Acqua di Parma Colonia Assoluta (2003)
by Acqua di Parma

Simply put, a very good, sophisticated lemon cologne. No "Lemon Pledge" on me.

AdP Colonia Assoluta opens with a zesty citrus burst. What won me over is the amazing spicy floral dry-down. I'm not sure if it is listed in the ingredients but I get a subtle lavender. Further, this product has impressive longevity. It evokes a sense of comfort and a certain Mediterranean minimalist eloquence.
Such classy freshness, it is an absolute joy to have such an all-weather, any occasion fragrance in my rotation!

Count me in the "Lemon Pledge" column. I don't mind it in the top notes when it's very sparkly, but something happens about twenty minutes in that just doesn't agree with me at all. The lemony note becomes duller yet doesn't go away, and enters into an accord with the woods that smells very synthetic and odd--except, interestingly, when it's very hot and humid. I put this on, started running errands, and noticed that it smelled nice in the humidity but not nice at all when I was inside in the air conditioning. I've never worn a fragrance that changed character so radically depending on the ambient temperature and humidity. I don't work outside, however, so anything I wear is going to have to smell good inside as well.

This is my new favorite. I really don't get the "lemon pledge", "too sweet" reviews. I don't detect any overly citrus or sweet notes. To my nose, the cedar, spice and musk are the stronger notes, with the florals second and only a slight citrus. I realize I'm probably in the minority on this.

To me, this is a really elegant cologne, very classic smelling and not at all overpowering. It has excellent longevity and I never fail to get a compliment when I wear it.

For me, this is the reference cologne. I don't think it stands out for originality and there are certainly 'younger' smelling scents out there but like the original (which, to be honest, I find difficult to differenciate from this) it oozes sophistication and class.
It stays fresh all day and if I were going to a classy hotel or hanging out with royalty on a yacht, this is what I would wear. It is a classic in a timeless way, not dated at all except in the way that it evokes an image of a moneyed English Gent.

I was looking for a citrus with longevity, and the reviews were excellent, so I blindly bought Colonia Assoluta. The citrus element (orange, bitter orange, bergamot, lemon) in the fragrance is very long lasting and very Lemon Pledge-y to my nose. I really don’t get many florals, woods, or musk from the middle or base notes because that not too special citrus note retains its dominance from the opening through the drydown. The drydown is long lasting — it lasts five or six hours on my dry skin, and even as the last molecule of fragrance wafts off my skin, I can still smell furniture polish. According to the reviews here, there are many people who don’t get the Lemon Pledge accord or whose skins don’t project the artificiality of the lemon accord: The longevity of Colonia Assoluta makes it a worthy candidate for purchase IF it responds well to an individual’s sense apparatus. By all means, test this one out on your skin. It might work for you…but don’t buy it blind.