Aqua Allegoria Bergamote Calabria

This will be my go-to scent for Spring/Summer. The fragrance launches with vibrant, zesty orange, lemon, and citrus notes that gradually give way to a subtle bergamot, accompanied by a woodier and cardamom-infused dry down. While the sillage and longevity are reasonable, lasting around half a day, this makes it suitable for office wear. What I appreciate most is the absence of sugary sweetness, which I find overwhelming; instead, this fragrance exudes refinement, sophistication, and timelessness - characteristics that resonate with me as a 50-year-old professional woman seeking a scent that reflects my maturity.

Tremendously overpriced, yet the scent is truly exquisite - bergamot is a hallmark of Guerlain's perfumes and they excel at capturing its essence. The opening is crisp, with mouth-watering sweetness that surprisingly works for me despite my usual aversion to sweet fragrances; it's refreshing in the dry down, akin to a revitalizing ginger lemonade. My only wish is for greater longevity, though it does last an acceptable 3-4 hours as an EDT and clings well to clothing. I managed to snag this on sale with a discount, paying £53, which still feels steep considering its moderate duration - but the scent's inherent beauty won me over. This perfume shines in summer, particularly for those who like to rotate their scents seasonally.

I tested this perfume at a store and wore it for a few hours. The opening notes are decent, quite citrusy and evoke memories of cleaning products. Unfortunately, the dry-down has an unpleasantly sweet and chemical quality that makes it unwearable for me 😐

The scent lacks femininity in my view. Acqua di Parma has created a more appealing fragrance within this category. Not unpleasant, yet somewhat unremarkable. A straightforward citrus-based masculine perfume.

I recently gave Bergamote Calabria a try at a local department store and applied it to my skin. The bergamot note is surprisingly gentle and subtle, unlike Shalimar's bold and overpowering citrus burst. I also detected a pleasant hint of ginger and a touch of sweetness, which I think is due to the combination of white musk and petitgrain notes with floral undertones. While I don't find it as masculine as some reviewers have suggested, I do think it leans more towards femininity. Overall, it's an okay perfume, but not particularly impressive - although my impression may be influenced by my disappointment with most Aqua Allegorias so far 😊