New Acqua di Parma fragrance is an ode to its first ever scent

Colonia Il Profumo is a modern reworking of the original Colonia

Acqua di Parma Colonia Il Profumo
(Image credit: Acqua di Parma)
Quick Summary

Legendary scent-maker, Acqua Di Parma, has unveiled its newest fragrance.

That takes its first scent from over 100 years ago, and gives it a gentle reworking for the modern age.

The world of men's fragrance is unbelievably vast. Options are available from small, independent perfumers and large fashion houses in equal measure, with thousands – if not millions – of options available.

Still, when it comes to brand's which know a thing or two about scent, Acqua di Parma deserves a nod. The Italian brand has been producing fragrances since 1916, when it debuted the original Colonia.

Now – over a century later – the brand has taken another stab at that formula. Colonia Il Profumo is inspired by the scent which started it all, but with some modifications to suit the modern audience.

Acqua di Parma Colonia Il Profumo

(Image credit: Acqua di Parma)

Most notably, that includes the presence of ylang-ylang. That's often regarded as a mature note, which is deftly refined here in a bid to only bring out the most vibrant elements. It should marry beautifully with the heavy citrus notes which made the original such a fan favourite.

Expect top notes of citrus, with lemon, bergamot and orange worthy of note. The middle is dominated by the ylang-ylang, with lavender, rose and neroli among the other notes featured. All of that sits on a strong base of vetiver, leather and cedar, with patchouli added to retain the fragrances key character right to the base.

Acqua di Parma Colonia Il Profumo

(Image credit: Acqua di Parma)

All of that sits within the iconic Acqua di Parma bottle. It's a beautifully simple design, inspired by the Art Deco movement and featuring a gold-gilded glass for this scent. The whole thing simply exudes luxury.

It feels like a really worthwhile time to reinvent the scent, too. While the original Colonia is a classic, for some that's the worst part. Its incredible history and longevity leaves some feeling like its slightly dated. Even if you don't feel that way, it's nice to have another option – especially one which seeks to modernise a timeless scent.

There's no word on pricing right now, but we'd expect this to sit in with the rest of the Maison's pricing structure – 50ml, 100ml and 180ml bottles priced around £100, £150 and £200 (approx. $123, $184 and $245 / AU$198, AU$298 and AU$397) respectively.

Sam Cross
Senior Staff Writer

Sam is an award-winning journalist with over six years of experience across print and digital media. As T3’s Senior Staff Writer, Sam covers everything from new phones and EVs to luxury watches and fragrances. Working across a range of different social media platforms alongside his written work, Sam is a familiar face for fans of T3. When he’s not reviewing snazzy products or hunting for stellar deals, Sam enjoys football, analog photography and writing music.