Roma 
Laura Biagiotti (1988)

Somewhere, in a distant galaxy, there may be aliens that smell like this.
An abstract bouquet of myrrh and orange flower; Roma is an avant-garde classic that - even after three decades - is still ahead of it's time.

Love it, smells so nice

I finally got around to purchasing this. It has been on my radar since the early 90's. Why it took so long is beyond me. It is everything I'd hoped for, in a fragrance from the 80's.

Very well orchestrated. It is a genius combination of notes. Rich, full-bodied like a fine cognac. A libation for the soul of a goddess!

To me, no ingredient over-powers another. A classic "oriental".

The initial notes of Roma are quite on the sweet-creamy side; ylang, vanilla, a hint of fruits, a balsamic-resinous breeze (myrrh, apparently: basically an Oriental spicy-incense-resin smell like olibanum), a minty note, heliotrope, delicate and aromatic citrus notes, aldehydes, supported by an earthy-animalic velvety base, refined and understated, which gives just a tiny touch of "animalic" à la Jicky but quite soft and hiding like a shadow behind a cloud of silky spicy soapiness. As minutes pass it darkens becoming smokier and more resinous, the balsamic incense is now more prominent together with woods and patchouli, always surrounded by a sweet talc creaminess of ylang, flowers and sandalwood. So in short it's all about flowers, resins, woods, quite on the sweet-bright side despite some interesting darker corners. Undoubtedly a pleasant scent, simple, friendly and elegant (not that sophisticated, though), versatile and iconic – you smelled this everywhere some fifteen years ago in the streets of Italy. The drydown is dry and unexpectedly more greenish, almost grassy and a tad metallic. It may sound weird, but given the similarity of the notes, it almost resembles to Zino Davidoff or Guerlain Héritage's "blond sister". Good and easy-going.

7,5-8/10

As Barbara Herman describes this, "a sweet spicy floriental, a combo of Shalimar with amber and black currant."

Quite accurate - a sumptuous oriental from the late 1980s. The currant, vanilla civet and amber add depth to the tried and true formula that spawned Shalimar and Emeraude.

Top notes: Bergamot, Pink Grapefruit, Black Currant, Mint
Heart notes: Jasmine, Rose, Muguet
Base notes: Sandalwood, Vanilla, Amber, Musk, Patchouli, Oakmoss, Civet

Quite excellent.

Sophisticated and sexy oriental The opening has the sharpness of black current and bergamot, and the addition of the mint adds what seems like a pine note when all combined together. Very appealing and fresh without being too sharp.The floral heartnotes are quite sweet, definately throwing this into the "oriental" category, as others have noted. Rose and jasmine are most prominent. I expected more of a chypre style of fragrance from the notes lineup.The basenotes contain a load of resinous and animalic notes, yet they play out rather subtly on me. I suppose it's because of the EDT formulation. I enjoy the drydown for its musky resinous quality. The longevity is fair, going on 8 hours now, and sillage is good. I applied lightly, dabbing with a cotton ball, but if your spray I imagine it really stands out.A definate two thumbs up for this fragrance--easier to wear than Rumba, lovely blended notes,and a sexy vibe that's very appealing. I think it's a great 3-season fragrance; you might want to avoid wearing in the heat of summer. Pros: Complex, resinous, smoothCons: None"