Tom Ford Private Blend Japon Noir: fragrance review

The sexual ambiguity that surrounds Japon Noir , part of the exclusive & rather expensive Tom Ford Private Blend line, is reminiscent of Helmut Newton's photographs of androgyne figures, as if shot in midnight purple hues. There is an element of danger in it, like in the best of woody orientals or darkest leathery chypres; iron fists left out in the rain to rust slowly and booze & smoke smelt on the breath of muscle-for-hire. Unique and polarizingly perplexing, Japon Noir's enigmatic impression on me was palpable from the moment I first put it on my skin and brought its air of inkiness home to my significant other.

The inclusion of inky notes in Japon Noir points to a purposeful refinement, akin to the meticulous care of Japanese calligraphy on thick scrolls; much like the name would suggest. But that is not all, and this is its success: The ambery-patchouli mix suggests a sleek sensuality that hints at more carnal past-times. Indeed Japon Noir starts with a suave introduction that reminds one of sweeter ambery orientals while the fusion of spice and candied fruit notes is instant Lutensiana: the inspiration couldn't be far behind, surely. The inclusion of cumin, ginger, nutmeg and thyme is especially simpatico to those of a Moorish-loving sensibility. Although cumin isn't particularly "sweaty" in this one, body-odour-phobics are still advised to test it further before investing in a bottle; we all perceive levels of "dirtiness" differently and your threshold might be higher or lower than mine.

What makes Japon Noir unique is that those sweeter elements with the rather feminized jasmine heart, instead of petering out into a milky sandalwood impression, like in the best oriental tradition (Samsara, Obsession, Amouage Dia), raise themselves a notch into a wilder arpeggio, with the pungent warmth of leather and smoky-powdery incense (Incense in the eastern temple style like in Kyoto and possibly Ouazarzate, although in Japon Noir the combustion happening has a gasoline-like, synthetic impression). The base notes are not completely unlike the common leitmotif in many of the Private Blend fragrances, but Japon Noir stands alone in the combination and textural treatment of notes. In many ways a fragrance for connoisseurs, its individualistic streak makes it one to at least admire, if not outright love.

Japon Noir is advertised as a shared fragrance, pegged as a mossy-woods composition (according to the Michael Edwards taxonomy, corresponding roughly to the traditional chypre category). Yet my own classification would be someplace between woody oriental and leather chypre; a renegade in search of solace.

Notes for Tom Ford Private Blend Japon Noir
Patchouli, Vetiver, Amber, Jasmine, Porto, Leather, Spicy Note

The Tom Ford Private Blend line is available at select doors, such as Neiman Marcus and Harrods, but Japon Noir is reportedly discontinued as of January 2011 (like Moss Breches, Velvet Gardenia and Bois Rouge, other unique fragrances in the line-up, before it); which is an abject shame, but there you have it! (According to Tom Ford's interview on WWD in 2007, that was the plan all along: chop off a couple to make room for more every few seasons). If you're a fan, grab the last remaining bottles now.


Photo by Helmut Newton of women kissin, via colamonstrosity.tumblr.com

Arabian Wood, Bois Marocain and Italian Cypress by Tom Ford – three reviews

~by guest writer Mike Perez

Looks are deceiving. Which should not be a problem when talking about fragrances, right? Wrong!
I am just as guilty as the next guy, when I allow the concept of a fragrance (the ad, the bottle or the celebrity’s name (or the attractive model’s face [and body] associated with it) to tempt me into giving a fragrance my attention - when actually I should be more interested in how the fragrance smells on my skin.
So, I admit it. It’s something I’m trying to get better at. I’m trying to not believe the hype (online or otherwise) that surrounds every new fragrance release and smell fragrances (new and old) with no expectations. It is extremely hard to do. Since I’m a big fan of a bunch of Tom Ford fragrances I decided to practice my new approach by testing the 3 new Private Blend scents: Italian Cypress, Arabian Wood (currently only available at the TF Kuwait boutique) and Bois Marocain (scheduled to be released in May 2009 exclusively to the London boutique).
Here are my fragrance reviews:


