Friday, July 3, 2015

Acqua di Parma Acqua Nobile Rosa: fragrance review & giveaway

It's pink! 

This exclamation can be taken two distinct ways. It either beckons lovers of all stuff girly
or it scares hardcore perfumephiles with their anticipated suspicion hardened through years of insipid fruity florals that would be better used as shampoo. Thankfully Acqua Nobile Rosa isn't either too fluff, nor a fruity floral. It's a pure, crystalline, airy wisp of a scent, as ethereal as wind chimes heard through an early morning breeze.


With Acqua di Parma issuing a newer interpretation of their previous Rosa Nobile in their Acqua Nobile line of scents one might expect a rehashing of the same formula, only turned lighter. But in fact Acqua Nobile Rosa is a new composition, certainly more ethereal, yet managing to differentiate itself enough to warrant testing both.

Rosa Nobile is a cool and straight-up rose petals fragrance, a ballet slipper of a smell rather than an exuberant Nahema (Guerlain) red Jimmy Choo pump or a moiré slingback in the fruity green style of Sa Majeste la Rose (Serge Lutens). It's not retro, but it's not bastardized either, the way some of my favorite rose fragrances are, i.e. sprinkled with loukhoum rosewater (Mohur extrait), dense with spice and patchouli (Aromatics Elixir, Voleur de Roses) or plain resinous goddess-like (Caron's Parfum Sacre). It's never easy making a true rose scent, so Rosa Nobile is not unworthy of mentioning as a relative success, especially given how jammy the pure absolute of rose can smell.

Acqua Nobile Rosa on the other hand is more like the air floating above a rose bush, with a perceptible citrus and blackcurrant tinge, tart and a little bit tangy. Blackcurrant buds have an illustrious and infamous history in perfumery, what with them being used to great aplomb in First by Van Cleef & Arpels (where they open the scene to the animalic smelling background beneath the posh French style perfume) and their ammoniac feel reminiscent of a kitty cat. 
But do not fear. It's pink. How wrong could it go? 

The airy, electrical buzzing (i.e. freesia) but prolonged -thanks to large musk molecules- drydown is very soft, lightly powdery (a hint of makeup aroma), lightly sweet and the rose is retained throughout; it's as if one is catching the whiff of a rose garden next door rather than hiding one's nose amidst the bushes. I'm OK with that.

Capturing the serene beauty of a stroll in an Italian rose garden, Acqua Nobile Rosa Eau de Toilette is a radiant fragrance for women. This sparkling Eau de Toilette focuses on the lighter, brighter aspects of the rose garden with notes of mandarin, blackcurrant, rose and ambergris. A veritable symphony of enchanting accords capturing both the vibrant and ethereal facets of the Italian Centifolia Rose, famed for its incomparable beauty. 

Fragrance notes for Acqua Nobile Rosa by Acqua di Parma:
Top: Bergamot, Mandarin, Blackcurrant
Heart: Damask rose, Centifolia rose, Cyclamen, Freesia
Base: Ambergris, Musk

Related reading on Perfume Shrine:


I have a full bottle of this from which a 5ml decant has been taken for a lucky reader. 
Please enter a comment below this post to enter. Draw is open internationally and closes on Sunday 5th midnight. 

In the interests of full disclosure I got this through a PR promo. 


35 comments:

  1. Lovely light air in pink, bergamot, mandarin and blackcurrant ... a few of my favorite things.

    Tom Ford Black Violet and something pink.

    Happiness.

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  2. Anonymous13:54

    O! Sounds nice! I would like to try it.

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  3. Sounds just like the scent I was looking for for summer wear in the office. Please sign me up for the draw, if it's possible.
    (hope I'm doing this right)

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  4. Tubéreuse Rouge20:04

    'Pink it's not even a question', right? I tend to shy away from 'big' roses... so a 'pink' rose might be just the one. Thank you for the draw.

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  5. The lightness and airiness of this sound absolutely fantastic - especially during oppressive heat where I find heavy scents can make me feel suffocated. Thanks for the lovely review and the draw!

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  6. The lightness and airiness of this sound absolutely fantastic - especially during oppressive heat where I find heavy scents can make me feel suffocated. Thanks for the lovely review and the draw!

