Puig Unveils Colonias Absolutas: A Modern Mediterranean Tribute

PetitePaulina – Puig, the iconic Spanish fragrance house, is breathing new life into its heritage with Colonias Absolutas Puig — a collection of four refined eaux de cologne inspired by the Mediterranean way of life. The line represents both a return to Puig’s roots and a step toward the future.

Created by master perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena and Manuel Puig, the company’s vice chairman and third-generation family member, the collection blends craftsmanship, creativity, and legacy into one cohesive story.

A Legacy Brought Back to Life

The idea behind the project began when Manuel Puig rediscovered notes written by his father, Don Antonio Puig, the company’s founder. “My father once said, what you inherit, you must make contemporary,” he recalled. “You must carry your heritage forward with pride and purpose.”

Inspired by those words, Manuel set out to transform his family’s legacy into something living and relevant. Rather than preserving the past as a relic, he turned it into a source of creative energy. The result was Colonias Absolutas — a modern celebration of Puig’s origins.

A Mediterranean Soul

Over the decades, Puig has built a global portfolio of beauty and fragrance brands. Yet, as Manuel explained, the company still lacked a true Mediterranean identity in its collection. “We realized that although we owned many international brands, we had never created a fragrance that truly represented our home,” he said.

The Mediterranean, with its sunlight, sea breeze, and earthy warmth, became the essence of the new line. Ellena, who lives near the region, perfectly captured its atmosphere. “The Mediterranean is the cradle of our culture,” he said. “These colognes celebrate its balance — the sea, the air, the art, and the people who live by it.”

Crafting Without Boundaries

Ellena and Puig spent two years working side by side to develop the collection. They revisited the company’s archives, taking inspiration from the classic Agua Lavanda Puig launched in 1940. The new bottles, inspired by André Ricard’s 1962 design, feature Puig’s modern embossed logo and a nod to traditional Balearic craftsmanship.

“We placed no limits on creativity, cost, or time,” said Puig. “This project was about freedom — to create something authentic and timeless.”

The collection features four distinct scents: Agua Lavanda Iris, Agua Noble, Agua Brava, and Agua Mediterránea, each expressing a different shade of Mediterranean life.

Fragrances That Tell a Story

Each scent carries a unique identity that reflects Puig’s heritage and Ellena’s minimalist philosophy:

Agua Lavanda Iris fuses soft lavender with elegant iris for a calm and modern floral tone.
Agua Noble combines Andalusian leather with bergamot, orange leaf, and white musk for depth and warmth.
Agua Brava, first launched in 1968, returns with a more sensual and woody character while retaining its signature aromatic core.
Agua Mediterránea introduces freshness through fig leaves, mastic tree, wild mint, cedar, and citrus — a vibrant tribute to the sea and earth.

Unlike traditional perfumes that unfold layer by layer, these colognes reveal all their notes simultaneously, creating a full sensory harmony.

Redefining the Classic Cologne

Traditional colognes are light and fleeting, but Puig and Ellena reinvented them as “absolutes” — richer, longer-lasting, and more sophisticated. “They are absolutes because Manuel wanted the best expression of the family spirit,” Ellena explained.

Ellena, known for his minimalist approach, used fewer than 15 ingredients in each fragrance. “Simplicity is not limitation,” he said. “It’s clarity. Each element has a reason to exist.”

The bottles are presented in terracotta cases, symbolizing Mediterranean warmth, craftsmanship, and connection to the earth.

A Living Legacy

The Colonias Absolutas line is now available at coloniasabsolutas.puig.com, with each 200ml bottle priced at €180.

“This is not about nostalgia,” said Puig. “It’s about transforming what we inherited into something alive and relevant. The Mediterranean isn’t just where we come from — it defines who we are.”

With this release, Puig not only redefines cologne but also reinforces its position as a storyteller of culture, artistry, and timeless beauty — proof that heritage can evolve without losing its soul.