Al Contrario Tiziana Terenzi 2015

Al Contrario is mostly a yeasty, woody gourmand. Honestly reminds me of something that Kerosene has done, though can't put my finger on what . . . ? Maybe Sweetly Known? Anyway, it's pleasant, though pretty linear and as such ultimately boring. Some earthy nutty facets, a bit of dusty cacao. Lots of vanilla/benzoin and overdose of synthetic powdery sandalwood. The most interesting aspect is this faint, weird, musky human-skin, rubbery-yeasty accord. You're going to smell sweet, woody, and a bit animalic. Not bad, but nothing to write home about.

At first, I tested the fragrance on my wrist and thought it had power. Then, at the next opportunity (in the coming days), I applied 2 sprays to my neck. In my opinion, the scent actually becomes even stronger and with 2 sprays, it was really overpowering (not just for others). The extreme sticky sweet cloud of fragrance went straight to my head. I thought to myself, I can never do this to myself or others again. It smells incredibly intense and good, but one becomes very quickly saturated. After that, I almost wanted to give it away right away. However, I experimented a bit more. I actually only give myself one spray and I do it in such a way that not 100% of it lands on my skin. So from a certain distance. Then it is simply wonderful. You smell so delicious, you receive an incredible number of compliments, and it doesn't overwhelm anyone anymore; it is still very noticeable and by no means inconspicuous. If you know how to handle this extrait, it is wonderful. By now, I love it, especially during the autumn and winter season. You smell like roasted almonds, a bit of cotton candy, and a stall full of chocolatey sweets. In short, like a Christmas market but without any alcoholic note or anything from mulled wine.

Well, this seems to fall into the category of gourmand fragrances that I just can't handle.
If they are refined? Sure. If they are complex? Show them to me. If they strike the right balance between sweet, spicy, and elegant? Bring it on.

But Tiziana Terenzi hits you with such sugary force here that my saturation curve reaches its peak in less than 10 minutes.

Malt as the opening aroma, quite authentically captured, reminiscent of a well (very well!) sweetened Caro coffee that I used to enjoy drinking with my grandpa as a child. But even back then, it had far less sugar added than what is used here.

Vanilla, hazelnut, sugar cane... just reading the ingredients above slightly repulses me because I discover absolutely nothing in this fragrance that provides a bit of counterbalance, a little glucose compensation.

The syrupiest of them all - I am reminded of the flavor syrups at the big mermaid coffee roasters, with which so many people completely ruin their wonderfully roasted coffee beans (that have at least flown halfway around the world for their consumption) and still grin happily.

No, "Al Contrario" does not work for me at all. Gourmand can be so artful, but here everything sinks into a sticky, viscous, headache-inducing sweetness of the most cloying, sticky, and also one-dimensional kind.

Thanks to the dear AnimeFreak, I had the opportunity to get two Tiziana Terenzi fragrances at a very fair price in the Souk, and alongside the Rose Gold Oudh, Al Contrario was also included.

Due to the partly very negative comments here, I was initially quite skeptical, but I thought to myself, as someone who prefers sweet fragrances, this sounds like it could be to my taste.

After the package arrived from Austria remarkably quickly and I eagerly and excitedly held the two bottles in my hands, it took hardly a minute before I had the first spray of Contrario on my arm.

The fragrance starts with a brutal malt note that I neither expected nor had perceived in a perfume before. Slightly bitter, somewhat fermented and spicy. Very interesting, but I can understand why some might flinch.

After this malty, bitter scent faded relatively quickly, the intense sweetness that is often criticized here makes its first appearance. A truly almost sticky, burnt, and intense sweetness.. I liked it right away, and my first association was crocant.
The crocant that I must have on my Pinocchio children's cup at every ice cream parlor. Caramel-like, nutty, sugary.
The image of the ice cream parlor was further enhanced by the slight coffee scent that slowly developed from the bitter malt.
As mentioned below, nuances of sweetened macchiato or milk coffee keep appearing.

After about 30 minutes, the development of the fragrance is mostly complete, leaving a very pleasant scent of roasted nuts, crocant, children's malt beer, and sweetened coffee.

I can understand that this fragrance may not appeal to everyone, especially since the constantly present sweetness makes it something only for sweet-toothed individuals.
For me personally, it is a quite interesting, pleasant, and somehow special gourmand that I would love to wear on a date, during a winter walk, or at the Christmas market.

The bottle is very high-quality and sprays very finely and cleanly. The longevity is, of course, due to the heavy sweetness, above average, and on my skin, I could still perceive the fragrance very prominently after 10 hours.
The sillage is rather close to the body but also has strong performance. After 8 hours, I still had a light coffee-nut cloud trailing behind me.

I would recommend this fragrance to any fan of sweet gourmands with a certain something. Treat yourself to a few calories on your skin and transform into a children's ice cream cup that doesn't take everything too seriously.

I tested this Al Contrario a few years ago, and now it is in my collection. I found this Al Contrario a bit overpriced, especially since it is the only fragrance in the Black line that comes in 50ml. The other fragrances in the line come in 100ml for the same price. However, this Al Contrario is still one of the better-selling scents from this Black Collection.
50ml should be more than enough here since it is not a daily wear at all.
I tested it a few years ago via a small sample, which I revisited every few months or years. It’s a challenging scent that is hard to categorize and doesn’t fit every occasion. However, if you are looking for something unique, you are in the right place. Of course, you should be able to handle and wear gourmand notes.
I find the current MSRP of €200 excessive. Even before inflation, €170 was already a bit overpriced for me, especially for 50ml. If you can get it for around €100, that’s already reasonable.

Al Contrario seems to be the translation of “the other way around.” Fitting for the bottle: Unlike the other 100ml fragrances in this line, you get a 50ml scent with a huge cap and a small bottle. The label is also on the cap. Original. Out of habit, you might want to spray with the cap.
This sweet-gourmand fragrance goes all out. It shouldn’t be blindly bought. If you are looking for a different gourmand that stands out from the usual sweets, you are generally on the right track here: Cozy notes like malt, hazelnut, cocoa, and a bit of sugar are very present. A very warm aura that stands out. Especially the malt opening is extremely unique. Malt is very rare, and this one scores points for its uniqueness. It may not appeal to everyone. This pleasant cocoa note fits perfectly with it. The vanilla in the pyramid is not present, but you get a lot of sweetness throughout, more of a tonka sweetness with some sugary notes. The hazelnut also comes in early and gives off a slight Hanuta vibe. Extremely pleasant without getting lost in the crowd. The base is quite nice with woody-balsamic notes plus this hazelnut-tonka sweetness. Overall, very rounded and pleasing.
Performance is criticized in some statements. For me, it lasts quite a long time, and this scent easily reaches double digits with initially strong sillage. With Terenzi, you only get extraits, which you can definitely notice. This one does justice to a gourmand and should be worn more in leisure time and in the evening.

Overall, a very pleasing and also unique gourmand, especially due to the malt. Specifically, this malt-cocoa top note should be tested, as it is very present for 3-4 hours. The further development is more pleasing and conventional, but not boring. A great gourmand for both ladies and gentlemen.