Amorvero Uomo
Amorvero (2013)

Others have criticized this scent for belonging to the most common masculine category and made comparisons to others in that crowded field. I believe that, since I can only wear one fragrance at a time, it isn't the end-all-and-be-all criterion to compare one scent to others of its kind.

My take on this is that it has some advantages over others in the genre: It has a slightly modern feel to it, a kind of talent for creating and then resolving dissonance, to use a musical analogy. It also is lighter than some other aromatic fougères, and breathes an air of refinement in an updated key. I respect its balance, its smooth development, and its staying power. I find it overall elegant, satisfying, and relaxing – features which I wouldn't sneeze at.

Yes, others can be preferred for many reasons, not least of all lower cost. I prefer some others for different reasons, too; but it doesn't detract from this one that it's comfortable and easy for me to wear. Not every example of a popular genre is going to shine with stunning brilliance, but excellence is not the only merit of a scent. If it were, we wouldn't have such large and varied collections on our shelves, would we?

What did Voltaire say? "Le mieux est l'ennemi du bien" (The best is the enemy of the good). Sometimes upholding the virtue of excellence blinds us to some lesser joys that nevertheless brighten our lives!

Amorvero Uomo opens with relatively sweet mandarin orange fruit. As the composition transitions to the early heart accord the mandarin fruit remains now in support as it is joined by a group of sage driven mild herbs and aromatic lavender that take over as focus, with an additional underlying sweetness permeating the aromatics. As the composition continues through its middle, dry tobacco leaf rising from the base adds additional support to the starring aromatics; and during the late dry-down the sweetness dies as the tobacco leaf laced aromatic florals join relatively clean musk, slightly smoky vetiver and vague soft woods as the composition slowly fades. Projection is average and longevity very good at 9-11 hours on skin.

After being completely won over by the original release from Amorvero in its EdP form, I had great expectations for what the same talented nose (Lorenzo Dante Ferro) could come up with in his new Uomo EdT version created 13 years later. Alas, while the original was a lush powerful well-crafted and executed floral composition with a classical structure, this is a completely unmemorable "me too" light fresh aromatic composition that only distinguishes itself (in a bad way) by its unwelcome early sweetness and relatively artificial smelling woody nature late. There is nothing off-putting about Amorvero Uomo, but when so many other compositions including the relatively inexpensive Bellagio for Men by Parlux occupy a similar space and smell better for a lot less money it is hard to understand what would be the motivation to buy it. The bottom line is the $130 per 50ml Amorvero Uomo EdT is a middling release that while exhibiting very solid performance metrics compared to its peers does not back them up with a compelling fragrance, and at the end of the day is outgunned by others in a crowded genre earning a very average rating of 2.5 stars out of 5. My advice is if you enjoy this kind of light herbal aromatic Italian style composition; try Bellagio For Men before settling on this one.

A classic aromatic fougere. Yaawwn.

Smells like a plethora of other fragrances playing this historical masculine theme but costs twice as much. As exciting as it sounds.