1# Nota di Viaggio - Rites de Passage (2010)
by Meo Fusciuni

1 # Nota di Viaggio, the first one of the "fragrances inspired by travels" trilogy, is basically a cleverly appointed vetiver and prevalently a vetiver/patchouli citric combo with some green/aromatic trails and a final spicy/incensey aura (and not properly in my humble opinion a straightforward transparent incense). The note of vetiver is by soon on the edge while the patchouli comes out heady at distance, sharper and with a well balanced incensey/peppery dustiness around. The note of vetiver, for the main part of the trip, is not earthy/rooty (apart just a bit in the course of the first minutes) but smooth (despite the spiciness) and almost indolic/balmy because of the notable implementation of soothing balsams as benzoin. The initial combination of hesperidic notes (lemon/orange/bergamot), exotic spices (apart pepper i suppose nutmeg or cloves), grapefruit, woody/floral notes, ylang-ylang, may be a touch of smoke and smooth natural vetiver, reminds me soon the vintage Guerlain Vetiver which i used to enjoy at least twenty years ago. There is some spicy pungency around counteracting the smoothness in this phase centered over an exotic and natural starring vetiver. The aroma in this initial stage is indeed refreshing, citric and wet, so botanic and boise, heaven at morning. The more the aroma evolves the more the initial humid radiancy starts to fade towards a more intimate and dry woodsy/patchouli with the incensey Meo Fusciuni's landmark trail, which is anyway not dominant but ambiental. The aroma is peppery till the end and absolutely comforting, you can catch the vetiver also along the drier woodsy/patchouli dusty dry down. 1 # Nota di Viaggio is a well made and balanced day time/office juice with a touch of dreamy exoticism. Close to the skin and averagely durable. My positive rating is apponted because of the guaranteed attractiveness and extreme naturalness of the aroma, ( despite i find that a boise' vetiver/patchouli combo with hints of spicy/incensey dust is an olfactory way longly walked since now by the perfumers all over the world). Along the first part of the development 1#Nota reminds me a lot Vetyverio Diptyque, another versatile hesperidic/green vetiver in which the final dustiness is more spicy than incensey and the note of patchouli is a bit less pronounced than in here. I detect also some similarities in the dry down between 1#Nota and the new 2011 (darker than 1#Nota, more spicy and less citric) Sombre Negra Yosh, which is a more wearable (less smoky/gassy/rubbery than the previous 2010 formula) version which with the Fusciuni'one shares a vetiver/patchouli/frankincense/pepper/citrus/spices accord.

Lemony frankincense. 1# nota di viaggio (rites de passage) is a fresh/transparent incense composition with green undertones and peppery hints. Aromatic during the opening due to a remarkable geranium note, slightly more earthy in the drydown with the addition of vetiver. Sits somewhere between Diptyque's L'Eau Trois and Miller Et Bertaux Spiritus/Land.

Nice but not exciting.