Oud Wood (2007)
by Tom Ford

Tom Ford Oud Wood

My first exposure to oud as a note came through a sampling of a number of Montale scents. Those scents are beautiful but they have to be worn with care as they are all powerhouses. The thing that stands out in those scents is what a versatile note oud can be. The mix of slightly sweet, the woody character, and the hint of an almost medicinal edge make it something that perfumers can use to enhance one of or all of those characteristics to design their perfume. Most people's introduction to oud came in Yves St. Laurent's M7 which was designed by Tom Ford. Tom Ford has gone on to his own signature line and part of that is his Private Blend Collection. In 2007 he released his first 12 Private Blends and among them was one called Oud Wood. As the man responsible for most colognoisseur's exposure to oud I was expecting a scent that would rival the Montales in intensity. Instead I got, perhaps, the most easily wearable oud-based scent out there. Oud Wood begins with a light woodiness of rosewood and paired with it is the softness of cardamom. This is a beautifully light beginning as the choice to go with a lighter wood like rosewood which also contains some sweet facets to it makes an excellent lead-in to the heart which is where the oud comes out. The oud appears and it has more intensity than M7 but somehow it is less "loud" than M7 or the Montale ouds. This is probably due to a healthy dose of sandalwood, which is also present. The sandalwood becomes an almost equal partner to the oud and particularly the interplay of the sweeter aspects of both woods intersect amazingly on my skin. The base is a mix of vetiver and vanilla. The vanilla again enhances the sweeter qualities of the woods but the vetiver brings out the medicinal edge of the oud and makes the base have a little more of an edge than the scent has had previously in its development. Oud Wood is a long-lasting scent with modest sillage. It is that modest sillage that I think makes Oud Wood a much more versatile oud-based scent than many of the others out there. I own Oud Wood for precisely that reason because there are some days I want a full-on oud experience without feeling like my cologne is preceding me into the room by five minutes. Oud Wood feels like M7 after its left the club and is getting ready for work in the morning.

What does this translate to then? Wood Wood? Woody Wood?
Woody Woodpecker? It's a big deep wood though and smells pretty good. Reminds me a lot of the CDG woods though, -- Palisander, Sequoia (but a bit richer) and they are half the price, so won't be investing.

PS. The whole range has been upped in price by 10%. Good on you, Tom

Oud Wood is really nothing special. What’s really interesting, though, is how both the concept and name are quite cunning – after all, oud is essentially... well, wood. Therefore, while the name gives the impression of a possible oud-fest, the reality is simply a woody fragrance with traces of oud present. Hmmm...

If you're after a decent oud fragrance (as opposed to a genuine oud oil) investigate the Montale aoud line instead – it's much better value for money too.

[Original submission date: 06 August 2008]

A friend of mine (a guy) is obsessed with it, and I must say, it suits him. Not to mention that the scent announces his arrival like 3 minutes before he enters the room, but it is a very heavy, woodsy, dark, and even maybe sexy (he is a guy, and a friend, I don't think I'll ever find him sexy even if he wears Gucci Eau de Parfum). It doesn't transform at all though, it is quite one note. But a good note at that.

TF promotes this scent as an unisex scent though it is quite masculine. And I enjoy women experimenting with mens scents since I do experiment with the women's juices quite frequently. It is not like a girl is going grow a penis by using a men's cologne, right?

Well, in terms of Oud Wood, you actually might.

Tom Ford tries hard to be the new olfactory god of this generation of perfumers and he has released this 'scent library' for everyone who is rich enough to buy. No gender specific. But from the first spray of this 'perfume', there is absolutely no doubt that THIS IS A MENS FRAGRANCE. There is nothing soft, feminine, or even slightly so, sparkling about it. It is quite masculine in every sense. I don't wanna offend any woman who is using this, but let's be realistic: If Samsara, or Shalimar are not men's fragrances, then this cannot be a woman's scent. I know girls who use m7, or even Chanel Pour Monsieur, even those are less gender specific than this.

It is a good cologne, but ladies, beware... It might be a bit too much for you even if you adore it from the first sniff - better test this for the boyfriend if you love the smell so much.

I'll take the oud exprts word for it that Oud Wood may not be the purest sxression of that material, and it's probably not a dumb guess that its relatve oudlessness is exactly why I find it orders of magnitude less obnoxious than Black Aoud, the least obnoxious oud frag I'd tried befor recieving my sample of Oud Wood. For those who know M7 was produced under Ford's direction, I guess Oud Wood can't help but conjure up a neural connection, but while M7 celebrates Oud at its most medicinal and rubbery, Oud Wood elevates its resinous and smokey aspects, acomplished perhaps by the addition of a healthy shot of rosewood. Sure, it's linear but that's the Private Blend Collection deal, isn't it? You read the label and figure that's literally what you're going to get. If less Oud winds up being more in this frag,so be it. It's a full bottle buy for me

Well, After reading the reviews, I was interested, I'm working on my own Oud fragrance, and wanted to know what Ford did with it.

So, I have to say that it was a wholly unremarkable fragrance, and had about 15 minutes at best of the faintest oud odor.
What a big waste of time and energy... Just worthless...

And after the oud was gone, well, what's left is not worth anyone's time...

Sorry Tom, a big miss...

(Can I give it five thumbs down?)