After Lost Cherry has practically taken the perfume world by storm and inspired what feels like a thousand dupe clones, I was incredibly excited about Cherry Smoke by Tom Ford. The name alone promises a lot: less sticky sweetness, more edge, more darkness and mystique. And to be honest? That’s exactly what you get here - at least for the most part. The scent journey: from fruit to fire.
The opening is fantastic and grabbed me right away. While Lost Cherry initially throws a nearly marzipan-like, liqueur-like Amarena sweetness in your face, Cherry Smoke starts off much more mature. The cherry is definitely present, but it is dark, juicy, and is immediately flanked by a spicy saffron note. This takes away the fruit's innocence from the very first second. In the heart, things get exciting. The promised "Smoke" is neither the scratchy campfire smoke nor the strict incense for my nose. It is rather an elegant, fine smoky note - think of an exclusive lounge with heavy leather chairs or slightly charred, expensive wood. The osmanthus brings in a fascinating, slightly floral apricot-leather nuance that harmonizes incredibly well with the dark cherry. In the drydown, after about two to three hours, the fruitiness unfortunately retreats quite a bit into the background. What remains is an elegant, soft, and slightly smoky wood base with a subtle leather accord. Very noble, very smooth, but also quite quiet. Longevity and sillage are the downside.
Here we need to talk about the typical Tom Ford elephant in the room. For this proud price (we are talking about the Private Blend line here), I would have expected significantly more "oomph".
The sillage is great and noticeable in the first hour, but then it quickly pulls back to a skin-close level. The longevity on my skin is about 5 to a maximum of 6 hours. On clothing (especially on the collar of a leather jacket), it lasts significantly longer. However, this is definitely not a "beast mode" scent. It is more of an intimate companion. Conclusion and wearing occasions: For me, "Cherry Smoke" is an absolute autumn and winter scent or the perfect companion for an evening date. I see it paired with an all-black outfit, a leather jacket, or an elegant coat. It is absolutely unisex, although the leather and woody-smoky notes may give it a slightly more masculine vibe than its predecessor for many. Cherry Smoke is mysterious, wicked, and wonderfully unconventional. If you like the cherry DNA but found Lost Cherry always too sweet, too gourmand, or too tame, you should definitely give this a sniff. However, due to the rather average performance and the extremely high price, I strongly recommend testing it extensively on your own skin beforehand. Definitely not a blind buy candidate!
