tom ford

Oud Wood vs Aventus Comparison

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Oud Wood by Tom Ford and Creed’s Aventus, are two of the more popular fragrances of the past decade, especially at this higher price point. Both of them, have their own distinct style from the other, yet plenty of people are interested in purchasing one or the other.

As I have tested and worn both of these perfumes, I’m going to use this page to serve as my comparison between them. How does each smell? How long do they last? Which is ultimately the better fragrance?

Oud Wood

Notes include: rosewood, sandalwood, oud, vanilla, tonka bean, amber, cardamom, and vetiver

Click here to try: Tom Ford Private Blend Oud Wood Eau De Parfum Spray – 50ml/1.7oz

Read my original review: Oud Wood

Creed Aventus

Top: Blackcurrant, Italian bergamot, French apples and pineapple

Middle: Rose, dry birch, Moroccan jasmine, and patchouli

Base Notes: musk, oak moss, ambergris, and vanilla

Click here to try Aventus: Creed Aventus Creed 4 OZ Millesime Spray For Men

My original Review: Creed Aventus

Opening

Oud Wood starts off with a strong blast of the oud note and cardamom. Underneath that, is a peppery sort of spice. It’s warm and dry, with sandalwood and rosewood, already being prominent at the base. It’s a very spicy and woody, sort of aroma up top.

The original Aventus’ opening, is honestly not my favorite. It does get much better, but to my nose, it strikes me as being quite sharp with the pineapple and bergamot. Plus, it has a dry woodiness.

Together, it takes on a somewhat kitchen cleaner, type of scent. The pineapple, bergamot, and birch are just a lot to deal with, at the beginning.

I like what Aventus becomes, but the initial burst, I tend to lean more towards the Tom Ford perfume. It’s something different, incorporates the oud note in a very palatable way, and is a bit better to my nose.

Edge: Oud Wood

Projection

Out of the Oud Wood lineup, the Intense version was the one with massive projection. The original? It’s pretty moderate for much of the wear, but has a decently strong start. The back half of the wear is pretty light on my skin.

Aventus is strong with how it projects. It’s near the upper tier, in my experience, but lands just shy of some of the other massive scent bombs out there.

Nonetheless, it’s not disappointing. It’s very noticeable, leaves a nice scent trail without being suffocating, and then moderates as it dries down.

Pretty easy win for the Creed perfume.

Edge: Aventus

Longevity

I’ve never been able to get a long-lasting performance out of Oud Wood. On me, it’s a 4-5 hour fragrance. Yeah, it’s not a good performer, in my experience. Perhaps other people get more from it?

Aventus does well. It’s not elite, but has always been a 7-9 hour wear for me, on skin. That’s about what you’d need for most purposes and I’m not too upset that it doesn’t go beyond that.

Yet, Creed Aventus takes this category too.

Edge: Aventus

Versatility

Oud Wood is much more of an autumn and winter wear. Aventus can work in pretty much any season.

Though, I prefer it on days when the climate is moderate. At the extremes of heat and cold, it is less enjoyable for me.

Both of these fragrances can work in the office, as a daily wear, dressed up, or just casual. That being said, I think Aventus is the more well-rounded of these, as it can be better for nightlife and even dates.

Edge: Aventus

Overall Scent

Overall, which do I prefer?

With Oud Wood, I do like the opening act of the fragrance. To me, the latter stages aren’t that great and I never have gotten good performance from this scent. Oud Wood Intense was the better of those two releases.

For the price, it’s not providing much value. Also, there are people who simply won’t like wearing oud as a note, even if this is a pretty tame introduction to it.

Aventus is the better fragrance. The opening has never really been that great to me, but I like the depth and complexity that it develops. It actually is a really great cologne and has the advantage across the board when compared with the Tom Ford.

If you’re going to spend the money, get the one that can cover most occasions that you can throw at it, and actually delivers with the longevity.

Winner: Creed Aventus

Tuscan Leather vs Ombre Leather Comparison

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In this head to head comparison, we are going to take a look at two of the Tom Ford leather laden scents, Tuscan Leather vs. Ombre Leather 18. Ombre Leather was released in 2018 and is a variant of a 2016 release with the same name. Which of these unisex fragrances smells best? Which has the better performance? Which is a better buy overall?

