Perfume Review: Escale a Portofino by Christian Dior

Escale a Portofino by Christian Dior was launched in 2008 and it is the first fragrance of a perfume line inspired by trips around the world with a cruise ship. For this fragrance in particular, the place is Portofino, a popular (and high-class) sea-side resort in the Italian south Riviera.
The official notes for this perfume for women are: bergamot, lemon, petit de grain extract, and almond.

The opening is pure citrus (it reminds of the freshest fragrance of the Poison perfumes, Tendre) in the style of traditional cologne, but with ingredients which are clearly superior in quality and intensity. The citrus is the result of a variety of less common fruits, like bergamot and neroli. In the middle notes, the citrus is still dominant, but the balance between the ingredients changes, with less presence of lemon and more of lemon blossom, on a vaguely herbal base: this is where the perfume style veers away from a traditional cologne. The almond note is aldehydic and mixed with ferns, much less dry than in other versions. Although there is a trace of lemon in the background, there are green neutral notes of wood, towards ginger. The final notes have slightly sweet traces, like musk with fresh almonds, with also hints of aromatic citrus.

This fragrance has the style of a classic cologne, but with a more complex and sophisticated personality, which makes it stand out from the average. The lemon notes are elegant and classic, good for the summer, but with enough trail to be used only in special occasions. Whereas the opening reminds of weekends and sun holidays, the middle phase is softer, more suitable for closed spaces. Although the lemon notes are pleasant and feminine, the fragrance was not created with a romantic purpose in mind (like, for example Fahrenheit perfume). The age range would be high, starting from 30 years and going up until 60.

For more and more reviews about all sorts of perfume, check-out my blog.

Leave a Reply

Categories