10 Best Acqua di Pharma Colognes for Men
Updated January 2023
How We Found the Best Acqua di Pharma Colognes
5 Experts Interviewed
14 Fragrances Tested
Top 10 Picks
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Liam Carson
Acqua di Parma fragrances are synonymous with hot summer days spent on the beach, authentic summer vacation fragrances. Most famous for their Blu Mediterraneo collection, a spray or two of a cologne from the series will leave you reminiscing of care-free days spent idle relaxing under the warm rays of the summer sun.
Acqua di Parma has a long history of providing high-quality fragrances, which can make picking a cologne quite tricky, especially with all the other contenders on the shelves.
Luckily for you, we’ve handpicked the top 10 colognes in their collection to come up with the best Acqua di Parma cologne for 2021.
Summary List
Acqua di Pharma Fragrances Ranked by Cologne Critic
Why we chose it
Next up is a rather unique cologne which features a deep and lustrous leather accord. Many fans of Acqua di Parma Colonia leather praise the scent for its genuine leather smell, which other fragrances easily get wrong. It’s definitely a front runner for the best scent in the Acqua di Parma collection.
Performance on this cologne is excellent, a couple of sprays will last you throughout the day and into the evening.
Undeniably masculine, this cologne is more suited to the older, refined gentleman, perfect for use in a Whiskey or cigar bar.
Acqua di Parma Colonia leather is an excellent alternative to the pricier Tom Ford Tuscan Leather, so if you’re looking for a great combination between price and performance, Colonia leather is a solid choice.
Main Accords
- Leather
- Citrus
- Woody
Our Take
Cedro Di Taormina from Acqua di Parma is the last in our top ten of best Acqua di Parma colognes. This fragrance is a vibrant and classic fragrance that is inspired by the island of Sicily, as with other colognes in the Blu Mediterraneo collection.
Featuring top notes of petitgrain and basil, a mid of black pepper and lavender and a base of vetiver and sandalwood, these notes come together to create a timeless and masculine appeal.
This is undoubtedly a summer holiday fragrance, so pack a bottle of this on your next summer vacation to smell great wherever you go.
Main Accords
- Woody
- Aromatic
- Fresh Spicy
Our Take
Acqua di Parma Colonia Essenza is one of the newer fragrances released by the Italian fashion house. As with pretty much all Acqua di Parma colognes, Colonia Essenza is a citrusy fragrance, this time paired with a woody accord to give a deep and rich vibe.
Colonia Essenza is a fresher take on the original Colonia fragrance which adds, amongst other things, a bit more longevity.
Featuring notes of bergamot, lemon, mandarin, orange, grapefruit to give the incredible citrus opening, Colonia Essenza settles down with base notes of vetiver, white musk and amber.
Colonia Essenza is incredibly refined and stylish, perfect for the modern businessman, making it an ideal office cologne. Longevity could be better, but its subtleness makes it a popular choice for low-key occasions.
We definitely think you’ll get lots of compliments wearing this!
Main Accords
- Citrus
- Aromatic
- Fresh Spicy
Our Take
Acqua di Parma Colonia Oud, is its first oud based colognes released back in 2012.
If you’re familiar with Acqua di Parma colognes, you’ll know that most are structured around citrus accords, and this scent is no different. However, one of the unique things about this fragrance is the pairing of citrus and oud, which is quite unlike anything on the market.
Many fans complain about its power, which is definitely on the weaker side. If you prefer something with a bit more power, you may find this fragrance challenging to work with.
We think Acqua di Parma Colonia Oud works fantastically well in a lot of different occasions, as it is incredibly versatile. Whether you’re looking for something to wear to work, or on casual nights out, Colonia Oud is a great choice.
The base note of oud really lends this cologne to fall/winter use, but it could be used in the summer if used in the right quantities.
Main Accords
- Oud
- Citrus
- Woody
Our Take
Acqua di Parma Blu Mediterraneo Arancia Di Capri is a nod to the Mediterranean island of Capri. It’s inspiration really shines through to give a wonderfully pleasant, summer cologne that reminds us of the cool summer air blowing over the calm blue sea.
A fresh cologne featuring citrus accords, somewhat interestingly Blu Mediterraneo Arancia Di Capri contains a base note of caramel, a delicious addition as this dries down on the skin. The citrus itself provides a beautiful effervescent fizz that reminds us of summer cocktails.