Tale of the Tape: Tuscan vs. Ombre Leather

Tuscan Leather

Notes include: leather, suede, raspberry, jasmine, olibanum, saffron, amber

Click here to try: Tom Ford Tuscan Leather Eau De Parfume Spray for Men, 1.7 Ounce

My original Review: Tuscan Leather

Ombre Leather

Notes include: leather, moss, jasmine, amber, patchouli and cardamom

Click here to try: Ombré Leather Eau de Parfum Spray, 1.7-oz.

My review: Ombre Leather

Opening

Tuscan Leather opens up with a fantastic and rich leather note plus saffron. It reminds me a lot of Godolphin by Parfums de Marly. Also, Tuscan features a smooth and familiar black suede note and a bit of juicy raspberry to change things up a bit.

Update: Coming back to this one, years later. That raspberry note feels really potent this time around. It’s sweeter and really different. It almost makes me want to change my opinion on the openings here, but still would go with Ombre.

Ombre Leather, is actually closer to Godolphin than is Tuscan Leather. It shares notes of jasmine, leather, moss, and amber with that fragrance. The leather is just like that in Tuscan and better than the Parfums de Marly fragrance.

It is a dark, dry, warm, and supple scent. Much more like a leather jacket and earthier than is Tuscan Leather.

Which do a I prefer? I think that Ombre is the more interesting opening, it doesn’t have that hint of raspberry, but it does have a dry rugged quality that isn’t found in Tuscan Leather. I just like that opening better.

Edge: Ombre

Projection

Both fragrances start out strong and then move into a more moderate scent. However, Ombre Leather, reaches a higher peak in its sillage before moving into the moderate and feels more intense when I have it on than does Tuscan Leather.

Neither of these is a sillage bomb. However, they do both have a good amount of power, and Ombre is the better of them.

Edge: Ombre

Longevity

With the latest batch of Tuscan Leather that I tried, I got about 8-9 hours of wear from it. While Ombre Leather has a bit better sillage, it lasts on my skin from 6-8 hours, and doesn’t quite keep up with its predecessor.

Tuscan is marginally better, but it definitely has the edge on my skin.

I’ve seen some people say that they get a really long wear out of Tuscan Leather, at least more than I do. It seems to be the consensus that it is the longer-lasting perfume from Tom Ford.

Edge: Tuscan Leather

Versatility

Both of these scents are mostly for the autumn and winter months. Both can be unisex. Both can be worn casually or dressed up without problem. I don’t see a real edge in this category. They pretty much assume the same role.

The leather foundation pretty much sets things up that way. They are pretty similar fragrances in a lot of ways.

Edge: Push

Overall Scent

I will start off by saying, that I enjoy both of these scents a lot. They are fantastic examples of leather used in fragrances, both have good performance, and smell great. They have a whole lot in common.

However, I am going to give the edge to Ombre Leather 18, over Tuscan Leather. For me, the newer scent has more going on and isn’t a linear as Tuscan Leather. Yes, they both start close to what Godolphin smells like, but Ombre Leather,

Ombre has a light addition of warm amber, dry moss, and earthy/slightly spicy patchouli. Add to that, a wonderful dry down in which jasmine gets paired with the leather to add a floral element to an already great fragrance.

Tuscan is great, but Ombre Leather has won me over versus that scent, and I’m going to give it the win in the head to head match up.

Update: I still like Ombre Leather more than Tuscan years later. I also personally prefer it to the later Ombre Leather Parfum release. That’s a good one, if you are a fan of violet leaf, as a note. I’m not too keen on it, but some other people like the Parfum version more

Winner: Ombre Leather

11 Best Tom Ford Colognes for Men

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With over 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.

Sure, they’re not all hits, but the brand really helped to bring about some different styles from the norm in the men’s and unisex fragrance game. Other brands have followed suit and we now have more niche lines than ever to choose from.

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.

 

Favorite Tom Ford Fragrances for Men

Amazing Vetiver

Tom Ford Grey Vetiver Eau De Parfume Spray for Men, 3.4 Ounce– Grey Vetiver is of course one for those who love the main note, but also, it can be a stylish addition to any man’s fragrance collection.

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.

grey

Another Highly Popular Fragrance

Tom Ford Tuscan Leather Eau De Parfume Spray for Men, 1.7 Ounce–Tuscan Leather is one of the most popular scents that features a leather note, it is also a best seller in the Tom Ford lineup.

