tom ford

Cherry Smoke by Tom Ford

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Cherry Smoke is one of the latest offerings from Tom Ford, along with, Electric Cherry. Both of which are piggy backing off of the massive success of Lost Cherry. This one was released in 2022.

Now, this hasn’t nearly gotten the fanfare of their initial cherry perfume foray, but does that make Smoke not as good of an option to wear?

I bought two samples of Smoke only, since I couldn’t yet find Electric, and have been testing this perfume out. How does it smell? When should it be worn? Is it worth a try?

Cherry Smoke Perfume Overview

Notes include: dark cherry, osmanthus, cyproil India, saffron

Click here to try: Cherry Smoke from Sephora

My Full Review

Here’s how Tom Ford describes it: AN EXPERIENCED HEDONIST, CHERRY SMOKE PLAYS WITH FIRE, BURSTING WITH THE SCENT OF DARK CHERRY, IGNITED BY SEDUCTIVE OSMANTHUS AND SMOLDERING, SMOKED WOODS. 

Cherry Smoke kicks off with one of the familiar cherry notes, found in Lost Cherry. The black cherry without the booziness. That cherry is matched with the osmanthus accord and saffron.

The osmanthus, according to the TF website, has facets of: leather, olive, and apricot aromas. The apricot aspect is noticeable upon the initial spray, but will fade along with the cherry note.

Yes, the cherry in Cherry Smoke, is not actually the main attraction. It is up top and sticks around, but it will lurk more in the background.

The saffron and osmanthus accord do give off a combined leathery aroma, with a warmth and slight smokiness from the base. Cyproil India and more of a generic woodiness provide that part for us. It sort of comes across like an oud note, but I don’t think it actually is.

Honestly, this one isn’t a super cherry nor super smoky scent. It has some of each, especially early, but not to the extent you’d expect based on the name.

Once the cherry has stepped back, that olive and cyproil become noticeable, and Cherry Smoke has a somewhat bitter aspect to it. Still a leathery freshness, but woodsy, dark, and a touch bitter. Again, that cherry sweetness is still a part of the show.

The final dry down is less leathery and geared more toward the woody notes. Kind of a suede-like finish, but a full expression of that osmanthus accord and remaining cherry.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

This is a perfume that doesn’t really project all that far nor does it seem heavy. It’s warmth and the smokiness that it does have, makes it feel like it has more ‘weight’ to it than it actually does.

Early the sprays are noticeable probably up to 7-ish feet or so. After that, it’s going to come into the 1-3 foot range. That’s kind of how it was for me with Lost Chery too, but this one to a greater extent.

On my skin, this will go 6.5-7 hours. Again, those last few hours are very weak, but still somewhat detectable. It is definitely there, though.

Seasonally, I’ve obviously been testing this out in winter. But, it’s not too cold right now, which has given me a few chances in the chilly to moderate temperatures. That’s probably the right zone for this one.

Autumn through mid-spring, depending on where you live. Summer it’s a hard pass.

I think that Cherry Smoke leans more masculine, but is still very unisex overall. The versatility, is probably its greatest strength. Pretty much anyone can wear it, in most situations, and it can even extend into the nightlife.

Overall Impressions of Cherry Smoke

Overall, do I like this fragrance? I certainly like aspects of it, but during these first tests, I was never completely blown away by Cherry Smoke. It’s still good.

As of now, I’m not really sold on it being better than Lost Cherry. That could change and I’ll update, if that’s the case. I do still give an edge to the original, in totality.

The opening cherry with the saffron and apricot aroma of the osmanthus is very nice. I enjoyed that a lot. That olive aroma and cyproil are also interesting in their own way.

On the whole, it never hits an elite level for me. I was excited to give this a try, but it’s a mild disappointment, that could have been classic.

Update: Yeah, coming back to this one, it’s nothing that great. It’s likeable at times, but really never brings it all together into something that’s a must have scent.

The performance is mediocre for what you’re paying. It doesn’t need to be an absolute bomb, but it also doesn’t really give me enough in terms of power or length of time.

Obviously, the price is a limiting factor for who is going to buy this scent. I don’t think this is worth the reach for most people. Some fraction are going to love this one, but most will probably just like it.

There’s not a lot of value here, at end of the price range that Tom Ford perfumes occupy. It’s worth trying to see, where you fall on this one, before shelling out hundreds of dollars.

