Blu Mediterraneo : Mirto di Panarea
Acqua di Parma (2008)

The highlighting of myrtle in the name seems to be a ploy to pique interest by evoking a note that will be unfamiliar to most. The experience however is of a sweet lemony-herbal start, followed quickly by a soapy settle, still pleasant and fresh, but unlikely to trigger much olfactory memory-making. Comfortable, comforting, with a modest bordering on shy presence.

Fruity and woody screen wash.
Only $1800 a litre.



(Myrtle, basil, lemon, bergamot
Sea breeze accord, rose, jasmin
Mastic, juniper, cedar, amber)

[b]Blu Mediterraneo Mirto de Panarea by Acqua di Parma[/b]
[b]Category[/b]: 2 Eau de Cologne variant
[b]Rating[/b]: 5/5
[b]Longevity[/b]: 5/5

A shimmery bergamot quickly gives way to a fresh ocean breeze, minus the fish and sand. It's an unusual aquatic, with a weak kinship to Un Jardin Sur Le Nil in its vegetal aquatic heart with a musky base. The myrtle is refreshing and herbaceous without weighing down the composition. It really does evoke an ocean locale in Europe, and the citrus blend reminds me of Italy. It's a bright idea that's well-executed.

I'm checking the longevity, but so far it's been an hour and it's still going strong.

The opening is a mix of a citrus dyad - bergamot and lemon - and a set of herbal notes - I get myrtle, basil and whiffs of thyme. The result is a lovely aroma, where the fresh and the herbs merge in quite an original manner.

In the drydown, over and underlying touch of saltiness, a floral layer emerges, mainly consisting of a green impression that is accompanied by a somewhat non specific rose. The citrus components have long evaporated, but residuals of the initial herbs are still lingering in the background. Later on a faint and rather perfunctory juniper appears briefly.

The base is dominated by a ambery cedarwood, with is endowed with mastic and nigh balsamic characteristics towards the end, which remain too restrained to make a major mark.

I get moderate sillage, good projection and six hours of longevity on my skin.

The top notes are the best part of this scent for warmer spring days, with the later phases being less satisfactory. This is mainly due some of the components becoming weaker and a bit more generic, but others are still interesting and not without creative touches. The performance is average. Overall 2.75/5.

When Acqua di Parma gets it right, they get it right. And damned if they didn't get it right with Mirto di Panarea.

When you take the first whiff of this after spraying it on, you feel like you're on the Mediterranean coast. Many fragrances want to "transport" you to faraway places, and most don't. It is always a treat when you find the ones that do, and this one certainly succeeds. The citrus notes at the top fade relatively quickly, and what's left is a beautiful, herbaceous floral accord complimented by a dry, woody base. The rose and jasmine really allow this to straddle the line between masculine and feminine, and although this isn't a "masculine" scent by any means, the idea that this is too feminine for a man is balderdash. They most certainly nailed the "sea breeze accord," because it smells just like a sea breeze. The myrtle, cedar, juniper, and mastic all harken to the type of flora you'd imagine near the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. Performance is fair, as is generally typical with AdP.

There are certain fragrances that are created with the goal of painting a picture, where each of the notes are vital in creating a tapestry that tells a story. Mirto di Panarea paints a very vivid picture for me, and it is a wonderful one at that; a calm, relaxing, sunny day on the Sicilian coast.

Big thumbs-up on this. Just beautiful.

Opens with a citrus blast that you can practically taste, not household cleaner citrus, but one that seems real and edible; a citrus salad garnished with basil.

Underneath is a neatly folded stack of freshly laundered white towels, all placed upon a table in the middle of a manicured seacoast garden. The sky is blue, the day is warm but there is a cool breeze that makes everything...comfortable.

This is good!! 9/10