Orto Parisi
Megamare
The Story
Megamare is Alessandro Gualtieri's attempt at the sea itself rather than a scent worn near it, built on salt tide, seaweed and ambergris pushed to a scale most houses would have pulled back from. Nothing in it is designed to be refreshing, which is why it reads as open water rather than a beach.
Musky
Warm breath of clean skin
A soft, slightly animalic warmth that smells like clean skin and freshly dried laundry, intimate and faintly sweet. It hums quietly underneath a fragrance, lending a sensual, second-skin closeness that feels personal and lingering.
Marine
open sea air and spray
A cool, watery freshness evoking salt spray, wet stone, and ozone off the open water. It feels clean and expansive, like wind over the surf, breezy and oxygenated with a slightly mineral, aquatic transparency.
Fresh
Clean air after cool water
A crisp, transparent brightness that suggests cool water, washed skin, and open air, often laced with a zesty or aquatic lift. It feels clean and weightless, instantly cooling and uncomplicated, like stepping outside after a rain.
Aquatic
Salt air and open water
The cool, transparent smell of seawater, wet stone, and the briny spray off a wave. Marine and clean with a saline mineral edge, it conjures windswept shorelines and open swimming, refreshing and weightless, like breathing beside the sea.
Amber
Golden resin glowing warm
A soft, resinous glow built from labdanum, benzoin, and vanilla, sweet but dusky, like sun-warmed tree sap with a hint of incense smoke. It radiates a cozy, golden heat that wraps close to the skin and lingers.
Citrus
First bright zest of morning
The juicy, rind-snapping brightness of lemon, bergamot, and orange peel, tart and effervescent with a clean bitter edge. It opens a scent with instant lift and sparkle, fresh and energizing, evaporating quickly like sunlight on water.
Bergamot
Sparkling citrus light with a bittersweet edge
What it is
Bergamot is a small citrus fruit, Citrus bergamia, grown almost entirely along the Calabrian coast of southern Italy. The aromatic oil sits in glands in the rind of the unripe green-yellow fruit and is cold-pressed mechanically from the peel rather than distilled, preserving its fresh brightness.
How it smells
Bright, zesty and green, a sweet citrus sparkle softened by a floral, almost tea-like smoothness. Underneath runs a faintly bitter, balsamic warmth that sets it apart from lemon or orange. It flashes lively on opening, then fades quickly into a soft, slightly spicy hum.
In perfumery
The classic top note, bergamot adds freshness and lift while blending sharp citrus into the heart. It defines eau de cologne and the fougère family, harmonizing with lavender, neroli and oakmoss. It opens countless modern fresh-floral compositions, and its oil gives Earl Grey tea its scent.
Good to know
Natural bergamot oil contains bergapten, a furocoumarin that makes skin highly sensitive to sunlight and can cause burns. IFRA caps how much expressed bergamot oil a leave-on product may carry, so perfumers either dose within that limit or reach for a furocoumarin-free (FCF) grade.
Lemon
Cold yellow zest snapping into bright sun
What it is
Lemon is the fruit of Citrus limon, a small evergreen tree grown around the Mediterranean, especially Sicily and Calabria, and in California. The aromatic oil sits in tiny glands in the colored peel and is cold-pressed mechanically from the rind, a squeezing and scraping rather than distillation.
How it smells
Sharp, juicy and instantly recognizable, a cold bright zest with sparkling sourness. The opening is tart, green and effervescent, driven by limonene and citral; beneath sits a faint sweet pith and a clean, slightly waxy peel facet. It is fleeting, fading within minutes.
In perfumery
A classic top note prized for lift, freshness and instant cleanliness, it powers the eau de cologne tradition alongside bergamot, neroli and petitgrain. Because it evaporates fast, it is often reinforced with citral. It defines the great classic colognes and the bright, sparkling opening of countless fresh fragrances.
Good to know
Cold-pressed lemon oil contains photosensitizing furocoumarins that can trigger sun-induced skin burns, so perfumers often use a furocoumarin-free version. It also oxidizes quickly, turning harsh and turpentine-like, which is why citrus fragrances are notoriously hard to keep stable in the bottle.
