CASAMORATI
DAMA BIANCA

2012

Kumquat
Lime

Iris
Violet
Jasmine
Lilac
Lily-of-the-Valley

Vanilla
Malt
Ambrette
White Musk
Sandalwood
Cedar

Dama Bianca (White Lady) is described as a floral woody musk scent, but that’s not how I perceived it. Although the florals, wood and musk are all there, it opens with a bright citrus-like fruitiness from the kumquat. I’m afraid I’ve never smelled actual kumquat, but the scent here is very nice. It’s somewhere between lemon and mandarine and it feels more like a syrup or soft drink, rather than actual fruit.

Combined with a burst of vanilla, this feels like a brighter cousin of Casamorati’s excellent Lira in their openings. Don’t expect a full-on gourdmand sweetness like in Lira though, Dama Bianca keeps hovering between fruit, musk, wood, sweet and floral en never commits to one direction. It does remain rather bright and fresh; in the first hour(s) you have the citrus as one of the main players, but even after that, it doesn’t become heavy or dark. The vanilla is very light and almost powdery, while the musk stays on the clean and feminine leaning side. To my nose, I can picture this being one of those sweeter shampoo or body milk scents.

I think Dama Bianca is very pleasant, great for warmer weather. It performs reasonably well, although of course the punch of the citrus fades quickly. I do think Lira is a bit more of a love for me and an easier recommendation, especially for gourmand lovers. As someone who owns Lira, I wouldn’t mind having Dama Bianca in my collection one day as well.