You know the whole "scent-is-memory" thing? Sometimes I get a little tired of hearing about it, science notwithstanding. I don't even know whether it affects me, when we're talking strictly about perfume. A specific fragrance can remind me of people and prior scenarios involving that same fragrance, of course — Guerlain Shalimar will always remind me of a certain eccentric aunt, and patchouli oil of a dear college friend — but there's no memory to account for my love of roses and violets or my distaste for pear or indolic jasmine notes, for example.
Food and scent and memory, on the other hand — there you've got me. I realized again how susceptible I am to the combination of smell, taste and storytelling when I recently sampled a few scents from niche perfumer Hilde Soliani. Soliani is also a painter, a "theatrical performer," and a jewelry designer, so she's engaged in creative pursuits that engage various senses. Also, she's Italian, and so am I (half-Italian-American, at least), so she's from a culture that places food at the center of all social and familial events. (That's another cliché, but it happens to be true, in my experience.)
So when I sniffed and then dabbed her fragrance Una Tira L'Altra (whose name seems to be playing on the expression "una cosa tira l'altra," or "one thing leads to another"?), I was transported back to a long winter evening at a neighbor's dining room table, chatting with friends at the end of a home-cooked meal that he and his wife had just served, about to sip from a tiny glass of his homemade cherry liqueur. Sure enough, Una Tira l'Altra is meant as "a recreation of [Luxardo] liqueur, resulting in a fragrance that, while straightforward, conceals endless complexity of fruit-drenched flavour."
This is definitely a boozy cherry, with lots of juice; you'll have to love fruity notes on your skin to enjoy it. Since this particular fruity note is sweet yet tart, with an aromatic edge, and does not remind me of mass-market shower gels, I find it slightly addictive. I think the cherry heart is supported by some red currant and maybe a hint of juicy rose, plus a sheer musk for added warmth. I wish it lasted longer on my skin, but that's a minor complaint about a fragrance that made me remember a happy gathering and smell good.
Another gourmand fragrance from Soliani's line is Conaffetto, whose punning name combines "confetti" with "con affetto" ("with affection"). When we say "confetti" here, we don't mean the bits of colored paper tossed in celebration, but the candy-coated almonds that are traditionally given to guests at weddings and other important occasions. (Atlas Obscura has a wonderful article about confetti's long history, here.) When I was a child, my parents would bring home the tiny bon-bons of almonds that they received at weddings, as a treat for me; naturally, I later served confetti at my own wedding celebration.
Conaffetto has notes of almond, sugar and orange blossom — the traditional flower of brides and weddings. Again, this could be a love-or-hate fragrance, depending on your tolerance for sweetness. I happen to love sweet gourmand fragrances when they're well-executed, so Conaffetto is another success for me. Its powdery almond note verges on "doll head," and there might be some heliotrope in there too for good measure. The orange blossom feels candied, and there's a generous dusting of confectionary sugar, plus a vanillic base beneath the nutty and floral notes.
At this point, you may be either shuddering with distaste for this gourmand overload, or else clicking away to find a site with more information about these fragrances. I understand; they're not for everyone, but I like them a lot, both on their own merits and for the memories they evoke. They're coherent and cheerful, and they're more wearable (and less expensive) than the gourmand perfumes offered by another Italian brand, Profumum Roma. I may be reviewing one or two more Soliani scents in the near future.
Hilde Soliani Una Tira L'Altra and Conaffetto are available at Luckyscent, $160 each for 100 ml Eau de Parfum.
These sound wonderful, I think I’d probably enjoy both. I couldn’t find any information about samples on the website tho, and too much to expect they would be stocked in the UK..damn it!
I’m saving up for a holiday in Italy next year, do you know which cities the perfumes are stocked in?
I just checked the website and I don’t see a list… but I bet they’d reply if you emailed them! I’m sorry. But I’m envious of your plans to visit Italy!!
Thanks for the Confetti article Jessica! Now I am dying to visit the factory. I have always loved Conaffeto but never sprung for an FB. I wish they offered a 30ml size.
Same here…! I do love smaller bottles. I don’t wear gourmands for work, etc. but I sometimes really crave them on weekends or evenings at home!
I’ve tried samples from this line and generally liked them but haven’t gotten around to putting the time in that I would need to select one. I’ve bee unsure how they would wear on my skin, and the 100-ml bottles are a bit discouraging, even though the price per ml is so reasonable. If they came came in ELDO sizes I’d probably own more than one by now.
That cherry one sounds like fun!
I agree…if there were smaller bottles, I’d spring for one or two! For now, I’ll use up my samples and ponder. They’re fun, but not cheap-smelling or juvenile, which can be a tricky balance.
*clicks for a sample of Confetto*
Confetto actually sounds really lovely!
I have a weakness for vanilla-florals that I can wear in warmer weather! and I love the inspiration behind this one.
You’ve created lemmings, Jessica! How would you comparenthe sweetness level with that of Indult Tihota?
Oh, I’ve never tried Tihota!! Please describe!
They both do sound lovely and the bottles are totes adorable 😉
I would love to get my hands on them, if they made them in 30 ml bottles..perhaps in the future they make a package with a few bottles inside, like so many other companies do…that would be lovely 🙂
I would love to see a collection of wee Soliani bottles! Let’s hope they have that idea sometime soon!
I think cherry, sugar and almonds are amongst my least liked scent notes (though I looove to eat them).
And gourmand is a genre I struggle with. A lot.
But the way you describe these scents is so beautiful, I suddenly felt an urge to smell them 🙂 Great writing!
Oh no!! Ha, well then, this may not be the line for you…at least, many of them…because she’s definitely going through a gourmand phase right now! but maybe her Parma Violet fragrance would be something you’d like.
Thank you the compliment! 🙂
So how long did Tire Alta actually last one you?
I’m a fan of fruit liqueurs in fragrance, so this one is calling to me a bit.
And I’m right with you on the power of taste-scent memory. I have my own Hilde Soliani experience as far as that goes. Cristina, an amber vanillin patchouli reminds me very strongly of the roasted nut vendors you find around big cities (especially my hometown, Boston).
I love those roasted nut vendors who come out in cold weather! They’re definitely part of my early memories of NYC.
This fragrance lasts about 2 hours on my skin. I want to keep reapplying!
Your review reminded me that I need to try the Hilde Soliani samples that I recently purchased. I’ve been wearing Una Tira L’Altra for a couple of hours, and I’m really enjoying it. It might be FBW for me. I think that it would layer well with a rose soliflore.
I look forward to trying my sample of Sweet Parmesan Violet (also by Hilde Soliani).
Oooh, nice idea. I’m going to try layering it with rose! I always love a rose + tart red fruit combination!