Getting back into the Tom Ford fragrance reviews, today, we have another one from the Private Blend collection: Vert des Bois. This is one of the offerings from the ‘Vert’ series, on fragrances which really focus on the green notes. How does this one stack up? What does Vert des Bois smell like? How long does it last? Is it worth a try?
The opening of Vert des Bois is very green, as you’d expect from the name. Poplar buds and olive leaf are joined by a distinct anise note and a healthy dose of patchouli. At the heart is a solid wood structure, but at the start, there is a sweet plum note, and a bit of the oily olive smell.
I know, it sounds weird and shouldn’t work, but it actually does. It’s listed as a part of an ouzo accord, which while I am familiar with the name, I’ve never actually had. So, I can’t really speak to its aroma.
The plum note isn’t around for too long and isn’t all that strong while it is. I thought it might play a stronger role, when I saw the ingredients list, but nope.
Vert des Bois is quite a natural smelling fragrance, and about 20 minutes into the wear, I get the emergence of a jasmine note, which takes away some of the initial spiciness of the anise. At this point, it is a smooth wood and floral combination, with that olive leaf and the patchouli.
There’s also a really great smoky note that is sitting gently in the background of this perfume, which adds another level to the rich Greek nature theme.
From there on, this Private Blend scent, stays roughly on the same path. The jasmine weakens and it becomes more wood dominant, with the poplar really taking hold. It is flanked by olive and patchouli, among some other woodsy aromas.
Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility
Projection wise, the sillage on Vert des Bois, isn’t terribly strong. It strikes me as more of a moderate, but it is noticeable, and consistent throughout the wear.
That initial 30-45 minutes does create a nice enough scent trail. It’ll probably reach in the 5-8 foot range, at its peak, before retreating closer.
The longevity is really good. I got somewhere in the 8-10 hour range of wear, I kind of lost track, but it was going strong well into the evening. I wouldn’t doubt the ability to routinely get double digit hours. You do get your money’s worth in terms of the performance.
So, Vert des Bois, is very green but it doesn’t seem like it falls strictly into the spring or winter months for wear. I had it on during a warm spring day and it worked fine, without issue.
It is also definitely a unisex fragrance for most of the time, pretty much square in the middle of the spectrum, not overly manly or feminine. Then, it does dry down quite woody, and masculine. Another well blended Tom Ford scent.
Overall Impressions of Vert des Bois
Overall, do I like Vert des Bois? I do. Though, it is much more of a niche scent, than many others that I review here. It is a really unique fragrance, that captures a natural Mediterranean woods concept very well, but I’m not sure who it is for specifically.
Someone will have to be in the market specifically for what this offers, because while it does what its designed to very well, it’s not a mass appeal sort of scent. If you like green, woody, with notes you’d associate with Greece, Vert des Bois is a great choice.
The performance is great. I enjoy the mix of unique notes, which often don’t get used or at least not paired together. It’s for sure one of the more unique mainstream designer offerings.
The olive tree wood, the great anise, mastic, and even a little plum. It does become more of a traditional jasmine and woods aroma, as it dries down. But, it’s still uniquely attractive, fresh, and with a smoky background.
Not one for the masses, but a cool option to wear from Tom Ford.
Best Men’s Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with different fragrances, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, I have written hundreds of reviews and other pages about perfumes and colognes.
With only about a decade as a solo brand in the fragrance business, Tom Ford has really established a reputation of quality and refined scents for the stylish gentleman. The brand can go from releasing scents with mass appeal, to the very niche, and plenty of unisex options. The Private Blend line is also another aspect here.
For this list, I have selected what I consider to be the 11 best smelling colognes for men by Tom Ford, after extensively testing over the years. I have included many unisex scents, but here is the women’s list if you’d like to see some other options.
The numbers don’t refer to any ranking of these fragrances.
It is of course a woodsy sort of scent, with greenish and fresh highlights, with underlying citrus ingredients and a smoky quality to boot.
