Etruscan Water

I love Francescas dna! I know this is suppose to be citrus driven but on my skin this is a fresh herbal bomb! I am talking fresh tarragon, I am talking fresh thyme, I am talking freshly pressed olive oils. absolutely in love with Franchescas unique signature and this specific fragrance.

This is my first introduction to ambergris, which tips this fragrance just a little too salty for my liking. It's pleasant from further away, but the salt becomes stronger up close. Aside from the ambergris, I quite like it. It's citrusy and earthy (my two favorite characteristics). Does tilt masculine, but not too much to where I feel I couldn't wear this. I'm not at all a fan of Francesca Bianchi's other works (I've tried a couple of her amber-animalic fragrances and feel confident enough extrapolating this dislike toward the rest of that genre of her collection) but this one is wearable even for a non-niche lovers.

Strong basily, planty fresh with a floral bitter light hit. Its not cloying at all, very unique scent profile with all-season versatility. My only dislike is the Vetiver, in the final dry down or after shower, it remains as a base note by itself and depending on skin chemistry, it can give off a rusty/metallic smell. Its light and attention grabbing, 10 hour longevity on my skin, lasted even longer on clothes. Vetiver is the only reason I am letting this go and choosing Tyger Tyger over it.

Fantastic chypre - very classic, indeed similar to Diaghilev and some Bortnikoff stuff (mainly due to the oakmoss -- maybe it reminds me of Musk Khabib or Amber Cologne or a less green version of Chypre Du Nord). Unlike Diaghilev this one doesn't have peach, and i'd argue it's slightly less animalic and less "pissy", but it still is musky and has depth/weight. But the fruity notes are definitely present and contribute to the sweetness and tangy feel. The sweetness is very subtle - e.g. - i tried Chypre Palatin from MDCI the same session in the store - and that one felt more shrill and "pinkish" or rosy, while this one is more "umami" or savory or salty or dry feeling. i think this saltiness is the most striking feature which sets it apart from other chypres. It feels relatively light so would not be limited to cold weather or evenings.

A beautifully-designed, perfectly unisex, modern take on the classic chypre formula minus the geranium. The oakmoss, immortelle and labdanum are strongest in the opening. EW dries down to something resembling Papillon's Annubis: a dry, desert amber with desiccated herbs. The ambergris and orris root in the mid reveals an indolic base, but it never gets funky.

Fun fact: the new packages of this house have no cellophane wrapping for environment or whatsoever. the result: most of the perfume boxes get dirty or stained. a bless for customers coz i got it 2/3 its price this way😂😂😂 hope all perfume houses do the same😂

من عاشق عطرهای خزه ای هستم. این رو بلایند بای کردم و دو روز بعد فروختمش. واقعا آشغال به تمام معناست من رو یاد بوی پتو های پادگان میندازه. اصلا پیشنهاد نمیدم بدون تست بخریدش.

This is currently on Notino UK for under £60.00 for 30ml !!

اولین تجربه‌م از عطرهای فرانچسکا بیانکی. مثل خیلی از کارهای عسل‌محور، اینجا هم عسل فضا و بستر اصلی رو می‌سازه و بقیه‌ی نوت‌ها توی عسل حل شده‌ن و اونجا خودشون رو نشون می‌دن. بوی اسطوخودوس خیلی غالبه و فضا رو تبدیل به یه فوژه‌ی کلاسیک و رسمی می‌کنه. عطر یکم چرب، یکم کثیف و دم‌کرده‌ و مرطوبیه.

