I remember being a big fan of the Italian niche line i Profumi di Firenze a number of years ago, but I have to confess that I’ve lost track of their recent activity. I don’t blame the brand; my ignorance is mostly a result of the fact that the line isn’t as widely available in New York as it once was, and I don’t always get around to placing online sample orders of new releases. I have fond memories of i Profumi’s Florentia 22, Violetta di Bosco, and Caterina de Medici, so when a sample vial of the Frangipane e Cocco came my way, I decided to give it a try.

Frangipane e Cocco has notes of coconut, blood orange, frangipani and frankincense and is billed as a feminine fragrance. After trying it a few times, I like it, although it wasn’t quite what I expected: it’s less floral and feminine than it sounds. Its opening phase is even a touch animalic, with some kind of musky note that has a dirty-hair effect. This bit of “skank” surprised me, especially since it shows up at the top of the fragrance. However, the rest of the fragrance is milder and more of a light gourmand. Its coconut accord is creamy, without any greenness or earthiness. There’s definitely some nutty, milky vanilla in the middle and base; i Profumi di Firenze has always done a nice job with vanilla scents, and they carry on that tradition in Frangipane e Cocco…

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