Sahara Noir Tom Ford 2013

My disdain of Tom Ford is well documented ... this is a house owned by the Lauder group and as such, I don't really see these fragrances as being in any way 'special' or even worth the money that they are sold at. This is simply big business trading off a niche concept ... which is how 'niche' became mainstream.

There is nothing wrong with this fragrance per sé ... except that this concept has been done to death by pretty much every fragrance house out there ... and lately ad nauseum by the Lauder group. Oud has had its moment in the spotlight ... it's time to move on!!
Sahara Noir is just another floral, amber-centric and 'incensy' fragrance, which imho has been done much better by the likes of Montale, Nejma and by Killian. In fact, Sahara Noir bears a remarkable resemblance to Amber Oud made by Calice Becker for byKillian ... who has also worked for Lauder and Ford. The mind boggles at thoughts of formulae being altered infinitesimally to create yet another 'new' and 'exciting' launch. Perhaps my nose is just not sophisticated enough to smell the differences. There is LOTS of Labdanum here, which makes this fragrance smell more like high Mass on a Sunday morning than hot wind driving over the desolate expanses of the Saharan wastes. Perhaps the main tent of a wealthy bedouin smells like this when the incense braziers are lit for the night.

At the end of the day, Sahara Noir is overpriced for what it is ... a chemical Amber/ Floral/Oud that reminds of too many others. Don't even stop here ... just move on by!

Oriental? In every sense. Floral? Hardly. The Egyptian jasmine carries more life than the Moroccan rose, but initially present to contribute balance. For the first few seconds Sahara Noir is calm, like the eye of a storm. Then there is a whirlwind of notes wafting aggressively. Through smoke and sand, sweet cedar and oud emerge. How appropriate for the classic Tom Ford flacon to be made gold, as it represents the remarkable royal resins used in eastern luxury. Like most of Tom Ford's fragrances, Sahara Noir is acquired taste.

Can I begin by saying that I've just got this today and I'm in love with it. I'm generally an amber and incense fan so it came as no surprise that it was love at first sniff.

I used to have this lovely little fragrance called Gucci Pour Homme, Sahara Noir reminds me of this so much that it is uncanny. The difference being that Sahara Noir is more unrelenting in it's insistence to be noticed, Gucci Pour Homme was a bit more layered.

For what it is Sahara Noir is extraordinarily hyped and overpriced. I still bought it and like it though.

Tom Ford's Sahara Noir is a scent in my cupboard I've long been ignoring and I couldn't tell you why. It's intensely evocative in an incredibly specific way, so first my nerd review and then a translation for those who don't have a tolerance for silliness.

Sahara Noir is the blazing binary sunset seen from the still, dry heat of sand dune on the desert planet Tatooine; a midnight canyon campfire crackling with the spicy resin of the Japor tree, the aromatic blossoms of the molo shrub, and acrid ribbons of poonten grass incense while the ground rumbles with the snores and snuffles of a slumbering bantha herd nearby.

Which is to say this is the driest frankincense, lemony woodsy pinon sawdust, a circle of fragrant burning woods, and brittle, smoky papyrus ash.

Whatever your preferred fandom or even if you stick solely to reality, Sahara Noir is utterly divine.

Who knows what was running in Tom Ford's head while labeling it 'for women ' and Noir de Noir for both 'Women and Men', anyway the fragrance is very good despite the overwhelming top notes of Incense and Ambre making it an 'in your face' type of scent for those not into the similar sort of fragrances.

As I am already in love with woody / Incensy fragrances like GPH and Amouage offerings , I really like it a lot especially the dry down which is tried to be made to serve the purpose of the label with some floral notes but its overall a very masculine rather macho fragrance especially in first one or two hours.

The dry down is calming and soothing rather very well rounded.