Tuscan Leather by Tom Ford, 2007

There is a lot of discussion as to what makes "leather" the scent in fragrances, and it varies from one perfumer to the next. Normally it's a vague interpretation of something that REMINDS you of leather, but isn't really leather per se. For example - shoe polish. It's not leather, but it sure puts in people's minds the image of nice leather pair of shoes. Or that nasty smell of leather tannery, with unprocessed hides soaking in various batches of chemicals. Not pretty at all, and not finished "leather" product - yet many consider this scent to be "leather" in fragrances. Or the scent of a dead animal cut open and reeking form inside out - sort of like that Tauntaun that Han Solo cut open and shoved Luke Skywalker into to keep him from freezing (Star Wars). That would be Dior La Collection Privée Leather Oud - it really stinks and they call it "leather" (ok, ok, this one goes from dead animal to cat piss on an old, worn leather jacket on day 2 and then on day 3 it turns softer - into a mattress soaked in urine by a kid that had an accident and yes, this one does last 3+ days, even with two showers a day). How's that for "leather" interpretation? So there are all those variations of "leather", and then there is Tom Ford Tuscan Leather. This is by far the most natural smelling leather I have experienced in a fragrance version. Tuscan Leather smells extremely clean, like the most luxurious, soft leather sofa, brand new leather attaché, high-end leather belt or wallet from an expensive designer house. Or - like the cabin of a brand new Rolls-Royce Phantom or Aston Martin Vanquish - take your pick. It is the kind of leather that we think about and smell when we experience finished leather products - good, high-quality leather products at that. Sure, one could argue that this is not a natural scent as it's a byproduct of processing animal hides in tanneries and I'm sure there are some aromatics added along the way to make dead animal skin smell pretty in the end, but that's a whole different discussion. Tuscan Leather, ladies and gentlemen, is what we associate with the kind of leather products we buy in high-end stores, not with dead-and-still-warm animal flesh or cat pee or motoroil mixed with gasoline. This is the embodiment of opulent and lavish leather surface at its finest. Very masculine, sensual, elegant. I like it straight up, but it also works exceptionally well in layering with other fragrances - it's strong enough to not get overpowered and lost, yet it's soft enough to blend well with ouds/woods, florals, etc. Very linear and doesn't change almost at all over its long, long life (easily 18+ hours on my skin). Excellent projection and silage (it is in EDP strength). I bought only a small 50ml bottle and I'm kicking myself. When this runs out - I'm getting the biggest bottle they make. Pricey, but of all the Tom Ford Private Blend creations, this one stands out in my books with a "worth it" note. Scent: 10/10 Longevity: 10/10 Silage: 8/10 Overall: 10/10