Volubilis
Bruno Acampora (2013)

One of the 'older' Acamporas - this is a surprise! It outgreens Corsica Furiosa in the vegetable/herby green stakes, with a crunchy green (something like green bell pepper in feel) and non-sweet mint opening. This is a sharp green I like, something like when you snap the stalk of a daffodil. The green note is quite prominent but there must be something below it - the notes say rose and iris - I'm getting a bit of the saltiness I love in other BAs, particularly Iranzol.

This for the oil. I don't think this is 'masculine' - I'm female and like it very much - I suppose it's not feminine in a floral sense.

To me this is a 100% male scent, but nowadays perfumes tend to transcend any gender boundaries, so I can understand it being tabbed as unisex.

It's vegetal note is definately something that makes it stand out from the crowd. Smells unique, expensive, exquisite and intriguing. It's elegant, but not in a traditional way. Good sillage and longevity above average for sure. Thumbs up.

The opening is really nice, a delicate but strong rose note, so tasty and bitter it almost smells like carnation, staying up, fresh and proud in a crunchy, wet garden, a salty aldehydated touch and a "vegetable", dense tasty hear of red pepper (which almost smells of pimiento), a botanical vibrant vibe softened by a subtle base layer of amber and vanilla, delicate cedar notes which will eventually emerge better later on, and a shade of earthy notes. A cozy, velvety moment of quiet in a Mediterranean garden in the South of Italy, a realistic, simple, almost minimalist "landscape" that reminds me of some works by Ellena, with a touch of Neapolitan relax. Refined, discreet, somehow a bit pale, utterly fascinating. The evolution is quite tight, meaning that there is a linearity which just gets bitter and drier still keeping it vivid and lively, not that "dynamic" but the perfect rendition of a nap in a slightly cloudy afternoon in the garden. The drydown is delicate, with a slight dusty feel and weirdly, more aldehydated than the opening, however the composition remains sharp and clear without losing a gram of density or projection power. Overall it's a sophisticated, vibrant and cozy "botanical" scent.

7,5-8/10

Bruno Acampora Volvbilis is a distinguished aromatic chypre with an heady mint/pepper based introducing accord (supported by an high quality bergamot I suppose), an initial herbal/fruity prickly fizziness and a more conventional balmy woody rosey dry down. There is a notable grapefruit which in my opinion is flanked by nutmeg in decent amount. The woodiness is plain along the dry down but it is not a stark arid conventional woodiness while on the contrary a sort of creamy and spicy (barely gassy) one which is more "cedary" in aroma than properly in real consistency. The final part is smooth and its woody smoothness is influenced by the soothing accord of "spongy" iris and musk. The developing aroma conjures me more than vaguely the Armani Eau de Nuit's evolution with its peppery/hesperidic first stage, a soothing iris/musk/amber combo and a plain dark woodiness in the base. The dry down is intense, cedary, spicy/floral and ambery. The intense woodiness is in my opinion "coloured" and rounded by an association of tonka and sweet spices. Volvbilis is a good masculine chypre with a wonderful electric opening and a captivating woody creamy dry down slightly a la Tiziana Terenzi Gold Rose Oudh, the raw ingredients quality is plain and the aroma finally warm, balmy rosey, creamy woody, slightly musky and cozy. Good duration on my skin and a lot of compliments around.