A couple of days ago, our friend S, who recently returned from his trip to Italy, asked in a group chat:
S: It has been a while. Anyone allergic to truffles?
A (another friend): … he said with hope in his voice
I (Undina): I won’t even ask what kind of truffles since my answer will be the same: nope
S: This Saturday, let’s put it to the test, along with some gluten
First, we picked up some Italian biscotti and torrone to bring with us for dessert. Then my vSO chose an Italian variety wine from our collection. And then I thought that it would be great to also wear a perfume from an Italian brand.
Saturday Question #281:
Do You Own Any Italian Perfumes?
What is your favorite? How about any perfumes with a truffle note?
My Answer
I was so excited when I came up with the idea and the question. But then I suddenly blanked out: what do I own? I knew that I had some, but the only brand I could remember without looking it up in my database was Xerjoff, so I decided that I would wear Irisss. But then I went to the database… Duh… I have at least 10 more full bottles of perfumes from Italian brands, not counting decants that I bought to wear. Surprisingly, only 4 perfumes in my DB had truffle listed as a note, but I do not own a bottle of any of them, and they were not from an Italian brand, so I didn’t consider them.
I will not list all of Italian or truffle perfumes I discovered to allow you all to come with your own lists. But I’ll share that in the end, I changed my mind and chose to wear Armani Prive La Femme Bleue.
Undina's Looking Glass 
Great question! I actually thought about this recently, while I was driving. I have a couple of Italian scents but they’re so opulent and glamorous I’m not sure I can support them emotionally. I have the Dolce and Gabbana red cap, made in Italy, red top fragrance. It has everything in a bottle. I think you’d need to be Monica Belluci for that one. I also have some Pradas which are easier to wear-the amber one (why was it discontinued), which is gorgeous, the Iris one, which I love, the original scent in the square bottle with the bulb, and their Cuir Ambre, which has every possible ingredientstuffed into a perfect tiny square glass bottle which has a cute Bakelite cap. I share my love of Cuir ambre with Hillary Mantel, who wrote about it for the Guardian newspaper.
What did you do with the truffles?
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We had pasta with 2 different sauces with truffles. It was great!
Prada was one of the brands I realized I had and liked. I missed the amber one while it was available (I had a decant, and by the time I wanted more, it was d/c :( ). But I still wear Infusion d’Iris (I think this is the name) and still think it’s gorgeous.
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not a bottle of Italian perfume to be found in my collection!
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Interesting! I wonder if this just happened or if there’s some “Italian style” that doesn’t suit you (like some people don’t like Italian wines)..
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On further reflection- I do have some mainstream perfumes from the big names – Bvlgari Black comes to mind, along with a bunch of minis. From Italian niche brands – nothing, but I think it’s more of an access issue than preference. No perfume stores here where I can try.
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looked at my spreadsheet – not a single bottle!
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This is undoubtedly a great Saturday question, Undina, for someone who loves Italian perfumes. Over the years, I’ve come to appreciate Italian perfumes quite a bit. In most cases, they have a high natural ingredient content, which contributes to their long-lasting fragrance. Fragrances from brands like Santa Maria Novella, Bois 1920, Omnia Profumi, and Lorenzo Villoresi are particularly noteworthy for their longevity. What I have in my collection from the following brands are some of my favorites.
Acqua di Biella
Agatho
Bois 1920
Carthusia
Costume National
Fendi
Gucci
Kiton
Lorenzo Villoresi
Masque Milano
Moschino
Omnia Profumi
Santa Maria Novella
Tiziana Terenzi
Xerjoff
The only perfume in my collection that has truffle in the list of notes is not Italian. It’s Black Orchid by Tom Ford.
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I also found that TF perfume. But, yes – not Italian (and I have just a mini bottle).
From your impressive list, I have perfumes only from two brands – Xerjoff and Masque Milano.
I don’t even try most of the other brands. Not because it was a conscious decision – I just didn’t come across many of them (or they weren’t my first choice to try when many other brands were available during my trips to Europe).
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I was pleasantly surprised to find a significant number of Italian perfumes in my collection. Most of the brands I discovered were either samples I ordered or samples that were gift with purchases. I have one Italian brand on my current wish list, but the price prevents me from purchasing a full bottle. That brand is Rosae Mundi by Profumum Roma.
