Al Contrario by Tiziana Terenzi

I was really excited to try this since it’s highly praised on YouTube and I’m a big gourmand fan. When I finally sprayed it, I was a bit caught off guard: although it’s sweet, the opening is curious, leaning herbal and woody, before the floral notes gradually emerge. It’s a rich scent with hazelnuts, chocolate, and vanilla—like Nutella with an ebony wood touch à la Zara. It has good longevity, but contrary to what I expected, the projection is very low; it stays close to the skin. Despite being sweet, it’s not cloying; it’s elegant and unisex.

One of the best from Tiziana Terenzi, the most balanced gourmand I’ve ever tried. It’s an amazing perfume where the creamy, sweet cocoa is perfectly measured, neither heavy nor cloying. The credit goes to creating a cocoa gourmand so well-balanced that nothing overpowers the others; everything is blended flawlessly. The cocoa is very present, along with cane sugar, hazelnut, and vanilla, while the ebony wood balances it to avoid being overly sweet, adding seriousness and elegance. It’s not a bomb, but I think it’s sufficient. My batch is from 2020 and lasts about 6-7 hours on skin, pushing the limit. Projection is short and intimate. Scent: 10/10. Longevity: 6/7h. Projection: 6/10. Versatility: 6/10.

Soft is an understatement… I’m sorry, Tiziana. I love Dionysio and Laudano Nero, which are 10/10, but this one falls short…

Honestly, it’s a perfume with divided opinions, but I absolutely loved it. I bought it blind because I didn’t have a place nearby to test it, and it was a total success. It opens citrusy and vanilla-like, like lemon custard. After about twenty minutes, it softens with a hint of bread (I assume malt), turning into a subtle dark wood, though the sweetness of tonka bean and flowers keeps it light; if you sniff it hard, you catch sweet resins. After many hours, on the skin, it smells like you’ve sprayed sugar water, in the best way possible. For me, it’s the mature and elegant version of Zadig & Voltaire’s This Is Her: the latter is fresher and more youthful, while Al Contrario is more settled, subtle, and warm, yet very beautiful. I think those who found it too dark might have skin that highlights the woods; if you’re like that, test it first. Moderate to low trail, 12+ hours longevity.

A curious perfume because the name matches the cap and bottle design (which also has issues, like with Foconero); undoubtedly a thoughtful symbolism with great presentation, typical of Tiziana. Here, the scent isn’t as sweet as the notes suggest; it is sweet, but not gourmand at all—I don’t recall it smelling anything similar. It stays elegant and moderate, a pleasant, mature scent of high quality and elevated price. You must test it before buying because the result of its notes differs from expectations. If you’re looking for something from Tiziana that’s safer to buy blind, go for Orion, Foconero, or Kirke, but this one, while not extremely challenging, has its complexity. It’s slightly sweet, woody, and somewhat dry, with great presence. A great creation, ideal for cool climates and elegant situations. Projection is moderate, as is typical with Tiziana, and longevity is moderate to high. It’s one of the ones you need from the house if you live in cool climates, because otherwise, you won’t get much use out of it.

Total disappointment with this perfume. It has nothing sweet or pleasant about it; it smells gloomy and dark. I expected something completely different. The risks of buying blind are huge, especially when it’s not cheap.

Al Contrario is a super unusual extract among the vanilla and chocolate gourmands I’ve tried. The strange part is that, despite its sweetness, it doesn’t cloy like others, perhaps because on my skin its trail is very short, almost nothing. Although I didn’t expect that projection, what is undeniable is that it delivers 100% on its promises and does so in the sweetest way possible. Here, the cocoa feels real and absolute, present throughout the evolution without that sharp patchouli that sometimes makes it terrible. It’s a super creamy and authentic cocoa and vanilla, elevating the gourmand concept until it seems edible. That doesn’t make it childish or simple; it has elegance because it elevates those ingredients in a concrete way, making it unique. Out of all the cocoa and vanilla ones I’ve tried, this is the most accurate. If it had a decent trail, it would be the king of gourmands. If it works well on your skin, you’re guaranteed a win if you’re looking for a high-end, classy Nutella.