Velvet Orchid (2014)
by Tom Ford

I'm currently wearing Velvet Orchid on my left wrist and Black Orchid on my right, sniffing and getting drunk on smells, and it's been five hours of this madness already.

I won't talk about notes as it's hard for me to distinguish them, the fragrance is full of them, but they are so tightly woven they all seem as one (though not so tightly as Black Orchid's boggy smell). I get the sickeningly sweet flowers drenched in honey and vanilla somewhere in a bog where the witches live. In the first two hours or so Velvet Orchid was a much more agreeable witch than its sinister necromancer sister Black Orchid, but as time went by, Black Orchid's smell grew milder and quieter, and Velvet Orchid went only louder and sweeter, screaming MORE HONEY, MORE FLOWERS, MORE BOG WATER, MORE ROTTING FRUIT, DRENCH EVERYTHING IN THIS DAMP SENSUAL SWEETNESS DARLINGS AND COME DANCE UNDER MY SPELL. After five hours the witch's voice is starting to get milder and softer, maybe she's finally getting a bit drunk on her brew of honey, rum and rotting flowers, and she seems like the one who gets more agreeable, softer and more kindhearted when drunk.

Do I like this concoction? Can't say I do, can't say I don't, it's probably too strong and too overstated for me, but it's definitely a nightmarishly dreamy experience worth remembering. I'll absolutely try this one again some day, but that day won't come soon.

This has been my best experience with a Tom Ford fragrance. (I've given away decants of Oud Wood and Tuscan Leather).

Initially, I felt like this was on par with something like the Versace Bright Crystal line, but the development was better than I expected, and it became a sexy balance of sweet, creamy, and slightly floral - completely agreeable, somewhere in the ballpark of Coco Mademoiselle, which I also like, but even softer and rounder; lightly sweet. (I would give Coco Mademoiselle the advantage for having a more interesting opening).

On me, this is a more floral, powdery version of Tom Ford Black Orchid. I sometimes like to layer the two, a swipe of my Black Orchid rollerball with a spritz of Velvet on top gives me the unique punch of Black Orchid with the soft, floral prettiness of Velvet. Whereas I find Black Orchid sizzling, striking and sexy, perfect for a night out, I find Velvet Orchid soft and comforting, the kind of scent I like to snuggle into during the day.

A lighter, more bitter, less sweet version of black orchid. It’s also more floral. Very good nonetheless, but smelling both together, one on each wrist, my heart falls for black orchid.

Very similar to Black Orchid. A little boozier on top. I like the suede note. It gives it a little more edge, than BO. This is a little more toned down, than Black Orchid. Very creamy after a few hours. Overall it is a rich, floriental. I wouldn't refuse it, if someone gave me a free bottle.