Amygdala

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All about this fragrance

Vibe check

Amygdala suits the absorbed intimacy of a conversation that continues after the coffee cups have been cleared. Its generous flowers keep the mood expressive, while cinnamon, leathery facets and dark balsams give that openness a more serious edge. It suggests warmth and emotional presence rather than brisk social polish.

How to wear

Cool weather gives the sweet flowers, coffee and balsamic base room to unfold without feeling crowded. Start with one or two sprays on skin and assess before adding more; this is a richly composed extrait. In warm rooms, a lighter application beneath clothing can keep its floral-leathery warmth more intimate.

Who it’s for

For those drawn to opulent florals with darker textures: orange blossom and ylang-ylang set against coffee, spice, leather-like facets and resinous woods. It will appeal more to lovers of sweet, substantial compositions than to those seeking transparent florals or crisp freshness.

Release year

2022 (or 2020)

The nose

Luca Maffei is an Italian perfumer associated with Atelier Fragranze Milano, whose work spans independent niche houses and established fragrance brands. His compositions often combine clearly defined materials with richly textured floral, woody and amber structures. For Amygdala, he translated Stefania Squeglia’s emotional concept into a composition linking flowers, spice, coffee and balsamic woods.

Collaborators

Stefania Squeglia, Mendittorosa’s founder, supplied the olfactory vision and developed the fragrance with Luca Maffei, evaluating early trials without knowing their ingredients to keep her responses free of preconceptions. Goldsmith and sculptor Carmine Borrelli, known as Nibo, created the sculptural cap, extending the almond-shaped imagery into the bottle’s presentation.

Mendittorosa’s story

Mendittorosa treats perfume as independent, small-scale art rather than a response to trends. Each creation brings an olfactory idea into dialogue with Italian craftsmanship, pairing a perfumer’s interpretation with objects made by artists and artisans. Its talisman concept gives the fragrance and its presentation equal expressive importance.

Amygdala’s concept

Amygdala emerged from Stefania Squeglia’s psychology studies and her fascination with the contrast between a tiny, almond-shaped brain structure and the vast emotional world she associated with it. She imagined an unlimited field of flowers contained within that small space, with violets central to the image. Development with Luca Maffei was lengthy, although she recognized the idea’s potential in his first proposal.

Extra info

The sculptural cap uses nested almond forms that evoke both eyes and sacred almond-shaped imagery, echoing the fragrance’s name and concept. Its outer box is handmade in Naples. The formula also brings together materials from widely separated origins, including Sri Lankan cinnamon, Indian jasmine sambac, Madagascan ylang-ylang and Haitian vetiver.