FRAGRANCE | Fleur de Portofino EDP by Tom Ford is floral freshness with an animalic edge

halfwhiteboy - Tom Ford Fleur de Portofino EDP 01

One of the many flankers to Neroli Portofino, Tom Ford's Fleur de Portofino offers, as the name would suggest, a more floral take on the original. It follows the same translucent, bluish bottles from the line, albeit in a slightly different shade.

The scent opens with a slew of white florals, with jasmine being the most recognizable to my untrained nose. The bouquet is topped with a few squeezes of citrus, which weild their acidity quite loudly. The sharpness, however, is short-lived. Although the scent remains fresh and bright, there's a light sweetness emanating from the florals that differentiates itself from the baby cologne cleanness of the original. It leans a little feminine as a result yet is still a perfectly acceptable unisex scent. 

halfwhiteboy - Tom Ford Fleur de Portofino EDP 02

A few minutes later, a hint of saltiness appears, accompanied by something animalic in the background. The latter grows stronger by the minute but dutifully stops on cue before it overpowers everything else. It shouldn't scare you at all since it's not fecal, barnyard, or anything stinky. Rather, it's closer to musk more than anything. Much like how animalic notes are used in classic women's fragrances like Ralph Lauren's Safari for Women, in Fleur de Portofino, they keep the scent grounded by reining in the florals so they're not overwhelming. 

Although it's not a strong frag to begin with, the animalic-tinged florals later melt together into a quieter blend. The scent can last for a few hours but you'll need resprays to get you through the day. Fleur de Portofino carries hints of the original's DNA but the differences between the two are rather stark, so owning both won't be redundant. More than being fresh, it has enough character that keeps it from being easily boring. If you can get past the price, or maybe find a good bargain, Fleur de Portofino can be a nice company when the weather is hot and humid.

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