Colonia Mirra
Acqua di Parma (2017)

This is Acqua di Parma halfway down the slide from its once glorious position at the top of classic Italian heritage to the mosh pit of bro-pandering it's currently strutting around in. A flurry of citrus and herbs in the opening 0.02 seconds of Mirra convinces me that nothing is unforgivable and maybe AdP can claw its way back, but this is quickly drowned in that unnatural concoction that greets me in so many of the 'perfumes for the modern man' these days - a vile and droning medley of synthetically radiant Ambroxan or Iso E Super drowned in enough sticky amber syrup to fell a horse at 10 paces. The bones of Sauvage are everywhere, lurking in even the oldest, most heritage-y of brands, waiting to pop out at me. The depressing thing is, for all that Luca Turin lauds Italian perfumery as being where it's at these days, most young passers-by - women and men, professional or preppy - that I smell in Rome actually smells like this. Sweet, sugared woods that project like a thousand chemical ice picks aimed at my head. Unfortunately for me, what everyone else seems to be smelling is just something gorgeously fresh, clean, and well, yes, radiant. I can see the appeal of stuff like this for those who don't pick up on the awful grimness of those modern aromachemicals. But I feel personally attacked by Mirra and the 967 other modern masculines that smell virtually identical.

It's like a slightly better version of YSL M7 Oud. Very sweet and resin-like. In total honestly, buy the YSL one. It's cheaper and so very similar to this one that I just can't recommend the AdP Mirra.

Very warm amber with rum and something foodie-sweet. Has a modern sweetness in the opening. But the drydown is more mature, with the patchouli, dusty vanilla and resinous myrrh incense. Kinda has some similarities with LIDG. Myrrh seems to me the main player throughout and it's quite enjoyable.

It's not overly heavy on projection but could get out of hand if oversprayed. Longevity is in the 6-8 hour range.

Mirra is a perfume from the latest line of Acqua di Parma brand called Ingredient collection. It was inspired by the aromas of the cities, counties, and countries such as Milano, Venice and Iran. Mirra found its inspiration in the sunsets in Muscat (Oman) where people put lamps filled with intense and vibrant resins such as benzoin and incense on their windows. Ever since the third century, merchant caravans transported spices and resins across the desert. From Muscat to Sheba, across the Jordan, they would come to the legendary Wise man road that led to Rome. There the Orient resin was much sought after and all the ceremonies were performed with the help of these mystical ingredients whose mystery is still unrevealed but remains at the border between science and magic.

Perfume composition of Mirra is classical oriental and like all oriental perfumes, it is based on the heavy dosage of scented resin, incense and amber with modifications in form of citrus, floral or woody note. Mirra was created on the unity of differences, like all the great perfumes like Guerlain Shalimar or Bvlgari Black. Only very skillful and experienced perfumer can manage to bring together very opposite scent notes so that their aromas slide into one another entwine and still remain noticeable and independent. Mirra is a union of citrus notes and orange flower on one side and benzoin, amber and patchouli on the other side, while in the heart of the perfume lays nutmeg.

One of the most important parts in training young noses who which to become perfumer is learning on the great creations of old. Following their compositions, relations, use of ingredients, a young perfumer can learn more than from the books and can gain a sense of harmony, just like young musicians learn from famous composers. By adding or removing certain elements, they can make successful perfumes, just by watching old masters. That is the case with Mirra. If I had to describe this perfume in two words it would be male Shalimar. It has an almost identical scent, fragrance design, impression. Mirra is a perfume for men who cannot or will not admit they love Shalimar and would want to wear it but can't because it is a female fragrance, despite the fact that oriental vanilla in Shalimar has not sex nor any other determinant. Shalimar was made in Paris but it was made for entire mankind. But if you need a confirmation of your masculinity from a perfume, then choose this oriental treat. It is ideal for fall and winter days when the relish and juice of amber are mixed with the mystic aura of benzoin and incense. That combination moved people 2500 years ago and will move them now.

For a line I enjoy and respect AdP Colonial Mirra begs the question "what were they thinking?" when concocting this? AdP normally does citrus notes as well as any line, but the citrus top in Mirra gets destroyed by too much petitgrain, a note that I've come to realize is not something I like a lot of. It almost makes the citrus seem like a cheap synthetic instead of what one would expect from an AdP scent. After the opening all I get is an AMen like nutmeg, and screechy patchouli. It seems like there's perhaps an amber or rum note laying underneath that isn't listed, but is trying and failing to pull down the dirty patchouli. In the end this whole thing smells cheap and uninspired. For AdP I'm calling this one a mistake, and think they should go back to what they do best with citrus clean fragrances. Leave this stuff to Mugler and department store counters.

WHAT a disappointment! Not an incense scent at all. A warm cookie gourmand scent, just the sort of thing I detest.
Very amber at the outset. Sweet and foody, with a warm bakery spice rack on display.
Smells a bit shrill and unpleasant.
Where is the citrus? Where is the myrrh?
After a raucous and discordant opening, it settles into a tamer spice aquatic blend that is quite uninspired.