Carpintero

When I first read the scent notes, I couldn't help but think of one of my all-time favorite fragrances: "Oud Minérale | Tom Ford" - algae, driftwood, he's pretty good at that and runs this program in a dark, mysterious and very unique way (disclaimer: I'm talking about the "Oud Minérale | Tom Ford" from the Private Blend, which was unfortunately discontinued and then re-released first in the form of the Resort Collection and later in the Signature Line).

Since the "Oud Minérale | Tom Ford" has its (justified) fanbase, I ask for your indulgence if, as a big fan, I keep referring to this masterpiece from time to time.

Masterpiece is also the right keyword - because "Gold Regatta | The Merchant Of Venice" is nothing less than that.

At first glance, "Gold Regatta | The Merchant Of Venice" starts off very overloaded and therefore also very expansive: driftwood, red algae and something impetuous fly towards me. It reminds me of a winter morning in Venice, where I was last December: the air is icy cold, it smells of sea salt, of algae, slightly fishy and somehow not very inviting or subtle. And yet, like Venice on a winter's morning, the scent has something captivating about it, as the sunrise can already be glimpsed on the horizon and the scent makes you wonder what will come next.

The striking notes of red algae and driftwood quickly give way but still remain present: in contrast to "Oud Minérale | Tom Ford" where the driftwood smells rough, dark, strongly algae-like and boorish, as if it had been freshly collected and therefore still has a "musty" note, the driftwood in "Gold Regatta | The Merchant Of Venice" has clearly already been processed, polished and refined: smooth and gentle, yet red algae, sea salt and sea spray can still be clearly sensed.

In the HEARTNOTE, the sun slowly rises over Venice, the day dawns and the first warm rays reach the skin of the frozen face.
And the "Gold Regatta | The Merchant Of Venice" also unfolds into a masterful composition - where red algae, driftwood and sea salt vie for the upper hand and create a little unrest, the red fig joins in, juicy-sweet and overripe, giving the fragrance an incredibly beautiful vibe. The strawflower joins in the background, lending the fragrance the necessary warmth but never becoming dominant. Traces of saffron, curry and other spices can be sensed thanks to the immortelle and create a very subtle, beautiful warmth - like the sun that leisurely illuminates the sky over the city of love on this December morning.

In the base, the composition described above is joined by warming amber and tart vanilla, which lend the fragrance a wonderful creaminess and are a fitting accompaniment to the well-traveled driftwood. And yet "Gold Regatta | The Merchant Of Venice" still manages to retain its unmistakable character, its rough edges: Sea salt, red algae and driftwood are still present here, while the overripe and juicy red fig and strawflowers lend fruity sweetness and warming spice. Amber and vanilla are the warming sun on a December day in Venice: it never gets hot or really warm, but a touch of this sun conjures up a glow on the face and a feeling of bliss in the soul.

SUSTAINABILITY and SILLAGE are excellent, whereby the fragrance really lasts all day and the sillage radiates very clearly, especially in the first few hours. The fragrance can be detected on clothing until the next wash and can still be detected on the body the next morning.

In a DIRECT COMPARISON to "Oud Minérale | Tom Ford", it can be said that both fragrances share the woody aquatics, the sea salt, the algae and the driftwood, but have two completely contrasting programs in the heart and the base:

"Oud Minérale | Tom Ford" - here the driftwood is rough, dark, strongly algaey and boorish. It smells like freshly collected driftwood, in which the sea salt, heavy oil, shell limestone and algae notes are still very present and something slightly "musty" also resonates, making the fragrance very harsh and unconventional.

"Gold Regatta | The Merchant Of Venice" - here the driftwood has already been processed and polished: smooth and gentle, yet red algae, sea salt and sea spray can still be clearly detected. The fig brings a wonderful (and unexpected) vibe, while vanilla and amber bring out the most beautiful sides in the base and duly accompany the well-traveled wood.

To make a long story short: "Fleur de Portofino (Eau de Parfum) | Tom Ford" 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) | Tom Ford" , "Oud Wood (Eau de Parfum) | Tom Ford" or "Fucking Fabulous / Fabulous (Eau de Parfum) | Tom Ford" 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) | Tom Ford" 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) | Tom Ford" and "Costa Azzurra Acqua | Tom Ford" whereby this note in "Fleur de Portofino (Eau de Parfum) | Tom Ford" 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) | Tom Ford", 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) | Tom Ford" 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) | Tom Ford" 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.