Black Orchid Parfum by Tom Ford

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Black Orchid Parfum is a release that I’ve heard a lot about since its debut back in 2020. The original EDP was one that I liked, so I was intrigued to see what Tom Ford did with this particular version. I grabbed a decanted sample of this a few months back and have been testing it out. How does it smell? When should it be worn? Is Black Orchid Parfum worth a try?

What does Black Orchid Parfum Smell Like?

Notes include: black orchid, ylang-ylang, patchouli, rum, truffle, plum

Click here to try: Black Orchid Parfum

My Full Review

Here’s how Tom Ford describes it: THE MOST LUXE, POTENT VERSION OF BLACK ORCHID EVER MADE, BLACK ORCHID PARFUM AMPLIFIES THE ICONIC SENSUALITY OF THE ORIGINAL FRAGRANCE. THE PERFUME’S APHRODISIAC EFFECT ELEVATES THE RARE, ELUSIVE FLOWER TO SEDUCTIVE NEW HEIGHTS – REVEALING A MAGNIFIED SIGNATURE OF YLANG-YLANG DIPPED IN GOLDEN RUM.

Note: I’m not going to compare this to the original Black Orchid EDP, since I don’t have a sample on hand, and it’s been years since I smelled that one. That may change in future updates to this page. As of now, just focused on Parfum.

Spraying this perfume always gives me a very dark purple impression. That plum note, the truffle, orchid…it just triggers thoughts of that shade of purple.

The opening is actually quite earthy and spicy. Truffle and the patchouli notes are huge here. It’s not my favorite, but I think that this does get better in the dry down. The orchid is apparent with its own spiciness/chocolatey nuances.

Plum is also a prominent note. It’s paired with rum, which gives it a very interesting and further spiced quality. Plummy rum doesn’t sound like it’d taste that great, but the smell is nice.

That opening blast will calm down after 10 minutes or so. The plum feels more defined and the balance of the composition is a lot better to my nose. That truffle sticks around, but the patchouli and rum will back off in intensity.

So, it’s earthier rather than a blend of earthy and spicy. Still, you have that sweet boozy quality and the ylang-ylang really begins to come into play.

At this stage, the orchid is superseded by that ylang-ylang. There is a creaminess to the blend. It’s funny, because it does have a dark chocolate-like aroma, but also an earthy almost dusty touches to it. Parfum strikes me as a very dry perfume.

The end is a ylang-ylang and truffle/patchoui mix. The other notes just sort of blend together into a sweetish dark concoction, that’s really attractive.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Black Orchid Parfum isn’t the heaviest/thickest fragrance out there, but boy is it loud. This Tom Ford is an absolute monster with how it projects.

I can spray it on clothes and smell it in another room. It has a very far reach on my skin, also. Really, it gets a perfect score in terms of performance with just how it essentially takes over. Easy on the sprays, maybe even spray it under clothing.

The longevity is also top notch. I routinely get this one at over 12 hours. I’m not sure when it quits, as I shower and scrub before it dies down. I will say, I sprayed this on a shirt and my closet smelled like Black Orchid Parfum for two weeks.

Seasonally, I’d tend to wear this in autumn or winter. As I said though, it’s not a super ‘thick’ fragrance, so it’s not completely limited. Anytime it’s pretty moderate or cool outside or indoors, this could be used.

This is listed as a unisex. Like the original EDP, this one does skew more feminine with how it presents. Still safe for most guys to wear, but I think there are some who wouldn’t like this one for themselves.

Much more of a nighttime wear. That intensity, the boozy, the dirtiness gives Black Orchid Parfum a sexier vibe.  Nighttime or casual, mostly. You could venture to wearing this in some workplaces, if you go easy on the sprays.

Overall Impressions of Black Orchid Parfum

Overall, do I like this perfume? I do. The opening act almost steered me completely away from this, but it turns a corner and gets more likeable, the further into the wear that I go.

It’s not a complete love, personally. Though, I wouldn’t be opposed to wearing this out on certain evenings. It’s bold, sexy, and a fragrance that commands attention. Not one that everyone is going to enjoy or vibe with, but worth trying out, because you may love it.

Plum is a note that is hit or miss for me. Here, I like it. I think because the tart aspects of the fruit are toned down by the explosion of rum and truffle.

The orchid is around, but it’s not the main focus. Ylang-ylang is more of a floral factor and there is an earthiness here that really dirties up the composition.

