Tom Ford Private Blend: Oud Wood

Tom Ford says: Exotic Rose Wood and Cardamom, blended with exuberant Chinese Pepper, envelop the wearer in warmth. Eventually, the center exposes a smokey blend of rare Oud Wood, Sandalwood and Vetiver. Finally, the creamy scents of Tonka Bean, Vanilla and Amber are revealed.

When I first smelt this, I had no idea what Oud was. I liked what I smelt so much that the Oud obsession began. I have had a roller coaster ride with Oud. Most of the 'real' stuff I tried gave me a headache. The Ajmals, Al Haramains and Al Rehabs were too traditional and strong for me. Montales and By Killian gave me hope. I came back to Tom Ford Oud Wood, trying to figure out why I liked it so much. I like Oud when it is modern. I can wear it when its purity is lost, when it becomes synthetic and mass market (says a lot about me). Yes, Oud Wood is 'the' Oud for me, in my limited experience because I still have some good ones to try.

Oud Wood is a beautiful modern take on Oud. It is a dry and cold perfume. Oud itself as a note is quite cold-woody which is enhanced by Cardamom and Vetiver. The freshness of cardamom and vetiver make the perfume go towards fresh but the luxurious Oud takes the centre stage. The pungency of the oud is masked yet complemented by other woody notes. Oud is less intense but shines among the woody notes. I don't really get a warm drydown. What is left is a woody cool Oud which becomes more prominent as the perfume develops and has a very slight plasticky feel and mildly animalic. Staying power is nice, though not as good as other perfumes from the Private Blend.

Overall, I really like Oud Wood. It is clean, neat, modern and a well made perfume. It leans towards becoming quite masculine especially since it lacks any floral notes, rose in particular which is such a relief personally. I am not really sure if I like it as much as to buy a full bottle but it is by far the nicest Oud perfume I have tried.