Oud Wood and I - it's a kind of love story: the reason why I ended up here on Parfumo, my ticket into the world of niche fragrances, my first real big love, so to speak.

Then as now, the topic of longevity was and is a big point of discussion, although I noticed one constant: when I consciously tested the fragrance for the first time in 2018 and then bought a 100ml bottle with "shelf life problems" (some batch from 2017), I came across all the discussions about batches, reformulations and weaknesses for the first time.
I still have the bottle from 2018 and another one (250 ml) from 2020 - both last their 8 hours wonderfully, radiate moderately and are the two go-to fragrances for me in the office.
In the souk, the batches from 2018 are sometimes traded at horrendous prices and I am convinced that a big point is the post-maturing rather than the reformulations.

So - and now a jump to the year 2024.
When I heard about the latest release, I was thrilled: an Oud Wood as a perfume, supposedly stronger, longer-lasting, rumored to be of the same quality as the very first Oud Wood fragrances from 2007.

I was able to test the fragrance in Harrod's in London - and bought it. For a whopping 330 pounds.
Admittedly: I had to restrain my facial derailment enormously and keep my facial expressions extremely under control when the lady told me the price. I didn't want to back down - and somehow: I'm worth it... right?

About the fragrance itself: Straightforward, clean, intense and strong.
For me, definitely the fragrance I will wear on a date.

It has far fewer rough edges than the original (EDP), is less deep, but is denser, creamier and thicker.
Oud Wood Parfum follows the classic program, appears smooth due to the cardamom, which gives a cooling distance, but captivates the other person with its warm woods and spices.
The pungent Szechuan pepper (don't worry, I honestly don't smell any difference to "normal" pepper) and the warming amber balance each other out harmoniously.
The spices give me the impression that they contain some kind of gingerbread spices, in very gentle, homeopathic doses: this makes the fragrance seem sweeter than its role model. Clearly not something I would wear to the office [he says, knowing full well that he also regularly "delights" his colleagues with Alexandria II, Tobacco Vanilla and other bombs in the office].

Now to the question of all questions: How does it hold up?
For me, it's definitely stronger and better than the EDP. But this is probably also due to the fact that the sweetness of the spices and the denser woods add a certain "thickness" and "fullness" that are not present in the original.
The sillage is moderate, it certainly doesn't take up any space, but is nevertheless more noticeable than its model for the first few hours as it passes by.
For me, the magic still happens on the skin, when the fragrance is still strong enough to fascinate the other person and at the same time pulls back a little, becomes a little quieter and the other person has to come a little closer to smell more of it.

Is the fragrance worth the price?
I think the price-performance ratio of different fragrances is as individual as tastes are.
You could also ask the question of whether a person is worth flying business or first class, whether it absolutely has to be a 5-star hotel, whether the Porsche in the garage is really necessary...
The fragrance, like the business or first class flight, the 5-star hotel and the Porsche, is a luxury good that has long since left the premium segment behind.
It is a composition with a price tag. You are either prepared to pay this price for luxury - or not.
Personally, I am happy and delighted to be able to call a 50ml bottle my own and will wear this fragrance in honor on our weekly date night or on other very special occasions.

In the end, I believe the fragrance will find its target audience.
Whether it is worth it is up to the individual.

- or probably the most personal review I have ever written.

Many people, whether on YouTube or here on Parfumo, expressed about the fragrance that it was a reference to the typical "Arabic Coffee".
Arabic coffee, which I still remember very well and positively from my two-year stay in Qatar, is a golden-colored drink, which in the depths of coffee can be guessed, but is full of exotic spices: cardamom, saffron, nutmeg, cloves and - of course - rose water.

And yes, all this one takes in the Golden Dallah: the coffee beautifully in depth, accompanied on the outside, but never dominated by rose, cardamom, saffron, nutmeg and (probably) cloves. I also perceive incense and oud, as well as the sweetness of tonka bean (possibly in reference to the dates that are served with Arabic Coffee) and slight traces of bitter unsweetened cocoa.

And that would be the end of the review, because all the notes described are included, complement and accompany the coffee without drowning it out or stealing the show.

But wait.
What was that?

As the story progresses, Golden Dallah takes a very different turn - at least for me personally:

Possibly one or the other Parfumos / Parfumas know my story, from my youth in South America or my life in Qatar.

After my mother, who worked in Bogota in the foreign school service, was retired, she bought together with her husband a piece of land in the Colombian coffee region. More precisely, in Libano, Tolima, about 7 hours uphill-mountain drive from Bogota. And after she bought the land there, constructed a beautiful traditional coffee finca and grew her first own coffee, I visited her almost every year in this magical place.

