The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Alioth was created by Laura Bosetti Tonatto and released in 2015 as part of The Fragrances. Its name points skyward, but the composition is anything but airy. The official description calls it the brightest and most intense star, pairing that brightness with a dark, deep oud described as precious and rare. The result is a fragrance built around contrast: floral energy over a woody, animalic foundation. Bosetti Tonatto places oud at the center, giving a famously rich material a more luminous frame.
Oud carries a reputation for weight, darkness, and intensity. Here, it is presented with a brighter floral hand, so the material feels less like a dense standalone accord and more like a living tension between light and shadow. That makes Alioth easy to understand through its structure even when its performance feels changing. The floral side gives the opening lift, while oud supplies the lasting depth underneath.
The evolution
Alioth begins with a fresh, floral-citrus brightness that quickly gives way to a clearer rose-like floral impression. The oud is present from the start, but it doesn't overwhelm the first impression with smoke or sharpness. As the scent settles, the floral heart becomes more apparent, with oud remaining beneath it like a dark polished surface. The final hours lean woody, sweet, and gently animalic, with the precious material still giving the composition its identity. On skin, the arc moves from lifted brightness to a warm, close trail that can remain recognizable for roughly 8 to 10 hours.
Cultural impact
Alioth belongs to a distinctly Roman register of fragrance, where an intense material is treated with refinement rather than spectacle. It reflects the brand's interest in sensory storytelling through atmosphere: an oud-led composition can carry the polish of a formal evening, a remembered courtyard, or a quiet moment of cultivated luxury. Its appeal lies in that tension between brightness and depth, making it relevant for wearers who want an oud fragrance with a floral lift and a more luminous first impression.
The House
Essenzialmente LauraEssenzialmente Laura is a Roman perfumery brand founded by master perfumer Laura Bosetti Tonatto. Based in Italy, the house creates artisanal fragrances that draw deeply from the sensory heritage of Rome, translating the city's gardens, churches, palaces, and courtyard atmospheres into wearable scent compositions. The collection spans 55 fragrances organized across seven families according to the Classification officielle des Parfum system. Bosetti Tonatto's work bridges private commission work for royalty and a publicly accessible collection available through her Roman boutiques.
The Creator
Laura Bosetti TonattoTonatto's signature lies in her command of Italian raw materials and her commitment to bespoke creation as a foundational practice, not a luxury sideline. Her technical palette draws from classical French parfumerie while her sensibility remains distinctly Italian.
