The Heart of Naples

5 reviews for The Heart of Naples

1. Rated 5 out of 5

   Luka – January 6, 2024

   Sitting on a pier, munching on some amaretti, breathing in the ever-present smell of the pine trees that is mixing with the soft, salty breeze coming from the sea, enjoying the warmth of the sunshine – a woman walking by steals your gaze, her eyes reflecting the very depths of your soul. The virile beauty of the surrounding nature is perfectly mirrored by the forces of Eros inside.

   This fragrance takes me back to childhood memories of time spent by the Mediterranean Sea, though with a decidedly Italian twist on the Croatian coasts of which I speak, mainly, but not only, because of the almond note. Of course, the Mediterranean is one and the same everywhere, but its people make it take on different appearances. This alone makes the perfume beautiful and more than worthwhile. But besides being a wonderful “madeleine” for many people who have spent any amount of time by the Southern shores of Europe, this perfume is much more.

   It is a carefree (not careless) and at the same time elegant fragrance, elegant to an almost unseemly degree. I would call it a gourmand, but a very idiosyncratic gourmand, with other dimensions beyond this “simple” one. Definitely not a classic “in your face” sweet scent. Putting it in another way – the gourmand effect is felt more in one’s spirit than in the smell. Beside being the definition of a “million-dollar smell”, it is, by virtue of its constituents, also a very therapeutic scent. The brisk freshness of the pine deepens the breath, the lemon takes away the worries and the almond delights the soul. By the effects it brings one would half-expect it to smell like a classic aromatherapy blend. Instead, it is one of the most sophisticated, gentlemanly smells I have smelled so far, almost too refined and classy. I say almost because the hemp note, which interestingly enough I do not smell overtly, is like a backbone of this perfume, bringing a certain flamboyance and a (not too) sharp green kick that enlivens the composition and adds tremendous character. A somewhat eccentric, extravagant and temperamental gentleman, shall we say. It might be a figment of my imagination, but I also think there is ylang-ylang in here, supporting and enriching the almond, expanding the airiness of this perfume. Another observation – because of its multifaceted nature, this perfume can be worn all year, it is like a chameleon. In colder weather it is more refined and quietly alluring, in the summer, more energizing and fresher.

   Come to think about it, this is a very alchemical composition, with many archetypal ingredients that perfectly capture the elements – fire, water, earth and wind, all of which are, through the effects of the botanical essences on us, metaphorically and literally reflected in man. Witnessing and reflecting upon the totality of its remarkably beautiful smell, one may also catch a glimpse of the fifth element, the one that binds us all. In any case, to conclude this longer-than-planned review, though it is in part probably due to the fact that I understand most of the essences used here, as they are close to me culturally and geographically, and undoubtedly also because of a certain personal preference, I shall nevertheless go on to call this one of Salaam’s finest works. It may not employ the warm spice, incense, oriental wood and resin notes like many other perfumes from him, but the fragrance carries the same meditative power and the same message. It is like a beautiful veduta, that, with its rather objective, realistic approach and fine attention to detail, manages to capture the very essence of both the land and the people in it. The realism here serves here a higher purpose and “paradoxically”, brings to light (or rather, to the nose) an undefinable, mysterious and very intimate truth that pervades the object of its study.

2. Rated 5 out of 5

   LESCUN – September 15, 2021

   Jérôme
   D’abord on sent l’amande.
   Ensuite (en filigrane), un hespéridé très subtil, très fin, assez aérien (limette, bigaradier, citron, petit-grain),  avec des effluves volatiles s’épuisant assez vite, laissant soudain émerger une surprenante odeur de fougère (sans doute le chanvre qu’évoque Dominique dans sa présentation). Mais cette intrusion déroutante (presque sauvage) disparaît très vite.
   Et la fragrance, tout en conjuguant ses divers éléments, s’estompe alors assez rapidement sur la peau pour laisser une empreinte doucement amandée, délicatement hespéridée, subtilement fruitée, peut-être aussi légèrement boisée (on songe ici au pin qu’évoque Dominique, qui intervient en arrière-plan, et sans doute à dose infinitésimale).
   Pour moi, Cuore di Napoli est une Eau de Cologne revisitée de façon complètement originale, ou un Chypré particulier. A mon sens, c’est un parfum d’homme, subtilement séducteur, qui conviendra de préférence à des hommes fins et délicats qui, plus dans l’intériorité que dans l’affirmation de soi, ne cherchent aucunement à s’imposer en société.

3. Rated 4 out of 5

   Soad – April 4, 2021

   This reminde me of Arlecchino. For me this is a really colorful scent; i smell the yellow of the lemon, the greenish blue of the pine, the white of marzipan, and the red of vulcano.

4. Rated 5 out of 5

   Tony – March 16, 2021

   Heart of Naples is a very interesting one!
   Fresh and smoky opening with green aromatic heart ending with sweet drydown. I believe here is mostly lemon, smoke, hemp and almonds to my nose.
   Overall feeling is fresh, but still sweet and deep. Like beautiful volcano with hot and dangerous lava inside!
   Naples is also somehow different, in a good way, comparing to other La via del profumo scents so I can definitely recommend you to try it!

5. Rated 5 out of 5

   Malik – March 12, 2021

   Bottled summer in Italy

   It is a warm summer morning in Italy. You just woke up. You open the door to the terrase in linen shorts and linen shirt that you only throw over your awakening body. You see the vesuv and the lemon fields. You can breath the fresh air. Eating a biscotti activates your smelling organs and u breath and breath. The air smells fresh and clean.

   A clean gourmand with a moderate projection, very good longevity and very good sillage and versatility.

   In my opinion, one of Adessalaams signature scents. Thank you for let me have access to this amazing source.