Category Archives: Tom Ford

Tom Ford has been teasing his latest Private Blend release – the intriguingly-titled ‘Tobacco Chocolat’, which holds a bit more promise than the coffee-accented foray of ‘Cafe Rose’ from a number of years ago. I wasn’t a fan of that coffee slant, but chocolate seems a bit more palatable, particularly given the way it might mingle with the tobacco. Hey, if it worked for vanilla with ‘Tobacco Vanille’ who’s to say it won’t be equally charming with a chocolate note? Titles and names only go so far in the Tom Ford world, however, so I’m reserving serious judgment and comment until I can actually try this one on. Hopefully that will happen soon, and hopefully the confection isn’t too sweet, as tobacco can often carry an intrinsic sweetness that, in my preferences, does better with something drier, as employed in ‘Tobacco Oud‘. Only time, and nose, will tell…

The original ‘Noir de Noir’ as included in Tom Ford’s original run of Private Blends didn’t initially speak to me. In that silence, however, was a promise to revisit its profile at a time in the future. At such moments, a promise is enough – when we’re not quite ready for something but we sense one day we might be. A similar shifting in taste and appreciation happened with ‘Carnal Flower’, and now that several more years have passed, I’m coming around to Ford’s ‘Noir Extreme’ thanks to a sampler that Betsy gifted me last year, and a full bottle that Andy gave me for this recent birthday.

The fragrance itself is a flanker of Ford’s mainstream ‘Noir’ offering – and while it’s listed as an Eau de Parfum, its staying power is more of a cologne, which makes it ideal for this late summer September moment, when the heat can still be quite on, and the days too much for an insistent parfum. It strikes the ideal balance at this time of the year.

Opening with a green citrus and spice kick, it quickly calms down to reveal a powdery amber second tier with some vanilla and wood. Aspects of cardamom, nutmeg and saffron lend it a hint of gourmand richness, while some minor white floral notes sound like the faint tinkling of bells in the distance. It seduces softly with some sandalwood completing its design, enveloping with a cloud of delicate beauty, something I appreciate even if it falls slightly short of a seriously potent Eau de parfum. As I mentioned, this isn’t the time of the year for that – not yet – and so this works perfectly. Timing can be everything when it comes to fragrance, and as we prepare to close out this Solid Gold summer, this fragrance gorgeously straddles the sun and the cooler nights, when darkness indicates mystery, and Noir whispers sweet secrets so quietly it might just be the wind.

My pal Betsy very generally gifted me this bottle of Tom Ford’s ‘Bois Pacifique’ for my 50th birthday earlier this summer, and I’ve saved it for precisely this moment of the year. It is gorgeously reminiscent of one of my favorite Ford Private Blends, ‘Ébène Fumé‘, which I often pair with ‘Santal Blush‘ for an exceptionally rich layered indulgence. ‘Tis the season for such over-the-top extravagance, and everyone knows I put the ‘extra’ in ‘extravagance’…

Sandalwood has always been my go-to note for the holidays, and ‘Bois Pacifique’ provides that, along with added layers of spice perfectly aligned to add a festive note to the proceedings. There is cardamom and turmeric, blending in beautifully with the forest elements of cedar and oakwood. Olibanum and orris butter round out the journey, and the sandalwood weaves its creamy way through the heart of it all, making for a divine holiday fragrance.

The spooky season calls for something smoky and incense-like, and while our fall oud theme is befitting, this offering from Tom Ford’s Private Blends is an underrated gem for that sort of vibe. Originally I got a small bottle of this because I was only going to use it for a Stevie Nicks concert, but it has become a fall favorite in its own right for its pungent feel and seasonal magic.

The notes of myrrhe, vanilla, sandalwood and musk, tempered by some leather and jasmine, make it sound like a sweeter concoction than it is ~ I find it magnificently darker than how that reads on paper. There’s something resinous and smoky at work, and it carries a deeper patina than ‘Ebene Fume’, to which it has been favorably compared. (I’m a big ‘Ebene Fume‘ fan so any similarity would be celebrated.)

This almost approaches the vaunted holiness of ‘Amber Absolute’ territory, but stops sadly short of that original’s hallowed performance ground. Still, to even approach such a grand vision is a feat in itself, and ‘Myrrhe Mystere’ is a lovely scent for keeping warm and cozy on these darkening days.