The grapefruit note adds a bright cleanliness to the already awesome vetiver note and creates a modern twist on this popular men’s ingredient. It opens up with that citrus note, along with orange blossom, and a touch of herbal spice.
The dry down really does, dry the scent of Grey Vetiver, with notes such as oak moss and fresh cedar. It all comes together as super clean and refined. Grey Vetiver is most of all a mature woodsy scent, with that clean professional aroma. This is much more suited for the older gentleman.
You not only get the main note, but also, a nice juicy raspberry, and an amazing saffron. Tuscan Leather has got a very similar smell to, Godolphin by Parfums de Marly, which is another awesome cologne.
The focus is on the leather, which is rich and smooth, and a near perfect use of the note. Tuscan moves into a warmer feeling scent with a depth and darkness. Amber gives the leather a nice partner later on, there’s a dash of smokiness, and the sweetness of raspberry.
The sillage starts off, quite powerfully, but ends up a moderate overall. The longevity on the newer bottles, seems to hit the 8 hour mark of longevity, for me. It used to be a few hours better, but still very good. Tuscan Leather Review
The lemon and ginger are the strongest up top, but you do get a blend of citrus, and some extra herbal spice from basil. Base notes are dry and woody, some sweet tobacco, and a moderate amber note.
Really quite refreshing and a well-blended daily wear for men. One of the best aspects of Tom Ford for Men, is that it can be worn when it is warmer outside. It doesn’t have the same level of performance, as others here.
Nonetheless, its smell alone even with moderate performance, is enough to propel it onto the list.
Best Leather Fragrance
#4 Ombré Leather Eau de Parfum Spray, 1.7-oz.— Ombre Leather was released in 2018, quickly gets compared to Tuscan Leather. Honestly, I like this one even better. They are a bit different. This is drier and warmer, with additional moss and amber.
The description by the marketing department at Tom Ford, describe this one, as taking a lot of cues from the arid landscape of the western United States.
The leather is rich and very smooth, it really reminds me of a supple leather jacket. Smooth, sweet, lightly floral, and with that subtle amber note hovering in the background. A good deal of jasmine here, also.
A moderate wear, with an overall clean aroma, but with an earthy dirtiness underneath. Patchouli and dry moss, only add to the rugged outdoorsy smell of the dry down. Not a monster in terms of sillage, but I get 6-8 hours of wear from it. After that, Ombre is a skin scent. Ombre Leather Review
Top Performer
#5 Tom Ford Noir for Men Eau de Parfum Spray 3.4 Ounce– The start of Noir by Tom Ford, isn’t my favorite. I really don’t much care for a huge dose of patchouli and pepper. But, sticking with this cologne, has its rewards.
As it dries down, the floral notes of iris and violet, make this one have a powdery quality. There is also a very nice sweetness from vanilla and bergamot citrus. Noir is of course a darker fragrance, but it’s more of a thick resinous quality.
It’s all about the iris and violet pairing, the underlying earthy notes, with just a bit of vanilla holding on until the end.
This one is a sillage and longevity beast. Seriously, limit the sprays or put it on an hour or so before you head out, it is quite monstrous at first. Then, it settles into much more of a moderate. Over 12 hours of wear, is not unheard of with Noir, as it has a top notch performance. Noir Full Review
Tobacco Vanille’s aroma is a warm envelopment of the tobacco and the gourmand fruits and cacao. The cacao, reminds me of chocolate drink powder, and it pairs nicely with the sweet creaminess of the vanilla.
As it dries down, this one lightens up a bit on the sweetness, but has an overall darker and heavier scent. There is a resinous sap note here, which thickens up the whole experience. Which is why, this cologne is best worn when it’s cold out.