Seaweed
Green tidewrack breathing iodine and salt
What it is
Seaweed as a note comes from marine algae, often kelp and other brown or green seaweeds harvested from coastal waters. The dried plant is solvent-extracted to an absolute, a dark green-brown viscous mass, frequently supported by synthetic marine molecules that round out the briny, oceanic effect.
How it smells
Green, salty and iodine-rich, with a damp, mineral, low-tide character. It carries wet rock, brine and a faint marine funk, drying to a leathery, slightly smoky and animalic depth. Less fresh than aquatic notes, more like the shoreline laid bare at ebb tide.
In perfumery
A heart-to-base material adding briny realism, iodine bite and a dark green marine depth that clean aquatic molecules lack. It pairs with salt, ambergris, vetiver and incense to build raw coastal accords, appearing in marine and shoreline compositions across niche and artisanal houses.
Good to know
Seaweed absolute is scarce and costly, with a heavy, tenacious smell so intense that only trace amounts are used. The same algae chemistry that flavours kombu broth and nori sheets gives the note its savoury, umami-tinged marine signature, the taste of the sea made wearable.
Calone
The sea breeze captured in a molecule
What it is
A synthetic aroma-chemical, methylbenzodioxepinone, also called Calone 1951 or watermelon ketone. It was discovered by chemists at Pfizer in 1966 and is manufactured industrially. Its structure echoes scent compounds emitted by brown algae, which partly explains its uncanny seashore character.
How it smells
Fresh, watery and ozonic, conjuring sea spray, wet stone and salt air. Beneath the marine coolness sit green and melon facets, with a recognisable watermelon-rind and faint oyster nuance. In dilution it reads clean and airy; concentrated, it turns metallic and almost briny.
In perfumery
A top-to-heart note that defines the aquatic and ozonic genre. Combined with dihydromyrcenol, florals and musks it builds open-air freshness. It powered the 1990s marine wave, becoming the signature of the era's defining aquatic and ozonic fragrances.
Good to know
Calone is so potent and recognisable that perfumers now use it sparingly: a trace adds sea air, while a heavy hand instantly dates a fragrance to the early 1990s. Its watermelon facet also makes it useful in fruity accords far from any marine theme.
Hedione
Transparent jasmine that makes a fragrance breathe
What it is
Hedione is a synthetic aroma-chemical, methyl dihydrojasmonate, related to a trace component of jasmine. Edouard Demole achieved its synthesis in 1958, and the material was patented as Hedione in 1962. It is now made industrially and ranks among the most-used ingredients in modern perfumery.
How it smells
Limpid, airy and luminous: a soft green-floral jasmine without the heavy indolic density of the real flower. It reads of magnolia and dewy petals, faintly citrusy and watery. It adds lift and radiance, lending compositions a fizzy, transparent quality often likened to champagne.
In perfumery
A heart-note diffuser and blender used at high levels to add space, glow and naturalness, smoothing citrus, bolstering white florals and lengthening drydowns. It was put centre stage in a landmark fresh masculine of 1966, and it also defines the airy bloom of countless modern florals.
Good to know
Hedione is estimated to appear in a large share of all fine fragrances, a figure sometimes cited near eighty percent. Research has suggested its high-purity form can weakly activate a putative human pheromone receptor, fuelling its reputation as a quietly attractive, skin-flattering molecule.
Musk
One word for two entirely different materials
What it is
Musk names two different materials. Historically it was the dried glandular secretion of the male musk deer, genus Moschus, tinctured slowly in alcohol. Since all musk deer came under CITES protection in 1979, the word has almost always meant synthetic musk, families of lab molecules built to carry that warmth without the animal.
How it smells
Raw deer musk is animalic, urinous and barnyard, turning sweet, warm and radiantly skin-like once diluted to a whisper. Synthetic musks read cleaner: Galaxolide sweet and floral-woody, Habanolide metallic like hot-ironed linen, ethylene brassylate soft and powdery. Together they suggest fresh cotton and clean skin rather than fur.
