Reviews of Acqua di Parma Lavanda Tonica (1999)
by Acqua di Parma

A particularly pleasing lavender fragrance—the lavender carries a strong presence… at least for the time that it lasts. And it is quite a beautiful lavender note — soaring, vibrant, clear: This is the aromatic version that I prefer over the more ubiquitous creamy lavender: I love the clear, pristine sophistication of lavender as an herb more than lavender as a floral. There are a little lemon and florals added to the lavender to round it out, but the fragrance thoroughly retains its lavender essence. The accords are beautifully balanced and proportioned. It is the longevity of Lavanda Tonica that leaves a lot to be desired—forty-five minutes at the most on my skin. It is near too expensive to have that short of duration. But it is a excruciatingly lovely, unique, and elegant lavender. (Edit of 15 October 2006 review. Changed from a neutral.)

Acqua di Parma Lavanda Tonica

I really enjoy lavender but it can be a tricky note to pull off as it can be too astringent and come off harsh or too powdery and come off too light. In this 1999 release from Acqua di Parma the balance is just right. In truth I want a lavender scent that is going to ring my chimes to sort of hit the middle ground between the two extremes I described above, Lavanda Tonica achieves that. The top is a concentrated blast of lavender it comes acroos as intense but not harsh. It also sems more rounded than lavender is in other scents where it is the central note. The intensity of the lavender is all I get for a good while but eventually the other notes begin to stick their heads up. First I get a nice citric shot of lemon this is followed by an herbal air of rosemary and then a floral accord that seems more rose than anything else. As this finally comes to rest there is a nice sheer amber in the base which gives a nice soft landing. Lavanda Tonica is a strong lavender scent for those who want their lavender straight with no chaser.

Fairly straightforward. A wonderful, sweet and smoky (like Egoiste) lavender and amber accord. Strong. Nice.

I remember the first time I tested Lavanda Tonica in a shop. I was with a female friend who smelled it and said "Oooo - that's not unisex, way too masculine". I don't think any male need worry about this one being feminine.

It's a sharp, raw lavender scent. It's initially similar to the sharper Atkinson's English Lavender, but smooths and mellows out to something a bit nicer than the latter. It's more masculine than Yardley's English Lavender, which does sometimes seem somewhat feminine to me.

I get about three or four hours out of it, worn under my clothes.

There is something to be careful about it though. I was wearing it one day when it gave me a very calming, soothing effect - and I proposed marriage.
Renato

I love lavender but I hated this rendition. Sickly, cheap smelling. I was horribly disappointed, particularly since I like other Acqua di Parma scents.

Pleasing. Not too bad at all, considering my intial disappointment with AdP...

Not too over the top. I actually prefer this most English Lavanders out there.

I would, however, never purchase this unless, by chance, they put it on sale for $10, so I could use it as a linen freshener.

I'm certainly not saying its bad or un-wearable, but just not something I would wear.

Unfortunately, its dry-down leaves nothing to the imagination - too sweet for me to consider this a good herbal/lavander perfume.

I guess it needs a selection of British and Continental lavenders, and some Greek Rosemary, and perhaps some Marjoram and a dash of Vetiver to liven it up and stay the sweetness...Some Juniper would be great in the base...Yes, the perfumer should have considered those notes...lol, now I'm telling people how to do there jobs...

Lavanda Tonica is a simple but classy lavender fragrance. Initial application reveals a brilliantly realized lavender note. It's potent, its virile and it takes centerstage. It almost approaches the regal heights of lavender nirvana found in the amazing Royal Scottish Lavender. The notes of lemon and bergamot stay in the background, and for good reason - when the main star of the show is letting it rip James Brown style on stage, the backup dancers should stay in the background and provide a coherent backdrop to the star's performance instead of disrupting the masterly show on display. I would have preferred this
lavender dominant accord to stay put - instead, Lavanda progresses to a rosemary and musk drydown. The drydown is powdery, even pot pour-ish in nature. It is comforting, and rounds up the fragrance evolution well.

Despite all the mention of virility and potency, the lavender by this time resembles an impotent 90 year old man - its still there, but its barely managing to stay on top. Despite this, Lavanda is no nancy boy fragrance - its unisex through and through. The fragrance as a whole is limping along at this point - the longevity is poor, 2 hours max. A heavy application can bump up the longevity to 4-5 hours, but at $55 a bottle, its not exactly cheap.

Lavanda Tonica contains a clear, elaborate lavender note which will probably rival any lavender interpretation you may have experienced before. The powdery drydown provides a sharp contrast to the lavender brilliance of the top notes, but like me, you may want the pyrotechnics of the curtain-raiser to never end. Sadly, they do, and so does the entire show inside 2 hours.

I recently spent some time with this while travelling in paris. I felt right at home smelling of this in the home city of the great perfumeries. It is a great urban scent, projecting freshness and a light cooling aura. This lightness and freshness disguise a subtle gem. This is excellently crafted and balanced. It lasts well with a heavy application and does so without being overwhelming at any time.

I had owned this for a while as a mini and overlooked it as something a bit ordinary, I am so glad I gave it another try. A really teriffic pick-me-up. Try it when you are tired and need to keep going.

A very lovely and clean, if short lived lavender. I never use it as a perfume or as an EdT but more as a splash - which it resembles in concentration. A non-fragrant soap followed by a few generous splashes of this as you are done towelling makes it last atleast 6 hours. Being very light I would not advise wearing anything else over it. Perfect for a sunny day when you are spending some time home.

not a great scent, especially not suited at all for men. has a weird combination of potpouri and lavender, and the scent disappears in virtually no time. not worth the money

An extremely well-done lavender scent with the quality one would expect from the experts in citrus. My only complaint is its longevity, though that is not surprising given its quickly dispersing elements. I don't think the price is justified, though I'm sure it helps to keep it somewhat exclusive...for now.

A very light lavender water type scent with a hint of spice. Pleasant enough, but more suited for the ladies.