My first memory of Tuscany for Men by Aramis dates back to 1986 and my first serious college boy friend. Sorry if this offends anyone but ... OH MY GOD!!!!!!! There are no other words to describe the effect that scent (or even the memory of it here some 15 years later) had on me! I don't think he was wearing it the day we met, it's certainly not the reason for my attraction to him ... and he is not my reason for my now lifelong devotion to this scent ... but for proper reference, Tuscany and he will always go hand in hand! He even applied it to the adorable and oh so soft Gund bear that he gave me for my birthday that year … the bear no longer has the Tuscany scent, but he sits on my closet shelf along with other mementos of days gone by! I think until the day I die I will find no other man's fragrance that has quite the same utterly melting, almost quivering, affect on me.

Several years later, through pure coincidence another love of my life was a Tuscany man! And while Tuscany had smelled wonderful on college boy … it was sheer ecstasy on Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome, older, outdoorsy, manly man with the eyes that could see through to my soul, hands that were almost but not quite calloused leather but with a soft gentle touch of silk, and lips that would make any woman undress on the spot ...

Geez, sorry … back to the review …

Scentiments.com provides us with the following description of this fragrance: Contains top notes of citrus, green leaves, sage and thyme, middle notes of clove and cardamon, base notes of oakmoss, patchouli, vetiver and sandalwood.

And EZGalazy.com categorizes Tuscany as a winter and a citrus scent and tells us that it ”boldly crosses the line between romantic and provocative.

I’ve got to whole heartedly agree! Romantic and provocative both apply well to this scent … though I’d perhaps lean a bit toward the provocative end of the cross over. However it isn’t so unsubtle of a scent as to rank up there with the sleazy lounge lizards’ get ‘em in the sack potions. It just reaches out and embraces you, puts a strong arm around your shoulders, looks into your eyes, opens it’s full lips and whispers in a husky voice …

My one major confusion, and an illustration of how complex fragrances are and how ignorant I am when trying to describe them … there is absolutely no mention of pine, evergreen, or cedar in any description that I’ve found of Tuscany for Men. If I had no access to reference materials, I would have sworn that the base scent of Tuscany was somewhere in the evergreen/pine range!

I never thought this until I purchased a bottle for my husband sometimes in the late 1990’s. I gave it to him on our anniversary and upon opening it and smelling it he announced … “Mmmmmm … Pine-Sol!” I could have died … or killed him … or both. I’d just spent about $50 on a bottle of Pine-Sol?!?!?! Yes, on him it smells strongly of pine … and remarkably like a cleaning product! GEEZ!!!!! And sadly, even though the scent (on someone else) still sends quivers through my body and a flush to my cheeks, I can’t smell it now without thinking of his remark!

On every other man I’ve ever smelled Tuscany on (and believe me, I recognize it … I once followed a perfect stranger from the salad bar of a restaurant through the dining room and past his table just to sniff him for as long as I could) it smells heavenly, sexy, seductive, masculine, AMAZING!!!!! I think it just doesn’t work with my husband’s particular body chemistry. A good alternative that I’ve found for him is Burberry London … while the descriptions of these two fragrances aren’t remarkably similar it is described as a blend of orange blossoms and spices … and it smells similar on him to how Tuscany smells on most other men! * lol*

Other fragrances that I like on men include the original Giorgio for men, Chaps by Ralph Lauren is good on your more outdoorsy types, and believe it or not I like Polo as long as it isn’t applied in huge green clouds by overly hormonal 15 year old boys * lol*, and Giorgio Red for men is good but not great. (And I can’t seem to find this one any where on-line … I wonder if it was a short lived venture and is no longer made?) But I’m not saying they smell like Tuscany … but perhaps if you like these scents then Tuscany may fit into the same general category. Perhaps all sort of woodsy spicy, manly-man kind of fragrances? And of course I’m not saying that there aren’t a ton of other great scents out there … Cool Water smells amazing on my brother … Poison, CK, Obsession and all the other in-for-a-year-or-so fragrances are fine … one of the only men’s fragrances that I’ve found that I just absolutely cannot stand, makes me want to up-chuck, would walk rather than ride in a car with it is Lagerfeld (I’d drown my man in Hi-Karate or Old Spice before I’d dab that stuff on him!!!!) … though oddly enough Lagerfeld’s Chloe was one of my favorite female fragrances for a long long while!

Tuscany for Men by Aramis is a lesser known, and possibly overlooked men’s scent. It’s available online from about $28-$50, and can usually be found at the cosmetic/fragrance counters of most major department stores for a bit more. If you aren’t certain how it will smell on your man … have him try a sample in the store … or check for a refund/exchange policy. Chances are you’ll be in heaven and he’ll reap the benefits later that evening … but on the off chance that he too turns it to Pine-Sol, keep your receipt on file!


Recommended: Yes