Quattroventi - Maestrale Paolo Gigli 2008

... I associated with this fragrance, as I was enchanted and thrilled by the recently tested "Alhambra" from the same house, setting the bar quite high. Unfortunately, in the perfume world, it is often the case that high expectations are difficult to meet with an already great reference scent, and the disappointment weighs heavier the less the new fragrance lives up to those expectations.

Maestrale therefore had no easy task with me, so I gave it every chance, dedicating myself to it several evenings without reservation and subjected it to a full-day practical test today.

The first impression right after spraying is that of a typical, spicy-fresh men's fragrance. Citrusy freshness from bergamot and lemon, along with the green spiciness of various herbs that I cannot identify individually. Not bad at all, but Maestrale is actually classified as a women's fragrance, right? Generally, I don't care about gender classifications; everyone should wear what they like and what suits them, but if there has to be a categorization, I would clearly choose "men's fragrance" here.

Slightly irritated and only moderately impressed, I wait for the further development of the scent. Quite quickly, the woods of the base become clearly recognizable, giving the fragrance a bit of warmth. Initially, sandalwood dominates, then cedar takes over, while the green herbs still frolic in the background. At some point, a slightly soapy note also comes in, which I attribute to the vetiver. Amber unfortunately only shows up at the very end, which is heralded after just seven hours.

So, what should I make of this? My conclusion is that it barely passes. Maestrale smells quite pleasant and well-balanced overall, at no point does it make me wrinkle my nose in disgust. However, throughout the entire duration, I can't shake the impression of a typical men's fragrance - not exactly one of the cheapest kind, but also nothing particularly special or surprising. Furthermore, Maestrale comes across as rather old-fashioned, lacking power and depth; it doesn't evoke any images that one would typically associate with the term Mistral. For a fragrance around €50, that might be forgivable, but for a scent that demands €200, it's simply not enough.