Tom Ford Oud Wood
An Ode to Oud Wood
Tom Ford Oud Wood ($180.00 for 1.7 oz.) is described as, “[a]n exotic rosewood and cardamom, blended with exuberant Chinese pepper, envelop the wearer in warmth … the center … a smokey blend of rare oud wood, sandalwood and vetiver … scents of tonka bean, vanilla and amber are revealed.”
When Oud Wood first explodes, it’s a spicy, smoky aroma with a heady mix of rosewood and cardamom. It’s a deep and dark with a certain sharpness. It’s a bit like incense burning in the background with the strength of the rosewood coming through with a certain peppered woodiness.
Oud Wood does not remain spicy, though, as it is enveloped by the scent of an ambered sandalwood peeking through with an underlying touch of vetiver. There’s still a lingering of smoke, but it’s musky, sultry, and delectably woody. It smells luxe–rich and earthy–and reminds me a little of what sexiness might embody if it were a scent (to me).
Finally, Oud Wood dries down and becomes a seductive mix of amber and vanilla with a lingering hint woodiness. The vanilla doesn’t bring in any sweetness–it is just a bit of warmth cloaking the amber and sandalwood.
I like scents that are musky and woody and maybe a little on the masculine side. Oud Wood is exactly a scent that I would gravitate towards. I’m particularly pleased that when I dab it on my wrists, I can smell it twelve hours later. It’s certainly subtler by hour twelve than it was at hour six, but it’s noticeably there. Even when I wake up, there’s a faint bit of Oud Wood still kissing my wrists (that makes it twenty-fours!). Again, it gradually fades, but I’d say it gave me great wear for ten hours or so. However, wear time may be affected by body chemistry. The only thing I can warn you about is the price tag, which is steep.
If Oud Wood was a man, he would be dressed in a power suit with a devilish gleam in his eye–and looking right at you. And you would love it!
P.S. — Is it wrong that I want to put this on before I go to sleep? Hm.
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- Product: 29/30
- Value: 7/10
- Ease of Use: 4/5
- Packaging: 4/5
RECOMMENDATION: If you like woody, musky scents with amber and vanilla, Oud Wood is worth a sniff.
See more photos & swatches!
Tom Ford Oud Wood
Tom Ford Oud Wood
Tom Ford Oud Wood
Tom Ford Oud Wood
Tom Ford Oud Wood
oooh that sounds like something I would really like!
I originally was thinking of trying it because you liked it so much, but I don’t think I would like it enough to pay the 180 for it
Yeah, it’s very, very pricey. Something you gotta try first and ensure you love it before buying it, too!
Great description of the perfume Christine! perfume gives me migraines so i can’t wear it but i still love smelling them in department stores! i’ve got a great sense of smell actually which i think is part of my problem.
I was wondering what you meant when you said on facebook that you loved tom ford’s oud wood! LOL!
Oh no!
Some perfumes make me sneeze like CRAZY!
LOL… I can see how that would sound… a little… you know!
the private blend’s forumla is crazy
It is soo long-wearing i mean loong long wearing!
It is!
The bottle is so pretty. I would get it just for the bottle
Not sure the scent is really me, though I would have to smell it in person LOL
Definitely try it in person
MMM sounds very very nice.
OMG it sounds so much like Hermes Hermessence Vetiver Tonka (which I’m nearly out of but am looking for a replacement since it’s not perm)… can’t wait to smell it
I hope you like it!
Ooooh, that does sound sexy! I think I might like this more than Black Orchid based on your description. I’m curious about all things Tom Ford lately. I watched A Single Man, and it was amazing. I was really tempted to buy one of his lipsticks. So far I’ve resisted….I’m sure his fragrances are very luxurious too!
I gotta watch that!
I have Tom Ford Noir De Noir and absolutely love it! It’s so warm and smoky and utterly heavenly! I’m a big lover of masculine scents. Not the biggest fan of flowery scents and most fruity scents just put me off. I enjoy stronger, fuller colognes, and Tom Ford makes the best blends.
Mine was a gift, so the steep price didn’t exactly hurt my wallet, but i’m still very careful with mine. You don’t need that much anyhow, 1 spray is enough to last through the night.
If I can afford it, (and I happen to run out of Noir De Noir) I’d splurge on Oud Wood.. and maybe a couple of his lipsticks as well. Oh God, when will I have that kind of money?!
Sounds lovely!!
Will have to give it a smell!
Definitely should. It’s like… my perfect man in a bottle.
I agree, that sounds amazing (and right up my fragrance alley)! Too bad it’s so pricy (I’m afraid to even look…).
I know
There are twelve scents in all… hopeful for a lil’ variety set come holidays? lol!
My thoughts exactly….
You should check out the Cosmetics Company store, I saw a couple of his perfumes there for about 50 bucks off.
Nice! I’m gonna check mine soon!
Mmm, this sounds divine! Exactly the kind of scent that I’d wear.
*looks away from the price tag in fear*
LOL!
Oud Wood was nice, but didn’t appeal to me much. I much prefer using actual oud
haha. Of the whole range my favorite is definitely Tuscan Leather.
I’ll have to give Tuscan Leather a sniff soon!