When you get there, leaving behind the long flight and the arduous journey, a scent aura of green coffee, red earth and a mixture of floral and tart notes accompanies you throughout the entire time.

And that's exactly what Golden Dallah embodies for me.
After my senses traveled to the Arabian Gulf in Qatar on the first spray, the drydown catapults me straight to Libano, Tolima, on my mother's coffee finca.
I feel the warming sun reflected in the reddish earth, the steamy air it has there due to the increased humidity, the green tones of the coffee plantation, which is located right around the finca. Green coffee, still somewhat immature, smells sweet and tart at the same time. While the mature coffee, which is already in the process of drying, brings a strong, earthy aroma. I also smell the floral and earthy tones that come from the gorgeous plants and the moist, loamy soil. And - maybe I'm just imagining it - a very gentle hint, reminiscent of banana plants: the aroma of the still unripe, green banana, only very slightly sweet, more tropical-green.

And I feel secure. Miles away from the stress of the office. In safety from everything that is happening in the world. In the Libano, the clocks (and people) still tick differently, the day, the week, the month and the entire year are based on coffee cultivation - and perhaps a little on the few tourists who stray into the Libano on their way to Medellin or Pereira. The fragrance embodies the relaxed, the lightness of being, the perfect combination of all the elements.

For me, a small masterpiece that goes both in the office, as well as on a date or dinner.
By no means a screamer, rather skin deep and gentle, but beautiful and fascinating he draws everyone under his spell.

Thank you for the little trip around the world, XerJoff!

- or: hindsight is always smarter.

These words actually hit the nail on the head.
While the release was widely announced and felt like it was constantly in the PdM newsletter, hyped on all perfume channels on YouTube and the fragrance itself was even in the top 100, then in the top 50 and at times even in the top 30 on Parfumo within just a few days, there were only a few critical voices about the fragrance.

Nevertheless, there were critics who couldn't find anything great or special about the fragrance.
But I didn't want to listen to them. Unteachable.

So: fragrance ordered [only available on the PdM website at the time], nice leather case (whatever you need it for) and leather bag (same question - always happy to answer me) and on top a 10 ml sample of another PdM fragrance. 250 euros incl. mind - will be fine, I thought.

After shipping took twice the estimated time, the package came as an "Economy Select" instead of an "Express" package and there was no response from PdM despite several requests, a first bitter aftertaste emerged, which unfortunately was to persist.

The contents of the slightly demolished and, thanks to the temperatures, extremely hot package were immediately inspected and tested. And the disappointment was great.

This is supposed to be it? The release of the year? The "best PdM of all time"? - Yes, hindsight is always wiser.

The fragrance is ok, a solid 7 out of 10, yes. But it doesn't reinvent the wheel, it's certainly not the best PdM of all time and it's definitely not a new Layton.
I am convinced that the fragrance has not necessarily earned its right to exist on the already saturated market, which is why it is being pushed all the more vehemently in terms of marketing. Not a bad thing.

Initially, you particularly notice the "vanilla overkill", which is actually not bad. But it is loud, very, very loud. The citrusy notes of bergamot and orange blossom are also clearly present and - in my opinion - bring a certain restlessness into play.

Other users reported associations with SWY, Armani Code or Layton. Yes, yes and yes.
But does that infer creativity? I do not know.

For me, the fragrance doesn't jump back and forth much from the vanilla opening to the warm drydown. It is straightforward, straightforward and therefore somewhat unspectacular and boring. Vanilla, citrus notes, cinnamon, woods and resins remain prominent and equally distributed throughout the fragrance. Praline is also present, but ambrox hardly at all.

The fragrance does not have a "monster sillage" either, although the longevity is pretty solid with an 8 out of 10.

However, anyone really expecting the new Layton, the better Pegasus or even the creativity of Herod is likely to be disappointed.
I don't know what exactly I was expecting, but the fragrance as a whole only convinces me to a limited extent.

Yes, it's not bad. Yes, it is certainly not out of place in fall and winter. And the longevity is also in the upper range.
But what I miss is the twist, the surprise, the special or the unexpected.
The fragrance simply doesn't live up to the hype, rippling along without having any major corners or edges.

Perhaps an Exclusif version will be released - with slightly deeper woods, more ambrox and additional oud. That, at least I could imagine, would make the fragrance a lot more interesting.

But that is a dream of the future.

For the status quo, judged as a whole: You're always smarter with hindsight.