III – I L’ATTESA
On a summer night. Everything is ready for the rendezvous…
L’Attesa, meaning “The Wait” in Italian, is a fragrance dedicated to the anticipation of meeting a loved one for the first time. It captures that magical moment - placing fresh flowers in a vase, opening a bottle of champagne, and letting soft music fill the air. It is the beginning of something extraordinary.
This perfume was an opportunity to create a signature iris scent for MASQUE Milano. But more than that, Alessandro and Riccardo sought to craft a unique iris and champagne combination, something never done before. For this, perfumer Luca Maffei worked with one of the most luxurious raw materials: Florentine Iris Root Butter with a 15% concentration of irone, among the highest levels possible. This rare ingredient lends a fatty, powdery, and dusty elegance. To enhance its sillage and longevity, iris absolute from Florence was added, giving the fragrance depth and refinement.
While iris takes center stage, it is subtly complemented by a delicate floral trio: tuberose, ylang-ylang, and sandalwood. This masterful blend enhances the iris without overshadowing its beauty.
The champagne accord in L’Attesa is not about the usual fizzy, light interpretations. Instead, Luca focused on the true essence of champagne - its yeasty aroma. He used a super-critical CO2 extraction from a blend of fermented beers, which introduces a bitter hops note, animalic nuances, and the characteristic yeast aroma. Though listed as a top note, this material extends into the dry down, beautifully intertwining with the powdery facets of iris.
L’Attesa is an olfactory journey into anticipation, elegance, and romance - a tribute to the beauty of waiting for something wonderful to unfold.