I’d go to bed with, ahem, I mean wearing Tom Ford anytime… I adored the revamp he did of Youth Dew a few years back…
I doubt this will ever be available in NZ which is a pity because it sounds like it’d be right up my alley! I love spicy/vanilla/sandalwoody scents, cinnamon and cardamon in particular – Ralph Lauren Double Black has a strong cardamon note as well, if you like that sort of thing. It’s not often used in fragrances, which is a pity because it’s utterly gorgeous.
Haha!
It is a shame that it hasn’t made its way to NZ, though.
Might have to check out Double Black!
Heck, so much stuff doesn’t make it here
– we’ve only just got the Maybelline Eye Studios (I noticed the other day), no sign of the L’Oreal HiP liners or the new Covergirl ones you just reviewed yet… I’m a total lemming for purple liners and those beautiful MUFE ones I’ll never get just about made me weep so I’ll be keeping an eye out for the L’Oreal and CG!
Nevermind the 14 or so purple liners I already have in my collections… (whistles innocently)
Double Black is pretty delicious – it’s part of the Polo series, but in name only! It doesn’t smell anything like the original (which is a good thing as far as I am concerned, LOL!)
That is soooooo expensive omg
My husband wears this. It’s very sexy, and blends well with some of the other Tom Ford Private Blends (especially Champaca Absolute, and Neroli Portofino).
However, it’s way too heavy for summer. He won’t be wearing it again until the weather gets cooler in the fall.
What’s he wearing in the summer, Serenity?
Definitely not a scent I would go for but I have to give you props for some excellent imagery/sensations you created in your review! Great choice of words!
I wanted to write something smutty, because I smell it and I’m like “OHHHH SEXY! HOT STUFF!” but it seemed inappropriate, LOL!
So thank you! I was like, “Hm, I hope this still conveys how I feel!”
oh hellz nah girl, im not paying 180 dollars for something i’ll probably use once because i go through perfume like shoes
LOL! I tend to get sucked into one and stay with it for awhile!
Christine, did you purchase this fragrance?
No, it was a sample – the disclosure is at the end of the post, as always.
Nice review, the Private Blend line is really beautiful, my favorite is the Purple Patchouli, which I heard was being discontinued sadly but I love the Tobacco Vanille as well, it is too hot for it now though!
I smelled almost all the perfumes on the Tom Ford Counter at my Holt Renfrew in Vancouver.
They seemed to belong to the Oriental category to me, very woodsy & exotic but also really STRONG! Not a single feminine scent in there. I kinda recoiled at almost every scent LOL. I appreciated the lack of alcohol in it though and it doesn’t make me allergic like the strong feminine scents do.
Oud Wood was the only one I liked out of all them. It reminded me on the initial smell, of crushed jasmine or green tea leaves. I have a bizarre nose I think.
The Tom Ford perfumes are very……oriental to me – reminds me heavily of my grandparents (vietnamese with chinese influences) – the incense and sandalwood especially.
The one thing I would say is to try them and see how they dry down. I don’t wear perfume a TON, but when I first spritz, they all seem really overwhelming, but a minute or two, it settles onto my skin and smells lovely. I really love the scent after 2-3 hours. But I can appreciate a scent that lasts 24+ hours!
My boyfriend just bought this for me as an early Chirstmas gift. It starts off very smokey and masculine then dies down and becomes rich and sultry. I can’t believe what a GREAT job he did. I have it layered with light floral notes today, like Kai and its just perfection. Best gift EVER.
Yay!
Hey Christine, I thought I saw somewhere that you also wear the Amber Absolute. Between this and AA, which one do you like better? What do you think is the main difference between the two? I am trying to decide which one to get and any input would be appreciated!
Oud Wood is still my favorite. Amber Absolute is a little more intense; woodier, has a bit of an oriental feel, I guess I would say. Oud Wood is a a touch tamer.
Wow…that was fast! Thanks, Christine. I sampled both Oud Wood (based on your review) and Champaca Absolute a few months ago, and at the time I thought I liked Champaca a little more. But, when it arrived today, I thought it might be a little more floral than I wanted. I really wanted something muskier and earthier, so I guess I should have gone for the Oud. But then you mentioned Amber, so I thought I would get some input before I invest in the Oud. Thanks again for your help! I love your blog and couldn’t live without it!
Hey Katie!
Let me know what you end up liking! Amber Absolute is very, very heady at first, so definitely let it dry down. On first spray, I was like, “WHOA!” but really loved it a few minutes later
Hey Christine!
I ended up returning Champaca Absolute – it was just too floral for me. However, I did get Oud Wood, and I absolutely adore it. It is masculine, yet sweet. I am obsessed with it. I totally get why you said you want to put it on before you go to sleep! It has become my new favorite fragrance. I really like how it develops.
I am still trying to decide whether my next one will be Amber Absolute or Tobacco Vanille. But I am loving Oud Wood! Thanks for the review!
YAY YAY YAY.
YAYYYYYYYYY!
I’m so happy you 1) returned what you hated (I’m terrible at returns – inexplicably, I feel bad!), and 2) you found one you DID love… oh, and 3) it’s my favorite, too, haha.
I finally got my mitts on two small splash bottles of Oud Wood from Ebay. I did’nt want to splurge on the full bottle unless I really LOVE it. Now I am a little afraid this is not the real deal or somethings wrong, it has faded all most completely gone after less than an hour of wear time. I’m wondering if this is diluted or just not the real deal.
=( Has anyone ever seen Tom Ford sold in the little tiny glass splash bottles?