WHAT I SMELL: Ébène Fumé opens with a soft woody smokiness tinged with labdanum and leather. It’s calming, serene and wonderfully subtle. As the perfume develops, the incense loses a bit of its sharpness and a smooth and slightly creamy cistus enters. At this point, the perfume feels like a sheath of light leather is embracing your skin. Hints of florals help to make the creation more rounded which helps to keep it from becoming too smoky. Beyond that, the perfume doesn’t develop much except for the addition of a lightly sweetened guaiac woody note. Ébène Fumé isn’t a game changing perfume, but it’s perfect for those times when you are looking for quiet reflection.
From the Tom Ford website:
ÉBÈNE FUMÉ MERGES THE PURIFYING ESSENCE OF PALO SANTO WITH NOTES OF SEDUCTIVE EBONY WOOD, AROUSING EXQUISITE CALM AND HEIGHTENED SPIRITUAL LUXURY.
ÉBÈNE FUMÉ CONJURES TRANSCENDENT SPIRITUAL CALM THROUGH THE MYSTICAL ESSENCE OF PALO SANTO SMOKE – STOKED BY THE WARM ELEGANCE OF CISTUS ABSOLUTE, ROSES, AND SEDUCTIVE NOTES OF EBONY WOOD, CAPTURED IN SLEEK, SUBLIME NOTES OF LEATHER.
Top notes are Incense, Palo Santo, Black Pepper and Violet Leaf; middle notes are Leather, Labdanum, Cade oil, Papyrus and Rose; base notes are resins, ebony tree and Guaiac Wood.
WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: Old leather bound books which have been stored in a church rectory for hundreds of years.
THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE ÉBÈNE FUMÉ: serene, calming, contented
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT ÉBÈNE FUMÉ: CaFleureBon, Temptalia
BOTTOM LINE: It is Memorial Day today in the United States. A day that is for remembering and honoring those who have served the country since its inception. I thought that this calming perfume would be the perfect scent to pay tribute to those who came before us and to pray for peace around the world during these trying times. No, perfume can’t create world peace, but if anything, it can help to soothe our souls.
- Bone Rating: 3 out of possible 5 bones
- Scent: Amber Woody
- Classification: Unisex
- Expense: $270 for 50ml eau de parfum
The Scented Hound 
June 6, 2022 at 3:57 am
I still consider myself a Tom Ford fan even though most of the recent releases from the brand weren’t to my liking.
I tried this one at a store and I didn’t like it. My issue with it (and some others) is that it smells too artificial. I’m far from liking all-natural perfumes, but I also don’t want my perfume to yell “aromachemical” when I put it on. Unless it’s Angel or Molecule 01 😉
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June 6, 2022 at 6:28 am
I don’t get the artificiality in the perfume, but I tend to stay away from incense. I have to say though that I don’t have any Tom Ford in my own collection. I’ve never found one that I can’t live without.
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June 7, 2022 at 4:27 am
I have just one FB (Fleur de Chine) and one Travel Spray (Rose Prick), but I have many decants – both for me and my vSO.
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