Again, the performance is amazing on me. It only requires a few sprays and it indeed takes the crown in terms of ‘potency’, as the Tom Ford description suggests.

With any scent at this price point, I’d suggest getting a bit to try before putting down all that cash. I think this is a fragrance that’s worth the price of admission, but better be safe than sorry, if you don’t happen to click with it.

Jasmin Rouge by Tom Ford

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Jumping back into some fragrance reviews here, I still have some Tom Ford perfumes that I need to do write ups on. I’ve fallen behind somewhat, so, let’s begin to remedy that with a closer look at Jasmin Rouge.

Obviously, this is going to be a jasmine dominant perfume, and geared much more towards women. I want to share my experience with this one and how it smells, how long it lasts, and whether or not I ultimately think it is worth a buy.

What does Jasmin Rouge Smell Like?

Notes include: jasmine, ginger, sage, cinnamon, bergamot, neroli, ylang-ylang, amber, pepper, cedar, vanilla, and more

Click here to try: Tom Ford Jasmin Rouge eau de parfum for women 1.7 oz

My Full Review

Jasmin Rouge opens up with a bright citrus and spice blend. The jasmine and ylang-ylang are noticeable at the top, along with the bergamot, and a ginger/pepper/cinnamon spice blend.

The spices here aren’t too heavy, just playing a supporting role, to the citrus juiciness and floral highlights.

After about 30-60 minutes, the citrus notes have subsided mostly, and the jasmine really steps up into its own. The ylang-ylang is still present, but is no longer an equal partner, and neroli feels more present than either the bergamot or mandarin orange.

From the spices found in the opening, cinnamon is the strongest to my nose. However, it is still quite light within the composition, and subservient to the main jasmine note. At this point, the perfume is a jasmine dominant scent flanked by, neroli and ylang-ylang, with a bit of spice.

A few hours into the wear, Jasmin Rouge fully develops into what it’ll be for the rest of its life cycle.

The main difference here, is that the perfume sweetens up. In place of much of the spice, you get vanilla, amber, and a bit of cedar. The floral notes, maintain their strength, but the spice is mostly overtaken by these new arrivals.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, the sillage here isn’t too powerful, but it isn’t weak either. I’d say for much of its time on the skin, it is on the higher end of moderate with its sillage. Then, it calms down quite a bit.

The opening act will give you a nice scent trail. For a few hours, it is plenty noticeable and has a nice lift off of skin. After those first two hours, it becomes more intimate.

The longevity is really good, but not great, as it goes for about 8 hours. It doesn’t want to hang around beyond that amount of time, during the times that I’ve tested it.

For an expensive fragrance? That’s just okay. I do wish it hit double digit hours like many other Tom Ford’s. Though, it certainly isn’t terrible.

Seasonally, it’s sort of a year round perfume. I don’t particularly like it in the high heat of summer, as it kind of  ‘melts’, but otherwise you’re good to go. Honestly, autumn or spring would work best with the more moderate temperatures.

Cold, too. But, a middle of the road temperature seems to be when Jasmin Rouge shines.

This can go casual, but feels more like a formal or at least semi-formal kind of scent. It’s attractive, but not particularly sexy. Just a really good floral.

Overall Impressions of Jasmin Rouge

Overall, do I think Jasmin Rouge, is worth a buy? Yes, provided you’re a jasmine fan. This Tom Ford is really well put together, has solid performance, and a really pleasant aroma. I like it, but I don’t think that it’s all that amazing, but I’m also not totally in love with jasmine.

I like the initial citrus and ginger note, especially. The cinnamon does give this perfume a liveliness and the opening is the highlight of the experience for me. The jasmine is also quite good, for what it is.

It’s a pretty scent that becomes pretty typical with how it smells. The quality is there and you get some decent performance also.

At the price point which Tom Ford’s sell at, this is actually one of the perfumes that is worth a purchase, if you’re into this sort of scent. To me, it’s well above average with how it smells, just not an elite level ‘must have’.

Costa Azzurra EDP by Tom Ford

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Tom Ford has had several iterations of Costa Azzurra, including one from 2014 and Acqua and the new Parfum. I randomly got a sample of the newer version of Costa Azzurra EDP with a  recent fragrance order and was interested to come back to this scent again. Since I didn’t have much of a memory of the older one. How does Azzurra smell? Does it last long? Is it actually worth a try?