This is a piece of artistry that sits amongst the very best of the Chypre genre, possibly perfumery in general! I've read many reviews that state it's citrus, earthy, mossy, spicy, aromatic.....the list goes on and on. It's crazy but they are all correct! This is a powerful potion that opens with a bang, be in no doubt about that. For me, pretty much all of the above descriptions just hit me within the first few minutes, quite breath taking! ******************************************** In the spirit of openness and honesty, I will state that much to my surprise and delight, I've recently discovered a Chypre I prefer overall! Not quite as long lasting or projecting, still very good though. 8+ is probably more than enough for a strong scent! This product is an even darker, deeper and more opulent alternative to Etruscan water, although not as fresh. Suited more to the cooler months. I'm talking about Chypre Fulminare from Naughton & Wilson, bloody glorious. It's quickly become one of my all time favourites and very worthy of your consideration. To my astonishment, their whole range is just stunning. I'm not a fanboy or shill, just a guy who loves high quality traditional perfumery with a modern touch. The brand has been a very fortunate discovery. ******************************************** Back to Etruscan water; I thought I may have over sprayed a little to start, 6-7 sprays was a bit of a worry for a few minutes. It settles quickly though and the initial smack smooths out just enough but never loses it's impact. Four hours in and I'm still projecting to the room. 6-8 hours and others are easily catching the scent from over arms length. luckily, no one minds as it's such a gorgeous blend of Moss, greenery, powdery, salty citrus and musk....and so much more. In fact, I keep detecting a nuance of smoke. I'm not sure from where, possibly vetiver! Honestly, it's a chameleon. Every 15-30 minutes I notice that it's constantly evolving and note swapping or another note just seems to make itself known. What never changes though is a beautiful aromatic but somehow earthy freshness on my skin. This really is top level perfumery. It's a fragrance that I'd personally wear any time to any occasion, just not every time. The only possible caveat would perhaps be a very chilly day, I'd opt for something warmer and even more animalistic. 😆. I'm a fan of traditional perfumery and enjoy scents before over regulation and paired back offerings! Wonderful as it is, most days I'll choose to wear a fougere/barbershop scent as that is my favourite genre and suits my particular style but I love a chypre and this will definitely be a consideration more often than not. Anyway, Etruscan water will shine any time you opt to wear it just by the sheer quality of its craft, ingredients and blending. It's unisex to me, not for the younger crowd and certainly not for guys and gals just taking their very first steps into this world. You'll either scare yourself or spend the rest of your days trying to find other scents of equal brilliance as you've started near the pinnacle. It'll last easily until the next day, never truly leaving until you shower! On clothing its a permanent addition. Yes it's a little pricey. But, if you seek out high quality and artisanal mastery it's good value. A little goes a long way! Probably best to sample if you can. Although, if you enjoy strong, niche perfumery that's reminiscent of both the modern and traditional Chypre genre then you can't really go wrong....in my opinion! This scent is one for collectors and chypre fans alike. Personally, not one for everyday as I wouldn't want to become accustomed to it's distinctive character. Be mindful to limit your sprays depending on your environment. Do this and it's actually quite versatile. It's a wonderful option to have in your rotation.

Not safe for blind buying — spray it, leave it to dry — after few hours if you still like it buy it — otherwise you will hate yourself Super super strong but does not smell good

Summer in Bari. Warm sea air, cypresses, and lemon trees. Looking for shade, hiding from the Sun amongst the lusty kids and careless aristocrats. You want to be them; you slowly become them. A musk fills the air. The scent of money and sex - sins. If this is sinning, I'd rather be the devil.

one of her best work. just bloody get it

A dirty green and mossy scent, in the similar way of Polo by Ralph Laurent. I like it but not that impressive as what I thought to be. Rating: 7-7.5/10

After already owning and wearing most of her fragrances (I now own 13 of them), I thought my most favourite ones were The Lover’s Tale, Sticky Fingers and Luxe, Calme,Volupté. But I recently revisited my sample of Etruscan Water and was sold: I had to get a full bottle, and now I can’t stop wearing it. To me it is family of many other Chypres, and not only ‘feminine’ ones like Vol de Nuit but also for instance Pour Monsieur, which I wear as well. Both my husband I love both PM and EW! And I’m so jealous that he only needs to spray EW once and smell gorgeous all day, and my perfume-eating skin needs at least three. :))))

Nothing fresh, no citrus or grapefruit, nothing green nor herbal, maybe vetiver, musk, orris, ambergris but total result - Francescas typical raw DNA - not so strong, sweet ald that old as in some other pieces from her, but totally dated vintage. Old lady closet.

