Aqua Allegoria Bergamote Calabria

Bergamote Calabria is this year's new entry to Guerlain's Aqua Allegoria line. These perfumes are made for summer's hot weather and are usually cheerful and light.  Last year's entry, Aqua Allegoria Pera Granita leaned more feminine. This year the scale swings back to a slightly more masculine scent.

Bergamot oil comes from the skin of the bergamot which is grown on the southern tip of Italy's boot in the Calabria province. A full ninety percent of the world's bergamot oil comes from this area. Most of the oil goes to the perfume industry and the next biggest usage is for Earl Grey tea.

Bergamote Calabria starts off with a strong burst of neroli and bergamot, no surprise. It is clean smelling in the manner of a really expensive Italian bar of soap. If I was traveling in Italy I would like my hotel bathroom to be old style opulent and I would expect the soap to smell something like this. Soapy citrus is just a smell I associate with Italy. This scent has a zesty opening and would keep you feeeling fresh on a hot day. I picture a man, freshly scrubbed and immaculately groomed, wearing a crisp white shirt, hair still damp from the shower. Bergamote Calabria feels like a little bit of sunshine.

Of course Bergamote Calabria would be just as refreshing on a woman. I am going to Spain in August and everyone seems intent on telling me how miserably hot it's going to be, what a crowded and horrible time to go, and can't I change my plans. (I can't, it's someone's birthday).  I imagine a spray of this would be a good pick-me-up after a day of trudging around the Alhambra.

I like this perfume well enough although it offers nothing earthshaking or new. It is bergamot, petit grain, more bergamot. Then some ginger and cardamom which quite honestly I don't smell unless I really, really use my imagination. Lastly it fades to soft musk and wood. On my skin the initial bergamot opening was quite strong and lasted for a while. After that it just faded pretty quickly to a musk tinged with citrus; that is what the Aqua Allegoria line is meant to do, however, so this is not surprising. They are made to be crisp, cooling, and fleeting. I quite enjoyed the initial opening of the perfume but Fragrantica reviewers disagreed, and I admit, no one is breaking new ground here. However if you're in need of a crisp cooling cologne and want to smell like a wealthy Italian have I got a scent for you.

Top two photos, google image. Last photo: www.thefashiontag.com. Sample courtesy of Tangs Singapore.