comments
10Scent
MissPiggy

57 Reviews
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MissPiggy
MissPiggy
Top Review 8  
Majestic and Comforting
Somehow I came across a sample of this fragrance - and after the first spray, I felt transported back to my youth when I began buying and collecting individual essential oils.
Since then, I have repeatedly engaged with the power and healing properties of these oils, experiencing their effects as a flow between pure enjoyment and healing impact.
These treasures, which sometimes consumed my small budget, I keep in a hand-painted wooden box, lined inside with dark green velvet. Since there is always some oil that remains on the rim of the small bottles, a mixture of scents has formed in the box, which is released whenever I open the lid.
I was immediately reminded of this wonderful aroma:

Finest Bourbon Geranium, which smells almost like velvety roses, a scent that calms and comforts, which can alleviate pain when applied to the body, cool green leaves of mint that clear the breath and convey shady coolness, and lemon balm? hence perhaps the lemon aroma?, adding juicy freshness... all of these are healing herbs with the finest scent, long-lasting and creamy-intense. Lush like velvety red rose bushes with underplantings of herbaceous foliage.

Shortly thereafter, this cool garden atmosphere is complemented by noble wood notes that gradually weave their way to the forefront. The warmth of the fine wood is still permeated by glimpses of flowers and greenery - but the weight shifts in favor of the dusty-warm, noble aromatic wood notes. I particularly notice a delicate (thankfully!) hint of incense.

The good longevity of this fragrance makes me wait a long time for the base - but then it arrives, lovingly-erotic with amber, seductive and close to the skin with (unnamed) vanilla or benzoin resin.

It is said that the sum of all parts is greater than the individual - and here this is so true! Each of the fragrance notes on its own is already a delight, but this composition is a scent that, despite the naturalness of the ingredients and the recognizability of the notes, conveys an aura of greatness as a whole, a richness and yet an element of cozy comfort.
Well done, and on my list for the piggy bank...
6 Comments
Turandot

843 Reviews
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Turandot
Turandot
Top Review 20  
Speechless
Once again, I find myself close to despair due to my inability to articulate a completely new fragrance experience in a way that you can envision it. Alhambra is almost impossible to categorize within the frameworks available to us. It seems others have experienced the same, as I appear to be the first to classify the perfume.

Nevertheless, I will attempt to describe my impressions. What astonishes me is the fact that Alhambra smells mysteriously mystical and sensual to me, yet is still a bright fragrance. I have not encountered this before. Once again, I am captivated by a perfume that completely does without flowers and, aside from a hint of citrus, without fruits. At the opening, I can recognize the geranium, but here it is not as overpowering as I have experienced in other perfumes. Mint can be sensed, but I do not notice the lemon.

However, what is astonishing to me is the heart note. Listed are oud, patchouli, vetiver, and sandalwood, of which I can hardly imagine anything. But let's assume that it is a woody note; then the theme of Alhambra should be more medicinal-spicy-woody and somewhat smoky-musty. But for me, it is rather velvety-creamy-animalic, almost a bit oily. And incredibly sensual, which is surely due to the base. And as mentioned, the whole thing is bright and elegant. So, now tell me how I should categorize this. You really have no choice but to test Alhambra for yourselves. You will not find the splendor of the Spanish palace in the fragrance, but the beauty and tranquility that the individual courtyards are supposed to radiate can be found in the perfume, and that is why it makes it onto my completely utopian wish list.
11 Comments

Statements

6 short views on the fragrance
4
1
Several years of an unventilated storage room with mold stains and the failed attempt to remove them with citrus cleaner.
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1 Comment
4
A scent journey from clean-fresh geranium to creamy-warm woods, ending with a sensually warm amber base. Extraordinary and captivating!
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0 Comments
3
1
Authentic, meaty rose geranium; gradually fades over time and becomes slightly spicy/woody with an underlying musk.
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1 Comment
4 years ago
2
The first oud scent that I don't find sharp. Velvety-ethereal rose geranium with a woody finish, not musty at all.
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0 Comments
2
First clean, fresh, and virgin.
Then spicy, almost dirty undertones.
Earthy. Rough. Herb fresh. Cool and warm.
Rich rose.
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0 Comments
2
A delicate, light, carefree rose scent with subtle oud notes! Very similar to "Marwah" Al Haramain, but lasts longer on the skin.
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0 Comments
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