Bvlgari to the Extrême!

It has been a number of years since I worked with the renowned jeweller, hotelier and perfume house, Bvlgari. Their brand is synonymous with style, elegance and luxury, and (I am told) a night's stay in one of their lavishly-appointed hotels can quite literally break the bank (much in the same way purchasing one of their eye-popping baubles might)!

But ever since Greek jeweller Sotiris Bulgaris left his home in Northern Greece in the late 1800's, to set up shop in Rome; the brand that still bares his name to this day has grown into a global powerhouse. More than 100 years after this monumental move to Italy, it was the French perfumer Jean Claude Ellena who was commissioned to create the house's very first Eau de Cologne, named Eau Parfumée au Thé Vert: an elegant splash centred around green tea and soft, clean citruses. It proved a hit, and paved the way for several subsequent releases in the Eau Parfumée range: Eau Thé Blanc, and Eau Thé Rouge. But for my money, I personally feel the concentrated version: Eau Parfumée Au Thé Vert Extrême is the standout scent in this portfolio.

Often unfairly overlooked (and identifiable by it's shorter, wider bottle adorned with a dark green label), the Extrême release is distinctly more intense than the original eau de cologne. An eau de toilette for men and women, this release again focuses on green tea, but also light florals and zesty Italian bergamot. White pepper serves as the humming heart over which these radiant green floral accords shimmer. Where the original EDC seems somewhat harsher and dryer to the nose, the EDT brims with fresh green vitality. I am impressed with its longevity, and as a refreshing summer tonic, Extrême artfully awakens and stimulates the senses. 

I detect some parallels with the citrus accords in Cartier's Declaration For Him, and those also found in Acqua di Parma's Colonia Intensa.

Next time you pass by your local Bvlgari installation (or indeed stay for a time in their opulent Milano hotel or Bali resort), be sure to reward yourself with a spritz of the good stuff. Eau Parfumée au Thé Vert Extrême does not disappoint.