Tuscany / Etruscan 
Aramis (1984)

Time marches on as we want so dearly to hold onto tradition. Sketching the temporal landscape, we see in its topography peaks and valleys, progress and regress, and it's fascinating how fragrance can be a marker to a time that we may romanticize. For me, its fragrances like Tuscany Per Uomo, which I thoroughly love to wear regardless as to whether or not it is out of step with the times according to younger noses.

The 80s were my childhood and my association with role models from that time, who I looked up to and wanted to be when I "grow up." Here I am, more than grown up, and I wear this with pride and satisfaction, but I do know something: all was not ideal 40 years ago. If I were just ten years older, I'd be dealing with a lot of ignorance and crap that I am happy I missed.

I quote the poet laureate Billy Joel from his "Keeping the Faith": 'Cause the good ole days weren't always good
And tomorrow ain't as bad as it seems."

But I digress—Tuscany Per Uomo could be considered an "also ran" from Aramis to appeal to the tastes of those who enjoy Azzaro Pour Homme but want a little something more. That "more" here is brighter citruses, lemons and limes that herald the anise and caraway (not cumin as other reviewers suggest) that build upon the brightness with their warmth and texture. Though I do quite enjoy APH, I appreciate Tuscany even more so. It dries into a manly, yet comforting embrace of leather, sandalwood, moss and spice (a bit of Epicene base perhaps). The Gentleman's Collection version bears little difference to the original so fear not, you would not need to add more credit card debt to enjoy its beauty, though with the GC version also discontinued, that too is rising in price.

The scent of a warm hug from your old man, that feeling of trust and safety in his arms knowing he watches over the family and protecs you to no end. This is such a beautifully composed classic fougere. One of the most successful 80's classic. Combines yesteryear masculinity with modern cleanliness and soapy freshness. Refreshing and invigorating. It's not for the kind of guys only wear Blue de Chanel and 1 Million, this is for guys who have a penchant for retro and vintage. A true gentleman's classic.

Fresh lavender and anise are immediately apparent, although this fougere has a couple of unique touches that it's contemporaries do not posses. The top notes are a blast of spices and woods, very crisp and earthy. This freshness lasts a few minutes and mellows into the heart, which is absolutely fantastic. One hour into this beauty flows into the basil, tonka bean, woods, creaminess of sandalwood and a touch of leather. It gives off with great complexity while maintaining a soft yet steady projection. The scent has a slight Barbershop feel like a barbershop in Florence, plus atmosphere, good music, a passionate middle-aged gentleman.

This is a winner from Aramis. I was so impressed the first time I smelled it, from a vintage sample. It's starts like a fresh Eau de Cologne, like something that might be light, but it turns increasingly masculine, with more of an after shave vibe, and also stronger smelling as the patchouli comes to the fore.

It does smell like what I think of as geranium.

I wore this on an early date with the person I'm still dating, which is a sign that I was into it, and she loved it.

With the myriad of smell-alike fragrances out there (a la Sauvage), I decided to revisit an old favorite of mine - Tuscany. Truth be told, I haven't smelled this since the 1990's but remember loving it. My initial impression was that the opening was a little 'different' from the original but still pleasing to my olfactory senses. As most will tell you the dry-down is worth waiting for! Glorious! Quite different from the new school frags and beautifully warm and woody/musky/mossy. I blind-bought a bottle of this for under $25 which in my mind is a no-brainer. Nothing offensive or overly cloying about it. Rather it feels like a familiar warm blanket on a cold day. I will definitely keep this beauty in my rotation going forward.

One of the masterpieces from the Aramis line, Tuscany opens up with a rich, bold citrus and herbal blast. The citrus recedes and gives lift to the sharp herbal notes, with anise taking prominence. This dry, herbal concoction gets more and more leathery as it dries down and fades away.

Despite its immaculate construction, Tuscany feels effortless and organic, like a naturally occurring bouquet of aromas that you'd find in the Italian countryside. It's not "current" or "youthful" because it isn't at all on-trend, but it isn't dated in the way that most 80s powerhouses are because of its lighter, citrusy character; it's often cited as being akin to Azzaro, and it is, to an extent, but I think it goes into more interesting territory than Azzaro pour Homme does.

It still smells rich and natural, with the notes crisp and sharp in a way that they rarely feel anymore in our aromachemical world. If one of the barbershop-y niche houses released this now, it would be well-received (and perhaps we're only a year or two away from a Tom Ford "re-imagining" of the scent hitting the market).