Aqua Amantia Eau de Toilette

A member of the Colognes Botaniques Intense, Aqua Amantia shifts the paradigm on two scent categories at once – the traditional eau de cologne and the fruity-floral. Supervised by Jean- Claude Ellena, perfumer Hervé Gambs cleverly subs in pink grapefruit for the more bitter petitgrain and bergamot usually deployed in eaux de cologne, and hibiscus for the assorted fruits and florals normally experienced in fruity-florals. The overall effect is a scent that manages to smell fresh and fruity without being either too sharp or too cloying.

Hibiscus scents often try to compensate for the slightly green, rhubarb-y astringency of the material, with the result that they often smell like a sweet, berried tea with lots of sugar. Here, however, the perfumer has chosen to emphasize the tannic stalkiness inherent to hibiscus with grapefruit. It is a genuinely refreshing and quite original take on hibiscus. In the drydown, it becomes creamier with the addition of a soft cedarwood note, but Aqua Amantia never quite loses its fizzy brightness. And therein lies it appeal. If you want something fresh, but not sour, and something fruity, but not syrupy-sweet, Aqua Amantia is a fantastic choice. We highly recommend it!

Grapefruit, Hibiscus Absolute, Rhubarb Accord, Cedar