Noir de Noir by Tom Ford – created in 2007 as a part of the original Private Blend collection, notes include saffron, rose, black truffle, floral notes, patchouli, vanilla, agarwood and moss. I cannot make up my mind about Noir de Noir: once when I tested it I liked the opening rose darkened by agarwood and on two other occasions I got overwhelmed by this rose-agarwood combination. I thought that I didn’t like agarwood itself but after testing Oud Wood I realized that it’s not just pure agarwood that I don’t like but it’s a combination with some sweeter flower note. I tried really hard to find a “black truffle” note in Noir de Noir. For a change I know exactly how it smells because I use black truffle salt in cooking. I kept sniffing my wrist during the day and couldn’t say I smelled it. It was only when I got home and smelled my salt for the comparison that I finally noticed something that reminded me of black truffle in the perfume. Noir de Noir is nicer on my skin in the drydown phase. Longevity is shorter than some other Tom Ford’s scents (4 hours and after that just some residual smell on the skin). All in all I should say that with Noir de Noir my wallet is safe with this one. But if you have a chance please give it a try.
For real review read The Non-Blond.
Oud Wood by Tom Ford – created in 2007 as a part of the original Private Blend collection, notes include pepper, cardamom, rosewood, agarwood, sandalwood, vetiver, tonka bean, vanilla and amber. It’s much dryer than Noir de Noir but I’m not sure it’s more masculine (I understand that gender in perfumes is a relative category so I’m talking just based on the official designation). I like Oud Wood’s drydown phase and wouldn’t mind wearing it if I could skip right to it. But since I can’t I’ll use my sample and stop there.
For real review of Oud Wood read Now Smell This.
Arabian Wood by Tom Ford – added to the Private Blend collection in 2009, notes include galbanum, bergamot, lavender, freesia, orange blossom, Bulgarian rose, honey, ylang-ylang, jasmine, may rose, rose absolute, gardenia, tonka bean, patchouli, sandalwood, moss and cedar. Arabian Wood starts creamy, develops with sweeter undertone but it feels transparent rather than resinous. Through many hours in stays still very smooth and attractive on my skin. Arabian Wood reminds me of polished wooden balls (the feeling of touching those). You must be familiar with the feeling: you try a perfume for the first time and start contemplating how to get more of it even before your sample is gone. That was the case with Arabian Wood for me: I found myself bidding on a test bottle of this perfume before the last traces of it disappeared from my skin. I didn’t win it and decided it was a sign that I should go my regular route: finish the sample first, then think if I need a decant or a FB. I still have half of the sample left and I still like Arabian Wood and want it in my collection.
For the real review read EauMG.
I like this brand and I will keep testing more perfumes from the line but this post concludes my weeklong test drive of Tom Ford’s perfumes.
Do you own any perfume from the Private Blend collection?
See all episodes:
Weeklong Test Drives, Season 4: Tom Ford
WTD, Episode 4.1: Neroli Portofino and Jasmine Rouge by Tom Ford
WTD, Episode 4.2: In the Search for the Perfect Violet
Undina's Looking Glass 
I haven’t sniff “black truffle” in any of the TFs that list black truffle as a note.
I like Oud Wood too but I prefer the base over the top. There are things out there for me to love.
Arabian Wood is very lovely but it seems so familiar to me at the same time.
I recently tried Tommi Sooni Tarantella. You may like that since you enjoyed Arabian Wood. Sorry, it isn’t any cheaper :(
LikeLike
Yeah… You’re not making my life easier : ) I like the name. I’ll right down this perfume for testing one day (with so many untested samples in my collection I just cannot justify buying more right now).
I think Oud Wood benefits from comparison with Noir de Noir… but it would be strange to wear two at the same time just for the purpose of enhancing on of them, wouldn’t it? ; – )
LikeLike
I have only tried Noir de Noir out of the ones you feature, and that was a while ago. I think I found it interesting, though not my normal style. I must admit to having tuned out to the woody/oudy TFs as I am a bit lairy of overtly woody scents. Having read your reviews, however, I sense I may be missing out!
And meanwhile, the only Private Blend I own is White Suede…
LikeLike
I will try White Suade the next time I come across TF counter and if you get a chance, try Arabian Wood (though who in her right mind would wish a friend to like another expensive perfume?)
LikeLike
Those three didn’t wow me either. So far only Amber Absolute, Tobacco Vanille and Moss Breches (the best – of course it is discontinued!) are winners for me.
I find Oud Wood and Arabian Wood lean very, very masculine on me.
LikeLike
As I commented on your review already, I like Amber Absolute – just don’t want to pay the price (still might go for a decant).
I love Tobacco Vanille and just got a decant of it but I left it for another post that I have in mind.
Moss Breches… (sigh) I read so many good things about it but I haven’t got a chance to test it and now with it being discontinued it makes it even harder.
Last night I wore Arabian Wood to bed and I should tell that I can see how it might turn to have a very masculine vibe. Luckily for me it doesn’t go that way so I see more of it in my future.
LikeLike
I SO know that feeling of figuring out how to get more before your sample is even finished. That first happened to me with Une Rose and it is definitely a sign of true love! Glad Arabian Wood was a winner for you.
I got to try Violet Blonde and thought it was a very well put together fragrance with a lovely iris note and drydown but not sure it’s really “me”. The line is obviously worth further investigation though.
LikeLike
My offer about VB stands so let me know if you want it.
I have several more samples from the Private Blend collection but I decided to leave them for a couple of future posts (they will fit nicely into my Single Note Explorations).
LikeLike
I love TF scents and own many: Purple Patchouli, Moss Breches, Oud Wood, Noir de Noir, Black Orchid and Amber Absolute. Many of his scents have oud, patchouli or truffle in the mix, which works very well with my skin chemistry.
LikeLike
I haven’t tried (yet?) Purple Patchouli and Moss Breches but since I like many perfumes from the line I’ll give a try to all others if I come across them. With Moss Breches being a discontinued and loved by many perfume though it might be hard. But I’ll try to find it anyway.
LikeLike
I haven’t tried any of the Private Blend Tom Fords. I briefly sniffed a couple on paper a few months ago at Harrods. Is Noir de Noir anything like Frederic Malle’s Un Rose? I know it is meant to have a truffle note.
LikeLike
Hi Michael, great to see you here.
For my nose Noir de Noir is very different from Une Rose: agarwood and patchouli in NdN are much darker than wood in UR. I thought that NdN smelled a lot like Montale’s Black Aoud but since I strongly disliked the latter I gave away my sample so the comparison is just from what I remember.
If you get a chance, try at least a couple on the skin: with the high price tag I’m not sure they will be worth buying but many of them are definitely worth trying.
LikeLike
Pingback: Body Heat: Perfumes under Extreme Temperatures « Undina's Looking Glass