Parfum d'Empire is a line of fragrances that I recommend to every perfumery shopkeeper I meet. They have the best assortment of perfume in their collection that I've seen, ranging from floral to citrus to amber to leather, all dynamic and well-done. Concurrent with the introduction of new packaging and a more concentrated formula for the whole line, they are also launching a new fragrance, Corsica Furiosa. Parfum d'Empire  founder and perfumer Marc-Antoine Corticchiato has Corsican roots, and this fragrance is homage to the smells of his homeland, namely lentiscus (also known as mastic) which is an aromatic plant found all over Corsica. It also features an eau-de-vie, (which means"Water of Life", and is a colorless fruit brandy) for which every family has a proprietary recipe, and a local wild mint. This is not the first time that M Corticchiato returns his native Corsica; Eau Gloire (2003) is a tribute to Corsican born Napolean.

"Corsican Landscape" by Auguste Herbin

Corsica Furiosa is a veritable playground of visualization. I close my eyes and see myself strolling on a hillside trail under a brilliant blue cloudless sky. There are aromas emanating from the vegetation as it shimmers in the heat. The scent is herbal, dry, almost bitter, but mesmerizing. I wore a good dose of the perfume today and then re-applied it to my wrist to refresh for review. As my nose revisits my newly-coated wrist, and I also huff the remnants of the day's application, I am intrigued by the scent's ability to be completely mesmerizing even though it's kind of dry and sharp, like tonic water is delicious and refreshing despite its bitterness. I found my day's wearing to show that this perfume is a bit linear, which is perfectly fine. It just got a bit softer as the day wore on.

"Pistacia Lentiscus" by Giovanni/Flickr

When I first did a small test of Corsica Furiosa, I wasn't sure if I liked it enough to review. However, after spilling half my sample into my cleavage accidentally, I was hooked. I loved the green, wild tang that perked me up in our unusually humid weather, enjoyed the puffs of fragrance throughout the day. I like the triple-dose of lentiscus (which is also known as mastic) and the absolutely vegetal notes list, no flowers to be found, just greenery. Men and women will enjoy this equally. It has decent sillage and great longevity.

Notes: Lentiscus oil (mastic), eau-de-vie, nepita (a local variety of wild mint), lentiscus absolute, tomato leaf, pepper, lentiscus extract original, cistus, oakmoss.

My sample was provided by Lucky Scent. Corsica Furiosa is available at Lucky Scent  $145 for 100 ml.

Tama Blough, Managing Editor

Corsican hills

Thanks to the fine folks at luckycent.com we have a sample for one US reader. To be eligible, leave a comment with what appeals to you about Corisca Furiosa and your favorite Parfum D'Empire fragrance. Draw closes June 26, 2014

Editor's Note: You can read my interview with Marc-Antoine Corticchiato here -Michelyn Camen, Editor in Chief

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