Most of the Tom Ford Private Blends I’m fortunate enough to have come with memories of certain moments or specific sections of select seasons. When Andy got me ‘Azure Lime’ for our anniversary last summer, it came just as my Dad was entering his final days. I was torn over whether to wear it to those visits and the funeral, because I knew it would become part of those memories, and I’d never be able to dissociate it from such dark times. Then I realized that marrying those days with my favorite cologne maker would be a fitting way to honor my Dad. If I had one more sensory item to remind me of Dad years from now, it would finally be a scent to trigger one final memory.

It’s a little ironic, as my Dad hardly ever wore cologne. Once in a great while – for a fancy night out or someone’s wedding perhaps – he would splash on a few drops of Old Spice. (Oddly enough, Tom Ford’s first mainstream cologne, titled simply ‘Tom Ford for Men’ has elements that remind me of Old Spice.) Scent was not something I ever connected to my Dad – he didn’t even wear deodorant because he had no body odor. He was always meticulously clean, but even to his last day when he was only getting sponge baths he never had body odor. If there was anything that might remind me of him scent-wise, it would have to be Vick’s Vapo-rub, which he used for various ailments. ‘Azure Lime’ is a much nicer way to remember him, and it’s a classic lime cologne that reeks of old-school style and class – the very sort of debonair elegance and suave sophistication that Dad, in his tailored suits and Burberry coat, personified when he went out in public. 

As for the merits of ‘Azure Lime’ itself, it was one of Tom Ford’s original Private Blends, then was discontinued for several years. He brought it back as part of the Neroli Summer collection, in an aqua bottle to match that line and the citrus lightness of those blue hues. It fits in well there, as like most citrus scents it’s light and not lasting – something that might be a bit of a detractor given the price point. I get more than a little fougere to this one, putting it in classic cologne territory, and perhaps I’ve finally aged into that world. 

It’s a fine and fitting fragrance for summer, and a new memory for the final days of a father. 

Having been lucky and blessed enough to have amassed a sizable collection of Tom Ford Private Blends from birthdays and Valentine’s Days and Christmas Eves (and a few non-occasion days where I simply had to treat myself) I’m fortunate to have an arsenal of fragrances appropriate for every turn of the calendar. 

This time of the year, when things are filled with magic and sparkle, and when being extra is expected of everyone, I indulge in the intoxicating sweetness of sandalwood. At any other time of the year it might be a bit too much, but for the holidays it’s just right. ‘Santal Blush‘ is still sublime, and ‘Ebene Fume‘ is a smokier take on sandalwood that incorporates some Palo Santo to temper its sweetness. 

Winter wants something dry and cozy, a bit of ‘Oud Wood’ or ‘Tobacco Oud’. It also comes with the pink sickly-sweetness of Valentine’s Day, for which the rosy sheen of ‘Oud Fleur‘ (and its incense-like haze) or ‘Rose de Russie‘ and its more delicate floral enchantment, are tailor-fitted.

The freshness of spring finds barber-shop beauty in ‘Fougere D’Argent‘ and ‘Beau de Jour’.  That’s merely a warm-up for the heat of summer, when the Portofino collection comes into its own glory with ‘Neroli Portofino‘, ‘Costa Azzurra’ and ‘Mandarino di Amalfi‘. Then there is the warmth and light of ‘Soleil Blanc’. 

Turning into fall, some of Ford’s richest offerings shimmer with the advance of colder nights, such as ‘Amber Absolute‘, ‘Bois Marocain‘ and ‘Japon Noir‘. And then it’s holiday time again, when the sparkle show returns… 

We are approaching the holiday season, and though that may feel a long way off, it’s really not, and I don’t want anyone to get caught in shipping delays or backed up orders, so here’s an early promising idea that comes courtesy of my favorite fragrance supplier, Tom Ford. This is ‘Myrrhe Mystere’, the latest Private Blend release, billed as “a provocative, vibrational expression of the mystical resin – a richly luminous aura.” What the fuck ever – I’m highly skeptical that anything approaching myrrh is involved in this, but fragrance is more about the idea and essence than authenticity. Reviews so far have been kind, likening it to ‘Ébène Fumé’, which I absolutely love (it has supplanted ‘Santal Blush’ as my holiday fragrance). If this comes anywhere close to that, it may be the fall fragrance that leads into holiday season, and I might have to simply order it myself sooner rather than later. I’ll give it a spin the next time I’m in Boston.

