I'm not a big fan of Tom Ford's designer line at all. I really don't like it, so I decided to try their Tobacco Vanille (their most acclaimed fragrance from their Private Blend exclusive line). I really liked it and gave it a 9 out of 10. Aside from TV, Tuscan Leather is the second most acclaimed fragrance from Ford's exclusive line.
In a nutshell, this fragrance is 70% leather, 20% raspberry, and 10% some floral and spice notes (I honestly think there may even be some vetiver in here). A lot of people don't like this one, and I'm usually not into daring fragrances, so I'm surprised that I ended up liking this one.
Leather is the dominant note here. It's not a marketing gimmick. It's real pure leather. This fragrance has an industrial mechanical feel to it. If you like the gasoline vibe that Fahrenheit gives off (but I promise you that this leather note is ten times better than Fahrenheit's leather note), the smoke of Aventus or the ink cartridge vibe that Encre Noire gives off, then Tuscan Leather may be up your alley.
Though, truly, it it's own fragrance. The similarities are modest, but of all designers, I'd have to say that Encre Noire is the closest to what you're getting here. TL is really shrill and pungent, in a delightful way, but if you take in too much of it, you could get a headache. It's a sharp aroma that I just like a lot.
If you don't like the smell of leather, I really don't see any way that you'll like this. On the other hand, if you've only smelled cheap synthetic leather notes, the quality of how it's done may change your mind.
The raspberry notes smoothens it out, and gives it a feminine touch (as it is marketed as unisex). I still think this is a mostly masculine fragrance, but some women may be able to pull it off. Tom Ford is known for dark fragrances, and Tobacco Vanille is much lighter and smoother than this one.
The ingredients are quality and the overall scent is enjoyable. I can't say the scent is better than Tobacco Vanille all of the time, but it depends on the mood. Most of the time, I would prefer to wear TV, but there are just some times when I'm in the mood to wear Tuscan Leather and TV doesn't even come close. So, it's more of a scent to wear on occasion than daily.
That brings us to another topic: versatility. This certainly lacks versatility, as you are essentially smelling like an industrial machine. This would not go well in the summer or any warm weather, and I don't think conventional tastes would like this at all. Whereas Tobacco Vanille could be recommendable to a mainstream audience that's willing to spend more money, I truly think Tuscan Leather is mainly for people like us on basenotes who are passionate about fragrances and look for something strikingly different.
Another place where this suffers is price. This fragrance is $300 for 100ml and $200 for 50ml. I can't complain about the quality, because the quality is certainly there. If you are doing very well financially and you can afford to spend thousands on collection, then this is recommendable. But this is out of the price range of many people, and a lot of the people who can afford this may be better of spending their money on something more versatile Although I like this a lot, it's a price I won't pay.
There's a good chance I'll buy TV down the road when I have more money, but chances are I won't buy Tuscan Leather because I know I won't wear it much (even though I'll probably love it when I do). But if you are a fragrance collector I do recommend getting a decant of this!
But this is exactly what a niche fragrance generally is. You are paying more money for something exclusive, and something daring (unlike many of the fresh safe scents out there). This is for the collector (not the casual wearer). This is for personal enjoyment more than it is about pleasing other people.
Both limitations (price and versatility) keep it from being a perfect fragrance, but for niche lovers with peculiar tastes that relish a challenge and something unique, this will be to your liking.
Overall Rating - 8/10
In a nutshell, this fragrance is 70% leather, 20% raspberry, and 10% some floral and spice notes (I honestly think there may even be some vetiver in here). A lot of people don't like this one, and I'm usually not into daring fragrances, so I'm surprised that I ended up liking this one.
Leather is the dominant note here. It's not a marketing gimmick. It's real pure leather. This fragrance has an industrial mechanical feel to it. If you like the gasoline vibe that Fahrenheit gives off (but I promise you that this leather note is ten times better than Fahrenheit's leather note), the smoke of Aventus or the ink cartridge vibe that Encre Noire gives off, then Tuscan Leather may be up your alley.
Though, truly, it it's own fragrance. The similarities are modest, but of all designers, I'd have to say that Encre Noire is the closest to what you're getting here. TL is really shrill and pungent, in a delightful way, but if you take in too much of it, you could get a headache. It's a sharp aroma that I just like a lot.
If you don't like the smell of leather, I really don't see any way that you'll like this. On the other hand, if you've only smelled cheap synthetic leather notes, the quality of how it's done may change your mind.
The raspberry notes smoothens it out, and gives it a feminine touch (as it is marketed as unisex). I still think this is a mostly masculine fragrance, but some women may be able to pull it off. Tom Ford is known for dark fragrances, and Tobacco Vanille is much lighter and smoother than this one.
The ingredients are quality and the overall scent is enjoyable. I can't say the scent is better than Tobacco Vanille all of the time, but it depends on the mood. Most of the time, I would prefer to wear TV, but there are just some times when I'm in the mood to wear Tuscan Leather and TV doesn't even come close. So, it's more of a scent to wear on occasion than daily.
That brings us to another topic: versatility. This certainly lacks versatility, as you are essentially smelling like an industrial machine. This would not go well in the summer or any warm weather, and I don't think conventional tastes would like this at all. Whereas Tobacco Vanille could be recommendable to a mainstream audience that's willing to spend more money, I truly think Tuscan Leather is mainly for people like us on basenotes who are passionate about fragrances and look for something strikingly different.
Another place where this suffers is price. This fragrance is $300 for 100ml and $200 for 50ml. I can't complain about the quality, because the quality is certainly there. If you are doing very well financially and you can afford to spend thousands on collection, then this is recommendable. But this is out of the price range of many people, and a lot of the people who can afford this may be better of spending their money on something more versatile Although I like this a lot, it's a price I won't pay.
There's a good chance I'll buy TV down the road when I have more money, but chances are I won't buy Tuscan Leather because I know I won't wear it much (even though I'll probably love it when I do). But if you are a fragrance collector I do recommend getting a decant of this!
But this is exactly what a niche fragrance generally is. You are paying more money for something exclusive, and something daring (unlike many of the fresh safe scents out there). This is for the collector (not the casual wearer). This is for personal enjoyment more than it is about pleasing other people.
Both limitations (price and versatility) keep it from being a perfect fragrance, but for niche lovers with peculiar tastes that relish a challenge and something unique, this will be to your liking.
Overall Rating - 8/10
