Nobile 1942 Nobile 26 in Piazza Dante, Naples @magnifiscent as are all the photos©

Walking down narrow streets you are surrounded by colorful stalls of a local market with fresh produce and round pans full of steel-blue fish. Intense food smells and clamor are stunning and you probably can’t understand a word, but the calls from the merchants in Neapolitan language sound like music, and even  the words of a woman selling garlic  sound romantic.. This is not a 1960s movie starring Sophia Loren, this is daily life in Naples. Beauty here is like breathing, it’s all around from the adorned portals of aristocratic palaces to common people hanging clothes in the balconies, and it’s so spectacular in many ways that even eating a bag of fried pizza on your way down Spaccanapoli street is pure bliss.

The Pignasecca local market, a feast for the senses

Born and raised in Naples, Massimo Nobile and Stefania Giannino of Nobile 1942 wanted to give a strong message of hope and rebirth, and at the same time take a new approach to artistic perfumery using terroir as travel after the difficulties of the past  year and a half when traveling was restricted.

“Nobile 1942 Nobile 26 is a perfume dedicated to the values of Nobile’s family, to what represents our most solid foundations, even in the most difficult moments. The fragrance is a tribute to our roots, to those virtues linked to our person and our way of working, creating the olfactory portrait of that ‘enlightened king’ who was said to have 26 virtues: Charles of Bourbon (Charles III of Spain).”

 Stefania and Massimo Nobile with their team – The view of the gulf of Naples from the Royal Palace terrace

Born from a collaboration between the non-profit organization Siti Reali (promoting the Royal Bourbon domains and the cultural tourism in the South of Italy), Nobile 1942 Nobile 26 owes its name from the 26 virtues of Don Carlos (later Charles III of Spain), the first King of Naples and the mastermind who turned a remote corner of the Spanish Realm into a Kingdom on the same level as other European Courts. The partnership with Siti Reali will continue in the next months with further joint actions, also through the creation of a promotional videos produced in the name of Don Carlos de Bourbon.

 The Royal Palace was made more splendid during the reign of Charles of Bourbon  (his statue at the center).

Developed with perfumers at Robertet, the fragrance celebrates those 26 virtues spreading the beauty and culture of Naples with the sillage of a stunning woody amber fit for a King. Signor and Signora Nobile  wanted the launch of this creation dedicated to Charles de Bourbon to be  an immersive experience exploring the places that inspired them. Along with a group of lucky journalists, I was treated to a two-days tour following the guides of Siti Reali where me and my colleagues literally “live a perfume”.

Ermano having breakfast at Decumani Hotel de Charme in Naples

Our accommodations were in partnership with historical hotels. Mine was inside Palazzo Riario Sforza built in the XVIII century by the archbishop of Naples. Days couldn’t start  any better than having breakfast under that gilded gallery. I hope you enjoy my photo journal, although it doesn’t do justice to these breathtaking locations so you better book your trip and check them out.

The Royal Palace of Capodimonte built by Don Carlos – the museum houses Raffaello, Caravaggio, Botticelli… – the famous porcelain Carlos de Bourbon s modeled after the Meissen Porcelain

The tour started from Dante square, where on top of the Foro Carolino by architect Vanvitelli you can spot the 26 statues representing the virtues of Carlos de Bourbon. Among them there are strength, wisdom, music (the San Carlo Theater he built is still nowadays the greatest and oldest Opera Theater in Europe) and Arts, but also agriculture (he started the modern cultivation of tomatoes and guess, tropical fruits like pineapples!), ceramics (the renowned Capodimonte Porcelain Royal Factory), math and philosophy.

At this point, you might be wondering how this perfume captures all of Naples, the 26 virtues of Don Carlos and so much history?  Nobile 1942 Nobile 26 immediately sings an unmistakable Italian melody with the silvery voice of Hesperides. “Che bella cosa, na jurnata ‘e sole” (what a beautiful thing is a sunny day!)  Top notch Italian bergamot duets with the lip-smacking juiciness of mandarin accompanied by the mandolin pizzicato of shining pink peppercorns. This pleasant nod to XVIII century colognes is just the beginning of a long olfactory journey though.

 The National Archeological Museum with the majestic Farnese Hercules and bull

The heart of Nobile 1942 Nobile 26 blooms like a spring on the Amalfi coast, with intoxicating orange blossom filling the air in captivating sweetness also redolent of a delicious slice of pastiera. Don Carlos was only 18 when he ascended the throne and this uplifting floralcy renders so well the youth and sensitivity of the Sovereign, his love for culture and arts. Just a pinch of nutmeg adds texture, and the warmth Carlos also showed for his wife Maria Amalia of Saxony. Although the marriage was arranged  while they were teens, they fell in love with each other and used to sleep in the same bed, contrary to customs of the time.

 Spaccanapoli (Naples splitter) – Iconic Scaturchio pastry shop – San Gregorio Armeno, the famous Cribs Street

The next  stage of Nobile 1942 Nobile 26 is warm, opulent and comforting, textured with shades of elegant smoked woods and leather notes representing  Don Carlos love for hunting. As the chypresque touch of immortelle and patchouli appear, it’s easy to imagine the King riding down the hunting grounds, unleashing his hounds through the bushes.

 Grand Caffè Gambrinus, a temple of Neapolitan coffee since 1860

The final embrace on the skin is the long-lasting presence of an upgrown gourmand accord ruled by coffee. Not only because in Naples you can drink the best Italian coffee, but because King Charles loved it and contributed to the cult of coffee in Naples that exists even today. This smells like home to Italian people, like childhood memories and brings us to our roots, specially here where it is cleverly empowered by a good amount of tonka bean lending it the nutty creaminess of a good espresso rather than the stickiness of a caramel macchiato often found in fragrances. The roasted roughness of grounded beans is smoothed by a dash of natural vanilla adding depth. One word. Addictive.

Notes for Nobile 1942 Nobile 26 include Bergamot, Mandarin, Pink Pepper, Licorice, Nutmeg, Orange Blossom, Coffee, Immortelle, Burnt Woods, Tonka Bean, Patchouli and Vanilla.

This review is based on a 10ml travel size kindly provided by Nobile 1942, my opinions are my own.

All photos Ermano Picco ©

Ermano Picco – Editor

 Nobile 1942 Nobile 26 at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts founded by Carlos de Bourbon in 1752 – Principe di Napoli Gallery

Thanks to Massimo Nobile and Stefania Giannino of Nobile 1942 we have an avant premiere 75 ml bottle of Nobile 1942 Nobile 26 one registered reader in the USA, UK, Canada or EU. You must register or your comment will not count. To be eligible please tell us what you learned  and enjoyed from Ermano’s  photos and trip to Naples, why you would like to win Nobile 1942 Nobile 26, and where you live. Draw closes July 10, 2020

Nobile 1942 Nobile 26 will be released officially in September. A limited-edition preview stock is currently available for preorder at the Nobile 1942 e-shop.

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