The listed notes are sandalwood, myrrh essence and ultra-vanille accord – while those in the know/nose have proclaimed it to be a dreamy bit of amber. If there’s a scrap of ‘Amber Absolute’ in the mix I’m definitely in. A major drawback is the outrageous price point for this one, which is better left unsaid and unprinted lest anyone think I’ve gone completely around the bend. When I do a sample test, its going to have to last the whole day long, and project to kingdom come to make it worth such exorbitance. We shall see.

With an anniversary coming up, I’m putting this little Tom Ford wish out into the universe, and the timing is ideal as a re-release from Ford’s original Private Blends line is bringing us back. For me, it goes back in more ways than one, making this a sign from the universe, and a connection from one uncle to another. 

Back in the 80’s, my favorite Uncle was visiting us around the holidays, and my brother and I had to find a gift for him. The Amsterdam Mall had a men’s department store – Mortan’s – which sprawled out with tan decor and carpet, and the generally dull but classic trappings of stuffy men’s fashion. At the register was a small tray of cologne with the very basic of offerings. My nose knew nothing then, so one was just as good as another. There was one that came redolent of limes, and since citrus reminded me as much of the holidays as it did summer, that seemed the natural choice. Packaged in what looked like a wicker-wrapped bottle, it was St. John’s West Indian Lime Cologne to the best of what I can remember and discover online now. The red banner of ‘Imported’ across some of the bottle photos looks comfortingly familiar. As for the scent, it was a traditional citrus scent for men, one that has lasted through the decades.

We gave the bottle to my Uncle for Christmas, and he set it on the wooden desk of my bedroom, where he and my Aunt were staying for their visit. Some spilled onto the wood, and after they left – after Christmas and New Year’s were done, after the emptiness and quiet seeped back into our winter world, I leaned into the desk, bringing my nose close to the wood, and inhaling the scent of lime, remembering my favorite Uncle. It was a balm that brought his memory back to me when I was missing him the most. 

As for ‘Azure Lime’ by Tom Ford, I remember trying it years ago, but I wasn’t quite ready for its classic structure and traditional musky dry-down. Being older now, I’ve grown into such a masculine scent where it no longer feels too mature. I’ve also always loved a citrus scent, but for some reason I’ve always been fighting it. The time has come to embrace what we love. Maybe one day when I’m gone, my godson will remember ‘Azure Lime’ when a whiff of citrus comes his way, not knowing why it rekindles the summer of his first birthday… 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsBVK3ejvYQ

Unimpressed with the fruity flankers for the ‘Lost Cherry‘ scent by Tom Ford, despite the write-ups and promise of ‘Cherry Smoke’, I’m holding more hope for the latest addition to the ‘Soleil’ series, ‘Soleil de Feu’. Way back in 2016, and what feels like a lifetime ago, I succumbed to the summer coconut decadence of ‘Soleil Blanc’, which grew on me with its beauty, tropical vibe. (I’m still partial to ‘Mandarino di Amalfi‘ for true summer magnificence.) 

That said, I wasn’t so enamored of ‘Soleil Blanc’ to understand setting up an entire ‘Soleil’ line, but then I tried ‘Soleil Brulant‘ when on an anniversary trip to Boston a couple of years ago, and it was love all over again. So it is that I’m anxiously preparing to sample the latest ‘Soleil de Feu’ to see if we’re going to make a run for a soleil triumvirate for this year’s anniversary. 

The literature on this one sounds positively incendiary:

Inspired by bronze strokes of fiery sunset light, Soleil de Feu captures a burnished sensuality with tuberose accord, warm ambers, and exotic sandalwood. The amber woody scent evokes the molten sun descending in a burnished blaze over the sea, painting the sky with fiery strokes of bronze solar light.
“Soleil de Feu is a smoldering amber woody scent evoking sunset light. It is the most sensual expression of Soleil.” – Tom Ford

I can see this being something that I might absolutely love, or one that just misses the mark. If it comes close to the ‘Bitter Peach‘ anomaly which was perfect for spring and summer gatherings, I’ll consider it. If it veers toward ‘Rose Prick’ and ‘Lost Cherry’ territory, we may switch up the cologne request for the anniversary season.