Bvlgari
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
The juniper-ginger combination arrives with sharp, almost aggressive clarity—like biting into a sprig of rosemary laced with crystallised ginger. The geranium adds a green, slightly metallic edge that prevents sweetness, establishing the fragrance's austere temperament immediately. Within moments, you sense this won't be a comfortable, familiar scent.
As the opening's brightness settles, artemisia emerges with understated bitterness—reminiscent of wormwood or certain varieties of sage—creating subtle friction against the creeping warmth of sandalwood. The orris concrete adds a powdery-root quality that feels distinctly retro, whilst the woody accords begin their gradual ascent. Around the two-hour mark, the composition feels most balanced, the synthetic elements creating an almost varnished quality against natural-leaning notes.
The clearwood and nootka cypress dominate, rendering the base increasingly aquatic and slightly resinous—like standing in a modern sauna with cedar elements. Musk provides a whisper of skin-scent intimacy, yet the composition remains cool and detached rather than sensual. By hour four, projection diminishes considerably, leaving only a faint woody-musky residue that feels more intellectual than olfactory.
Bvlgari Man Glacial Essence reads as a sparse, almost austere composition—the olfactory equivalent of minimalist architecture rendered in fragrance form. Alberto Morillas has crafted something that prioritises clarity over density, allowing each note to occupy its own space rather than melding into a cohesive whole. The juniper berry and ginger opening suggests botanical crispness, though the geranium leans green and slightly peppery rather than floral. What distinguishes this from conventional fresh fragrances is the artemisia in the heart—that slightly bitter, herbaceous artemisia concrete that prevents the scent from becoming merely clean or laundry-like. The sandalwood beneath it is restrained, creamy rather than woody, whilst the orris concrete adds a slightly powdery, root-like earthiness that anchors proceedings.
The synthetic accord dominates, and this isn't criticism but observation: the aquatic and woody elements feel deliberately constructed, almost crystalline in their precision. There's an icy detachment to the composition that mirrors the "Glacial" in its name—this isn't a warm embrace but rather a bracing splash of cold water. The base notes of clearwood and nootka cypress suggest maritime driftwood rather than forest warmth, whilst musk adds a skin-like softness that prevents complete austerity.
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3.5/5 (196)