News from the world of Nasomatto! I don’t need to introduce Alessandro Gualtieri’s fragrance project and pioneering niche fragrance brand to anyone. They’ve been featured here many times before: If you’d like to read more, check out “Nasomatto in the Fragrance Diary.” And as I see it, I’ve actually written most of those articles myself.
I discovered Micodelirio’s latest fragrance somewhere in the vastness of social media, specifically through this video:
There’s no shortage of the eponymous madness here either. We accompany Alessandro, dressed in a historical, hobbit-like outfit, on a hike through a forest. Visual distortions suggest psychedelic effects. Finally, he finds a dripping, cone-shaped mushroom, which he breaks off. He then stands before the horizon in a triumphant pose, arms outstretched, holding the mushroom in one hand and his walking stick in the other. Let’s deliberately set Mr. Freud aside for now.
Just as the name suggests, these images evoke the wondrous world of magic mushrooms; “mico” and “delirio” hint at a “funghi” high. “This perfume bottle is part of the Nasomatto project. The fragrance is the result of a natural delirium that gives rise to a thriving ecosystem of organic disobedience.” Exactly what this disobedience might entail—whether it involves playing with disgust or the consumption of such plants—remains open to interpretation. As you surely know, intoxicating substances have often been a theme at Nasomatto.
Freedom Through Intoxication
The information provided in the press release can be summarized as follows. Gualtieri views *Micodelirio* as a vehicle for breaking down norms, including those we have imposed on ourselves regarding our own identity. How does this work? Through a delirium that is understood not as an illness, but as a life force that leads us back to our instincts.
Who’s staring over there?
The cap is—once again—part of the message. Gualtieri calls it “a seed pod that’s not of this world.” It does indeed look strange, yet organic and familiar; the holes are reminiscent of eyes or mouths and evoke a certain unease—at least for me. Not for people with a genuine fear of holes. According to Wikipedia, trypophobia is “a feeling of revulsion or fear that some people experience when looking at patterns of holes or bubbles.” Do you feel the same way?
This is what Micodelirio smells like
You get exactly what you’d expect here—musty forest floor, mushrooms doing their thing on decaying tree trunks, mud, earth, and wet leaves. Especially in the base note, you really feel the earth on your skin. I would have expected a monumental patchouli note here. Of course, it’s present—but not in its hippie-goth form—rather, combined with unexpected notes. Citrus fruits like bergamot in the top notes are the first surprise. Added to this are green, woody-coniferous notes that become quite sharp and biting. The scent so far is then softened with narcotic florals, which, however, don’t fully venture out of hiding. In the base, you get “mold de luxe” with mushrooms, earth, and mud—but still wrapped in the warmth of vanilla.
What on earth is this, one might rightly ask. A chypre gone astray—or rather, down forest paths. I find this genre challenging to begin with, and in this combination, it’s definitely for advanced users. Still, Micodelirio isn’t purely a concept fragrance; it’s certainly wearable, but only with caution and in moderation.
I think Micodelirio is just the thing for all fragrance enthusiasts who love complex, historic scents—for forest dwellers and free spirits who have discovered the creative power of the subversive. In my opinion, that’s the core concept behind the fragrance anyway. Totally exciting!
Has anyone already tested it or even added it to their collection?
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