Tuscany Leather

Olfactory Experience

Tuscany Leather by Fragrance World kicks off with a blast of something akin to cherry cough syrup – that medicinal sweetness is unmistakable. The advertised saffron is present, but rendered as a harsh, metallic tang rather than the smooth spice I anticipated. Beneath that sits a subdued leather accord. It’s not a supple, luxurious leather, but more like the treated leather of a car seat that’s been baking in the sun. The olibanum adds a smoky nuance, but it's a thin, almost acrid smoke. As it dries down, the jasmine attempts to emerge, but it's quickly overwhelmed by a pervasive synthetic suede note which smells of plastic. The woody notes in the base are vaguely cedar-like, but indistinct and ultimately contribute to a somewhat plasticky drydown.

The Verdict

This clone shares a similar trajectory to its inspiration, but it lacks the refinement and depth. Wearing Tuscany Leather by Fragrance World, you get a passing nod to the original, but the corners cut are evident. You gain something that hints at the intended scent profile, but lose the luxurious complexity that makes the original so compelling. It's a pale imitation.

Performance Reality Check

Longevity is surprisingly decent; I got about 6-7 hours on my skin. Projection, however, is moderate at best. It projects about an arm's length for the first hour, then quickly settles into a skin scent. I wore it to a dimly lit bar and then to the movies - it did not turn heads.