Spezie fragrance notes
Head
- Coriander, Cardamom, Laurel
Heart
- Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cumin
Base
- Tomato Leaves, Rosemary, Sage
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Latest Reviews of Spezie

Here, unfortunately, the effervescence and 'space dust' airiness of that accord cannot save Spezie from the rather sour, sweaty-smelling spice. The clove is metallic, there is either turmeric or cumin for that, em, human dimension, and the oily purity of the rosemary or bay is a bit too close to the screech of Epsom salts for my liking. The fresh tomato stem note is welcome when I can smell it, which is mostly towards the tail end. In general, though, the riff between the dry, sweaty spice and the cooling vegetal slap of tomato leaf is discordant rather than cohesive.

In the opening there is a very very brief brightness to Spezie. Think the citrusy blast you get when crushing open fresh cardomom seeds. For the next 4 hours all I'm left with is a linear, dry and spent, turmeric powder. To my nose the absence of sweetness, that either fenugreek, clove or cinnamon would provide, makes this into a very unappealing, dull and fusty scent. I don't like the smell of stale turmeric in the drawer and certainly don't want it on me. Being honest with myself I'm really just saying, "this doesn't hold a candle to 'Piper Nigrum' ". In the dying end of the fragrance, at the 6 hour mark, the fustiness has mercifully passed, leaving only a mild soapy odour. Perhaps this might work as a layered fragrance combined with a bright aquatic?
Below you'll find folks that are able to pick out much more than turmeric, but with actual spice in one hand and Spezie on the other I'm left scratching my head and doubting myself somewhat.
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This showcases that dusty sensation that comes with spices such as bay leaf, nutmeg, and clove, with the wonderfully bitter, astringent leafy qualities of oregano and the earthier, muskier elements of white thyme and caraway. Of course cinnamon serves as the backbone, carrying it all through the heart and base, while the dry down has the hues moving from olive greens to tawny browns, feeling like rye, rosemary, the sensual layer of perspiration enhancing one's own skin, with a puff of heliotrope rendering it a bit sweet and powdery, just a smidgen.
Spezie is worth seeking out if one is a fan of ingenious Diptyque L'Autre or the delicious Serge Lutens Arabie. It is Villoresi's love letter to all the raw herbal and spiced elements in nature.




The rosemary, bay, and sage at Spezie's core are evident from the get-go, but the faintly gamey scent of cumin keeps the blend from smelling like turkey stuffing with sausages. Cardamom makes itself known fairly early in the proceedings too, but Spezie remains a very hard-edged, dry fragrance.
As Spezie dries down it becomes surprisingly cool, and I attribute this impression to the sharp, crisp green of tomato leaf. I usually think of tomato leaf as a top note, but in this case it holds on tenaciously enough to build an herb garden accord with the resinous rosemary in the drydown. Spezie is potent stuff, and it displays the kind of quirky individuality I expect from a niche fragrance. That means it's not going to appeal to everybody, and previous reviews reflect this. On the other hand, if you're looking for something that's a bit out of the ordinary but still wearable, you might want to give Spezie a try.


Perhaps it reminds me a little too much of the kitchen spice rack / herb drawer, full of earthy and fragrant condiments capable of adding magic to the simplest of dishes. Unfortunately with SPEZIE, the cook had left out the main ingredient. And it's a little too late in the evening to be driving back to the store to get some. The herbs and spices thus had nothing to work with. Let's face it. As intriguing as this herbal stew is, there is nothing in there for you to really sink your teeth into. Be prepared to go to bed hungry and unsatisfied.

Remarkably, the middle and late stages of Spezie are as wonderful as the early parts are awful. Warm, spicy and extremely comforting, it is absolutely everything I would expect from an oriental , and more.
At its best, it is by far my favourite Villoresi fragrance, at its worst, I feel like walking into the ocean.

