06/27/2013

Gold
470 Reviews

Gold
3
A faint shadow
The good old "Roma" from 19888 was a fully-rounded perfume, with a sparkling prelude of Italian bergamot, grapefruit, mandarine and an unmistakable signature. The latest follow-up product is no "essence" of the old "Roma" at all, but a faint shadow. The gorgeous mandarine top-note smells startlingly lifelike, but there is nothing much to follow. On a background of vanilla and artificial sandalwood, I can perceive some almondy notes, but the entire scent is incredibly fleeting and not as energetic as the old "Roma". "Essenza di Roma" is a reticent perfume, and a rather pianissimo one at that. Yes, the first whiff of this scent is a pleasure, but the core, the backbone, the heart - where is it?