Arabian Wood
The first spray of Arabian Wood is neither woody nor ‘Arabian’ but something imperceptibly fougère-like, herbal and slightly nose tickling (angelica?) combined with a sharp varnish / nail polish remover accord. It took a couple of wearings for my nose to become accustomed to it and then only when it’s warmed on skin for at least 20 – 30 minutes do you start to perceive a warm, ashy gentle frankincense accord.
I’m familiar with a handful of pure aoud oils, which to me vary greatly in overall smell and complexity. A few of the high quality oils are just gorgeous. Arabian Wood conveys this same accord not as an oil, but as a fragrance (not easy to do) while avoiding the typical medicinal (Band-Aid like) sharpness. It reminds me of the dry down of aoud fragrances (the Montales and Amouages) after a couple hours – almost as if 5 to 10 hours of sharp, medicinal notes are fast forwarded and skipped and you instantly arrive at the plush, velvety floral/wood aroma. I love it! The frankincense blends seamlessly with the taif style rose and then a gentle white floral note finishes it off in a luxurious and sensual style.
Arabian Wood by Tom Ford is exclusive to the city of Kuwait (one of the richest countries in the world) and this scent feels appropriately decadent. However, unlike genuine Middle Eastern attars, Arabian Wood diffuses and doesn’t wear thick or heavy – its incense and complexity aren’t trapped close to the body of the wearer. I wish it lasted longer – it is gone in 3-4 hours. I also wish it was more affordable – but compared to pure Arabian attars prices, Arabian Wood is lower priced (for once). Imagine that?

Notes for Tom Ford Arabian Wood: Patchouli, Lavander, Galbanum, Bergamot, Gardenia, Jasmine, Rose, Oakmoss, Orris and Sandalwood

Bois Marocain
I’ll get right to the point: Bois Marocain (Moroccan Wood) is an extremely safe and predictable wood fragrance; this is majorly disappointing coming from a luxury line like the Private Blends.
The top notes are a resinous blast of synthetic incense (a very sharp slightly metallic incense – think Nu by YSL) that evolves within less than an hour into a typical linear sandalwood note. Not creamy (or anything remotely trying to smell like Mysore sandalwood) or complex – but a Demeter version of Sandalwood: generic, linear and short lasting.
Rush for Men by Gucci and H&M by Comme des Garcons have walked this line before (pencil-shavings cedar notes lying underneath a raspy incense note) and while I have worn and enjoyed both of these scents before, the fragrance world does not need another, using the same two recycled accords – at almost quadruple the price.

Italian Cypress
Tom Ford said, prior to the release of Italian Cypress in Women’s Wear Daily, "It's a very Seventies gentlemen's fragrance, the kind that you don't encounter very much any more..."

He was partially correct. It is a 70’s style fragrance.
I love a great cypress note (Cypres Musc by Creed was love-at-first sniff when I smelled it years ago) and IC’s is a great cypress scent. In the first few seconds the resinous, coniferous notes are stiff, dry, bitter and very wonderful. Let’s call it the Yatagan-effect (I love it!) but then it head spinningly transforms into a wide expanse of green pine needles, fresh air (well, the effect of oxygenated pine needles) and a breezy mosaic of cypress trees, leaves, twigs, branches, sap, the whole darn forest. An extraordinary beginning! A green so true, that if you gathered together all of the shades of green in the world and picked the greenest, the epitome of green, this is the one you would choose.
But the top notes are not enough to win me over completely.
What Tom did not mention is that the middle and base notes are just like Polo (1978) by Ralph Lauren. As the scent progresses its parallel similarities to Polo are astonishing. The creamy wood effect. The whiff of leather at the edges of the green. Ford managed to copy everything about it except for Polo’s longevity since Italian Cypress lasts on me only about 3-4 hours and then disappears (unlike Polo which lasts + 8 hours). Perhaps TF sought to compete with the wonderful flanker Polo Modern Reserve.
A friend of mine snatched up a large bottle when he visited New York recently and loves it (he thinks it has a very Z-14 by Halston slant to it – another 70’s scent!) Me? I’ll pass. Polo retails for $57 (4 oz) and can be found online at discounters even cheaper - whereas Italian Cypress is $450 (4 oz).
In this case, ‘not believing the hype’ saves me a bunch of money!