In perfumery
Musk is the quiet backbone of a composition, a fixative that lends sillage, longevity and a second-skin glow. Synthetics divide into nitro, polycyclic and macrocyclic families, the old nitro musks largely restricted over persistence and toxicity concerns, the biodegradable macrocyclics favoured since. Genuine deer musk survives only in a handful of artisanal tinctures.
Good to know
A label that says only musk does not declare which of the two it holds, though deer musk is restricted and costly enough to appear mainly in small artisanal work. Specific anosmia complicates the reading further: many people cannot smell Galaxolide at all, so one wearer finds a scent radiant and another finds almost nothing.
Ambroxan
Synthetic ambergris that glows like warm skin
What it is
Ambroxan is a synthetic aroma-chemical, a tetramethyl naphthofuran first semi-synthesised at Firmenich in 1950 to mimic ambergris and sold there as Ambrox; Ambroxan is the trade name the same molecule carries from another house. It is semi-synthesised from sclareol, a molecule extracted from clary sage (Salvia sclarea), which is oxidatively degraded then cyclised into ambroxide. Modern biotech routes now ferment sclareol for higher yield.
How it smells
Dry, warm and ambery with a clean mineral-woody character, faintly salty and musky. It reads as soft skin, blond woods and a touch of velvety sweetness, almost odourless up close yet vast in projection. It diffuses without sharp edges, smelling like sun-warmed air.
In perfumery
A powerhouse base and fixative giving radiance, longevity and a skin-like glow, often used to amplify woods and ambers and to project a whole composition. It is the engine of countless modern fresh and ambery blockbusters and the near-solo star of several minimalist single-note compositions.
Good to know
Ambergris is a rare waxy substance formed in sperm whale guts and found washed ashore. Ambroxan delivers its key facet without harming whales, sidestepping legal and ethical issues. Firmenich's fermentation route, using clary sage enzymes expressed in microbes, made it cheaper and far greener to manufacture.
Cedar
Dry sharpened pencils and sun-warmed timber
What it is
Cedar in perfumery comes mainly from the Virginia and Texas "cedars" of the Juniperus genus, with true Atlas cedar (Cedrus atlantica) a smaller second source. Juniper chips and sawmill shavings are steam-distilled into an oil rich in cedrol and cedrene, while Atlas oil runs instead on himachalene sesquiterpenes.
How it smells
Dry, woody and resinous, recalling freshly sharpened pencils and cedar-lined closets. Atlas cedar leans warm, smoky and balsamic; Virginia cedar reads sharper and cleaner. It opens crisp and pencil-like, then settles into a soft, sawdust-warm, faintly sweet timber that holds for hours.
In perfumery
A workhorse heart and base note prized for its smooth woody backbone and fixative power. It anchors chypres, fougeres and modern woods, pairing with vetiver, rose, citrus and amber. Cedar lends a signature plummy-woody core to spiced floral-woods and threads through countless unisex woods.
Good to know
Most perfumery "cedar" is not botanical cedar at all but juniper; true Cedrus and the unrelated Juniperus share a name through scent, not lineage. Cedarwood oil was burned in ancient Egyptian embalming and used to scent tombs, coffins and ships' timbers.
Fragrance Character
Bergamot and lemon open with a clean, almost electric brightness that dissolves quickly into the heart's dense marine core, where seaweed and calone read less like a beach and more like open water at depth. Hedione lifts the composition just enough to keep it from becoming suffocating. On the drydown, cedar gives the musk and ambroxan a dry, woody grip that holds the saline character close to the skin for hours.
Longevity
how long it stays on skin
This gauge reads the expected wear time, how many hours the fragrance keeps speaking on skin before it fades. A marker near the low end means a few fleeting hours, while a marker pushed to the far end promises a scent still present from morning into night.
Sillage
the size of its scent trail
This reads how far the fragrance reaches beyond you and the trail it leaves behind. Low sits soft against the skin, an intimate whisper noticed only up close; high climbs through moderate and strong toward enormous, filling a room and lingering in the air after you have left it.
Experimental
For the bold and curious
Unconventional, boundary-pushing scents for someone who wants to provoke a reaction and stand apart. Suited to artistic, challenging compositions: inky tar, rubber, fermented fruit, metallic or animalic facets that defy easy liking. On this wheel a glowing coin means it rewards the adventurous nose, a dim one means it plays things safe.
