Family night at the warm and humid ballpark. A night that called for some Sun-Gria from Lorenzo Pazzaglia. Absolutely an amazing performer in this type of weather.

After four days of testing, multiple side-by-side wearings, and comparing them against a lot of other fragrances in my collection, this is how I would rank them from best to worst: 1. Torino 21 (Xerjoff) This is still the benchmark. The mint, lemon, basil, and green notes smell incredibly natural and perfectly balanced. It is bright, refreshing, and energetic without ever becoming harsh or synthetic. The quality is obvious from the opening all the way through the dry down. Every time I wear it, I’m reminded why it became one of the most popular warm-weather fragrances in the niche world. Longevity: 7-9 hours with moderate projection. 2. Torino 2021 (Montagne) This was the biggest surprise of the group. It captures much of what makes Torino 21 special while maintaining a smooth and refined character of its own. The mint and citrus are very recognizable, and it stays remarkably close to the original throughout the wear. What impressed me most was how well blended it is. Nothing feels harsh, synthetic, or cheap. While it doesn’t quite reach the depth and refinement of the Xerjoff, it gets much closer than many people would expect. Longevity: 7-8 hours with solid projection. 3. Turin 21 (Alexandria Fragrances) Alexandria did a very good job with this one. The DNA is instantly recognizable, and performance is excellent. Compared to the original, it feels slightly denser and heavier. Some people may actually prefer that. For me, it loses a little of the airy freshness that makes Torino 21 so addictive, but it is still a very enjoyable fragrance and one I would gladly wear. Longevity: 8-10+ hours with strong projection. 4. Platine Blanc (AROMATIX FRENCH AVENUE) Platine Blanc is a good fragrance, but when tested directly against the Torino-inspired scents, it simply doesn’t create the same excitement. It is clean, fresh, and easy to wear, but it lacks the sparkling mint-citrus combination that keeps drawing me back to Torino 21. I like it, but I don’t find myself reaching for it nearly as often as the other three.

I’m a fan of Cypress notes, and in doing some research I saw an offering by Molton Brown that I thought might be interesting. Found a travel size on sale and so I thought I’d give Coastal Cypress and Sea Fennel EDP a try. I really like the open on this one. It’s a very pleasant mix of a little bergamot, some warmth from cardamom, a little bit of green from fig leaf, a little zing from ginger, and a pleasant dose of cypress. It transitions pretty quickly, with the citrus fading fast, but woodiness and aquatic notes kicking in in a big way. I get a lot of cedar and a hint of a kind of musty seaweed-like note that’s not unpleasant but that I could do with a bit less of. There’s also a kind of powdery leather behind it all which adds to the depth. Off my skin this projected very well for about an hour, I kept getting whiffs off my arms up to my nose while I was typing at work. After that, it was definitely going for another four hours and I kept catching little whiffs so I think the sillage off this thing would be pretty good. After that, it was kind of a warm woody skin scent for another few hours. This is definitely an interesting composition with a lot going on. I like that it’s pretty dry with almost no sweetness, and has some sharpness to it — it kind of reminds me of Penhaligan’s The Cut and ATH Hombre in that regard. I feel like this is pretty versatile too, I could see wearing it year round except maybe the coldest of winter. I don’t feel like it’s a T-shirt and ripped jeans kind of scent, but would work if you’re dressed simply but nicely all the way through to wearing a suit. To me, the woods, leather, and aromatics put this firmly at the masculine end of the spectrum. I also like that this is named perfectly - definitely transports you to a rocky coastline with a gentle sea breeze blowing through cypress trees and aromatic and green plants nearby. Overall, I’d give it a seven out of 10. I think the seaweedy aquatic note put me off a little bit too much, otherwise I’d give it a higher rating. Even so, I’d consider getting a bottle of this in a larger collection, however, I already have Costa Azzura Parfum which scratches my coastal cypress itch a bit better. But if you like crisp, woody aromatics and you find this at a discounter, it’s worth checking out

I just wanted to let you guys know that tonight, my Dad has moved to the celestial mansions. His suffering has ended and his will has been fulfilled. God’s will is good and perfect, he called my Dad and he responded. I want to thank all of you who took the time to send prayers, good wishes and reached out to check on me, I really appreciate it. 🤗🫶🏼

Has anyone successfully purchased from AK Perfumes ? Are they legit? They seem to have some really good prices on a random assortment of frags