Torino

Torino arrives as a study in contrasts—a fragrance that marries the sharp, almost acidic brightness of Brazilian orange with a creeping warmth of black pepper and gaiac wood. It's less about floral elegance and more about textural complexity. The neroli doesn't play the typical citrus-floral bridge; instead, it sits awkwardly between the opening's citrus punch and the heart's peppery bite, creating an almost prickly sensation on the skin. There's an inherent dryness here that prevents this from becoming a comfort fragrance, despite the caramel and bourbon vanilla lurking in the base.

This is a scent for someone who gravitates toward woody, spiced fragrances but hasn't fully committed to the smoky austerity of pure vetiver compositions. The gaiac wood and Haitian vetiver provide a tobacco-leaf earthiness that grounds the sweetness, though the caramel threatens to tip this into gourmand territory—it never fully surrenders, which is perhaps both its greatest strength and its limitation. Black pepper maintains a stubborn presence throughout, refusing to fade into the background, giving Torino an almost savoury quality.