Office
Polished but never overpowering
Close-quarters professional settings where a scent should be noticed only by those near you. Suited to restrained, clean compositions with modest projection: tidy citrus, soft musk, pale woods that read competent and considerate. On this wheel a glowing coin means it works in shared workspaces, a dim one means it carries too far.
Evening
After dark, turned up
Dinners, drinks, and nights out when a fragrance can deepen and project with confidence. Suited to richer, warmer compositions: ambers, resins, smoky woods, or plush florals that bloom under low light. On this wheel a glowing coin means the scent comes alive after sundown, a dim one means it stays better suited to daytime.
Romantic
Close enough to be felt
Intimate moments and date nights meant to draw someone nearer. Suited to warm, sensual compositions that hum against skin: creamy florals, vanilla, soft musk, a touch of spice or amber that invites closeness. On this wheel a glowing coin means it sets an alluring mood, a dim one means it leans more practical than seductive.
Formal
Refined for the occasion that matters
Weddings, ceremonies, galas, and dressed-up affairs that call for composure and elegance. Suited to polished, structured scents with quiet authority: smooth woods, refined florals, soft leather, nothing loud or playful. On this wheel a glowing coin means it carries the right gravitas, a dim one means it feels too casual for the room.
Casual
Easy comfort for unhurried days
Everyday wear with no agenda: errands, coffee, friends, a slow weekend. Suited to soft, approachable scents that feel clean and natural, like fresh citrus, light woods, or a gentle skin warmth. On this wheel a glowing coin means the fragrance fits these laid-back moments, a dim one means it asks for more.
Day to Night
where its mood naturally falls
This slider reads the hour the fragrance was made for. A marker to the left leans luminous and bright, easy in daylight and open air; slide it right and the character turns deeper and warmer, the kind of presence that belongs to evening and candlelit rooms.
Winter
Warmth that carries through cold air
Cold air mutes and slows a fragrance, so winter rewards the dense and the warm: resins, smoke, vanilla, leather, and ambered spice that radiate heat against the chill. The bar shows how strongly this particular scent holds up and glows in cold weather.
Spring
Fresh blooms in mild, rising warmth
Mild, humid air lifts lighter compositions beautifully, so spring favors dewy florals, green stems, soft powder, and transparent citrus that feel alive rather than heavy. The bar shows how well this particular scent matches that fresh, gently warming season.
Summer
Bright and airy in real heat
Heat amplifies and projects scent hard, so summer calls for cool, crisp, breathable things: sharp citrus, salty marine air, aromatic herbs, and watery freshness that refresh instead of cloy. The bar shows how comfortably this particular scent wears in real warmth.
Fall
Spiced warmth for cooling days
As temperatures drop, richer materials read clearly without smothering, so autumn suits dry woods, warm spice, tobacco, amber, and golden fruit that feel cozy and contemplative. The bar shows how naturally this particular scent settles into crisp, cooling days.
Best Worn
This belongs to summer heat and nights that still carry the warmth of the day, worn by someone unbothered by taking up space in a room. Try it in a decant before committing to a bottle of this much ocean.
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The Vibe
The Nose
Alessandro Gualtieri
Founder and perfumer
Italian perfumer who began in a German fragrance lab, then made scents for Fendi, Versace and Helmut Lang before founding his own Amsterdam houses Nasomatto and Orto Parisi. He composes them himself, including Nasomatto Black Afgano, Nasomatto Silver Musk, Orto Parisi Megamare and Orto Parisi Bergamask.
More by this noseBlack AfganoBaraondaRisvelium
The Maison
Orto Parisi
The body, bottled. Perfumery pushed to its visceral edge, best approached in 2ml.
Orto Parisi is Alessandro Gualtieri working without restraint, the same nose behind Nasomatto. These are built at full volume, radiant and animalic and unmistakably human. Wearing one feels less like putting on a perfume and more like putting on a mood.
- Origin
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Founded
- 2015
- Known for
- Megamare, Stercus
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