Noir | The Scented Hound

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.