Cyprus Shell The Merchant Of Venice 2025

Cyprus Shell.... When I think of the name and the bottle, I think of the sea, of summer in Croatia. Of salty air with algal nuances, of dry pine needles on light sandy ground, of bright stones heated by the sun, of sweetly dry-scented skin.

I was soooo excited about the scent; it had to be a blind buy because I couldn't wait until I was back in a perfume store that had it.

The first test: phew, I thought, quite intensely floral and powdery. However, I could immediately relate to the association of warm dry sand. Definitely summery. In the first few minutes, I smell a hint of lipstick iris (which I unfortunately don't like that much). So far, so so-so. I throw my sprayed handkerchief into my basket in the footwell for my drive to work. It's super cold outside, the car ventilation is very warm, and it blows Cyprus Shell towards me with a warm breeze. The lipstick iris has woven itself in, a fine dry-woody spiciness has developed. It smells a bit molecular to me, very attractive.
I think of "Shine Despite Everything | Atkinsons," which was too intense for me. The drydown of Cyprus Shell is like a more feminine, lighter summer version of Shine Despite Everything in my nose.

Okay.... I'm hooked but still unsure whether to keep it.

Second test because I can't detach myself from the sprayed handkerchief from two days ago:
It starts floral again, and immediately I get lipstick iris again, but what else is there to smell that is on par? Yes, the pear. Iris and pear combine wonderfully. It is not a dripping sweet overripe pear like you find in many fruity florals, but rather a drier one that is neither sour nor sweet, one that is still crisp and unfolds an elegant woody fruitiness that never takes the lead but dances equally with the iris in the grand opening.

After a few minutes, the lipstick impression reduces, and a deliciously elegantly woven roughness comes in. I think it's the incense. There is still a dry unsweetened floral note present. The pear also retreats.
I love the heart note because it still carries parts of the opening but slowly transitions into the molecular direction for my nose.

In the drydown, the scent becomes a bit sandier, drier. This wonderful iris-incense note remains. I don't find it masculine in the drydown. Neither oakmoss nor patchouli come out strongly.

I couldn't smell the rose well, but I can imagine that it creates this slight floral quality that makes the scent so three-dimensional and exciting. I also don't get the salt, but I perceive a dry spiciness...

I am completely thrilled. On one hand, I have never smelled anything comparable, and on the other hand, the progression is really exciting for me. I don't know if it's due to the bottle/name, but I see a hot rocky coastal landscape in summer here. Rather without significant vegetation, if anything, just dry shrubs. No algae, no sunscreen....

A fantastic, unusual, unique scent that I see on both women and men. Longevity and sillage are above average. The bottle and packaging are dreamy, and the price is so good!
Clear recommendation from me.

Anyone who knows my reviews or my collection is also familiar with my inclination towards the Merchants of Venice. Every shot is a hit, eagerly anticipating each new release. After the new Rose Moceniga failed to convince me, I longed for Cyprus Shell. I bothered the Breuninger saleswoman I trust nearly every week, asking when it would be released. When the moment finally arrived, it was love at first sight.

Those expecting a summer freshie will likely be disappointed. However, this fragrance reveals itself as one that works wonderfully year-round.
For me, the scent doesn't develop gradually but is immediately present. I get iris, pear, and salty notes right away, just as indicated. In the background, there is a warmth that can only be conveyed by sun-dried earth. I suspect the incense is responsible for this, but I don't primarily detect it. I also think I perceive a hint of an earthy note. Before it becomes too earthy, the rose jumps in as a savior, bringing back that clarity that only a young rose can provide.

Cyprus Shell is not refreshing; it doesn't smell of algae and wind. Cyprus Shell is the warm rays of the sun on your skin. The juicy, almost overripe pear whose juice runs down your chin when you bite into it. The sea salt still clinging to your skin, mixing with your sunscreen.
Cyprus Shell smells as if I were stopping along a coastal road in Greece, enjoying the view. Wild roses and iris beside me. The air thick with salt.

I find the price-performance ratio, as with almost all MoV, ideal. A heavy, beautifully designed bottle. A fragrance so extraordinarily beautiful that it becomes a loyal companion. Sillage is subtle yet perceptible. It can successfully distract you from work all day long and let you indulge in memories of your last vacation in Crete.
While iris is only a part of the whole here, I find the interpretation of it very successful, very modern, and quite different from what I would have expected.

You live your life, you go in shadows.

On the southern coast of Cyprus lies Cape Aspro, not far from the famous Petra tou Romiou, the birthplace of Aphrodite. During the Venetian rule, an important trade route ran along the coast here. The bright limestone of the cliffs was also used in the construction of the houses in the area. Some of these buildings still stand on the cliffs today - simple, yet impressive, like silent witnesses of past times.

At the highest point stands the former manor house of a winemaker. Rather plain for its time, but stunning by today’s standards. Through the double doors, one enters a spacious room that leads directly to the veranda overlooking the cliffs and the sea. All the windows are open, the floor-length curtains flutter in the wind. On a small table, there is a fruit bowl with mandarins and pears. The salt of the spray is carried up by the waves and collects in the large pots where proud roses bloom.

When I wear this fragrance, I am right there. In a place that silences mundane everyday problems. I am someone who spends time reading in a much too large house with a view of the sea - without stress and without obligations.

The scent starts fruity-fresh, the aquatic note is very subtle, but noticeably woven in. Despite its lightness, it is absolutely present, but not loud at all - there, but not overwhelming. Over time, pear and mandarin recede into the background, and the fragrance becomes more floral. The longevity is really good for such a fresh scent. I enjoy this little vacation in a bottle.