Carthusia
Carthusia
154 votes
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
Lemon and litsea cubeba detonate with almost aggressive brightness, immediately joined by eucalyptus and mint that create a sensation akin to breathing in cool, herb-scented air. The red thyme adds unexpected peppery depth beneath the citrus brilliance, establishing that this won't be a simple zesty opener.
The green tea emerges around the 90-minute mark, introducing a delicate tannin-like quality that grounds the composition and transforms it from purely aromatic into something more contemplative. Mandarin softens the sharper citrus edges whilst cardamom adds a gentle, almost cardamom-seed spiciness that becomes the composition's true emotional centre, with jasmine hovering indistinct in the background.
After four hours, the white musk remains as a pale, barely-there second skin—not truly substantive, but sufficient to confirm the fragrance existed. The green tea tannins and cardamom linger longest, reducing to a whisper of herbal spice that fades almost entirely by the five-hour mark.
Mediterraneo Carthusia arrives as a crystalline snapshot of a sun-drenched island morning—all bright citrus peels and herbaceous snap. Laura Bosetti Tonatto has constructed something genuinely Mediterranean here, eschewing the typical resort-wear sweetness for something considerably more austere and green. The litsea cubeba and bergamot combination creates an almost metallic brightness, whilst the eucalyptus and red thyme inject a herbal bite that prevents any drift toward conventionality. There's something almost medicinal lurking beneath the surface—that green tea heart adds a subtle astringency that plays beautifully against the mandarin's gentle sweetness.
What makes this scent compelling is its refusal to soften. The cardamom acts as a structural anchor, adding a gentle spice that keeps the composition from dissolving into pure citrus vapour. The jasmine and wild flowers remain remarkably restrained, appearing as impressions rather than declarations—ghostly florals that suggest rather than announce themselves. This is no floral fragrance pretending to be fresh; it's genuinely green and contemplative.
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3.8/5 (106)