Tuscany per Uomo Forte
Aramis (1994)

It is surprising how much vintage and barber-shop in vibe this amazing Aramis masculine fragrance smells if compared with its older more aromatic and bright brother Tuscany Pour Homme (appointed 12 years before back in 1984). Tuscany Per Uomo Forte by Aramis is a new different Tuscany's darker version, an aromatic fougère fragrance for men, launched in 1996 and sadly today discontinued. The nose behind this fragrance is Harry Fremont. Per Uomo Forte is a dark, freshly metallic and anisic aromatic fragrance with a freshly woody backbone, sharp floral accents and finally with an ambery powdery dry down. Despite released in the 1996 it smells more or equally 80's in vibe if compared with its more spicy-aromatic older brother. Forte preserves effectively the classic Tuscany's dna (and infact it smells really similar to the former) but is like the former gradually pick up some elements from darker type of old-school creations (fragrances strong on dark bergamot e/o metallic patchouli e/o stuffy powdery-retró amber e/o bitter herbal patterns a la Guy Laroche Drakkar Noir e/o Chanel Antaeus e/o vintage Basile Uomo and more). The effect is a less spicy-spiky but a darker more stuffy metallic-herbal leafy powderful approach (an other fragrance vaguely jumping on mind is the great Sergio Soldano Black, 1984). This fragrance is even "sultrier" than its older brother in the sense it preserves a sort of more marked angular (but less "peppery") freshness (which is more woody, stuffy and mossy and that works better in the warm climates). Vintage Tuscany Pour Homme is probably more citric in its opening while Per Uomo Forte unfolds by soon a stronger lavender (and hints of minty sage) plus vintage-kind of stuffy chypré elements as dark woods as herbal patchouli and sandalwood connected to vintage amber and hints of oakmoss. Laundry herbal notes, rose, geranium, not listed patchouli, animalics and mossy amber provide that old-school vintage vibe which is the typical Per Uomo Forte's trait. I see how few reviewers retrace in it several Elisabeth Taylor Passion for man's vibes which are afforded by mild spices, tonka bean and most of all by star anise (all elements eliciting a spicy mild glorious vintage effect), overall combined with the main vintage mossy ambery effect. This vintage-stuffy effect connets to me Per Uomo Forte to yet different scents as Passion for men, Versace L'homme and Davidoff Zino (definitely sweeter and more ambery kind of renditions, remaining Forte much herbal mossy, woody and spicy). Per Uomo Forte is a strongly aromatic virile fragrance with a sort of animalic soul a la vintage Chanel Antaeus or Ysl Kouros. It possesses several animalic chypré elements in its formula as well (I suppose hints of castoreum and definitely amber). It works surprisingly well in spring/hot climates and unfolds a reassuring and bold sort of temperament on the wearer. This fragrance is perfect for a traditional temperamental sort of person (with sense of responsability and spirit of family). It is perfect for formal or casual situations but it knows to be romantic and mysterious as well. Performances are on the average. Amazing dark stout bottle.

Aramis Tuscany per Uomo Forte (1994) was released the same year as Aramis Havana (1994), which seemed like a two-fold move meant as an apology for the fresh and modern Aramis New West (1988), that was clearly "unmanly" to the average Aramis customer at the time. Going back to their roots, the Aramis brand released both this flanker to their classic Tuscany per Uomo (1984) and the then-new Havana, the latter of which is rumored to be the unused formula of two options presented by Aramis to Tommy Hilfiger for his eponymous scent also released that year. What Tuscany per Uomo Forte does is seemingly "correct" the easy-wearing mild sillage of the 1984 original, as it was admittedly out of fashion in its release year due to being smack dab in the eye of the powerhouse fragrance storm that swept the late 70's through late 80's. My guess is the baby boomer guys (who were just starting to exit their prime by the 90's) needed placating after New West and scents like it offended their sensibilities, even though what they wanted isn't what the rest of the market wanted by 1994; but Estée Lauder gave it to them anyway because they were keeping the Aramis brand afloat after all. Gen-Xers entering their prime by the 90's had New West or even Clinique Chemistry (1994) to use; another Lauder brand masculine released that year (a red letter year for the company to be sure); and if fresh modernity or people-pleasing smells is what you were after, those were your Lauder options. This was also the year ck One by Calvin Klein (1994) arrived and turned gender norms upside down for a while, so a lot of things like Forte got lost in the mix.

