I first encountered the House of Rubini in 2015, when the fragrance Fundamental appeared. Of course, I don’t remember all the perfumes I reviewed over the years. Fundamental, however, I did. Unusual design, exceptional packaging and an excellent fragrance inspired by white wine. Here you can read all about Fundamental again. Next, Rubini released Tambour Sacré, discussed here by Uli, and now we have the third in league with Nuvorali.
Like its two predecessors, this one was composed by Cristiano Canali and is dedicated to the legendary racing driver Tazio Nuvolari (1892–1953). Nuvolari was also known as “Mantovano volante” or “Flying Mantuan” and not without reason. He was one of the most successful racing drivers of all time.
“No one else could combine such a high sensitivity for the car with an almost inhuman courage.”
Enzo Ferrari
The scenery of Nuvolari
Germany, the legendary Nürburgring race track, 28 July 1935. 22 kilometers of race track under a leaden sky, wind and rain threaten the track. A deafening sound breaks through the silence, a red painted racing car whizzes through the octane air in front of us. It is Nuvolari that passes by.
You can almost feel the tension, the smell of fuel and exhaust fumes is in the air, as well as burnt rubber and hot asphalt. The VII. German Grand Prix, on 28 July 1935 on the Nordschleife of the Nürburgring. Nuvolari unexpectedly wins on his Alfa Romeo Tipo B and writes motorsport history with this race.
If the fragrance was also created according to the personality of the racing driver, what character traits can we expect? It is known that Nuvolari was very likeable and popular off the track, but did not take any prisoners on the track. So how much madness, longing for death and daring is there in Rubini’s creation?
Nuvolari – the nose goes with you
It will now be exciting to see how Canali has implemented this image. From the Synthetic series of Comme des Garçons there was already an automotive fragrance called Garage (report here), which is no longer available and in my memory was less portable. With Rubini I don’t expect any dives into the oil barrel.
First I put Nuvolari on the test strip in a classic way and am surprised and immediately impressed by what suits me here. The beginning is fresh and spicy, with Italian lemon, black pepper and a distinct hint of green mint. In the scent notes, there is still talk in the head of a gasoline chord. I would describe it as smoky and tobacco-like. Maybe you have already put your nose in a cigarette packet. Like the sweet, honey-like and spicy scent of tobacco, smoky, but not burned.
On the skin, this impression is repeated, but sharper and spicier. Metallic neroli and Bulgarian rose are still indicated in the heart notes, but these are absorbed in the cool spice of the beginning. All this together gives the fantasy grade “Motor Racing Accord”. In the base there is smoky vetiver and a fine and nicely balanced oud chord, which is actually reminiscent of asphalt.
Under the asphalt lies …
Under the pavement lies the beach, under the asphalt the wonderfully leathery-smoky-spicy scent Nuvolari. As with Fundamental, the shells were made of Glebanite, which in turn consists of recycled glass fibers from buildings or sailboats. Here it gets a clear asphalt appearance due to the black color and rough structure.
The hit Nuvolari
Nuvolari combines many things that are associated with racing. Metallic notes make you think of the bodies, gasoline, rubber and asphalt are represented by spicy and smoky notes. Finally, the shell rounds off the Gesamtkunstwerk. As unusual as the inspiration may be, through notes that may not all be particularly fragrant, the fragrance has become so wonderful. A coordinated composition, absolutely wearable and a real highlight for all those who love smoky-leathery fragrances as much as I do.
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