Reviews of Oud Wood (2007)
by Tom Ford

I am a guy who has recently started to spice up my fragrance wardrobe with feminine/androgynous scents. In fact, my first purchase was Black Orchid (even though Saks says that it's unisex, I mean, come on!!! It is so not). I also enjoy using fragrances like Must de Cartier Pour Homme, Narciso Rodgriuez for him, and Prada Amber Pour Homme, which are mens fragrances described by many as quite girlie. Yet I like them and I think some men can pull it off. I also enjoy women experimenting with mens scents as well. It is not like you are gonna grow a penis, right?

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

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.

So what is my complaint?

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 mascuiline 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. PERIOD. I know girls who use m7, or even Chanel Pour Monsieur, even those are less gender specific than this.

I am just very annoyed by the marketing technique that Tom Ford follows. This is a men's scent. At the same time, I cannot imagine any guy wearing Purple Patchouli thinking that it is unisex. If you are ballsy enough, be my quest, like I said I love my Black Orchid, yet don't be fooled to think that Oud Wood or Purple Patchouli can be classified as unisex scents. That being said, Oud Wood is one of the more successful scents that the TOM FORD PRIVATE BLEND collection has to offer. By a mile.

This is a fairly weak take on oud but pleasant enough. I certainly wouldn't pay the price they're asking for this. I would visit Arabian Oud on Oxford Street, London and buy the real thing instead.