Blu Mediterraneo Mirto Di Panarea

Quite a banger of a unisex fragrance. The basil and oceanic touch really stands out to me, like a tall chilled glass of lemon soda with basil in the sweltering weather. Otherwise, it feels like a pricier version of CK One, as they share a couple of top, middle and bottom notes (we can get CK One at very discounted prices here in Hong Kong, say 150 HKD / 19 USD and Mirto di Panarea is 850 HKD / 108 USD both for 100ml). The jasmine and rose emerging as it settles onto the skin is pleasant. Very briefly do I get hints of soapiness like Ghost in the Shell by Etat Libre D’Orange around 30-40 minutes after spraying. It’s a light, airy and citrusy scent perfect for summer and year round if you prefer wearing something lighter. It’s got intimate projection and weak longevity, so that’s something to take into consideration given its price point.

One of my best discoveries this year. I smelled almost whole Blue Mediterraneo line and this one and Fico di Amalfi are best 2. I decided to buy full bottle due to uniqueness. This strong myrtle flower smell with citruses is something very very nice. When i traveled by train recently, 2 ladies asked me what am wearing, they loved it. For me its uplifting chill experience, flowery style but not girly or too barbershopy. Suitable also for high heat. Longevity 4-5 hours, first 2 hours strong projection what i consider good for this type of scents. Am very happy with this addition, i have it 4 months third of the bottle is already gone. My mark is 8,5 / 10

Mirto di Panarea is the other AdP scent that has wowed me, along with Cipresso di Toscana. Maybe I'll tie them both in first place from this house. MdP is green, mild, and hardly blue (the sea notes in heart), but suits warm weather just fine. Office safe, works just as well in if you're wearing it to a formals occasion as it does for a shorts/chinos by a beachside cafe. While inoffensive, I wouldn't say it's a safe blind buy, try a sample before you commit to larger bottle. Performance isn't great being an EDC but 1-2hrs on it's there as a skin scent up to 5hrs, so it's close to many EDTs and even some EDPs.

Rose is a perfect addition to the myrtle note, which is equally like a flower stem and a citrus peel. The green facet of rose, as if it magically grew there, between the other shrubs on the coast, mixed with persistent and somehow primordial sea breeze. I can also smell strong juniper and some creamy soapiness from a distance. Mirto easily speaks summer and sun, but would work under cloudy skies, too: it is more of a location than a season. There's an interplay going on between roughness and subtlety. Me, I can never get tired of smelling shrubs and trees growing near the sea.

I've owned all the Blu Mediterraneo fragrances and for me this one is the gem of that collection. If the goal of those fragrances is to be evocative of a specific place, this one achieves it best. It's like misty mountain air mingling with a coastal breeze. Piney, herbal, and citrusy. It has very good longevity, sticks around eight hours while retaining its original character.