BVLGARI MAN RAIN ESSENCE

FRAGRANCE FAMILY: Woody, Aquatic

TOP NOTES: Green Tea Essence, Orange Essence

HEART NOTES: White Lotus Accord, Crystal Musks Accord

BASE NOTES: Mineral Amber Accord, Guaiac Wood Essence

We may bemoan the rain here in the UK - plans spoilt, the match postponed, the picnic grumpily consumed in a steamed-up car - it definitely doesn’t have the best reputation. Imagine instead if rain actually smelt of Bvlgari Man – Rain Essence, we may look on it in a wholly different way. Kudos to master perfumer Alberto Morillas for accentuating the positive. His interpretation is all about water as a transformative and regenerative force. The power of this natural element expressed in scent – and this is absolutely in Morillas’ wheel-house – CK One and Acqua di Gio, anyone?

What you get with Rain Essence is a clean, fresh fragrance that is the ideal way to herald the arrival of summer (and hopefully less rain!) The green tea note is the perfect way to kick things off – as refreshing as the first morning cuppa sitting along a delightfully zesty orange note. The heart of Rain Essence stays light and airy with a celestial white lotus accord and musks. Things are rounded off with guaiac wood and amber, which has the feeling of a big bath towel warming you up and making things all cozy after an invigorating shower.

SMELLING NOTES:

EXPLORE: BVlgari Man

Rain Essence

• Does this perfume make you think of rain?

• What notes would signify rain (or water) to you?

• Is there a colour that this scent brings to mind?

• What location would best suit ‘Rain Essence’

From £110 for 100 ml eau de parfuM bulgari.com

TUMI CONTINUUM [12.00 GMT]

FRAGRANCE FAMILY: Woody, AMBER

TOP NOTES: Olibanum, Amber, Green Mandarin

HEART NOTES: Tobacco Leaf, Orris Root, Cistus Incanus

BASE NOTES: Suede, Musk, Agarwood (Oud)

TUMI CONTINUUM [12.00 GMT]

You may know TUMI as the premium suitcase people and very covetable they are too. Did you know they also make fine fragrance? Well, they’re really rather good. TUMI have created a range that is all about travel (of course) and the journey, cleverly creating different scents to signify different times of the day.

Continuum is the ‘midday’ fragrance. Our TUMI man is on an adventure, but has yet to reach his destination. There’s a spicy, caramel quality to the fragrance - reminiscent of a cola ice lolly (this is a GOOD thing!) Things start with frankincense up top bringing a fruity, balsamic quality along with mandarin. Then it gets smokier and earthier with tobacco leaf, orris and amber. This is a wellbalanced, warm, comforting scent.

It’s worth flagging up the smart details on the Continuum bottle, in common with the rest of the range. There’s a robust, solid design to the flacon and an ingenious lock cap to stop the liquid spilling in transit. Form and function expertly aligned - and no less than you’d expect from TUMI. Perfect for the man on the move.

SMELLING NOTES:

EXPLORE: TUMI Continuum [12.00 GMT]

• This fragrance references 12.00 GMT. What scent would you associate with the middle of the day?

• What are the different notes/ flavours that you think of when you think of a Cola smell?

• What clothing would best suit this scent?

• Why do you think this is named ‘Continuum’?

From £65 for 50 ml eau de PARFUM Uk.tumi.com