We think this cologne is a perfect travel fragrance, so buy a smaller bottle or decanter and take this with you wherever you go. Obviously more suited to the summer given it’s fresh and citrusy appeal.
Main Accords
- Citrus
- Aromatic
- Fresh Spicy
Our Take
Blu Mediterraneo Mandorlo Di Sicilia draws its inspiration from another Mediterranean island, this time Sicily.
If you’re unfamiliar with Sicily, its a truly unique combination of culture and art, most famous for its use of almond in local cooking, which is incorporated in the notes of Blu Mediterraneo Mandorlo Di Sicilia.
We would describe this cologne as floral, but musk, vanilla and almond work together to create almost a candy scent which we can’t get enough of.
You definitely won’t go unnoticed wearing this, as even strangers will stop you in passing to ask what you are wearing.
The indulgent base of vanilla and vetiver makes this a perfect fragrance for a date night. You can thank us later.
Main Accords
- Fruity
- Vanilla
- Powdery
Our Take
In case you haven’t yet spotted the theme, the Blu Mediterraneo collection from Acqua di Parma draws its inspiration from Mediterranean islands.
Panarea is a small island near Sicily, which has recently become famous due to its influx of celebrity visitors during the summer months.
Mirto Di Panarea opens with citrus notes of lemon and bergamot before settling into an intoxicating base featuring juniper, cedarwood and amber.
K-pop fans amongst you may recognise this fragrance as it was recently fronted by Chanyeol from K-pop group EXO. But make no mistake, this is definitely not a teenage fragrance.
Fresh and sophisticated, the floral accords almost make this a unisex cologne, so don’t be surprised if your partner takes a sneaky dip into your cologne collection for a spray or two.
Main Accords
- Citrus
- Aromatic
- Fresh Spicy
Our Take
Colonia Intensa was the first cologne from Acqua di Parma designed purely for men. Based on the original Colonia, which was a Hollywood favourite, huge stars including Audrey Hepburn, Cary Grant, and Ava Gardner claimed it to be their go-to choice of cologne.
Colonia Intensa features notes of Calabrian Bergamot, Sicilian Lemon to give the famous Acqua di Parma citrus opening. Spicy, cardamom and ginger feature in the mid before settling down into a base of neroli, leather, cedarwood and musk.
The cologne is a pleasant combination of citrus and musk accords, with just a hint of spice that is not too overwhelming, but more on the gentle side. Definitely not as intense as the name implies.
Main Accords
- Citrus
- Aromatic
- Warm Spicy
Our Take
Colonia Quercia opens with a wonderful city burst, featuring bergamot and lemon, two notes that are now synonymous with Acqua di Parma colognes.
In the dry down, Colonia Quercia pairs tonka bean, patchouli and oakmoss which you may think would create an earthy and woody cologne, but instead, we find it much sweeter. Colonia Quercia performs pretty solidly, with around 8-10 hours of longevity.
A more subtle woody fragrance, Colonia Quercia is a crowd-pleaser, and so it definitely won’t offend those with a more sensitive nose.
Colonia Quercia is a fantastic autumnal fragrance, wear this for leisurely walks through the forest or simply for relaxing at home on a cooler evening.
Main Accords
- Citrus
- Woody
- Aromatic
Our Take
You may have guessed already, but Acqua di Parma Blu Mediterraneo Fico Di Amalfi is inspired by the Amalfi Coast.
The Amalfi Coast is one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world, so it’s appropriate that this fresh and floral fragrance draws its name from this natural beauty.
Blu Mediterraneo Fico Di Amalfi opens with bergamot, lemon, grapefruit before it develops into the more interesting notes of cedarwood and fig to give a unique scent profile that is hard to find elsewhere.
If you’re looking for a signature summer scent, Blu Mediterraneo Fico Di Amalfi is a wonderful choice.
Main Accords
- Citrus
- Fruity
- Woody
Expert Tips
The history of Acqua di Parma goes all the way back to 1916 when it released its iconic Colonia fragrance. This cologne became a 1930s Hollywood favourite and was quick to gain worldwide notoriety, becoming an instant bestseller.
Arguably most famous for its Blu Mediterraneo collection, Acqua di Parma created a set of colognes inspired by some of the most breathtaking Mediterranean islands.
Today, Acqua di Parma is a lifestyle brand, offering leather goods and accessories, all handmade by skilled craftsmen in Italy.
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Researched by a team of fragrance experts.