Via Camerelle
Carthusia (2006)

Normally I would come to an "aquatic floral/citrus" expecting not to like it. This seems to me as good as the genre gets. Something - I think the jasmine and aromatics - acts as a bridge between the citrus in the opening and the "sea musk". It's refreshing and what some might have down as low performance is actually quite welcome to me, as it means that I never get overwhelmed by nautical-themed notes. Highly wearable on a hot day.

On me, Via Camerelle starts off with citrus (lemony bergamot?) fused with lavender and a pinch of taragon. It reminds me of something you'd smell from an old-school British line like Geo F. Trumper, staid and polite to a point of dated dullness, but not half bad. Unfortunately, it dries down to a bleachy ammonia aquatic base that takes something that could have been dull but ok and makes it quite bad. Don't bother...

A pleasant, light citrus cologne. Simple enough with lemon and bitter orange sharing the spotlight, supported by very restrained cedar and moss.

Odd that Turin and Sanchez dub it a "floral" cologne, when there are no florals present, according to the Carthusia web site.

Odd also that this has been around a decade as of this writing and no Basenoter has yet reviewed it. Available as an edp and parfum (I sampled the edt), but it is so light I can't imagine it having much presence in either of those strengths.

Nothing great, but not bad either.