Palazzo (2007)
by Fendi

Palazzo by Fendi is possibly one of the most elegant fragrances I've ever come across.

From simply glancing at the bottle, one suspects this will be a sophisticated and glamourous floral, and that is exactly what Palazzo is.

Opening with subtle citrus notes and peppery goodness, this fragrance is both bright and gentle on the skin. The heart of white florals however, really brings out the character in Palazzo.

This floral blend is rich, warm and inviting. The whole experience is rather exquisite. Palazzo has a very classic, French-feel about it which reeks of confidence and glamour.

The drydown tends to be quite musky and dense in a smokey sense. The patchouli is barely detectable here, so patchouli haters should be able to cope with Palazzo. This fragrance is bold and distinctive without being too strange for people to handle.

It's such a shame that the Fendi fragrance line has almost ceased to exist. For such an interesting and pleasant fragrance, Palazzo does not deserve to disappear from the market.

26th June, 2011.

The start is ok, the orange blossom is having a crowning ceremony.

But, sadly, after 15-20 minutes, it reveals a boring amber base, and that stays alone till is fades completely.

Not completely bad though... drydown is very much similar to Oriflame Amber, only it's a bit weaker.

24th April, 2010.

It was inevitable: the scent of bitter almonds always reminded him of the fate of unrequited love.

This is the opening line from 'Love in the time of Cholera' by the incredibly gifted Gabriel Marquez. You can go on to read many detailed pages of how one man died from gold cyanide, or you can get the gist from sniffing Palazzo.

This sample came by way of a lovely friend with good taste in perfumy, so I really wanted to admire it, but alas, the love was was unrequited. And like a bad date, it had to be ended early. I'm baffled, as my standard goodie ingredients are all here. Perhaps my sample was a pre-reformulated version?

Can't say I care enough to find out.

30th March, 2010.

Palazzo is a pleasant vanillic floral oriental whose sweet, powdery foundation is balanced by a fruit-accented ylang-ylang accord. It begins life smelling aggressively synthetic, as many modern fruity floral scents do, but to its credit it smoothes out quickly into a more sophisticated texture. Palazzo’s floral bouquet centers on a well-balanced blend of jasmine, rose, and tuberose, while spice notes, including saffron and cinnamon, effectively offset the sweet fruit and floral components.

Palazzo exhibits moderate sillage and projection, but it runs its course pretty quickly, ending in a sweet, soft vanillic amber drydown that while pleasant, is hardly inspiring. Palazzo has cousins in scents like Byzance, Tocade, and Jaïpur Saphir, each of which I find more compelling than the Fendi. I understand this fragrance is soon to be discontinued, and although it’s nice, I will not miss it all that much.

12nd December, 2009. (Last Edited: 24th April, 2011.)

It reminds me a scent from Des Filles á la Vanille called J'ai rendez vous avec l'amour. It opens like a bonbon with mimosa and anis notes and settles down with freesia flowers, honey and orange. The freesia is quite dominant and pungent in the dry down. Very feminine fragrance, use with moderation.

12nd December, 2009.

Orange-scented powder and patchouli. Not arcanely complex, just pleasantly wearable. I like it.

6th November, 2009.