Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Tom Ford’s Neroli Portofino is really, essentially, just an eau de cologne. It smells like your basic toilet water version that’s been done enough and well before. So what’s makes this Tom Ford creation special? Is it the abundance of neroli that creeps up on you after the drydown? Perhaps it is, but there’s something very bright, sprightly, citrusy thing here that is very joyful. There’s a yellow in the greens, and the repackaged blue Tom Ford signature bottle just exudes freshness, cleanliness, a splash of cool water in the summer heat. While I experience triple digit temperatures in the desert right now, I find myself always reaching for this. Somehow I feel like the sun is not as harsh, the heat not as blazing. I am and have always been a victim of marketing.