Venetian Bergamot
Tom Ford (2015)

I wanted more of a fresh bergamot scent, but what I got was a suffocating bouquet of sweet florals that pushed this too far into feminine territory for me.

Okay scent overall, though it doesn't echo what I've come to expect of the delicate lemon trait of bergamot.

Venetian Bergamot comes across as rich, exploring several directions but, IMO, straying a bit far from highlighting bergamot in a clear, convincing way. It has a peppery-citrus start which I've enjoyed in several prestige scents in and out of Tom Ford's scents. VB ends up more a floral-sweet, feminine fragrance that makes ylang-ylang stick out versus provide a continual citrus flurry honoring this oft-used citrus note of bergamot.

Only bergamot for about a second then becomes a surprise headache inducing animalic white floral bomb. (I did test this first in summer heat). I'm fall, I tried it again and now it's not choking me out, but it's just kind of a meh spicy white floral, and still a bit grating after a time. Either way, not great.

Purchased 2018. Smells great, blend is top notch but holy smokes. It is a skin scent within 40 minutes

Peppery-citrus opening. Drydown starts to go into the woody notes. The floral gardenia is there but it's not overwhelming at any time and I actually see this leaning slightly masculine but maybe that's just on my skin. Honestly, it smells good on everyone, so unisex is fine with me.

Smells like a mature, refined, daytime scent.

Projection is average but longevity is very good, lasts all day.

After the initial notes of citrus, I get a lot of white floral. Too far on the feminine side of the spectrum for my tastes.