Escale à Portofino (2008)
by Christian Dior

I purchased this at a Duty Free store in my area in August of 2008, and now it has recently appeared in Nordstrom in July 2009.

Escale a Portofino has an eau de cologne type of nature, and the overall impression is an understated and refined luxury that relates to its namesake of travels and adventure all while carrying your Dior carryons and luggage! ;)

Bright citrus notes open the fragrance that deepens slightly to a herbaceous spice note of mild coriander while keeping its citrus nature. It isn't a juicy citrus, it keeps its rather dry but fresh notes. Later on the drydown, you experience clear, subtle notes of cedar and musk. A staple for me for humid summers. Great for no nonsense perfuming while on the go in your exotic travels.

I tried this one in passing at Nordstrom Dept. Store yesterday, and I really liked it. It has the refreshingly sharp neroli/cologne beginning, as Nukapai noted. That's pleasant, but later I got an addictive somewhat salty impression in the drydown. I couldn't stop sniffing the back of my hand, and it seemed pretty long lasting, too, even after a hand washing, which surprised me. Very, very nice! It's been on my mind to go back for it. They didn't have the Pondichery one. We're a bit behind things here, I'm afraid.

Although the bottle design is amazing, I’m still unsure if there was any point in releasing this.

Escale à Portofino is a reasonable citrus-based eau de cologne but I found it too sharp for my tastes. Maybe it’s the combination of juniper berries and cypress that made it come across as discordant but, combined with a powdery drydown and its fleeting nature, I’ll have to pass on this one.

The first impression is "good eau de cologne". There is a lovely neroli-style opening and the scent feels floral and refreshing without feeling old-fashioned or blousy. On skin, milky, musky almond tones emerge, which can feel moorish or a little sickly, depending on how you perceive them. Pick the right day and the right weather and you'll want to spray lavishly. Very nice.

Notes according to TPC: Calabrian bergamot, Italian citron, Sicilian petitgrain, bitter almond, orange blossom, juniper berry, cold spices, cypress, cedar, white musk, caraway and galbanum.

This is very nice. I really liked it. I'd buy it again.

This is an awesome summer fragrance from the house of Dior.
It is like diving into a pool of cool, blue water and emerging feeling
revived and fresh. I love the interplay of citrus notes with the almond
in this very well-crafted beauty. Did I mention the bottle was
gorgeous too?