Tobacco Vanille is another beast performer by Tom Ford. It will last all day and doesn’t take much to have it be noticed. It can be too sweet for some folks, but that’s mostly at the beginning of the wear, before the greenish tobacco note really comes into its own. Tobacco Vanille Review
Great Sophisticated Daily Wear
#7 Tom Ford Extreme By Tom Ford For Men Edt Spray 1.7 Oz– A uniquely powerful fragrance for guys with an air of sophistication. This one definitely has the potential to become a signature scent for the right guy with notes of cedar wood, black truffles, lemon, and Italian fig.
Tom Ford Extreme very attractive and long lasting scent. It is at times smooth and other times spicy, but always a unique fragrance, while being utterly simple in its ingredients. Lots of patchouli before getting down to the cedar base, later in the wear.
With those notes, I shouldn’t like this. However, I really enjoy Noir de Noir, as it just has a uniquely awesome aroma.
This is a fragrance that can hit you in many different ways and completely be a joy to wear. The truffle note, is great, and holds the entire thing together during the dry down along with vanilla. The oud sits at the heart, but doesn’t overwhelm the composition, and is so balanced it heightens the whole experience of wear.
It has a moderate sillage but can last for 9 hours or so, something to wear when dressed up. Quite unisex, maybe a slight lean feminine. By all expectations that I had, Noir de Noir shouldn’t be good, but it most certainly is and one of the best Tom Ford scents bar none. Noir de Noir Review
Summer Citrus Floral
Tom Ford Sole di Positano Eau de Parfum Spray, 3.4 oz– There are a lot of these sorts of scents from Tom Ford. Mandarino, the Acqua version of this, the Acqua version of Mandarino, etc. Out of the bunch, this is my favorite and will be the better bet for most men versus Positano Acqua.
Sole di Positano opens up with a zesty citrus blend of lemon, mandarin orange, and bergamot. Underneath that, are shiso and neroli which give this an herbal spiciness. The citrus stays dominant in the blend, but the floral notes of orange flower, jasmine, and neroli do give this a different aroma later on.
Very clean and fresh. Less soapy than some of the other perfumes of this type, but still has a nice greenish floral finish and a nice jasmine note.
6 or 7 hours of wear. A nice addition during the warmer days of the year. Sole di Positano Review
My Personal Go To
Noir Extreme by Tom Ford– I came back to Noir Extreme after not using it for years. My word, I fell in love with this fragrance once again. It is utterly great.
Sweet, warm, and spicy. Built around the aroma of kulfi dessert. This one features saffron, vanilla, amber, nutmeg, and much more. It’s deep and perfect for the colder months of the year.
Very sexy and has a mass appealing scent. One that can easily fit in for the nightlife and is stylish enough to go other places. I do prefer the original in the black bottle. But, the new Parfum version is also nice, and I bought a bottle of it to supplement my Noir Extreme stash. Noir Extreme review
Cypress Freshness
Costa Azzurra EDP by Tom Ford– The performance is moderate and this isn’t going to fit everyone’s style, but Costa Azzurra Eau de Parfum, is actually a great smelling fragrance.
That cypress note is going to be the lead throughout, including a bold start to the wear. It is joined by a smoky incense note and a fizzy effervescent citrus accord.
The aroma is basically a coastal woods. There is a marine seaweed note here, but it doesn’t strike me as being a photorealistic version of the ingredient. More of a blue-ish impression of the sea itself.
Costa Azzurra becomes woodier in the dry down. Very dry with added oak, driftwood, and vetiver making their presence felt. A cologne like this isn’t usually my style, but this is a Tom Ford that I did enjoy. Costa Azzurra EDP Review
Best Men’s Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with different fragrances, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, I have written hundreds of reviews and other pages about perfumes and colognes.
Noir Extreme has become an absolute classic fragrance from Tom Ford. It’s one of my own personal favorites, that I wear quite a lot of. So, the release of a Parfum version in 2022 was something that I looked forward too and I grabbed a bottle ASAP. But, how does it stack up to the original? Which smells better? Lasts longer?
