CARTHUSIA | Eau de Parfum - CORALLIUM

Corallium

Born from nature and from the sea that bathes the shores of the Blue Island. This fragrance combines scented woods, aromatic herbs, flowers and fruits, giving it a sensuality of rare intensity

Top notes
Bergamot
Myrrh
Bay leaf
Tangerine

Heart notes
Patchouli
Cedarwood
Fine wood

Base
Tree goldmoss
Stonecrop
Sage
White musk

Classification
Citrus/Woods

In a few words  
Daytime | Zesty | Green Spice | Walking by the beach in Italy or Greece

Why we love it 
A beautifully refreshing spa vacation in a bottle—perfect for hot day or when one needs a pick-me-up. The initial burst is tangerine and myrrh; but it soon grows in a whole new direction, turning green and spicy with the arrival of cedar, sage and bay leaves. Surprises at every turn. 

The Story 
Imagine a fresh breeze on the Isle of Capri...winds carrying scents of perfumed wood, aromatic herbs, flowers and fruits roughened by the salty air. And then they emerge: the sharp notes of bay and myrrh, of mandarin and bergamot combined with dense patchouli and cedar, masterfully balanced by a solid base of sage. These are just a hint of the sensations bursting forth from Carthusia's Corallium, created from the sea, this is a fragrance of rare intensity

What others are saying 
As gentle as a breeze. The thing is.....when you smell this you realise that a lot of other scents smell very synthetic indeed. The spray is so fine and it almost kisses your skin with a luxurious aroma that is so clean and fresh you'll never want to wash again. Expensive? Yes but worth every penny. Not too sweet, just the right amount of woodiness and ending with the gentle mixture of light musky tones that are clean and crisp. Unisex yes, and if I smelt this on a man I would want to kiss his neck and on a women I smell pure class, someone who doesn't need to stand out but once you smell her you won't forget her.

This is an exceptional perfume in that it truly captures the essence of a Mediterranean summer breeze. It feels like you're sitting in sunny a garden atop a cliff on the Amalfi coast. I tried this on a hot, sunny Sunday in Naples, along with Ligea (a sweeter, more orange-y Shalimar), and Io Capri (fig notes gone plasticky on my skin). Corralium was not the one I expected to like best.

It opens very sharp and lemony, almost like Acqua di Parma, but that quickly mellows out and you can smell the warmth underneath it - the freshness of the citrus, the smooth dryness of the cedar, and I get a bit of salt in the combination of those elements.

Strikingly elegant and very, very wearable. Moderately long-lasting, discreet sillage.

 

About the brand
Legend has it that in 1380 the father prior of the Carthusian Monastery of St. Giacomo was taken unaware by the news of the arrival in Capri of Queen Giovanna d’Angiò and so made a flower arrangement with the most beautiful flowers of the island. The water was not changed for three days and, when the flowers were thrown away, the prior noticed that the water had acquired a fragrance unknown to him. He went to the father alchemist who traced the origin of this scent back to the “Garofilum silvestre caprese”. That water became the first perfume of Capri.