TOM FORD PRIVATE BLEND TOBACCO VANILLE
WHAT I SMELL: Tobacco Vanille opens with rich creamy tobacco and spice, with what I find to be almost a slightly nutty honeyed apple clove like layer, but you have to get near the skin to find that effect. This scent stays pretty linear to me although it sweetens after a bit and then becomes more woody as the drydown continues. Tobacco Vanille opens as time goes on and becomes more robust. Don’t let the quiet opening fool you and keep spritzing, because in no time you’ll feel the full effects of the fragrance.
WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: The reason I wanted to test this is because I heard that it was similar to A*Men Pure Havane. Sure, there is a similarity with some of the notes, but I think they’re very different. Pure Havane is a party in Cuba; it’s fun and it’s festive and raw. This to me is very much a 1980s fragrance, sophisticated, big and maybe a bit dated. I find this very nostalgic.
Tobacco Vanille Notes: top notes are tobacco leaf and spicy notes; middle notes are tonka bean, tabacco blossom, vanilla and cacao; base notes are dried fruits and woody notes
THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE TOBACCO VANILLE: mature, sophisticated, powered
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT TOBACCO VANILLE: Olfactoria’s Travels, Notable Scents, Scentrist.com
BOTTOM LINE: The first time I wore this, I liked it better than the 2nd time I wore it which made me feel a bit like I was walking around with a “Yankee Candle Company” candle hanging from my neck. For those of you not in the US, that’s not a good thing.
- Bone Rating: 3 out of 5 possible bones
- Scent: Oriental Spicy
- Classification: Unisex – leans masculine
- Expense: $205 for 50ml EdP
TOM FORD NOIR
WHAT I SMELL: Noir opens to a fresh and clean bergamot opening. It’s zesty and peppery and not what I would have expected with the name, Noir. Very quickly this becomes a bit warmer, but not enough to make this less zesty. There are many notes to this fragrance which I am having difficulties distinguishing as they’re blended together well.
Noir notes: top notes are bergamot, verbena, caraway, pink pepper and violet; middle notes are black pepper, nutmeg, tuscan iris, geranium, bulgarian rose and clary sage; base notes are opoponax, amber, indonesian patchouli leaf, vetiver, civet and vanilla
WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: Fragrance that is indistinguishable from many other colognes. With the name Noir, I want mystery and adventure… this has neither.
THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE NOIR: zesty, familiar, predictable
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT NOIR: Scentrist.com, The Black Narcissus, The Grooming Guru
BOTTOM LINE: Nice and pleasant, but rather unexciting. I’ll pass.
- Bone Rating: 3 out of 5 possible bones
- Scent: Aromatic Spicy
- Classification: Masculine
- Expense: $90 for 50ml EdP
The Scented Hound 
October 14, 2012 at 8:17 pm
This is where we definitely agree, though I’m probably harsher in my criticism. When I feel as if the bottle of Imitation Vanilla Extract (in the case of TFPB Tobacco Vanille) is about as discernable as the $200 Ford creation, I feel cheated, which is why I never purchased for myself though I work for someone who loves the stuff.
Noir was incredibly dull, and when I hear the collective accolades given it, I remain in the minority wondering what I missed. “Nothing that hadn’t been done better by someone else beforehand.”
Great reviews!
LikeLike
October 14, 2012 at 8:33 pm
I never read the reviews of others before I add the links in my review and I sometimes find that I have the complete opposite views given by others. As for these, we are right on with each other. I have yet to find a Tom Ford perfume that I would spend over $200 for 50ml on… although I’m sure there is one that I will succumb to one day! Never say never in the perfume world!
LikeLike
October 14, 2012 at 9:36 pm
There are some really brilliant Private Blend scents — Tuscan Leather is an example of one for which I’ve spent really good money on a flacon. TV was simply one where I was hopeful he’d have a more “Tabarome” interpretation versus the patisserie he ended up creating. If I had to pick two out of the line-up, I’d choose Tuscan Leather and Amber Absolute, both worth the $$ you’ll spend.
LikeLike
October 14, 2012 at 9:25 pm
So interesting about the Yankee Candle effect and Tobacco Vanille. I seem to get that about every third time I wear it, and I don’t understand why I don’t get it at other times. It’s very odd.
LikeLike
October 14, 2012 at 10:02 pm
Great, at least you confirmed that I’m not crazy. It probably has to do with weather, humidity, body temperature, etc. Next time I try it I’ll probably love it.
LikeLike
October 14, 2012 at 9:39 pm
I think I was possibly a bit overgenerous in my review of Noir, but I was just so happy to smell something semi-oriental in a mainstream men’s release, and to me it is somewhat fuzzy and rounded; very hunkpapa. I kind of liked it
LikeLike
October 14, 2012 at 10:08 pm
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not bad, it just didn’t invoke love in me and it did allow me to be introduced to your blog which I am eager to explore some more! As for hunkpapa…that’s a new word on me. So I according to Wikipedia it was a Sioux Indian word for “head of circle”…but you may come back to me and say that it means “hunky older man” 🙂
LikeLike
October 15, 2012 at 3:45 am
Either that or an album by The Throwing Muses!
