Acqua di Parma Colonia Intensa fragranceAcqua di Parma Colonia Intensa is not a stronger, longer-lasting version of Acqua di Parma Colonia; Colonia Intensa is a brand-new fragrance. Colonia Intensa’s opening reminds me of Christian Dior Eau Sauvage, its mid-development recalls Annick Goutal Eau de Sud and its finish resembles Monsieur Balmain’s base notes. With such great precursors (and delicious-smelling ingredients), I found Colonia Intensa hard to resist.

Colonia Intensa was developed by perfumer Alberto Morillas and contains lemon, neroli, bergamot, myrtle, mugwort, ginger, cardamom, lignum vitae, cedar, benzoin, leather, patchouli and musk; it smells more masculine than Acqua di Parma Colonia and its structure and development are seamless. (Acqua di Parma Colonia has more distinct top, middle and base phases of development.)

Colonia Intensa opens with ‘electric’ and ‘fizzy’ lemon-ginger accords. As Colonia Intensa develops I smell cardamom, soft cedar, sweet, not earthy, patchouli, and benzoin (imagine the taste and smell of a sour lemon drop with a spicy-resinous center). Colonia Intensa’s active layers of citrus and spicy woods flicker for a long time and seem to percolate on my skin, producing a feeling of euphoria (reason enough to use this fragrance in the drab days of winter).

Colonia Intensa’s citrus and spice “heat up” in mid-development and lead to a warm, but buoyant, ending — featuring light leather and cedar accords, a hint of incense, crystalline patchouli and powdery musk.

As noted in the first paragraph of this review, Colonia Intensa is not “original” — but its conjuring up of three of my favorite summer fragrances under one cap prompted me to buy a bottle. Of all the Acqua di Parma colognes I’ve tried, this is my favorite.

Acqua di Parma Colonia Intensa Eau de Cologne ($83-$112) has very good lasting power (but stays close to the body), and the Colonia Intensa scent is also available in a shampoo/shower gel and aftershave balm. For buying information, see the listing for Acqua di Parma under Perfume Houses.

Note: image via the forums at Images de Parfums.