I’ve been half afraid to seriously investigate the state of citrus these days. Have the new IFRA regulations destroyed my summer favorites, like Eau de Guerlain and Chanel Cristalle? If it turns out that they have — or will before they’re through — Annick Goutal’s new woody citrus, Ninféo Mio, will help to make up my new summer arsenal.
Like Annick Goutal’s last major fragrance release, Un Matin d’Orage, Ninféo Mio was inspired by a garden — in this case, a very specific garden, the Giardino di Ninfa (Ninfa garden) near Rome. The first thing you need to know about Ninféo Mio is that it’s green. Very green, from the start right through to the finish. The opening is sharp green citrus, rather acidic, and more dry than juicy — think Hermès Eau d’Orange Verte with more lemon than orange. There’s a fair amount of lavender in the early stages, and it adds an herbal cast to the scent, but it isn’t harsh or overwhelming; those of you who say lavender is a deal-breaker really ought to give this a shot anyway…