I often use words I don’t even know the meaning of just because I like the sound of them
LikeLike
October 15, 2012 at 5:46 am
I love it!
LikeLike
October 15, 2012 at 1:18 am
I am beginning to wonder about the word Noir as applied to perfume. It seems so far that all the Noir perfumes I have read about have nothing to do with dark corners, black midnights, wet streets and murder. Have you found one yet that has mystery …or at least a dame with a smoking gun?
LikeLike
October 15, 2012 at 5:31 am
Tobbaco Vanille sounds interesting. Anyway, I won’t try it before I forget about it because Tom Ford is not available in Poland.
LikeLike
October 15, 2012 at 5:47 am
Really? wow, I thought it would be available everywhere. That just means that you’ll have to go on a trip sometime soon 🙂
LikeLike
October 15, 2012 at 5:51 am
Really. Douglas carries TF regular line but no Private Blends in Poland at all and no TF boutiques to check if they have it.
The same goes for Chanel Exclusifs or Dior Privee, they’re also not available in Poland
LikeLike
October 15, 2012 at 5:47 am
I like Yankee Candle but I would not spend over $200 to smell like one. I’d also love to know how one would get “noir” from a fresh, clean bergamot opening. I can’t say I’m a big Tom Ford fan. His scents are very pricey and I’ve yet to smell one that would make me want to part with my money. They are not bad but I haven’t been wowed yet either.
LikeLike
October 15, 2012 at 5:49 am
Hear, hear!
LikeLike
October 15, 2012 at 1:58 pm
I like Pure Havana. I’m even sorry not buying it when it was still available in our stores. I like tobacco, rum, vanila, chocolate….just pure some music beside and I’m in Havana in a moment.
Don’t know the Tobacco Vanille. The price between these speaks for Pure Havane.
LikeLike
October 15, 2012 at 7:59 pm
There is a major price difference. Yes, I’m with you, stick with Pure Havane.
LikeLike
October 15, 2012 at 2:26 pm
Completely agree with your reviews – Tobacco Vanille is lovely on first sniff, and boring on the second.
As for Noir – I tried that in store the other day and just found it to be a big metallic patchouli. Grim. 🙂
LikeLike
October 15, 2012 at 8:00 pm
Noir is just full on Tilda Swinton.
LikeLike
October 16, 2012 at 2:00 am
LOL!! Yessssss :’)
LikeLike
October 15, 2012 at 8:06 pm
That’s such an accurate comparison of Tobacco Vanille to to Yankee Candles products. I think both capture the essence of their descriptions but never seem to quite get to their end goal. Maybe it’s the slightly artificial sugary edge?
I was so curious about trying Noir but maybe not so anymore. Sounds like it’s going to be another Bleu de Chanel.
LikeLike
October 16, 2012 at 6:14 am
Howdy Jensen – you know you may be right about the artificial sugary edge. It’s like they pump up the volume to make you feel like you’re really getting your money’s worth when it needs to be a bit more subtle. And next time you’re in a department store, do check out Noir. It’s not bad in the least.
LikeLike
October 18, 2012 at 2:04 pm
Have you tried Guerlain’s Spiritueuse Double Vanille? It’s one of my favorite fragrances, and has been compared to Tobacco Vanille with a slightly more boozy character. I personally found the similarities between the two, but prefer SDV because it smells a little more authentic. I was actually conspiring to put together a decant package for you and was going to include SDV. Are you interested? 🙂
LikeLike
October 18, 2012 at 6:25 pm
Kay, I have never tried Spiriteuese Double Vanille, but the name is lovely and I would never turn down any perfume 🙂
LikeLike
October 19, 2012 at 3:22 am
I like both Tobacco Vanille (I own a decant) and Pure Havane (my vSO and I share a bottle). I think I know what you and Natalie mean but I can usually tell that “today isn’t a TV’s day” before putting it on, just smelling the bottle so I managed to avoid wearing it on “wrong” days. And on good days I enjoy it a lot.
As to the Noir, I tested it only once and thought it was a very solid mainstream perfume. I wouldn’t want it to be worn in my household (just not special enough) but I wouldn’t mind smelling it on others.
LikeLike
Pingback: Perfume Review – Tom Ford Private Blend Tobacco Vanille | Kafkaesque
September 12, 2013 at 4:28 am
I’m just going to throw this out there… Very expensive tuxedo and Noir is perfection, maybe that’s more the noir TF had in mind.
LikeLike
September 12, 2013 at 5:49 am
Michael – I like your thought. Ready to go, simple sophistication. Thanks!
LikeLike