Perfume Review: Acqua di Parma Blu Mediterraneo Fico di Amalfi

Review by Tom

With all of the postings about the top tens of summer, I thought I would post one that did not make the list. Added in 2006 to the seemingly endless series of Blu Mediterraneo series from this venerable house, Fico di Amalfi opens with an initial soapiness, which is immediately shoved aside by the light citrus peel: one can smell bergamot, orange and meyer lemon. Although it's not listed, I smell a faint greenness in there, like parsley. They insist that there is fig in there, I suppose that the slightly sweet green scent that I am identifying as "parsley and inoffensive" could be construed as fig. Well, if you'd never eaten one. They also mention jasmine, musk and woods, but the scent pooped out before it ever got to that phase. I got a vague aquatic base in the drydown that was, er, nice.

Well, I am perfectly willing to admit that I am a hard sell: I am jaded and spoiled by the fact that I have stores from Barneys and Neimans to ScentBar and All Purpose to feed my jones for the ever more outre. Tell me that your perfume smells of Tiare flower, yak urine and sea mud and I am right there saying "gimme". I am perfectly willing to accept that it's unfair for me to judge the house by the brilliance of the original Acqua di Parma. Having written that, if this was the latest CKwhatever I would be singing its praises. As it is I will mark it as "pleasant", but no, I will not be tempted to purchase a full bottle.

Fico di Amalfi is available at the sellers of Acqua di Parma: where the original, divine Colonia is $111 for 6 ounces. Fico is available at $92 for 4 ounces. Fico is nice. The original is brilliant to the point where you will want to bathe in it. The original is Cary Grant. Fico is Cary Elwes. Cary Elwes is yummy. Cary Grant was way yummier. You be the judge.