Tuscany per Uomo Forte (1994)
by Aramis

It's very hard for me to pick a favority designer scent, but this is definitely a major contender. I love the original Tuscany per Uomo, and I remember I especially loved the way the slightly powdery woody base mixed with the leather and bergamot, and wished it was just a smidge more powerful. Well, I got my wish. This is the juice I wished for. It is perfect in just about every way for me. It's potent, sexy, provacative, and just plain gorgeous smelling. All body parts up! Good luck finding it, though. I was lucky enough to pick up a full bottle hiding in a cologne lot for sale. I spotted it hiding and the back, and just waited to pounce. And POUNCE, I did. Happy hunting!

27th June, 2011.

I don't reach for this often, but it never fails to satisfy when I do.
A female friend who studied dance in Italy in her 20's told me that it reminded her of all the wealthy good looking Italian men she saw out when walking around Florence and Rome . It's a very confident vibe and also great smelling.

15th March, 2011.

The added woods and spices made this more complex (and lasting) than the original brew, but also erased some of Tuscany's Mediterranean charm. To me, the new "Forte" hearkened back, anachronistically, to the typically 1980s scents that dominated the market when the original came out. Nonetheless it was a wonderful scent that I enjoyed for years, and it eventually supplanted the original in my wardrobe as I matured.

Of course, like so many good things that Aramis has made, it's long been discontinued.

30th November, 2010.

I wore this for years after Lauder dropped "Metropolis" for Men. If I had known it was to be dropped, I would have purchased a case. You only needed a little and it lasted all day. It got lots of compliments and since it was on me at the time, I happily basked in the praise. Wish I had a nose that would help me find something similar.

21st January, 2009.

I wore Tuscany (regular) so much growing up that I felt obligated to atleast sample Tuscany per Uomo Forte.

The scents are strikingly similar, and took me almost an hour into the middle and base notes to realize any difference in the scents. The signature crisp, lemony herbal top notes are still there (my favorite part) but the wood and spice notes that arrive later on tend to give it a shorter diffusion and less longevity. Not worth it, IMO.

There are only a few times when a scent like this is appropriate for my wardrobe these days. If I should need a well done, 80's fougere - the regular Tuscany would do just fine.

3rd August, 2008.

Why o why did Aramis discontinue this? If they had to pick one, they should have discontinued the regular Tuscany. Tuscany Uomo(regular one sitll in production), though nice, isn't as interesting as this gem. Imagine Tuscany's opening notes mated with Alexander McQueen's Kingdom, and you get Uomo Forte. The middle and basenotes of Uomo Forte aren't as harsh woody as Tuscany Uomo's either. This one is woody alright, but more of a comforting woody as opposed to dry/harsh woody of Uomo. A true gem that is getting harder and harder to find.

6th June, 2008.