Neroli Portofino Forte by Tom Ford

In today’s review of a Tom Ford fragrance, we have a flanker scent from the high end designer brand, called: Neroli Portofino Forte. This one came out back in 2016. I am going to share my thoughts after wearing this perfume around. I will cover how it smells, what the notes are, when it should be worn, and if it is even worth a buy?

What does Neroli Portofino Forte Smell Like?

Notes include: neroli, leather, bergamot, blood orange, orange blossom, musk, woods, basil, lavender

Click here to try: Tom Ford Neroli Portofino Forte Eau De Parfum 3.4oz/100ml New In Box

My Full Review

The opening of Neroli Portofino Forte was trying its hardest to get me to hate this fragrance. It’s a musky/spice white floral with the citrus notes only being a side attraction. The basil seems pretty strong at the top and contributes to this being way too much to take all at once.

Neroli is naturally leading the way, but I think it gets distracted from, by everything else going on. Musk and basil are overkill, here.

I really don’t enjoy the first five minutes of this scent, but luckily it does improve quite a lot from there. It’s strange, because I do like basil, usually.

Once you move past that opening, Forte really starts to take on the smell of the citrus notes. Kind of backwards, usually the citrus notes will lead off a fragrance. But here, the come on strong after the initial wave.

Blood orange and bergamot come together to create quite a zesty and deliciously juicy aroma. Forte does still have that soapy sort of vibe, that the original Neroli Portofino does, but the citrus is much stronger in this flanker. Forte just feels like a bolder fragrance than the original.

As we dry down further, there is the addition of a leather note in this one. It’s kind of subtle and doesn’t have the same sort of smell as Tuscan Leather, but it is there and does create an interesting element in the heart of this perfume.

There is musk and woods, to go with the white floral notes, as well. The spiciness of the basil, is pretty much gone at this point.

Ultimately, what I am left with is woods, leather, some musk, blood orange, neroli, and orange flowers. It’s later stages, are probably the absolute highlight of Forte, I feel that this is when the perfume really stands out and distinguishes itself.

If I could skip the opening and get to the citrus, leather, and woods…I’d be much higher on this fragrance.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, moderate, but stronger than the original. Neroli Portofino Forte, doesn’t have huge sillage but it will extend about 4-5 feet from the skin for the first few hours, and then come in closer. It never seems weak, but is pretty steady throughout the wear.

For the price, it delivers something solid and doesn’t completely leave me wanting more.

Longevity, is good, better than the original. It stayed on my skin for maybe 7-8 hours, which while not amazing, is a solid workday. Really, with what you’d be paying for this Tom Ford scent, it’s not at all spectacular.

So, projection is worthwhile and it lasts about the minimum I would want to acquire a bottle.

Seasonally, Forte is for warm days. Every aspect of it is absolutely built for the sun and gives off that spring/summer feeling to a tee. It is unisex, but another one that leans more towards the feminine end of things.

Not that it’s girly or anything, just much more in line with perfumes you’d find on the women’s side of thing, as opposed to men’s colognes.

It is classy, somewhat mature, and not a casual summertime scent. It can be worn at the office or other semi-formal or dressed up sorts of events. It’s attractive, but not a sexy or seductive fragrance. Luxurious with plenty of depth for something that is worn during the summer months.

I want to wear this in the daytime. Neroli Portofino Forte isn’t something for the nightlife.

Overall Impressions of Portofino Forte

Overall, do I like Neroli Portofino Forte? I do somewhat. The opening turned me off, but the dry down brought me back in. I think that it is a nice perfume, has a really good blood orange note, and a unique use of leather.

Is it amazing? Not in my mind. It is also a really expensive scent, so, even if I wanted to spend that much money it wouldn’t be a top choice for my personal collection. It’s a well put together fragrance, that smells good, and has an interesting character.

I really don’t like the initial basil blast in the opening and how it interacts with the rest of the composition. This is one that definitely gets better as it moves on. Ultimately, it’s just not a must have for me.

Best Men's Colognes

Best Men’s Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with different fragrances, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, I have written hundreds of reviews and other pages about perfumes and colognes.