The one thing I love the most about Francesca Bianchi perfumes is that each and every one of them is telling a story. And that is why I consider the house one of the best niche perfumers, because they don't care if not all scents are easy to wear or 100% people pleasers, but they are unique and of the highest quality. This is the third piece in my collection by the house and it's also a masterpiece, just like The Black Knight and Libertine Neroli. This one is not super aggressive, even the opening is a bit more laid-back than other pieces in their catalog, despite the strong and sharp citruses in the opening. As it starts drying down about an hour after applying, the sun-dried fruity notes are coming forward - those are not the fresh, sweet fruitbasket-like accords, it's darker and has more depth to it with a lot of amber. It takes me to a place in my head picturing myself as if I were brought up in sunny Italy, where I could spend the summer days in the backyard of grandparents, not necessarily on the beach but definitely near the seashore. Where there is a scorching sun and heat all day, the smell of raisins, sun-dried fruits and tomatoes mixed with open-air grill and red wine, also a nice lotion and sunscreen lingering around. It's like spraying the Mediterranian childhood on your skin (even though I wasn't anywhere near any seashore growing up :D). It's not that much of a projection monster, although it has very good performance in terms of longevity, it just sits closer to the skin rather than being beast mode. There is a very beautiful green backbone to it with the signature Francesca Bianchi powdery iris notes, those who wrote before me that it's a dense, aromatic chypre are totally right. It's like green herbal/floral notes soaked in some ambery patchouli. The other thing that comes to my mind when smelling this fragrance is that it smells obscenely rich, someone with all the money in the world, it's such a high-class scent. It's very elegant, for me it's hard to imagine wearing this just casually, but it's not seasonal, you can wear it all-year round, just be careful with how much you spray on because of the extrait concentration. However, I don't recommend blind buying this one, as it could be challenging for some. Hats down to Francesca, this is master perfumery again.

How is this masculine? I think it's the most perfect chypre for a woman - which of course is me. I knew I would love this.

All of her fragrances are like getting absolutely decked in the face by the notes and this is no exception. Well done Chypre with the dose of anamalic sensualty I’ve come to anticipate. I’m just so deeply not a chypre girly

Maybe this is because im testing on paper even though fb perfumes deserve skin, but this doesnt smell like anything in the notes to me. I get an anisic herbal leathery iris, a lot like tubereuse capricieuse by histoires de parfums. Maybe i need to give it more time. Unsure if i like this

like a jaundiced pope just aggressively orange and catholic

اول عطر لي من الدار اول ما شميته ما فهمت كيف هذا عطر صيفي لكن مع الوقت صار من مفضلاتي في فصل الصيف أفضل نتيجة بتاخذها لما تكون راش منه على جلدك وفي مكان مفتوح الثبات ممتاز والفوحان متوسط

Etruscan Water feels like stepping straight back into the 70s and 80s of perfumery. From the first spray, it’s completely old-school, with nothing modern about it at all. The funny thing is that by today’s standards I would call this masculine-leaning, but from the 1920s through the 1970s, this could just as easily have been considered a feminine scent. The structure is a very traditional chypre, opening with a bitter citrus note. While most modern citrus scents smell clean and fresh, this one smells tart, bitter, earthy, and rugged — the way citrus used to smell before everything became sweet and juicy. In the heart, you get jasmine and Francesca’s signature iris mixed with spicy, sweaty caraway and dry, hay-like immortelle. The base is deep and mossy, enriched with labdanum and grey amber, giving it a dark, slightly feral character. The whole fragrance feels dense, complex, and enveloping, like walking into a dark forest. The mossy aspect seems more pronounced in cold weather, while in heat it becomes saltier, which some people associate with the sea. It’s not subtle and definitely not for everyone, but if you love old-school masculine chypres with an animalic twist and without fruity or sweet undertones, this one is a real treat. Performance, like all Francesca Bianchi fragrances, is very good. It is remarkably versatile — suitable for any occasion and any season — and absolutely signature-scent worthy

A "wear this one if you can" type of Chypre that closely tracks Diaghilev. It's REALLY good. I love it.

