Tom Ford - Oud Wood EDP

I received a sample of this Tom Ford oriental woody with an order from Saks Fifth Avenue.  I was very curious to try this as I am a fan of some of Tom Ford’s fragrances and wanted to see what he had done with oud as it’s often a challenging note for many.  My curiosity was further piqued after seeing a number of fairly negative reviews of this juice.

Oud Wood opens with a slightly spicy rosewood note.  The rosewood is rich and inviting and the spice feels very much like a cardamom black pepper blend (although the note should be Chinese pepper).  About 30 minutes into wear, the wood note begins to take on a light smokiness.  An hour into wear I get touches of a creamy vetiver which serves to brighten the feel of the fragrance yet not so much so that it leaves the realm of the woody.  At the 2 hour point, notes of tonka and amber reaffirm the original warmth of the fragrance.  The drydown is a sum of the parts being a warm, woody, slightly spicy, creamy scent.

This fragrance wears on me about 5-6 hours with a moderate projection.  At no point whatsoever do I get a distinct oud note.  That said, this fragrance was released as a part of Tom Ford’s Private Blend Collection which is comprised of 12 EDPs and are intended to be worn either individually or blended together.  Overall, I can why this fragrance would have the negative reviews it has.  If you are looking for an oud fragrance, this isn’t it.  It is however a lovely oriental woody fragrance that is easily wearable in any venue.

Notes:  Rosewood, Cardamom, Rare Oud Wood, Sandalwood, Chinese Pepper, Vetiver, Tonka Bean, Vanilla

Perfumer – Richard Herpin