Rome

Love this stuff! One of my favorite AF’s in my collection. Overall scent is very close to Italian Leather. Tomato leaf is such an underutilized note, and absolutely helps make this what it is. An original, extremely wearable leather fragrance. The main difference between this and the real thing is obviously the Memo is smoother and better blended, and it’s most evident in the opening. This can smell a little harsh while it’s finding it’s footing and settling in. Italian Leather however has that smoothness from the first spray. Moral of the story? Don’t sleep on this one.

A pleasant, rooty, warm iris fragrance. Opens with a bold blast of leather that very quickly (in a minute) mellows down to a modern, unisex iris on a slightly sweet, slightly spicy base. Wears very nicely - elegant, soft, and just slightly cozy, without much development. It fails to make me wax lyrical, but I've already worn my sample twice and can see myself reaching for it more often. This would make a good signature fragrance for someone, I think.

I get the best aspects of Tom Ford's Leather Ombre and Demeter's Tomato combined through this fragrance. It's true that the notes both blend together for an overall effect and can also be simultaneously discerned separately. The pyramid of top, middle, and base has a unique aspect of having notes repeated in double categories. This does have an active, outdoorsy, adventurer feel while remaining (to my senses) perfectly unisex.

For a leather DNA (not one of favorites), this is pretty pleasant. Opens more fresh than most leather dominant fragrances. The tomato leaf is definitely a fresh take. Valentino Uomo Aqua does it better...but it’s still good here allowing one to wear this in Spring. It mixes well with the vanilla. Dry down really brings forth the leather and galbanum. It is a very smooth sweet leather...maybe why I like it more than all other leather fragrances. Longevity is great...around 12 hours or so. Projection is average. My wife really likes this one, hence why I’m wearing it here and there. It’s a leather fragrance I can like giving her something she loves on me. If you like leather, get a sample and check it out.

I also get a whiff of chocolate when the scent dries down. The leather and tomato leaf in the initial opening are very strong and quite unique. But it dries down to a chocolate, leather, caramel and vaguely woody scent.

This is one of those blind buys that I can't decide whether I regretted it or not. I took a whiff and wasn't blown away, thought it would smell more elegant and unique but it smells like every other mass produced leather perfume. The performance is good, it lasts fairly long and you can instantly fill a room with a single spray... It's just not for my taste. 6/10

This is a clone of Memos Italian Leather. Very similar in the opening. It has that odd tomato leaf note, sweet vanilla and some leather. But it doesn't have than dense, complex dry down. In the original, that green, sort of spicy tomato leaf note dies down. The vanilla also dies down and blends in with the leather to smell almost chocolate like. This lasts as long as the original. 8-10 hours with very good projection. The original is a great winter scent that I'd wear dressy casual. I'd pass on this one though.

There is a fascinating effect that takes place in this fragrance when the tomato leaf interacts with the leather and the vanilla: you get a whiff of chocolate. On closer inspection, there is a very green plant aroma (obviously the tomato leaf), but standing back and letting the whole accord work together, it's unmistakable. It's chocolate. Of course, it isn't an intentional chocolate note, so it never gets too sweet or candied, it remains green and somewhat bitter (the influence of the leather, no doubt). The overall aroma is mesmerizing as these notes work together yet remain separate and distinct. A wonderful fragrance. The projection is moderate, while the longevity is strong, so it will mostly be the wearer who enjoys the scent all day -- or anyone lucky enough to get close to the wearer.

This is one of Alexandria Fragrance's closest clones. It really smells like Italian Leather. Got a bottle. One of my favorites.