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Which mainstream / affordable scent is like Tom Ford's Japon Noir?

post #1 of 19
12/3/08 at 6:34am
Thread Starter 
I recently had the chance to sniff Tom Ford's Japon Noir. I love it. Smells like the wood of a medicine cabinet.

As Tom Ford's Private Blend stuff is waaay too expensive for me as a student, I was wondering which mainstream scents are like Japon Noir. I don't need a carbon copy, but some recommendations which scents I would probably appreciate in the mainstream category that really smells similar to Japon Noir would be appreciated. (think of Cool Water vs. Green Irish Tweed etc.)



Some woody oriental gourmand.... :wave:
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post #2 of 19
12/3/08 at 8:22am
it's not at all like Japon Noir but L'Eau Bleue D'Issey pour Homme shares at least the same wood+medicinal vibe you might like.
Another one that might have a boozy-woody vibe I got from Japon Noir can be Idole de Lubin but again also this one is another completely different beast.
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post #3 of 19
12/3/08 at 8:58am
I thought Cruel Intentions in the By Killian line ( I almost typed "Buy" Killian, ha ha) had a similar vibe, although the ingredients do not necessarily match up item for item. But here again, we are in the same price strata.
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post #4 of 19
12/3/08 at 9:28am
There are a ton of woody, oriental gourmands out there for men. But...

From what I remember JN is very smoky. I thought it smelled like liquid smoke (that restaurants add to BBQ smoke or meat, to give it a smoky taste) and since you didn't mention this Stereotomy, I wasn't sure if you liked the smoke or not (or perhaps you don't 'get' smoke from JN?)?
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post #5 of 19
12/3/08 at 9:58am
Thread Starter 
Thanks for the suggestions so far!

Smoke is one of those notes that I can't detect very well from a strip, but I generally like smokey, tobacco notes. Actually, it was the only thing I liked from Tobacco Vanille. And I don't smoke. Or maybe that's why I like it.

So yeah, anything smokey woody oriental gourmand that pops into your mind?
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post #6 of 19
12/3/08 at 10:26am
I found the sweetness of JN very similar to Anvers. I think they share some similarities IMO. Not a whole lot cheaper either, but you might find a cheap used bottle on ebay.
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post #7 of 19
12/3/08 at 11:11am
Lalique Equus isn't a gourmand, but it does fit your description of "wood of a medicine cabinet."
Available for little money, too.
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post #8 of 19
12/3/08 at 11:13am
I thought this dude wanted MAINSTREAM> Since when are Anvers or Killian MAINSTREAM??? LoL.

Try:
Hermes Bel Ami
Chanel Antaeus
Joseph Abboud

I'm thinking dark woody sour resinous.

- Ali
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post #9 of 19
12/3/08 at 11:15am
Thread Starter 
Well, Floris as niche is still affordable, I suppose I meant affordable rather than mainstream.
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post #10 of 19
12/3/08 at 11:29am
But he thanked us nonetheless, mannerly guy that he appears to be.
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post #11 of 19
12/3/08 at 11:47am
Thread Starter 
I'm Asian.
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post #12 of 19
12/3/08 at 12:40pm
Have you smelled Cannabis Santal by Fresh?
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post #13 of 19
12/3/08 at 1:05pm
Thread Starter 
Not yet! Goes on the list!

It's rather hard and expensive to come by in Europe, though.
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post #14 of 19
12/3/08 at 1:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stereotomy View Post

Not yet! Goes on the list!

It's rather hard and expensive to come by in Europe, though.

Oh, sorry forgot that Fresh is not all over Europe. How about a more classic woody, sweet oriental? Like Egoiste by Chanel or Heritage by Guerlain?
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post #15 of 19
12/3/08 at 1:15pm
Thread Starter 
I'll have to resniff Egoiste! It was one of the first scents I sniffed when starting this [s]obsession[/s] hobby, and since then my tastes have matured. Back then, I found it a vanilla bomb.

Heritage I found it a bit too much of a powerhouse. But still, I thought it was very nice. Have to resniff as well, tomorrow.
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post #16 of 19
12/3/08 at 1:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stereotomy View Post

I'll have to resniff Egoiste! It was one of the first scents I sniffed when starting this [s]obsession[/s] hobby, and since then my tastes have matured. Back then, I found it a vanilla bomb.

Heritage I found it a bit too much of a powerhouse. But still, I thought it was very nice. Have to resniff as well, tomorrow.

Apply both of these lightly. Less is more, with these ones.
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post #17 of 19
12/3/08 at 2:18pm
I like Japon Noir almost enough to buy it. I passed on a bottle it after testing Martine Micallef Gaiac. It vaguely reminds me of Japon Noir in its use of wood and spice. I bought Gaiac instead because it smells like spiced, honeyed wood on me. Gaiac is sweeter than Japon Noir and wears very close to the skin. In Europe, you can order samples from Aus Liebe zum Duft.
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post #18 of 19
2/6/09 at 4:22pm
Thread Starter 
I just wanted to revisit this thread of mine.

Finally I obtained a TPC decant of Japon Noir (and Tobacco Vanille for that matter) and I'm absolutely smitten by it. It is everything the tester strip was, and then some. To me, this is the best oriental I've sampled to date. It's smokey, woody, sweet and spicey, I love everything about it, except for the price.

As for the suggestions made in this thread: I made an effort to obtain samples from the suggestions, and these are my findings:

- I feel indeed Chanel's Egoiste is remarkebly close to Japon Noir, the closest I have found, though less dense and not smokey. Trying to track down Egoiste Concentree, although for that money I might just as well buy Japon Noir itself.

- Chanel Antaeus I liked very much as well, but can't see much similarity to Japon Noir except for the woodyness. But nice to have visited this classic as well!

- Héritage is another nice find, but it's a tad too musky to have the same vibe and not smokey at all

Lalique Equus and Idole de Lubin are on their way, so I'll report back when I try them on.
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post #19 of 19
2/6/09 at 5:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stereotomy View Post

- I feel indeed Chanel's Egoiste is remarkebly close to Japon Noir, the closest I have found, though less dense and not smokey...

Really. It's been a while since I smelled JN, but it's use of smoke was so heavy handed I can't imagine comparing the two. Nonetheless, I love Egoiste.

Try, as sloan_8013 suggested, the Micallef Gaiac. I think that'll be closer to the smoky oriental category you seek. Or just save your pennies, and go for the JN!
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