Tale of the Tape: Noir Extreme vs Noir Extreme Parfum
The opening of Noir Extreme is to my nose, a floral spice blend. Neroli and orange blossom serve as the initial floral notes, with a light citrus juiciness.
But, the spice is a blend of nutmeg, saffron, and cardamom. The trio when paired together give Noir Extreme a very attractive intensity.
Yes, the spice is fairly strong at first, but it quickly moves into something that is much sweeter. Vanilla is the main culprit for that, with the overall Kulfi dessert accord. There is a pistachio note as a part of that and it really comes through with the vanilla about 10-15 minutes into the wear.
This opening act has a fantastic smell. It is a great gourmand aroma, with ambery warmth, and a nice balance of floral notes.
Noir Extreme Parfum starts off with the citrus and neroli notes, like the original. But, the overall floral aroma doesn’t have the same level of strength in the mix.
White florals outside of that opening neroli, aren’t a major factor in Parfum. Though, I get more citrus with this opening than its predecessor. Sparkling with a warm spice with ginger and cardamom.
You also get guaiac wood, which gives this one a rougher, drier, and somewhat smoky aroma versus what you get in Extreme.
Which is better? It’s pretty close to me. There is a lot that I like in Parfum, particularly the citrus notes. But, on the whole I enjoy the sweeter aspects, nutmeg and saffron gives Extreme a different smell than Parfum.
Edge: Noir Extreme
Projection
I came in expecting that the Parfum version would really step up the sillage when compared to the original. But, they’re kind of the same. Actually, the original has better projection than Parfum.
It’s not by much, but that’s been my experience so far.
Each of them has a strong start with a solid scent trail behind it. But, the original gives me a bit more.
Edge: Noir Extreme
Longevity
Things actually flip in terms of longevity.
With Noir Extreme, I get between 6.5-8 hours of wear, on my skin. I’ve seen some people complain about poor performance, but it’s always been good in my experience. Not elite, just above average.
With Parfum, I can get up to 9 hours of wear. Again, these two are very close with the performance, but the greater concentration helps Parfum with the longevity.
Edge: Parfum
Versatility
The versatility is about even. You might say that Noir Extreme is the more unisex option, but that’s probably the only real distinction.
Both are built for the autumn and winter months. Not necessarily for a formal occasion, but semi-formal is fine. Nights out. Some daily wear, etc.
Edge: Push
Overall Scent
Overall, which of these fragrances is better?
I like the additions in Noir Extreme Parfum. I like the spice, the smokiness, leather, and dirtier feel that you get with this newer formulation. It’s warmer and has a nice citrus opening.
Nonetheless, I don’t think that it exceeds the original. Noir Extreme is still one of my favorite scents and topping it wasn’t going to be easy. The sweetness, the amber, and that pistachio and vanilla kulfi aroma are all selling points.
I even like the greater floral depth with Noir Extreme.
The performance is about even. So, Parfum doesn’t even blow the original away in that department.
You might go with Parfum if you want more of the vanilla/tonka bean blend, leather, and smokiness. It’s a nice scent, that I’ll be using, but it doesn’t do enough to elevate itself.
Best Men’s Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with different fragrances, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, I have written hundreds of reviews and other pages about perfumes and colognes.
Noir Extreme is one of my personal favorite fragrances to wear. So, when I saw that the Parfum version was being released in 2022, I had to order a bottle for myself upon release. I was excited for a bolder and spicier remix of the original. Does it deliver? How long does it last? Is it actually worth a buy?
Here’s how Tom Ford describes it: A bold intensification of the original scent, Noir Extreme Parfum merges amber, spices, and woods, evoking the private, daring aspects of the Noir man.
Note:As of now, these are my initial thoughts of Extreme Parfum. Since it’s brand new, I’m going to be updating the page over the next week(s), as I get more time spent wearing it.