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

Classic Fresh Tom Ford Cologne

Tom Ford for Men by Tom Ford 100ml 3.4oz EDT Spray– The original Tom Ford for Men is really a great smelling and fresh fragrance. If features ginger, tobacco, amber, patchouli, and a citrus opening.

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.

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My Favorite TF Leather Fragrance

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

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

noir

Most Popular Tom Ford Scent

TOM FORD Tobacco Vanille Eau de Parfum 50 ML(1.7 OZ)– Tobacco Vanille opens up as a very sweet fragrance, but sitting on top of a somewhat spicy layer, headed up by what I think is cinnamon.

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

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.

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Most Unique Tom Ford Scent

Tom Ford Private Blend Noir De Noir Eau De Parfum Spray Edp 3.4 Fl / 100 Ml– Noir de Noir opens up with a sweet rose note, that is paired with some earthier notes such as patchouli, with oud and dry moss sitting at the base.

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. Really, I’ve been using both at the same time, giving each a few sprays and it works rather well. I still slightly prefer the original, but Parfum is also amazing. 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 offering that I did enjoy. Costa Azzurra EDP Review

6 Perfumes Similar to Black Orchid by Tom Ford

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Black Orchid is one of the most beloved and unique fragrances from Tom Ford, that really helped to set the standard for the brand back in 2006. Since then, it has continued on, and there have been some flankers released based on the formula as well.

But, what if you want to find a fragrance that is similar to Black Orchid or the Parfum version? Maybe one that is cheaper and shares most all similarities with it. Or, you want something with closely related style, but gives you something a bit different? This is my page for keeping track of these options.

What Fragrances Smell Like or are Similar to Black Orchid?

Orchid Alternative

Spicy Orchid by Dossier– Spicy Orchid is the first on the list for ‘inspired by’ alternative perfumes based on the idea of Black Orchid.

Dossier does a lot of designer impressions and they tend to do them well. For under $40, you can get something that is very nearly the same as the Tom Ford scent, with a high extrait de parfum concentration level.

The notes here give you a plum, orchid, and spicy opening act of pink pepper and cinnamon. Good spice, nice tart, and a bold floral scent.

Celestial Spice

Celestial Flower by Dua– The Dua option is inspired by the original 2006 formula of Black Orchid. Taking what was great about the initial release and coming close to replicating it, with their own in house ingredients.

Celestial Flower goes a little deeper with the ingredients than does the Dossier above. Truffle, gardenia, chocolate, blackcurrant, lotus, and more combine to create an amazing throwback olfactory experience.

It too, comes in an extrait de parfum concentration. I’d probably go with this one first, as it’s got the most ability to showcase the layers of notes, while having a high level of performance.

Never Forget

Unforgettable by Alexandria– The third of the four scents that try to closely replicate what Black Orchid provides. This time, from Alexandria, which is a brand that I’ve had good experience with.

They’ve always had the quality and I do like that you can pick up Unforgettable in multiple sizes, that aren’t available from some of the others on the list.

Unforgettable goes with ylang-ylang and jasmine up top with the black currant note. Spices and the patchouli note follow. I haven’t personally tried this one,  but it sounds right on target for what we want.

Orchid Parfum Alt

Guilty EDP Intense– Not exactly the same, but this release from the Guilty line has a lot in common with Black Orchid Parfum.

Here, we get violet instead of the orchid note. But, to me the ylang-ylang in Black Orchid Parfum was what I got more in the dry down, than the title note anyway.

With Guilty EDP Intense, violet and the ylang-ylang eventually merge into a generic floral aroma. It finishes with vanilla, patchouli, and plum. The undertones become a basically sweet floral perfume.

Still a dark formula, but this Gucci doesn’t have the same earthiness and spice as the Tom Ford. Depending who you are, that might be exactly what you want from an alternative. Guilty EDP Intense Review

guilty edp intense review

A bit different, more femme

Maremma by Tiziana Terenzi– Not exactly the same as Black Orchid, but it’s close. Actually, has some elements of the Parfum version. A bit in-between the two Tom Ford perfumes.

Maremma has an oak and a leathery aspect, that kind of differentiates it from our target. Plus, no actual orchid here. Still, even with the differences this one is pretty close and at a cheaper price.

You still get the blackcurrant and fruitiness. The opening act is thick with its sweetness and has a level of intensity. But, it’ll settle down into a woodier fruity scent, but you still get to keep a good deal of the honey.

Performance is decent, but nothing remarkable. A lighter fragrance than is the Tom Ford.


