ACQUA DI PARMA
COLONIA IL PROFUMO
2024
bergamot
lemon
petitgrain
orange
pineapple
lavender
ylang-ylang
neroli
Verbena
rose
cedarwood
moss
leather
patchouli
vetiver
sandalwood
‘A contemporary reinterpretation of our cherished fragrance heritage, presented in a sophisticated Eau de Parfum that exalts the vibrant, golden character of our signature citrus fruits through a refined blend of ylang ylang and patchouli.’ – Acqua di Parma
This is a magnificent release in my opinion, that elevates its predecessor and exudes quality and class.
Upon first smelling it, I figured, this is just the exact same as the original Colonia and also pretty much similar to the Acqua di Parma that I know best, Colonia Essenza. It opens with the same tart, bitter citrus, with a lot of green aspects. A lot of soapy green neroli. I don’t smell pineapple or anything to make this citrus accord stand out from the aforementioned Acqua di Parma’s.
Where this deviates quite a bit is that I get a lot more woodiness. Soft, mushy, almost powdery sandalwood and it’s excellent. It offers a softness and warmth that combats the kind of old-fashioned citrus that this line carries. It grows sweet for a Colonia ADP, but not in a bad way, but a mature, subtle and woody way with the ylang-ylang likely adding a creamy sweetness. The textures blend from powdery, to creamy, to oily on my skin, but everything wears nicely and smooth. The woodiness reminds me of one of my favorite discoveries of the year prior, Creed Jasmin Imperatrice Eugenie.
I’m surprised Colonia Il Profumo hasn’t garnered more attention; perhaps due to the confusing naming, as a lot of places just list this as Colonia, so it’s not clear that this is actually a new fragrance for 2025. A lot of first impressions online don’t give as much mention of the sweeter woodiness either, perhaps giving the impression that Colonia Il Profumo is identical to Colonia, which you’d definitely be forgiven to assume based on a quick sniff in-store or off a test-strip.
Of course, it’s not that far off, but the changes that that I perceive are working in its favor and they take this DNA from classic, to something that I would love to add to my collection. I wore Colonia Essenza quite often, but I ended up giving the bottle away, as I found it to smell a bit dated, in a way that I would picture me happily wearing it more often when my beard has turned grey. Il Profumo, is a tad more modern, smoother and perhaps less strictly traditional masculine. It’s only the start of February, but so far, Colonia Il Profumo is probably my favorite release of this season.