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My first thought was no. But then I remembered Venezia by Laura Biagiotti and Il Bacio by Borghese. I am sure that these two very old bottles are hiding somewhere in the depths of my cupboards. I wonder if they have turned? They were very much of their time – the 90s. Powerful.
I roasted mushrooms in the oven last night and sprinkled truffle oil over them!
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I use truffle oil and salt quite often. I like the smell (but probably not in perfumes).
Both perfumes you mentioned don’t sound familiar – but I’m bad with names, so I wouldn’t have remembered even if I smelled them at some point.
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Great question! My mind drew a complete blank on this for a few minutes, and then the brain fired up. I’ve got Bottega Veneta, Gucci, Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Missoni, Lorenzo Villoresi, Prada, Valentino. There might be others, but that’s what comes to mind just now.
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I forgot about Bottega Veneta – probably because I have only a mini bottle of the original perfume. But it’s lovely, so yes, it would be on my list as well.
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As for mushrooms or truffles. . . Blech. They’re a special kind of evil to me.
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LOL
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Not aware of any perfumes with a truffle note, but I have a few Italian perfumes: Bulgari Black, Acqua di Parma Fico di Amalfi, Gucci Gucci Rush, Santa Maria Novella L’Iris, Meo Fusciuni Little Song, The Merchant of Venice Rosa Moceniga, and Emporio Armani White for Her. My favorite of those would be Little Song, with its dark notes of coffee and rose. Frankly I don’t see the big names like Bulgari or Gucci and immediately think “Italian” like I would with smaller brands.
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I agree about large brands not being immediately associated with their country of origin. It took me by surprise when I saw the first perfume in my query – Bvlgari Black.
I haven’t tried most of perfumes on your list (and don’t even know that Meo brand!). It’s interesting how diverse our choices are.
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Good question! I would have said I have none, but it turns out I have 10 (had to look it up). Some favourites are Messe de Minuit cologne and Shaal Nur by Etro, Ambra Aurea by Profumum Roma, Bois d’Encens by Armani, Infusion d’Iris Cedre by Prada, Montecristo by Masque and Sideris by Maria Candida Gentile.
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Is Etro also Italian?! Then I have one more bottle than I thought :)
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I have a few. Cerruti, Bottega Veneta, Acqua de Parma, Dolce & Gabbana & Casamorati as full bottles. Then decants & travel sizes of Gucci & Armani Prive.
Truffle in fragrance isn’t for me. In food I prefer a touch rather than a pile
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We don’t have any intersections in our FBs!
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I actually have quite a few. I need to make a spread sheet of all my perfumes like you have done, Undina, as I can’t name them all, but here are some that come to mind.
Acqua di Parma, Eau de Italie, Dolce & Gabbana, Prada, Simone Andreoli, Armani, Bottega Veneta, Feragamo, and Xeroff. Some of my favorites from these are the old D&G withe the red top, Prada Infusion de Iris, S Anreoli Sentosa, Bottega Veneta original (discontinued), and Ferragamo Gentil Suomo. I’m sure I’m forgetting several..
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I always thought that Eau de Italie would have been a lot more popular if it has a better (any?) distribution in the U.S. 15 years ago. Those were nice and not too expensive perfumes (in ugly bottles – in my opinion ;) ).
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I find several of them to be light and fun to wear in summer. They are not winter wear perfumes for me. And they are a bit different from the endless citrus summer perfumes. Plus my daughter spent her honeymoon at the hotel in Positano where this is based, so it brings nice memories for me.
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So many it’s ridiculous Undina,
I looked up Italy on Fragrantica, there are seven houses just under the letter B.
I think Italy might be my second biggest grouping after France.
Portia xx
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That’s interesting. Now I need to investigate my most popular perfumes’ origins.
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HA! Yes you do.
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I own a number of Italian perfumes: Prada Infusion de Iris and Purple Rain, Eau d’Italie at least 2, Santa Maria Novella Iris, Armani Prive The Yulong, Laboratorio Olfattivo Pompelmo, Profumi di Firenze Amber, Christian Provenzano Iris Oriental, Xerjoff Lira and there may be a couple more that I’m forgetting.
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I forgot my Bvlgaris! Bvlgari Black and Bvlgari Femme, Bvlgari The Vert and The Blanc. And Etro Paisley.
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Last but not least, Maria Candida Gentile Burlesque, a wonderful sexy scent. It’s glorious!
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