Perfume Review & Musings: Melograno Selvatico by I Profumi di Firenze

Melograno Selvatico means "wild pomegranate" in Italian and refers more particularly here to the pomegranate tree blossom. According to I Profumi di Firenze, the fragrance is based on a 16th century recipe. This is another one in a series of fragrances from their collection which attempts to replicate an antique perfume formula and harks back to the era of the splendor of the Medici.

The line is understated (they do not even seem to have a website; please correct me if I'm wrong) but I find their creations to be consistently interesting as often their perfumes present touches of unmistakable individuality.......

They are also very good quality scents. Another trait I find appealing about them is that they develop very well; they will not start off with a fanfare and then let you down mid-course, stranded in an olfactory purgatory. They actually have a tendency to do the contrary; they would rather underwhelm you at first and then become more interesting with time. On me their staying power is moderate.

Melograno Selvatico starts off with a fresh, green, even balsamic accord that evokes fir. Then it becomes sweeter and turns into succulent flowers for a short while; I detect exotic smells, frangipani and coconut among others. Further down the road it becomes very fruity; I wouldn't be suprised if there were black currant and grapefruit notes because it smells very similar to Fragonard Eau Fantasque. At this point I am thinking that this fruity accord is a bit too conventional, it feels like déjà smelled. However, the next stage becomes more interesting; the scent takes on darker overtones and this is the place where I think of the deep, dark red color of the pomegranate fruit. Just before, I was invited to visualize the pulp of the fruit, now I am led to imagine the outer red and brown layers of the pomegranate. it develops body, becomes spicier, and if it is still sweet at this point, it now evokes dry fruits rather than fresh, juicy ones.

The darker coloring of this passage is also due to the entrance of a subtle chocolatey accord. It soon evolves enough to let you identify this chocolate reference as being cocoa butter. The base remains sweet and dry with vanillic, ambery and balmy (waxy) notes. The drydown resembles a lot that of Poupee by Rochas, but I prefer this one as it is sweeter, slightly powdery, making you think of dark spices and deeply-colored dry fruits.

It is a nice fragrance, with more personality at the end than at the beginning. It is too soon to say whether I will crave it or not, but there is certainly an element of attraction for me in this fragrance. I can see Melograno Selvatico more as a mood fragrance than as a perfume I would want to wear continually. Ambra del Nepal is one from the same line that I would want to wear for the longer run.

You can find it for $79 at Luscious Cargo, Beauty Habit, La Creme Beauty.

Photo is from Luscious Cargo