FRAGRANCE | Casamorati Dolce Amalfi EDP by Xerjoff: Childish or sophisticated?

halfwhiteboy - Xerjoff Casamorati 1888 Dolce Amalfi EDP 02

Dolce Amalfi, released under the Casamorati banner, was our first Xerjoff, and I still love it to this day. It's just a happy scent for me, one that's perfect for warm weather and fits colder temperatures just the same. And while it's easy to dismiss it as a bubblegum fragrance, for me it's more than that.

It starts off sweet and fruity, underscored by incense—delicious! I know it sounds weird because I just mentioned incense, but it is yummy. Clove is also prominent, which makes the scent really pop. To some extent, the fruit and incense combo reminds me of Roja Risqué pour Homme. But where that one features peach, this creation has quince. Honestly I have no idea how quince smells; I just looked it up because I couldn't figure out what the fruity note is in this fragrance.

There's a certain juiciness to the scent, and the bubblegum references are undeniable. Yet it avoids the childish trap. How could it when there's incense and cloves? A sophisticated bubblegum, if there's such a thing? The sweetness is also just about right—resinous but never heavy or cloying. I also get a certain cooling effect several minutes in. I couldn't quite place it but it only adds to Dolce Amalfi's layered construction.

halfwhiteboy - Xerjoff Casamorati 1888 Dolce Amalfi EDP 03

Thirty minutes in and the smoky but transparent incense starts gaining strength. As the fruity accord takes a backseat, the incense eventually comes out on top. Approximately two hours later, the sweetness welcomes a vanillic addition to the fold, adding a new dimension to the scent. It's also no longer as bubblegum-y as it was early on.

It may not be everyone's cup of tea but for me Dolce Amalfi is a must-try. It's a complex fragrance cleverly disguised under a veneer of cheerfulness, yellow frosted bottle included. It projects well and lasts long, factors most of us normally look for in fragrances, especially pricey ones. The beautiful and very sturdy bookcase-type presentation characteristic of the Casamorati line is but a plus.

Have you tried this fragrance? Do you find it childish or sophisticated?

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