Solar Nights

Nuit Noor by Elie Saab– This one has a close opening act to Black Orchid and a similar style. To me, it ultimately comes across as being fairly different. While, being close enough to earn a spot here.

This one has the same dark qualities (for a time), floral notes, and woods. But, it’s a rose here instead of the jasmine and orchid in our target. Plus, this really lacks the plum and truffle notes that give Black Orchid its jammy and earthy aromas.

As we move forward, Nuit Noor really comes into its own. The spices calm, but you get a slight smokiness from incense. Mainly, its a solar accord that comes through with the floral notes and honey. At some point, the ylang-ylang feels stronger than the rose by a wide margin.

This is a good alternative for those who think Black Orchid is a bit too much. This feels more normal, while still having a uniqueness all of its own, and more wearable for lots of people.

Oud Wood Intense by Tom Ford

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Keeping things moving, in my remaining Tom Ford fragrance reviews, we have the flanker scent to the original Oud Wood. Oud Wood Intense, kicks things into a higher gear than its originator, but does it actually smell good? Is the performance great? Is it worth a buy?

What does Oud Wood Intense Smell Like?

Notes include: oud, juniper, leather, cypress, angelica, ginger

Click here to try: Tom Ford Oud Wood Intense 1.7 oz./ 50 ml Spray New 

My Full Wear Review

Before we get into my review of Oud Wood Intense, let’s see how Tom Ford describes it: “Unrestrained. Lavish. Intense. Tom Ford Oud Wood Intense introduces new dimensions of oud at its richest, most luxurious saturation. Often imitated, never duplicated, the classic Tom Ford Oud Wood reveals its full force through bold intensification, ignited by the smoldering grip of angelica roots and cypress.”

Wow. Does this stuff ever hit hard. Upon immediate application to the skin, Oud Wood Intense, hits with a warm spice and leather. It’s not just a fresh ginger, but also an animalistic kind of aroma.

Is the original Oud Wood in there? Sort of. It’ll be closer to the original later on in the wear, but at first, its a completely different kind of scent.

After the original spice, fades a bit, I start to get more of the oud itself. However, it isn’t overpowering the composition. Instead, I get that burning quality from the angelica, and the distinct smell of cypress.

This cologne really does have a dark and as they described it, smoldering, aroma. It’s a smoky wood, but as if it is currently burning, and not already burnt.

From there, what I get is a blend of the oud and cypress, with a less prominent angelica, a leathery smell, and a faint hint of juniper.

It’s a bit smoother, at this point, and has flashes of the original Oud Wood. It’s still got that warm smoldering sort of feeling, but it has really developed into  the cypress/oud hybrid.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, this fragrance is a bomb. Seriously, this can project like crazy, and easily be over sprayed. With that in mind, this is also a scent that you don’t want to overspray, because it ruins the experience. Plus, chokes out a room. Keep it to 1-2 sprays.

The longevity is also utterly fantastic. It can go all day, well into the double digit hours on my skin. Not that it’s going to be vital to do so, in most situations, but it is more than capable.

Climate wise, this is a cold weather fragrance. If you live in a tropical area, or if it’s summertime, I wouldn’t even bother. It’d be such a pungent mess, to not even be worth wearing, at this price point.

This is also much more of a niche fragrance, than was the original Oud Wood. It’s use and appeal is going to be limited, as it’s not the crowd pleasing type, and actually lives up to the intense name.

I’d probably say this is more of an evening wear or casual scent, that you’d wear because you enjoy it. Not many others, will agree, but it will have a small number of ardent fans.

Overall Impression of Oud Wood Intense

Do I like Oud Wood Intense? In a way, I actually do. Can I wear this, personally? Probably not.

I’m not a huge oud fan, but this strikes me as much more interesting, than the original. It’s got some real highlight moments, but ends up overwhelming my senses.

This is only going to really appeal to a select group of people. Not only is it prohibitively expensive, but the smell is going cut the number of potential buyers, even further. Oud Wood Intense is fairly niche with its style.

The performance is top notch, it’s unique, and comes together quite nicely. Not a blind buy candidate, but someone out there is going to find this to be an obsession.

Update: This seems to have been discontinued at some point. Not sure if Tom Ford is ever going to bring it back or do a limited run of it. So, you’ll have to track down a bottle online and pay whatever prices people are selling Intense for.

Again, this might not be something that everyone will enjoy. Don’t overpay for a bottle if you’re unsure.