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7 Best Acqua di Parma Colognes (2023) Full Review

Acqua di Parma.

A true gentleman’s brand.

This review will describe the seven best Acqua di Parma colognes for men. I will detail their smell, performance, and anything else you need to know. Acqua di Parma cologne’s most notable aspect is its high-quality aromas for mid-range designer prices.

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#7 – Blu Mediterraneo Mandarlo di Sicilia

The opening is defined by its smooth sweetness and slightly fizzy nature. It may be intriguing to find that the beginning of the wear has a root beer float-like nature. The first few minutes are fleeting notes of orange.

Quickly, it transitions to an almond and vanilla duo with star anise spice undertones. All three of these more dominant notes are very well-blended. Working in unison to create the root beer float-like quality. Now, the smell is not 1:1, but it is reminiscent.

After some time, vanilla gains a powdery, sugary, sweet nature and is the most prominent of the duo. Almond is still present but sits in the background. At this point, the perfume is very light and airy. Blessing many with your gourmand aroma.

Mandarlo di Sicilia lasts six to seven hours on the skin with intimate projection. From the first spray, it pushes out one to two feet and remains so for the rest of the wear. This is all season and occasion wear except the coldest days of winter and hottest days of summer.

#6 – Blu Mediterraneo Mirto di Panarea

The opening is all about zesty citrus, myrtle, and other florals. These citruses have a high-quality pungency, while the florals head in more of an herbal direction. It isn’t a unique duo, but their accents stand out.

Within a few minutes, there’s an addition of basil that brings a fresh, aromatic nature. It settles into the florals nicely, amplifying the herbalness of the fragrance. A clean aquatic aroma lingers in the background. Mirto di Panarea is never an aquatic fragrance but has the accents to make it exceptionally clean.

I wish the dry-down was more complex. The clean, herbal-floral combination dominates, while woody nuances linger in the background. This is what you’ll smell for the rest of the wear.

This only lasts about four hours on the skin with intimate projection. The first one to two hours pushes out a foot at its peak. After this period, it becomes a skin scent for the rest of the wear. This is exclusively late spring and summer wear for casual situations.

#5 – Blu Mediterraneo Bergamotto di Calabria

Bergamotto di Calabria has arguably the best opening on this list. It is an extremely fresh and authentic combination of bright lemon, bold citron, and cool bergamot. It’s comforting on the skin with a refreshing nature, like a cold lemonade on a hot day.

I love the tartness of citron as it gives the fragrance “bite” to grab attention but doesn’t use many spicy notes. Within a few minutes, you can smell the woody cedar and vetiver notes underneath. They give depth and help temper the intensity of the citruses.

The dry-down has no depth. It’s a jumble of soapy, musky, powdery, woody, and fresh accents for the rest of the wear.

This lasts two to three hours on the skin with intimate projection. From the first spray, it is an intimate scent. It is exclusively summer wear and for casual situations.

#4 – Colonia EDC

The opening is a blast of vividly authentic lemon and orange. It is mature and sophisticated. It feels like something a 1920s gentleman with a fedora hat would wear. It soon develops into a semi-woody note enhanced by fresh herbal aromatics.

After a while, the top notes still linger with the addition of soft floral notes. They are clean and subtle, making the fragrance unisex but still on the masculine side. Into the dry down, it is a woody and earthy base with a soapy nature. It emphasizes cleanliness and has an almost aftershave-type feel.

A simple and mature scent. It leans towards an aftershave rather than a men’s cologne.

Colonia EDC lasts five to six hours on the skin, with light projection. It has a two-foot scent bubble for a large beginning of the wear. This is spring and summer wear. It doesn’t have the depth to last in the cooler weather. As for occasions, it is all. 

#3 – Oud EDP

Oud is present from the start. It progressively gets more intense for the rest of the wear. It is fresh and dark. It doesn’t weigh the scent down much. Sparkling bergamot and orange are the reason the oud maintains this lightness. They grab attention and make this scent more wearable.

Within a few minutes, oud starts to come thoroughly with its authentic faucets. There are dirty and animalic tinges, but they still maintain quality. Think of the dirtiness as dark and masculine rather than stinky.

The citruses are completely gone not long into the heart. The dry down has creamy sandalwood and subtle musk anchored by dark oud wood. This is what you’ll get for the rest of the wear.

The longevity is in the nine to ten-hour range. It’s much better than your typical Acqua di Parma. The projection is an arm’s length for two hours. After this period, it recedes to about two feet until hour six, and the rest of the wear is a subtle ambiance.

I love the sillage of Oud EDP the most. This dense fragrance hangs in the air while you move around. This is early spring, fall, and winter wear for all occasions.

#2 – Blu Mediterraneo Fico di Amalfi

This fragrance is straightforward, only consisting of a few notes. The opening is a blast of various citruses. None really overpower the others. It comes across as bright, zesty, and zingy to my nose. In the background, I smell glimpses of mild spice from the mint. Yet, it is all about the fresh and clean citruses at first.

Fico di Amalfi lacks a heart and transitions right into the dry down. The citruses have receded. A strong fig note has taken its position, bringing creamy cedar. The fig has a fruity nature but never comes across as overwhelmingly sweet. The cedar background helps soothe it.

The rest of the wear is just this duo with citric nuances.

Fico di Amalfi lasts five hours on the skin with intimate projection. From the first spray, it pushes out one to two feet and remains so for the rest of the wear. This is exclusively late spring and summer wear. As for occasions, it is all. 

#1 – Essenza di Colonia

The first 5 minutes are all about the lemon and grapefruit duo. Supported by an orange blossom backbone. The orange accent is not prominent. Instead, it amplifies the citric nature and provides balance with its white floral accents.

After this period, things started to lighten up. A light and green accent makes its way in without undermining the citruses. It helped the cologne transition from a citrus focus to a fresher one.

As the scent progresses, I can tell that this is classically inspired. The mid is all about white florals. At this point, I can only pick up Neroli, while others support the floralness. None of these smell feminine but rather emphasize the freshness from before.

In the dry down, Neroli dominates while a green and musk tinge lingers in the background. The rest of the wear is this trio.

Essenza lasts 6 – 8 hours on the skin with average but consistent projection. The first few hours create a subtle ambiance of one to two feet around you. This is an excellent choice for the spring and summer. Even in the early fall, this can be worn. As for occasions, it is for all.

Final Words

The final burning question is, are Acqua di Parma colognes worth it? Yes. Many of them have poor performance. I agree this is a downfall, but the quality and price make up for many. I recommend having at least one Acqua di Parma cologne in your collection.

After you try an Acqua di Parma Cologne, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

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