Perfection. Calling it a gentrified chypre is crazy though chypres as it is are a perfume style worn by the kind of people that do the gentrifying so I just find that use of the word ill fitting. No offense to chypre wearers as I am a big one but words have meanings. Anyways…. I think it’s better to just call this balanced. In the grand scheme of things this is way more edgy than 99% of the industry it’s just hard to see that for those of us who are in too deep. I’ll wear this thing all year any context it works. It’s sexy it’s sophisticated it’s full bodied yet uplifting. It’s easy to put a bunch of scary notes together and hope the people that love gnarly shit find it, but to know exactly what to add that compliments them perfectly is a testament to Miss Bianchi’s talent and taste. She knows what she’s doing and she does it well. So many scents in this style are just worse versions of this to me.

Reviewing a bottle from 2023. Etruscan Water was launched in 2019. This is a stunning citrus - aromatic -oakmoss Mediterannean version of a classic chypre. Etruscan Water opens with bitter citruses and aldehydes followed by aromatic (caraway) florals over a dense green resinous amber base. A hint of hay like sweetness from the immortelle. The orris is less apparent than earlier reviews state ? reformulation?maceration. Is it beachy? Yes and no. It makes me think of an Amalfi version of Maai with the citrus opening over a salty ambergris aromatic base which is thick and bordering on animalic. This is certainly not your typical summer freshie. Quality-excellent 5/5 ( both ingredients and blending are top notch) Unisex Performance- excellent 5/5 Potent old world chypre with a fresh Mediterannean twist. Remarkably versatile. As with most FB fragrances this is not for everyone. I love it! 9.5/10

Wow, this is so wonderful. A retro-styled chypre that doesn’t smell dated. Definitely oakmoss centric, dosed in concentrations that hearkens back to the classics. But, Bianchi adds in her familiar, likeable modern elements that make this stuff very wearable. Her trademark smooth iris butter signature is present in here, although scaled back as compared to her other scents. It mainly serves to round out the perfume, make it much less aggressive to the nose than vintage chypres. It also has a candied dried lemon/immortelle sweetness that stays throughout the duration of the scent, which also serves to neutralize. To be perfectly honest, this stuff is like a gentrified chypre. It’s city beautification at the cost of character. Safety and likeability at the cost of soul and authenticity. Compared to a similar modern rendition of similar parameters, Chypre Siam, the differences are stark. All the edge, all the pomp has been removed and replaced. Chypre Siam is raw, aggressive. Etruscan water is somewhat docile in comparison. This is an exceptionally beautiful chypre, although somewhat lacking in gall. Not a tale of courage, like the story of Mitsuoko. A chypre neutralized for the modern age. I don’t hold that fact against the fragrance, though. On the contrary, I’m loving this stuff. I finally have a vintage-esque chypre scent that I can actually wear. Not sure if I would actually categorize this as vintage/old school. It’s only stylized as such. The bold edge in old chypre compositions is not to be underestimated, it very much is an integral element of style. Without that aspect, I struggle to label a chypre as such. The fundamental experience differs too much. A vintage-styled chypre, not a modern day reproduction.

a drier, less sweet libertine neroli. oakmoss is amped to the max in this and really does take center stage. i prefer libertine neroli tho, as i prefer the sweetness added by the iris and benzoin.

I'll start with the comparisons. Add some apricot and galbanum and you have Dryad from Papillon. Add some peach and you have Shangri La from Hiram Green. Take some oakmoss out and you have Mitsouko. I don't quite remember Diaghilev , only tested 1-2 times but never got a bottle for....obvious reasons( ahmm price). As everybody indicated, old school type chypre but gourgeous. Vintage but gourgeous. Mature but gourgeous. Done, gourgeous fragrance if you love your oakmoss-citrus-labdanum combo. Would get a 100ml of this in a heartbeat.

Thick, dense and complex. I get a feeling of a thick, honey texture syrup, gooey and dripping slowly on my skin. Its slightly sweet, with a hint of cigarette smoke underneath (probably the labdanum). The sweetness is there but its not cloying at all, but this is definitely not a daily wear to the office. This scent gives me the image of a highly confident lady b*tch boss who dgaf about others' opinions. So if that's what you want to portray, then maybe this IS your daily office wear. The oakmoss in the drydown gives it a slight vintage-esque feel, and the deep drydown reminds me of Aramis. Overall, this scent is for the boss figurehead who is shouldering the burden and stress of the world on his/her shoulders, and he/she is quietly carrying it without any complaints, and moving forward steadily. A true masterpiece.