MORESQUE
CONTESSA

2016

PERFUMER
Andrea (Thero) Casotti

Star Anise
Nutmeg
Pink Pepper
Bergamot

Ylang-Ylang
Rose
Jasmine

Tonka Bean
Vanilla
Ambroxan
Musk

Contessa is a warm spicy scent. It opens with a blast of pepper, nutmeg and anise. Underneath you instantly get a sweet warmth. It’s reminiscent to a warm sawdust-esque vibe that I also get in Clive Christian X For Men for example, but with Contessa it feels very syrupy, instead of the usual more dry warmth you get in this style.

It also smells a bit boozy to me, although no booze is listed. Overall, it’s one that sweetens up quite a bit. Whereas the spiciness is prominent at first, the vanilla and tonka (almost almondy) vibe takes over within the hour. From the spices the anise seems to linger on the most. I’ve heard and read multiple people say this leans feminine, but I get a totally opposite experience. To my nose, this smells like a lot of ‘spicy’ beard oils, for example L’Oreal’s Men Expert Barberclub that I use sometimes.

Comparisons are often made with Casamorati 1888, which is definitely a fair comparison. When I first tried Contessa last year, I instantly thought of 1888 as well. I’d say the Moresque feels more mature, more syrupy and the performance is much better, but the scent profiles are very similar. A later release that’s a lighter version of this DNA is V Canto Giambellino.

On topic of the performance, that’s where Contessa blew my mind. It’s an all day beast, with loud projection and overall easily one of the strongest performers I’ve come across.

The richness, the performance, the hand-painted bottle, a great atomizer; it all adds up to an impressive package. It retails for €340/50ml (although I often see it discounted), so it’s an expensive fragrance, but it ticks all the boxes in an effort to justify it.