#La Isla Blanca Ramón Monegal 2018 Eau de Toilette

Summer, parties, vacation - that’s what this fragrance represents for me.

In the opening, there’s sharpness and somehow ozone, which I really like and reminds me of swimming pools. It must be the interplay of ginger and anise, with aldehydes adding a touch of sweetness when I look at the top notes. Soon, white florals join in, which stay within a pleasant range for me. And then exciting things happen: Sometimes it totally slips into a powdery-over-the-top territory (I have Effie Trinket - The Hunger Games - in mind) and sometimes it becomes almost medicinally sharp, but without being serious at all and with varying degrees of sweetness. Like a gin tasting after the 6th round, where sometimes you drink soda and sometimes Ahoi-Brause. But no matter where it goes: It’s always loud, it can’t be quiet!

On vacation, I can still smell it clearly after two dives in the evening - after a spray in the early morning. In combination with water in the sense of swimming or similar activities, it’s great for me because it becomes a bit quieter and more socially acceptable. Moreover, the powderiness stays in the background, which I really appreciate. If it gets too powdery, I need a two to three-week break before I can wear it again.

I also like to wear it for concerts and parties or similar sweaty events in company, especially when I want to be olfactorily not discreet and wear a fragrance that lasts long. In the office or a “serious” context, I just don’t see it.

I attribute the different scent developments to my skin chemistry under varying temperatures and conditions. According to my best friend, it should be perceived as somewhat masculine on me. I perceive it completely differently. Basically, for me, it’s unisex, and I would have expected more preference for female wearers.

For anyone who wants an idea of how this fragrance would look if it were visible, they can research works by Rupprecht Geiger. On some days, it’s pink on white, on others, purple, and occasionally blue and yellow are combined - but always in neon!

When I bought it three years ago, I was puzzled that it was supposedly no longer being produced, but there was a successor with the same name. I tested the “old” version in the bottle against the new one as a sample. If I had to test them blind, I wouldn’t be able to distinguish between the two.

Conclusion: A sometimes slightly over-the-top feel-good fragrance for a casual party environment when uncompromising performance is required.

This perfume receives my first comment. For me, it embodies summer parties and cocktails :).

As for the scent itself, it is fresh, fruity with a slight medicinal note.

Longevity, yes, it is fantastic; sprayed on at 8 in the morning, it was still noticeable in the evening. Even after several showers, sauna sessions, and steam baths, it held up remarkably well.

Sillage is good; even after several hours, it can still be detected.

I see this scent more suited for younger people; for older individuals, it might come across as too playful.