The Duchessa: On Gritti’s Olfactory Extravaganza which Spins Two-ways

I’m intrigued by new discoveries, and @grittifragrances came tumbling by.

A Venetian house. Self-produced – start to finish, by one man — @l.gritti. It doesn’t conform to market trends. In a world where niche has become a buzzword slapped onto anything with a minimalist bottle and an inflated price tag, Gritti is the real thing. And the Duchessa is perhaps an experimental choice, a vivacious creation skirting the lines of gender.

I’ve been wearing it a few times now. I’m still somewhere in the middle — and I’ve come to realise that’s not a flaw in the fragrance. It is its beauty. The dual-switch (which I explore and explain more in depth on the website), on first instance it’s mesmeric – opening unique dark — black cherry and saffron, almost edible and transgressive. It moves through cocoa and cloves before it turns warm with almond, brown sugar, iris.

Hours later it’s still there, working extraordinarily on the skin. The Duchessa is not for the uncertain. It’s for the man who knows what he’s walking into, even though its composition leans undeniably feminine.

The full story — the house, the construction, the honest verdict — is on the blog. Link in bio.

Available in India via @scentidoindia