The opening of Noir Extreme Parfum has a lot going on. You get the same light citrus and neroli notes, as the original. What I do notice, is that the floral accord in this one does not have the same strength.
Those white floral notes do not play a major role in Parfum. Not that they’re massive in the original, but they are always present in that one. However, the citrus notes do have more of a role, adding a sparkling quality to the spice, and are playing off that initial ginger.
One of the main changes here, comes with the spices. The ginger note replaces the nutmeg of the original Extreme and is paired with that same cardamom note. The opening sprays are spicier, warmer, less sweet, and smoky.
The guaiac wood is also a new addition, hello smokiness. This a very rough, dry, and somewhat animalic version of the note, not a sweeter one. It’s funny that this base note, is so noticeable in the opening, but really tones down as it dries down.
So, the kulfi note is still present with the vanilla note. The vanilla is weaker in Parfum, splitting its strength with a tonka bean. This actually gives that kulfi accord a bit of a boost within the composition. A very similar effect overall, just slightly different.
The kulfi is sweet, creamy, with a pistachio finish.
Once the spices and guaiac wood has settled down, the leather note really comes out fully. That’s the biggest change with Parfum. Smooth, yes, but the smokiness and warmth doesn’t allow it to pop in the same way it does in something like Ombre Leather.
The final dry down is a leathery and spicier/warmer version of the original. It’s really a split between the remaining kulfi/tonka/vanilla notes and the leather. The amber note is noticeably weaker in the Parfum version’s dry down.
As a single note, the leather has the greatest weighting at this point.
Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility
The performance on the whole, is roughly the same as Extreme EDP. However, I don’t think that Parfum has the same sillage and projection as that one.
Not a huge difference, but it is a slight step back. You get that initial power from the ginger and cardamom, then, it settles into that same kind of moderate projection. Not a huge deal, but I thought that this would be a beast mode with the higher concentration.
With the EDP, I get 6-8 hours of wear from it usually. Though, with the way that I spray (heavy), it hits that 8 hour mark more often.
Parfum seems to be able to go up to 9 hours, during this initial testing. It’s a slight step back in terms of its strength, but its staying power is also slightly better on me. Again, about the same overall, but this is what I’ve gathered about it thus far.
Seasonally, Parfum is still a colder weather fragrance. It’s summer now, so, I’ve had to test it out in the air conditioning. Not ideal, but it’s fine in the temperate climate. In the heat, it gets messy like the original.
I can’t wait to give it a go in autumn and winter. That leather addition should be great.
Noir Extreme often felt like more of a unisex wear than being strictly something men would want to wear, since it’s based off the original Noir. This one, falls more so in the masculine camp, still wearable by anyone just heading toward one side of the spectrum.
Overall Impressions of Noir Extreme Parfum
Overall, do I like Noir Extreme Parfum? Yes, I do. Is it better than Noir Extreme? First impressions…not really.
These Tom Ford fragrances are really similar to each other, just with the differences that I mentioned above. I am a massive fan of the original, it’s one of my favorites ever, and it’s going to be tough to top. I like the changes here, but there’s nothing about it that truly surpasses Extreme EDP.
Now, that’s my first impression. In a week or two, it might have flipped completely. As of this moment, Extreme Parfum is a few points below its predecessor.
That being said, you may prefer the added spice, smoke, and dirtiness that Parfum brings to the table. Though, if you also already have a bottle of Extreme EDP, the differences may not be enough to justify a bottle of this.
I’ve seen some people say already that these smell exactly the same. They don’t. There are distinct differences, but this also isn’t a complete re-imagining of the formula. Just expect less of that amber and white floral notes, also.
Is it worth a buy? Yes, it’s a great fragrance. If you already own one, you don’t ‘need’ the other. If you’re undecided, I might wait to be able to test this one and see if you dig the new changes versus the EDP version.
Best Men’s Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with different fragrances, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, I have written hundreds of reviews and other pages about perfumes and colognes.
