Launched in 1981, Eau d'Hadrien by Annick Goutal is the quintessential summer fragrance that evokes the timeless freshness of a Mediterranean citrus grove. Eau d’Hadrien opens with a zesty, effervescent note of juicy, fresh Sicilian lemon. The freshness and trueness of the lemon note here is mouthwatering and speaks to the quality of the ingredients used in the fragrance. A note of fragrant, bitter citron appears. Cultivated since ancient times, citron was the first citrus fruit to appear in the Mediterranean basin, and its appearance here is a nod to the ancient world of Emperor Hadrian. Grapefruit, fruitier than the citron, extends the bitterness but softens it, too, as it blends into a gentle floral sweetness – I smell ylang-ylang – that counterbalances the bitterness and allows the citrus freshness to shine. It’s here that I get Goutal’s signature rose note, like a valentine hidden in the citrus grove; it adds a touch of lushness and richness to the fragrance. The citrus lands on a base of Tuscan cypress, woody, earthy, and camphorous, which gives Eau d’Hadrien a sense of place. The drydown is refined and graceful, an olfactory expression of walking through a citrus grove on a sunny day – the citrus fruits, some flowers, the smell of sun-warmed skin. But it is the lemon! Vibrant at the start, it mellows, leaving a languid, dreamy trail. Notes: Sicilian lemon, citron, grapefruit, ylang-ylang, rose, Tuscan cypress.