What Tuscany per Uomo Forte does, and why I say it placates the older guys still butt-sore about the changing of the guard from animalics to air freshener late in the previous decade, is take the original Tuscany aromatic fougère DNA and make it animalic. Top notes are sanded down so that bright sunny bergamot and lemon that opened the original is muted, while the herbal quotient and cross-pollenation with the citrus chypre courtesy of labdanum is also downplayed some. The opening still has lemon, but is much more about tarragon than anything else, lending a sort of meatiness to it that tarragon often does. Clary sage then becomes the next most-present thing, with lavender and geranium being there but taking a back seat to it. Anise also ties Tuscany per Uomo Forte to the original release, but sweaty cumin overtakes it before long. By the heart phase, this cumin alongside tarragon dominates the wear, with the original Tuscany DNA sort of becoming a background voice to them, before carnation adds some dandy touches into the base of mostly oakmoss. Tonka and sandalwood (likely not real Mysore) pad out the base in a way recalling the popular semi-oriental fougères of the cusp between the 80's and 90's, and that's about it. As an actually stronger form of Tuscany per Uomo, this flanker fails; but as a more complex and serious version of it that nobody asked for, it succeeds. Wear time is the same as the original, and projection isn't much stronger, although sillage is marginally more "forte". Best use for me would be fall or early winter in place of the original, as a day to day signature.

The increased oakmoss alongside that sandalwood note would be absolute nose candy for the guys brought up on things like Patou pour Homme (1980) or Un Homme Charles Jourdan (1979), while the cumin adds a bit of funk that aligns with the same subset of guys who also loved Kouros by Yves Saint Laurent (1981) or Chanel Amtaeus (1981). Tuscany per Uomo Forte takes the genteel old-world Italian class angle and throws away the soft-spoken laid-back reserve, replacing it with the out-and-out chest-pounding alpha male swagger that I guess guys in the market Aramis was targeting still wanted. Havana on the other hand; that was a scent which also had a brusk masculinity about it, but used a more casual fun-loving direction with its allusions to cigar smoke and Cuba Libres, served at a folding table during a card game. Tuscany per Uomo Forte is not so easy-going, shoving its masculine swagger down your throat like a pickup truck plastered with political stickers "rolling coal" through and intersection; the usual "freedom of expression means only MY voice is heard" personality types, et al. As a flanker of limited appeal, Tuscany per Uomo Forte wasn't long for this world; and although stopping shy of being anything like actually vulgar, Forte feels very unneccesary, given better and more authentic options actually from the 70's and 80's were still being made by 1994. I like Tuscany per Uomo Forte so I give it my stamp of approval; but for the prices surviving bottles command, and what you actually -get- for that price, I can't justify picking it up, no matter how much you love the powerhouse style. A nicely-built, if slightly hollow gesture of a fragrance, Forte is saved by the fact that it's at least interesting on skin. Thumbs up

Released ten years after the arrival of Aramis Tuscany per Uomo (1984), Tuscany per Uomo Forte takes Tuscany in a darker, denser, greener direction. This shift makes the scent less immediately distinctive, so this is less of a lost masterpiece and more of an also-ran powerhouse masculine, but the craftsmanship is impeccable so there's still plenty to admire here.

Whilst I think a review of this is now somewhat moot (unfortunately, this frag has been discontinued), I owe it to my enjoyment of this scent to give it a rating and some kind words. Nothing stays the same for ever, and even if it does the recipe often gets changed. This provides us with an opportunity to try other / new scents, but I also like the tried and tested beauties like this. It also reminds me to buy a back up 2nd bottle for later, on the occasion when I am flush !

Enough preamble ! This is a wonderful, complex fragrance as evidenced by 4 rather than 3 fragrances included with each category of Top, Heart and Base Notes. This fits nicely into my preferred category of citrus, herbal masculine scents. I agree with another reviewer that Springtime is the best season for wearing, and it is suitable for more formal occasions.

Egads, this one is so nice! It takes the original Tuscany formula and injects it with bold intensity - the name "Uomo Forte" certainly fits! Not for the faint of heart, TpUF is daring, brash, and full of personality. It strikes me as clean and complex at the same time. The woody basenotes are a solid foundation to the lemony, herbal heart of this wonderful scent. If you can manage to find a sample / spritz of this first, I think you can decide if it's your sort of fragrance.

Compared with he original there are similarities, but there ils less bergamot the top notes, although a discrete citrus is present with tarragon and lots, lots of cumin. The geranium in the drydown is similar to the original, but given a creative twist with sage and anise. A bit of gentle moss and cedar is rising in the base. Overall this on me has very limited silage and after the first hour is very close to my skin, with about for hours of longevity. This is a much more complex scent than the very good original, but not much more 'forte' or long-lasting than the original. A vey nice flanker, great in spring.