Perfumer Francesca Bianchi lives in Amsterdam but her perfumes are produced and bottled in Italy. Over the last months, I've heard lots of positive mentions of her Etruscan Water* fragrance online and found myself some samples. Bianchi describes Etruscan Water like this:
...being born and raised in Tuscany, we could go to the beach in the South of the region, where hundreds of years ago our forefathers, the Etruscans, used to live. In order to access ... the most stunning, well hidden small bays...offering the most transparent water, there was a 30 minute walk through the woods. The smell of typical Mediterranean vegetation is charming and, if you are lucky...you could bump into a wild boar — or even some remains of the Etruscan civilization. The salty, refreshing smell of the sea soothes you from the heat of the sun that is warming up your skin. The second source of inspiration is my personal research on masterpieces of perfumery, as I have recently been intrigued by the classical masculine citrus-y cologne — not the light ones, but those with a strong character.
What can I say? If there's one place I'd like to leave for TODAY, it's Italy, and Bianchi's description is refreshing and apt. Etruscan Water is an old-fashioned (in the best sense) rustic rendition of liquor-y citrus colognes of yore...the ones that didn't disappear in minutes after application, the ones with a touch of perspiration (salty and sexy). When I let my spouse smell it, he said it reminded him of vintage Jean Patou perfumes — a high compliment.
Etruscan Water starts with a burst of petitgrain, syrupy citrus and immortelle (it would make a wonderful summer liqueur; just add sparkling water or prosecco). For all its sweetness, the perfume is bracing and lusty. In mid-development, Etruscan Water presents an interesting, 'jubilant' accord: floral (lots of jasmine), verdant, with a root-y touch (the iris?) Ambergris-musk and oakmoss round out the perfume and usher in a reunion of sorts of all that's gone before (just lighter in character, a bit talc-y). But: Etruscan Water is not a light cologne; this is a fragrance in which all phases of development have weight and excellent projection and lasting power. I'm thinking 30 ml of Etruscan Water would last a long time.
Francesca Bianchi Etruscan Water Extrait de Parfum is €98 for 30 ml. It's available in the US at Indigo Perfumery for $135; Indigo also offers samples for purchase.
*Listed fragrance notes include bergamot, unripe tangerine, grapefruit, petitgrain, basil, caraway, immortelle, jasmine, iris, ambergris, musk, labdanum, vetiver and oakmoss.
Hi Kevin!
When I smelled Etruscan Water I was reminded of Dior Eau Sauvage from the times before heavy reformulations.
Do you get that vibe too?
Hi, Lucas…I saw you mention this one twice on your blog so that intrigued me enough to get samples. (so, thank you!)
Etruscan Water doesn’t remind me of Eau Sauvage (there’s not that indolic punch I love so much in Eau Sauvage…but the mossy extreme dry-down is similar). I’ve been wearing ES since I was a teenager…through all the reformulations and go through a 50 ml bottle each summer…I still enjoy it.
Oh cool! I’m glad it was something I posted that got you interested in the scent.
This one goes on my must-try list for sure. I adore by-the-sea smells and traditional colognes as well. Am very interested to sniff and learn if the immortelle is prominent or subdued. Thank you for the review!
Tiffanie: I’d say the immortelle is on the subdued side…not a “star” as it were.
thanks, Kevin! that’s what i’m hoping for.
Great review, Kevin. I like this one very much myself. It has a classic vibe yet feels new and modern too. I don’t think I’ll need a full bottle of it, as there are other FB perfumes that feel more “me.” Possibly Lost in Heaven will be the first of her bottles to be added to my collection. I’d love to see you or someone else at NST review more of hers.
the rabbitsflower: I do have more samples from the line so we shall see!
And low, a lemming is born!
datura: sample first, ha!
Sounds very unique – I had not heard of this line at all before reading your review.
Do you have any idea what that “freefall” word means on the bottle label at the top?
Mike: it’s a subset of perfumes in her overall collection…sort of like Armani’s “Prive” or Tom Ford’s “Private Blend.”