Colonia C.L.U.B.

Acqua di Parma's Colonia C.L.U.B. arrives as a calculated provocation against the house's own citrus legacy. Where the original Colonia whispers with restraint, this 2022 iteration bristles with black pepper and pink pepper—dual bite notes that transform bergamot and lemon from mere background soloists into something altogether more combative. The opening salvo is aggressively fresh, almost peppery-bright, reminiscent of cracking peppercorns over candied citrus peel.

What distinguishes C.L.U.B. from competent fresh fragrances is its refusal to remain strictly in the citrus lane. Rosemary and shiso leaf—that peculiar Japanese herb with its almost savoury, slightly anise-tinged character—create a green backbone that prevents this from dissolving into another forgettable aquatic. The shiso is particularly cunning, adding a herbaceous undertone that reads simultaneously modern and oddly nostalgic, like walking through a garden where someone's just crushed fresh herbs.