Bottle on the beach picture via Pixabay, Parfum d’Empire Acqua di Scandola bottle by Parfum d’Empire, all edited by Emmanuelle Varron.
A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of being invited by Marc-Antoine Corticchiato of Parfum d’Empire to his Parisian laboratory (located a stone’s throw away from the studio of Voyages Imaginaires’ (Isabelle Doyen and Camille Goutal’s). It is always a real pleasure to visit Marc-Antoine Corticchiato, as he is one of the most empathetic people I have ever met and although we havent seen each other for awhile. his first words were “How are you doing? How’s life?” (Alexis Toublanc, who works with him, had already offered me a “welcome” cup of black tea). Despite the sometimes intimidating environment of a perfume laboratory, I was totally at ease. It was a great opportunity to be able to talk to him about his perfumes- especially the one I am reviewing today, Parfum d’Empire Acqua di Scandola.
Marc-Antoine Corticchiato in his labo – picture by Emmanuelle Varron©.
Marc Antoine Corticchiato loves raw materials; he is passionate about plants, flowers, chemistry. He has a signature style and his fragrances often pay homage to Corsica, his homeland. L’Héritage Corse collection is the perfect illustration of this… Eau de Gloire (a flamboyant aromatic), Corsica Furiosa (an ode to lentiscus, awarded perfume of the year 2014 by the Fragrance Foundation France), Salute! (a sparkling woody flavor with chocolate accents on my skin), Immortelle Corse (a solar and impetuous floral) or recently Mal-Aimé (a tribute to the Corsican maquis built around the wild organic linula).
Peninsula of Scadola (red dot on the map, and aerial view) – map via Google maps and picture by Alpana.
Parfum d’Empire Acqua di Scandola was inspired by Scandola, a peninsula located in the west of Corsica, a protected natural reserve, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There is abundant flora ,fauna, and breathtaking landscapes, where sea, earth and rocks live in perfect harmony. These are the three elements that are at the heart of Acqua di Scandola which took Marc Antoine Corticchiato three years to compose. Iodized, mineral and aromatic, this fragrance is surprising while being obvious: it exudes the seaside! There is no sunscreen aromas or Calone, (a polarizing synthetic molecule used to simulate marine notes). What you smell within moments is the shade of pine trees, bordered by rocks and yes, algae.
Marc-Antoine Corticchiato quote on Parfum d’Empire Acqua di Scandola – edited by Emmanuelle Varron.
Parfum d’Empire Acqua di Scandola opens very fresh and aromatic thanks to the de-terpenated juniper (purified to the maximum) giving it a scent profile that is akin to a strong gust of wind blowing sea spray on your face: these iodized notes developed by the algae extract distilled “sur mesure.” There is no fishy aroma that would normally occur naturally in the algae. The iodine aspect is present, lively and almost raw.Compared to the “classic” algae extract the difference is obvious. There is luminosity and sophistication in this bespoke extract.
Algae extracts – In the left bottle is the sur-mesure version for Parfum d’Empire Acqua di Scandola, all cleaned of its “fishy” aroma – picture by Emmanuelle Varron.
It is around this algae extract that Parfum d´Empire Acqua di Scandola is built, interacting with the immortelle absolute that warms the skin with its spicy and fruity notes. Next is oak moss, like the one you can find on the ocher color rocks of the Corsican coast, which accentuates the woody notes of immortelle. At this stage of Parfums d’Empire Acqua di Scandola‘s development, I now imagine wading in the Mediterranean Sea. The sun is slowly starting to set, but a soft floral light begins to glow. Now the magnolia essence develops- fresh, solar and sensual – a backdrop for the the saline aspect of the perfume.
Corsica sea coast by Olya Bar©
Acqua di Scandola transports me directly to Corsica. This island is considered “Heaven on Earth,” with unspoiled nature, its Mediterranean climate and postcard photolike landscapes. I have had the chance to go there on vacation several times – a 90-minute flight from Paris. After so many months of social distancing, and not traveling, Parfum d’Empire Acqua di Scandola is like bottling a passport to Prospero’s island. A saline floral may seem like a risky artistic choice, but Parfum d’Empire Acqua di Scandola is a wonder on the skin and offers a new perspective in an often “smell-alike” market of generic aquatics.
Notes: deterpenated juniper, algae extract (sur mesure), magnolia essence, immortelle absolu DM, oakmoss, alga absolu.
Disclaimer: “Grazie” to Parfum d’Empire for the Acqua di Scandola tester provided for this review. The opinions expressed are my own.
Emmanuelle Varron, Senior Contributor
With Contributions from Michelyn Camen, Editor-in-Chief
Parfum d’Empire Acqua di Scandola 50 ml bottle – Picture by Parfum d’Empire
Thanks to the generosity of Marc-Antoine Corticchiato, we have a 50 ml bottle of Parfum d’Empire Acqua di Scandola for one registered reader worldwide. YOU MUST REGISTER HERE FOR YOUR COMMENT TO COUNT. To be eligible, please leave a comment on what you feel about Emmanuelle’s review, where you live, your favorite Parfum d’Empire. Draw closes 06/26/2021.
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