Note Pyramid
Colonia Quercia
Acqua di Parma Colonia Quercia Eau de Parfum 180ml is the biggest bottle in this part of the range and also the driest scent in it, which makes the format and the composition an unusually good match.
Lemon and bergamot start it in familiar territory, petitgrain pulls that opening green and bitter, and pink pepper gives it a dry crackle rather than a sweet lift. Cardamom follows, cool and slightly soapy, geranium adds a crisp green leafiness, and cedarwood arrives early for a scent of this kind, setting the dry tone well before the base. Then it settles. Tonka bean brings a soft powderiness, faintly sweet and a little like the inside of a biscuit tin, patchouli adds earth, and oakmoss closes it with a damp, almost forest floor bitterness that is the most memorable thing about the whole composition.
It was introduced in 2016. At eau de parfum strength, which is the exception rather than the rule for the Colonia line, it holds six to eight hours and projects moderately, drawing nearer to the skin after the first hour. It reads as unisex and leans serious rather than playful, so it suits work, autumn and the colder half of the year better than it suits a beach.
The 180ml size is the argument for this particular listing. It is a lot of liquid, intended for someone who already knows the scent and wants it standing on a shelf rather than packed in a travel bag, and the cost per wear works out well below the smaller bottles.
Acqua di Parma began in Parma in 1916, where Baron Carlo Magnani wanted to make something lighter than the perfumes of his day. The house belongs to LVMH, extends into candles and home fragrance, and keeps the hat box presentation it has used for generations.
Please note: images are a guide only. Packaging and bottle design may occasionally differ from those shown due to manufacturer updates or promotions.
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