Fleur de Portofino Tom Ford 2015 Eau de Parfum

To make a long story short: Fleur de Portofino Eau de Parfum is for me one of the most underrated fragrances ever and at the same time for me the epitome of a masterpiece.

When I think of Tom Ford, I associate the house with daring fragrances that defy convention, set new standards and push boundaries outside the box. Some masterpieces, such as Tobacco Vanille Eau de Parfum , Oud Wood Eau de Parfum or Fucking Fabulous Eau de Parfum are just that - unconventional milestones in the world of fragrances.
But let's be honest: little revolutionary has come out of this house in recent years, sometimes a little "naughty" here, sometimes a little "provocative" there - but nothing to get excited about.

So I tested the Fleur de Portofino Eau de Parfum with rather negative connotations and wonder why this fragrance has hardly any hype and why there are so few reviews of it on YouTube.

*UPDATE*
The fragrance starts off sparkling, citrusy and alcoholic and at first seems completely overloaded and unbalanced. However, the one-dimensional and alcoholic, stinging citrus gives way within just a few minutes and leads directly to the heart note, which gives the fragrance its unmistakable soul.

*HEART NOTE*
After just a few minutes, the heart note sets in and gives the fragrance substance and character - its soul, if you will:
The fresh citrus fades into the background and hands over the sceptre to acacia, mimosa and osmanthus.
The acacia notes are initially somewhat sweet, but then quickly become citrusy-woody-fresh with a certain earthiness. Especially in the first few hours, this reminds me strongly of the woody-citrusy-aquatic component of Costa Azzurra Eau de Parfum and Costa Azzurra Acqua whereby this note in Fleur de Portofino Eau de Parfum is immediately accompanied by mimosa and osmanthus.
In this combination, the mimosa gives the fragrance a violet-like effect and lends this masterpiece a very special dusty-powdery vibe that I have never smelled before. Sweet, fresh notes are also added, giving the fragrance a creamy cleanliness.
Osmanthus, a fragrant flower that originates from South-East Asia and is omnipresent in certain regions there, gives the fragrance a luxurious character reminiscent of high-quality green tea. And indeed: in some regions, osmanthus is used to give oolong tea a floral note. There is also a very subtle, absolutely non-intrusive vibe of freshly sliced apricots. And these notes have been masterfully implemented in Fleur de Portofino Eau de Parfum, never allowing the fragrance to become too sweet and lending it a floral, dusty earthiness to the citrusy woods and creamy freshness.

*BASIS*
After around 3 to 4 hours, the composition described above is joined by a very gentle, soft, slightly waxy note of acacia honey - clean and transparent, beautiful and bright. The honey has a very natural effect, as if freshly extracted, and even allows a little honeycomb to resonate. It underpins the different accords of slightly aquatic freshness paired with the floral, powdery and slightly dusty notes and the subtle woodiness. The honey never becomes intrusive or too much in any way, but stays in the background and miraculously complements the fragrance experience.

*LONGEVITY*
Surprisingly, the fragrance lasts a good 8 hours on my skin, even in spring and early summer. On clothing, the notes can even be detected the following day. So basically a very solid performance.

*SILLAGE*
The Fleur de Portofino Eau de Parfum is only a bit of a screamer at the very beginning, but it quickly finds its place and only captivates those who get close to it. The sillage is perhaps an arm's length in the first 2 or 3 hours and then "only" a skinscent, which is clearly reflected in the rating of 6.5.

*VERDICT*
What excites me so much about this fragrance is, on the one hand, the fragrance progression itself: the complete opposite of straightforwardness - the Fleur de Portofino Eau de Parfum is anything but linear, allowing the different accords to "play" with each other and yet remaining true to itself as a clean fragrance with a luxury vibe. For me, the fragrance is also the epitome of unisex, although it tends slightly towards the feminine side.
On the other hand, the uniqueness of the fragrance inspires me: I've really tried a lot and yes, I am - admittedly - also a fan of Tom Ford, but this fragrance really smells very unique, special and incomparable to other fragrances. I am really happy to have discovered this underrated masterpiece for myself and I could imagine that the fragrance could even be chosen as a signature scent in spring/summer.