What does Costa Azzurra EDP Smell Like?

Notes include: lemon, orange, cypress, oak, incense, seaweed, cardamom, lavender, vetiver, oud, and more

Click here to try: Costa Azzurra EDP by Tom Ford

My Full Wear Review

Here’s how Tom Ford describes it: COSTA AZZURRA CAPTURES THE EASY SENSUALITY OF A PURELY UNINHIBITED ESCAPE. THE EXHILARATING AROMA OF SEA AIR, FRESH AROMATIC NOTES, EVERGREENS AND CITRUS SET THE SCENE AND MINGLE WITH DEEPER WOODY SCENTS — A CRISP MEDLEY OF CYPRESS, OAKS AND AROMATICS.

Costa Azzurra EDP opens up pretty heavy on the cypress note, on my skin. I’m not usually a huge fan of this style of fragrance, but this one definitely captures my attention more than others.

Citrus, woody, fresh, spicy, and smoky. There is definitely an incense and oud influence wafting up to give this one that warm smoky finish.

This will turn to a more woody fresh dominant scent, as we move forward. However, there is a nice spicy punch up top. Cardamom and maybe some other herbal notes.

The marine notes are here, as well. Seaweed with a more generic ‘blue sea’ type of smell. Though, it’s more an impression of seaweed, not a dense copy of the actual stuff.

The seaweed isn’t as heavy as something like the Bvlgari Aqva scents. Also, at times the aquatic/incense/citrus notes remind me of a brighter version of AdG Profumo or the aromatic cypress smell of Guilty Cologne.

The cypress and the citrus have a light an effervescent sort of aroma. When I wore this outside, the hot July breeze, really helped bring this Tom Ford fragrance to life.

I must say, as this one dries down, it does come across as less aquatic and more like a sea breeze. But, a sea breeze while standing in a coastal forest. Super dry and fresh, but you can still tell you’re near the ocean, if that makes sense.

In the end, the lavender makes Azzurra more approachable and soft. The breeziness is still there, somewhat salty, and the citrus has faded away. Cypress, driftwood, and the dryness of notes like vetiver really reign supreme.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Costa Azzurra actually isn’t a massive fragrance, frankly, it’s quite moderate. Maybe slight above average with how it projects or leaves a scent trail.

Don’t expect a beast, because that’s not what this one is. No real complaints, though.

The longevity here is pretty good, just not elite. It lasts on my skin for 7-8 hours in total. At the price point, I do kind of want more, but it’s about what I get with some other Tom Ford fragrances that I really enjoy.

Seasonally, it should be pretty obvious by now that this is a spring and summertime wear. I really can’t imagine wearing Costa Azzurra much outside of that.

Now, if you live in a tropical climate or one where the summer temperatures drag on pretty late, you’ll get more use out of this one.

This is a daytime wear. Casual to semi-formal mostly. It might be an office wear, for certain folks, since it’s not too heavy.

This isn’t really a nightlife beast or date night sort of scent, however.

Overall Impressions of Costa Azzurra

Overall, do I like Costa Azzurra EDP? I do. Again, this isn’t usually my style, but this is a better example of this kind of marine/woody fragrance.

The scent itself is good. I really like the blend of citrus, cypress, and incense early on in the wear. Also, the fact that the seaweed isn’t overbearing and it’s more an impression of a marine aroma, than the actual smell of the sea itself.

The performance is fine. Not amazing, but certainly not terrible.

It’s one that is worth checking out, but not might be to everyone’s taste. If this sounds, like one you’d like, I definitely recommend giving it a go. If you’re in the market for a warm weather scent, this is certainly a solid option.

Noir Extreme Parfum by Tom Ford

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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?

What does Noir Extreme Parfum Smell Like?

Notes include: Shimoga ginger, cardamom, amber, tonka bean, guaiac wood, leather

Click here to try: Noir Extreme Parfum at Sephora

noir extreme parfum review

My Full Review

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.

noir extreme parfum

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.

Coming back to it again and again. It really doesn’t seem to be stronger than the original for me. I’ve tested on shirts to see how far away I can detect it and there’s almost no difference, other than EDP feels a bit more powerful.

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.

Update: Parfum has grown on me more. It’s almost a tie at this point between these two fragrances for me. I will often spray both of them on at the same time. Like, two sprays of EDP for every spray of Parfum. Still, I think I still enjoy EDP more, personally.

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.