I thought I’d dig into the Private Blend coffret and take a quick sample of a few of the Fords that I haven’t yet tried, plus mention feedback from holiday perfume gifts.
TOM FORD TUSCAN LEATHER: Starts off kind of sharp and chemically enhanced, but eventually mellows out into a casual, smooth fragrance that smells a bit like a new leather jacket with some powdered sugar in the pockets. A unisex fragrance that leans more masculine than feminine but can easily swing both ways.
New York Magazine says it smells like cocaine: “‘That’s what everyone says,’ admits a counterboy at the Ford store on Madison, who adds that one customer even bought a bottle because he thought it smelled like coke.”
So now you know what fragrance to wear to the clubs on a Friday night. Just don’t lean against any reflective surfaces.
TOM FORD BLACK VIOLET: Should have been called ‘Black Oakmoss’, ‘cuz this stuff is seriously mossy! Dark and kind of bitter. I can’t really imagine a lot of women going nuts for Black Violet — even though the drydown phase is woodsy and warm, it takes a long time to get there. Not to say that there aren’t female perfume fans who will happily jump on its groove train, but it’s a fragrance that will likely go over better with the males in the house. Even then, the bitterness of the moss makes it an acquired taste.
When all is said and done, I’d rather a bottle of Ford’s Amber Absolute than either Tuscan Leather or Black Violet, though Tuscan Leather might work better as a warmer weather fragrance than Amber Absolute. It has a lighter touch.
Feedback from friends and relatives:
This holiday season has been full of perfume gifting, so you get to hear some quick opinions from sniffers unaffiliated with blogging and who wear the fragrances out into the real world rather than mostly sniffing at samples from the comfort of the living room sofa (“Hey, I think I’m talking about ME!”).
SERGE LUTENS SA MAJESTE LA ROSE: “Oh, how I love this. This is everything I ever wish to be. I am a bit ‘young’ for it — I feel like this belongs to a 45 year old, Chanel wearing Momma, gently kissing her sleeping child’s fair hair (washed and put to sleep by the nanny) before exiting to the Symphony Ball. This is INCREDIBLY sophisticated. I must not place her next to any of my others, they get all a-twitter and anxious. And what a bottle she is, very cool with an Ace of Hearts card on the front.”
L’ARTISAN PARFUEMEUR L’EAU D’AMBRE: “This one I’m afraid sits in the corner, in the hopes that over time, evaporation will ocurr and I will simply be left with a recylable glass bottle. Much akin to walking into a bathroom at Heathrow after too many people have come off international flights and are freshening up.”
Well, drat. I guess it was unlikely of me to bat 1000 in the gift giving department.
M. MICALLEF NOTE AMBREE: “The scent totally made my day – you have no idea. I’ve already applied twice (Is that bad? It’s too good!). It warms so nicely. As I wear tonight, I will try to think of more descriptors for the yumminess (which is not very descriptive!) . . . I keep sniffing at my arm!”
LALIQUE ENCRE NOIR EDT: “My wife loves the cologne. Thanks again for sending it to me.” — yes, it’s tough to get the straight guys to say a whole lot.
SOLANGE STONED: “My immediate impression was ‘HABANITA!‘ It really is a great deal like Habanita, but, as I noted in the Scent of the Day thread (on Perfume of Life), it’s got the cigarette note (which I really hate) turned way down, and there’s a berry note of some sort (raspberry?) added. I’m thoroughly enjoying it . . aaaaaaaaaand now, I’m well into the drydown, and it is beeyootiful. It’s reminding me a bit of Le Dix now, but warmer.”
ANNICK GOUTAL AMBRE FETICHE: “I like it a lot – somewhat more intense than the last one you sent (Parfumerie Generale L’Oiseau de Nuit) that I love so much. I wore the perfume to work yesterday, and enjoyed it immensely. I do have a light hand during the daytime hours, and I didn’t have too much of it on. I got a scent of it every now and then, but I don’t think anyone else thought I was overpowering.”
ANNICK GOUTAL ENCENS FLAMBOYANT: “Wonderfully vibrant and something truly different . . . I find it to be a definitively (casual) fragrance, but a ‘big’ one at that. The Goutal bottles are very romantic, what with the fluted glass and gold ribbons.”
LE LABO ROSE 31: “I came back tonight to a great surprise, especially that I got back into perfumes lately. I have to say this one is amazing. The smell is great and I love the personalized bottle.”
And that’s that.
Okay everyone — I’m out the door and on my way to enjoying good wine, good food and even better company. I hope you all have a great Christmas!
OFF TOPIC:
It wasn’t a very jolly season this year for retailers: U.S. Store Traffic Fell 24% on Pre-Christmas Weekend
Ugh. I feel deeply sorry for shop owners and people trying to keep consumer product businesses afloat right now. The sales are great, but the underlying economics behind the steep discounting is terrifying.