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  7. A sparkling rose like this one sounds wonderful. And you've reminded me to put a bottle of rosewater in the refrigerator for cooling off on warm days.

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  8. This sounds like a wonderful fresh rose perfume. I think the citrus/rose combination provides a nice change from headier rose accords. Thanks very much for the review and draw!

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  9. This sounds absolutely fabulous for summer! I love your windchime metaphor too, so evocative. I would love to try this, brings to mind a summer garden of freesias, roses and yes a windchime! I love all those things would love to try.

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  10. This would be a nice pick in hot summer day...........thanks!!!

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  11. puhfume06:20

    I love the EDP. I'm excited to try this one. Thanks for the draw.

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  12. It sounds lovely!

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  13. This sounds like a perfect scent to help get through our current heat wave! Thank you for the draw.

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  14. flowergirlbee!08:08

    hooray!! this sounds lovely..i am a big fan of rose,blackcurrant,mandarin and freesia..thanks so much for the giveaway : )

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  15. Anonymous09:41

    wow! sure would love to smellnthis on my skin!!

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  16. Miss Heliotrope11:05

    If nothing else, I have nothing pink, and obviously need to rectify this.

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  17. Rosa Nobile is lovely. I have a decant of it that I wore all spring. Thank you for this drawing. You and The Candy Perfume Boy have made this new pink version sound wonderful.
    --Suzy Q

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  18. Your description has me swooning! I love anything rose or rosa because of my name. It reminds me of when we were kids we had one rose bush, in the shade, the pungent smell of the damp earth and the sweet rose would waft up into your nose so special. How I would adore this! When I want a lift, I go to Nordstroms and sniff their fragrances - I would love to actually have one, and this one is so wonderful!

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  19. Your description has me swooning! I love anything rose or rosa because of my name. It reminds me of when we were kids we had one rose bush, in the shade, the pungent smell of the damp earth and the sweet rose would waft up into your nose so special. How I would adore this! When I want a lift, I go to Nordstroms and sniff their fragrances - I would love to actually have one, and this one is so wonderful!

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  20. I love unique and interesting rose fragrance. Thank you for the draw!

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  21. mmm, do please enter me in the drawing. i'm glad you reviewed this! i would have overlooked it fearing that it would match its color, but the description sounds lovely. seems like a beautiful rose for summer.

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  22. Irina19:56

    Sounds lovely! I wonder how it would compare to my favourite Rose Splendide by Annick Goutal, so I'd really like to try it.

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  23. annsmith20:05

    tempting !! i love rose so much. andy tauer's rose vermielle is my favorite. also love montale roses elixir. and many more. this one sounds like a definite addition to the bunch. would love to win. thank you

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  24. Anonymous05:21

    Ethereal is a key word that attracts me to this blush. Tried writing twice now with no success via Google. Trying again. Love your blog.
    Caitlin E.N.

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  25. Lili Bitmore08:36

    Thank you for the draw, all in. Love these comments, thanks for the fridge reminder. The last rose of Summer, or the rose of last Summer, was the from perfumers apprentice.

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  26. Lili Bitmore08:37

    Thank you for the draw, all in. Love these comments, thanks for the fridge reminder. The last rose of Summer, or the rose of last Summer, was from the
    perfumer's apprentice.

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  27. Rose petals? Ballet slippers? Sign me up!

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  28. I tried it, I loved it, and I want it!
    Tough is the time when I decide not to wear roses, because I do love them, but I have to be considerate in my working environment. Most of Bulgarians do not approve of rose fragrances, though the Bulgarian rose is one of the most famous national prides. So my beloved rose perfumes wait for better times, when I can be free to wear that damascena or centifolia magic. Somehow, Aqua Nobile Rosa felt both rosey, and non-rosey, crispy, sparkling and safe for my job surroundings. I would be very glad if I could wear it freely at work!
    Thanks for the chance, Elena!

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  29. Seems like the ulitmate summer scent.

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  30. From your description, this sounds lovely - the ultimate summer scent. Would love a chance to try it. Thank you :-)

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  31. Mpachta17:23

    I tried Rosa Noblie recently and found it to be quite lovely and tenacious despite its delicacy. I'd love to try this formulation! Thank you for the draw!

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  32. This sounds really nice for all the hot weather we're having. Might even motivate me to brave the daylight hours :)
    Please include me in the draw.

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