Salvatore Ferragamo Tuscan Scent Golden Acacia

)

by: Miguel Matos

“Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee
Hail Thee as the sun above
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness
Drive the dark of doubt away
Giver of immortal gladness
Fill us with the light
Fill us with the light
Oh, fill us with the light of day ...”
—from "Joyful, Joyful" by Lauryn Hill

Rejoice, oh lovers of sweet honeyed animalic smells! Jubilate, oh greedy seekers of opulent gold and sparkling hot summer light. Behold the generous gift of luscious liquid nourishment for the mind and body. Here is a cup of life, fed by the flowers and resins and delivered by unstoppable bees through liquid bliss. Golden Acacia, the balmy, golden, rich syrupy honey of Salvatore Ferragamo, delivered in the Tuscan Scent Collection. I am so in love with this fragrance I just can't tell you in straight words how glad I am for this piece of olfactory art. I'm sorry but with this I just can't give you an unbiased review, for I am under its spell. This is just irrational, impulsive thoughts and not suitable for very clear writing.

It's very rare nowadays to find fragrances that are pure indulgent happiness without being shallow. It seems Golden Acacia is a perfume made in the 80s spirit of luxurious thick opulent smells but it was also tempered with the elegance of Ferragamo, so it's not thin and it's not too much either. I can start with some comparisons, to make it easier for you to imagine what I am talking (or babbling) about. Take Balenciaga's Rumba and remove the plum and incense, dilute it a bit and you get the most precious honey, right? Take Viktoria Minya's Hedonist and macerate it in a honeycomb. Mix them with just a drop of Elizabeth Arden's Red Door and a dollop of sweet thick opoponax. Then balance it in proportion to result in elegance, not overpowering strength nor common gourmand ground. This is the smell of nature in abundance of warmth and light. It is optimism, sun and the promise of life and happiness. Yes, it smells like honey and we cannot escape all the positive connotations we give it.

The Tuscan Scent collection, just like the Tuscan Soul series, is a tribute to Tuscany, Italy, made by the house of Salvatore Ferragamo, a brand that was born in the heart of this region-Florence. In a land of sun and natural richness, there is a shrub that, just like in all Mediterranean areas, invades the landscape with the yellow fluffiness of its flowers, the acacia. This tree with abundant yellow little puffs of flowers is a source of pollen for the bees that produce the acacia honey. And this is the core of this fragrance that is not too complex but still very rich, mainly because of this prominent note. Of course there is the hint of orange blossom to make it fresher and the counterpoint of opoponax to turn it thicker, but this is done in a very intelligent way, because this is not a bomb, even though it is very present and lasts ages on the skin and clothes. I go back to my references and I find similarities (in spirit) with Montana Parfum de Peau, but without marigold and updated for the new millennium – take the shoulder pads off and imagine.

The strong smell of the acacia tree and the honey the bees make from it not only compose this sweet and slightly animalic composition but they represent life, strength and immortality. The Freemasons believe that the acacia represents purity and endurance of the soul. It reminds us of our spiritual dimension, like the emanation of God that can never die. The Egyptians called it the tree of life. Acacia is also a part of the preparation for incense. In Russia, Italy, and other countries, it is a tradition to present women with yellow acacia flowers (among others) on International Women's Day. The Bible has a lot of references to this plant too and it is said that the crown of Jesus in the Crucifixion could be in fact an acacia branch. The acacia honey is considered to be one of the most precious types of honey. It lasts longer than the others and it has some health benefits. It has calming and soothing properties and it is used for treating insomnia and states of anxiety. It is also very good for improving skin conditions. All this goodness inside the liquid gold and it also smells heavenly.

The overall impression of this composition is honey and beeswax, drenched in a mixture of opoponax, amber and a drop of orange blossom. It is animalic in a very friendly way. Not the castoreum/civet/leather trio which can turn into scary animal accords, but the more sunny honey animalic. However, the honey note can be too sweet, too strong, too dense like in Giorgio Beverly Hills For Men, for example. This one is the opposite. It manages to maintain the natural animalic vibe, but it leaves a lot of space for breathing. I can't tell you that it is soft or fresh or even airy. It is syrupy for sure. But in such a blissful way it just brings a smile to my face and a cozy hug for the colder days ahead. In this golden light there is the warm breath of life.