Ichnusa

‘Ichnusa’ by Profumum Roma is the almighty fig-God of all fig scents ever – go figure.

The other fig-based fragrances (I’ll leave them nameless, since they are all inferior) use the fruit of fig as the note, giving a sweet, milky, sappiness. But ‘Ichnusa’ uses fig-leaf (rather than the fruit) so it transcends into being much more herbaceous, greener and fresher. It smells like if you were to crush the leaves from a Mediterranean fig tree in your hands and let the green chlorophyll-rich juice run seductively down your arms. It's freshly pressed fig leaf at its finest.

I’m not keen on fruity fragrances, as the sweetness overpowers me and I ultimately find it cloying. So using the fig leaf as the hero note (as Adam and Eve’s modesty can attest) is a much better idea. It also combines myrtle (which is a flower with an intense herbal, aromatic Mediterranean nature) with notes of wood and cut grass to amplify the soothing, greenly relaxing charm. There is nothing sharp about this scent - ‘Ichnusa’ is a big friendly green giant.

‘Ichnusa’ is the Latinised ancient name for Sardinia (if you were wondering). Profumum Roma began in 1996 from simple beginnings as knife grinders, in a small village in Italy. They slowly evolved to owning a simple shop, selling shaving soap, hair products and cologne. After enough graft and sacrifice, they achieved prominence as the most important perfumer in Rome - their name known around the most affluent streets. A bronze statue of a knife grinder now stands in their home village, in homage to the legacy born of humble beginnings.

Profumum Roma describe ‘Ichnusa’ as: "A homage to the unspoiled beauty of Sardinia, an island between Italy and Tunisia. Imagine a long stretch of rugged coastline, the crash of emerald waves against the rocky shore and a hot summer wind stirring up all the tantalising scents of the amazing Mediterranean flora. The predominant note here is fig – a warm, dry fig with a deep, satisfying sweetness that mingles with wood, freshly cut grass and sharp myrtle. This smells like the last days of summer, when green has turned to gold and fruit is ripening in the bright sun. Very different from green or milky fig scents, this wild and windswept version is a must-try for all fig lovers."

The brand design is simplistic and clean, but the unconventional alignment of the lettering looks like an eye test chart. I like that the atomiser on the 100ml bottle sprays a satisfyingly generous amount - the most I've ever encountered from just one spray. With a parfum oil quantity boasting a massive 34% (which doesn’t get much higher), that one lavish spray lasts me all day, all night and into the next morning - that's impressive! The presentation box comes with a 6ml mini bottle (with a rollerball applicator), so you can decant for a travel size amount, and with the oil content being so high, it rolls easily. Speaking figuratively, at £225 it's well worth figuring-out the figures. Fig. There, I'm done.

It’s one of my most favourite scents (of all time) and it’s jostling into position to be my signature. It’s just so appealing, I can see anyone, of any age, in any season wearing this. In the UK, it’s only sold in 3 places: Harrods, Jovoy London and a shop in Amersham, Buckinghamshire that now states it's "permanently closed" – so you see its exclusivity.

‘Ichnusa’ is so naturalistic and innocent, I’m tempted to wear it naked, with just a fig leaf covering my naughty bits.

NOTES – Fig Leaf, Fig Tree, Myrtle, Grass, Hay