Premiere: 2007 Size: 100 ml Gender: Men and Women Notes: Oud, Chinese pepper, pink pepper, cardamom, birch tar, cistus, incense, sandalwood, vetiver, patchouli, cedarwood Atlas, vanilla, tonka bean
It was Tom Ford who pioneered the oud note in contemporary Western perfumery way back in 2002 during his tenure as the artistic director of Yves Saint Laurent, with the groundbreaking M7. In 2007, he was still one of the few to showcase it in his own Private Blends. Today, not only has Oud Wood become one of the brand's classics, but it has spawned the brand-new “Oud Collection”, built around the original's core accord of oud, sandalwood and patchouli. Oud Wood's packaging may have changed, but fear not: you'll find the same powerful blend of cool spices and smoky woods, softened with a hint of vanilla and tonka bean. The daunting, medicinal and overly animalic facets of oud are toned down, translating the precious agarwood into a darkly elegant element of the perfumer's palette rather than a full-on French-Arabian extravaganza. As chic, urbane and sharply-cut as Mr. Ford's James Bond suits in Skyfall. And just as much of a sexy beast as Daniel Craig.