Champaca Absolute by Tom Ford: fragrance review of a new Private Blend

Champaca Absolute by Tom Ford~men and big florals

~by guest writer Mike Perez

When I started exploring niche perfumery, I stumbled upon a bottle of Guerilla 1 by Comme des Garcons, window shopping in Miami Beach. G1 is a mixture of champaca flower notes, fruits and spices and smells like the inside of a butcher shop (no lie). I assumed this strange accord was the champaca flower that I’d never smelled before, but its meaty (almost surgical and metallic) smell is more likely a blending of champaca with a lot of other notes, to achieve this effect.

Tom Ford announced that his newest Private Blend scent (the Private Blend range currently includes 12 scents) is to be released soon (fall 2008) and it is named Champaca Absolute. The name is a ‘reference’ to champaca absolute, a perfumer’s term for the liquid extraction of the flower. There are a few ways to extract the fragrance from the flower: CO2; concrete and absolute. Like many florals, the extraction process can vary the scent profile of the flower. Champaca Absolute then, makes reference to this ‘pure’ form of the champaca flower essence. I haven’t smelled champaca absolute. But from hunting through the internet for a scent profile I came up with this: Champaca is related to the star anise family and it’s smell has been compared to magnolia; it is slightly less peach-y than magnolia with a bit of spice; many compare it to a white flower such as orange blossom, but admit that it has its own unique scent profile; it has a distinct tea note (*). It seems I thought I knew what champaca flower notes smelled like - but based upon these descriptions, I did not.

Champaca Absolute begins with a soft fermented plum note, very wine-like in a hazy sort of tannic effect. Immediately the champaca notes appear and blossom on my skin.

Whoa! The first time I wore CA I got nervous because it is very big floral. I was heading to my office that morning and I was slightly uncomfortable with arriving there with a strong floral presence all around me. For a second I felt as if I was wearing a pair of women’s sunglasses and I caught a glimpse of myself in a mirror. Colognoisseurs(**), you know exactly what I’m talking about!

But once the floral notes warmed on my skin (no civet or indolic properties are apparent to my nose, rather it’s a clean and distilled floral note) I relaxed into wearing it. It is amazing how much champaca smells like tea. Tommy Girl by Tommy Hilfiger utilizes a tea note to good effect, but the tea accord in CA is tenacious and not delicate. It mixes beautifully with the spicy floral profile of champaca and this ‘spicy tickle’ in my nose reminds me of sniffing a carnation - and lasts the entire duration, all the way to the base notes.

The base notes are smooth and dry, in a soft chypre style - with a light sprinkling of fruity warmth to it. I’m reminded of Gucci by Gucci, another woman’s fragrance that I personally cannot wear- due to its ‘feminine’ dry down.

CA wears very close to my skin, which I was thrilled with, since if it was stronger it might’ve made me uncomfortable. Mr. Ford clearly had women in mind, when he created CA. It’s the most unabashedly floral of all of the Private Blend scents (even more than the high-definition, indolic Velvet Gardenia).

But still, men (besides Tom Ford himself) will wear this scent, I am sure of it. My advice: Apply lightly and give it a few minutes to settle on your skin. Then put on your sunglasses and stand tall when you walk out the front door. :)

Official Notes: not yet available, to be updated.

* Thanks to Ayala Sender and the vital information on champaca absolute on her Smelly Blog ** Term for a male ‘perfumista’ – created by Quarry (Basenotes member)


ON THE PRESS NEWS: In addition to Champaca Absolute two other Private Blend scents, Italian Cypress (exclusive to Tom Ford boutique in Milan) and Arabian Wood (exclusive to Kuwait) will join the regular lineup within six months of their exclusive debuts.

Pic courtesy of anna.vedeneeva/flickr