Ombre Leather Eau de Parfum is one of my favorite entries from the Tom Ford line. When the brand released a 2021 Parfum version, I was really intrigued at giving it a try. Well, I’ve been testing it out and am now ready to post my review to the site. How does it smell? Is it as good?
Here’s how Tom Ford describes it: OMBRÉ LEATHER PARFUM INTENSIFIES THE ORIGINAL SCENT, FUSING HEATED LEATHER FLORALS WITH WOODS–CAPTURING THE UNBRIDLED SENSUALITY OF THE AMERICAN WEST.
Well, I don’t think there’s anything any more intense about Parfum versus the EDP. Actually, that one starts and finishes with a heavier boldness.
Parfum isn’t as warm and doesn’t have that cardamom spice up top. Instead, we get a lighter and cooler aroma at first versus EDP.
The violet leaf note really sets the tone. Watery to an extent, with its greenish floral aroma, giving the leather a cleaner feeling than the somewhat earthy example of the EDP.
Cedar, jasmine, and the orris note also come into the picture. The jasmine note won’t be as prominent as in the original, but it still does a lot next to the more dominant violet leaf.
Yes, the orris note is present. It gives Parfum whiffs of a light powdery smell, but really not too heavy.
This is fresher and never has that same dryness. Cedar bolsters the base and a general woodiness just sits underneath the leather and violet leaf.
Tobacco is a newer addition to this. Again, another light note that adds some sweetness and an overall smoother experience.
In the end, it does become dominated by the leather. If EDP was an older, beat up type of leather, this is a brand new jacket.
Leather, the violet leaf/jasmine combo, and woods. That’s the dry down, on me.
Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility
With the longevity here, I still get the same 9-11 hours total on skin, like the EDP. But, whereas that gives me 6-8 hours of strong wear before become a skin scent. Parfum will go 5-6 and then be much softer.
The performance is by no means bad, but on my skin it is actually a slight step back from the original.
Seasonally, Ombre Leather Parfum is still mostly in the autumn and winter camp. Though, it has much more of an ability to be a late springtime wear versus the original. It’s lighter style is beneficial in that environment, holding up better in the heat.
Also, while both are unisex fragrances. Parfum is much more universal in its wear-ability. The original can be earthier and more animalic. With the violet leaf here, plus the lack of intensity from the cardamom and patchouli notes of the original.
This is an attractive scent. Good for nightlife. But, just know that not everyone appreciates the smell of leather, so it isn’t going to be universally beloved.
Overall Impressions of Ombre Leather Parfum
Overall, do I like Ombre Leather Parfum? I do. It shares plenty of overlap with the original, but takes things in a bit of a different direction.
I was worried about the leather and violet leaf before trying this. It could’ve veered more into the Fahrenheit by Dior direction, which isn’t a bad scent, but not one of my favorites.
This is a cleaner representation of the leather, actually can be a bit suede like. There is some tobacco and orris which gives it a smoother finish. Not all that powdery, but there is just a hint at times.
The jasmine that I loved in the EDP is also still here. Now, it splits weight with the violet leaf, which is just isn’t as good as the original.
Ombre Leather Parfum is a lighter version of this fragrance and probably will have a greater appeal in that regard.
Personally, I don’t like the smell of this one as much as the EDP. It’s still up there, just a notch below the eau de parfum.
Performance is also very good. So, which Ombre Leather you should go with is going to boil down to your personal taste, and not anything glaringly wrong with either. Softer, semi-aquatic suede? Or heavier earthier leather?
Best Men’s Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with different fragrances, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, I have written hundreds of reviews and other pages about perfumes and colognes.
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– There are a lot of these sorts of scents from Tom Ford. Mandarino, the Acqua version of this, the Acqua version of Mandarino, etc. Out of the bunch, this is my favorite and will be the better bet for most men versus Positano Acqua.
