Should I Say Goodbye to Tom Ford?

I'll go out on a limb here because I know a lot of guys really like Tom Ford fragrances. Over the past year, I tested 7 of them. They were all just so-so for me. No wow factor that would push me to buy a bottle. These are:

Grey Vetiver Eau de Toilette

Grey Vetiver Eau de Parfum

Beau de Jour Eau de Parfum

Ombré Leather (2018) Eau de Parfum

Ombré Leather Parfum

Eau d'Ombré Leather

Oud Minérale

They weren't bad fragrances, just meh or, like I said, no wow. The most unique to me was Oud Minerale. Maybe I'll end up buying a bottle, but I'm not in a rush. The funny part is I also tested two dupes of discontinued Tom Ford fragrances which I really like. I'll be buying the first and already have the second. I've only smelled the dupes, not the Tom Ford OGs, so don't really know how close they are. They are:

Italian Forest which is a dupe of discontinued Italian Cypress

DUA Brand Tobac Aoud Attar (not in the database here) which is a dupe of discontinued Tobacco Oud Intense

So, as the thread subject says, should I say goodbye to Tom Ford? Looking on the Tom Ford website, there are 52 currently available fragrances, minus the 7 I tried, leaves 45. In general, I like strongly masculine fragrances, not big on florals, usually prefer not sweet although I do have some sweeter scents.

What say you? Any recommendations to try or should I say goodbye?

I have tried a dozen Tom Ford frags. I was SURE I'd love Beau de Jour Eau de Parfum. I was sure I'd find something redeemable about every single one of them. I didn't like any of them. I will say that I DID buy 100ml of Fucking Fabulous Eau de Parfum for $135 (yes it's real) and while I like it I don't love it and I'm questioning wether I overpaid. The kid I bought it from paid $600. Absolute highway robbery.

Tom Ford strikes me as austere and mostly boring and, to my nose, his frags are only interesting in the sense that he uses notes that are kinda gross but since they're expensive people see it as "good" and "creative".

None of this to be a criticism of anyone who likes his frags but they aren't for me. And don't get me started on Black Orchid (2023) Eau de Toilette (this is mostly for the less mainstream frags)

Anyway. Just one person's opinion but not very good smells to me, especially for the money.

Tom Ford Fragrances are decent and some are pretty good. However, if you are looking for a pure wow factor I would look elsewhere. There are so many designer and niche houses that produce quality to outstanding juice for great prices. It’s just not worth it to invest in a Tom Ford unless you really want a Tom Ford. 

For Transparency, I own several Tom Ford fragrances and tested a variety of others at the beginning of my fragrance journey. I like all of them. However, I found more unique and better smelling scents for much less. 

Yes, you should.

I don’t really like them either, but there are still some I’d really like to try:

Ébène Fumé Eau de Parfum

Noir Extreme Eau de Parfum

Vanilla Sex

My experience with the Tom Ford fragrances though, is like.. I really love the initial 1 or two hours and then it gets just horrible. I had that with Ombré Leather (2018) Eau de Parfum and Beau de Jour Eau de Parfum so I hope the ones I mentioned are better.

Yes and I own few Tom Ford fragrances.

I started my perfume journey with Tom such as Tobacco Vanille, Ombre Leather, Jasmin Rouge, Costa Azzurra, and Neroli Portofino. However, the truth is that for these price tags, there are far better options available from true niche fragrance houses.

I voted no. The reason for this is because I still enjoy the fragrances below:

Tobacco Vanille Eau de Parfum still one of my favorite tobaccos, still one of my favorite vanillas. Bought mine in 2020 so it's still beast AF

Noir Extreme Eau de Parfum every woman I've been with since I've owned it LOVES it! This is a top 5 "panty dropper" of all time

Fougère d'Argent is my favorite fougere.

all others, you can find better more quality alternatives.

Grey Vetiver Eau de Parfum can be replaced with Vetiver Sensuel

Oud Wood Eau de Parfum can be replaced with Carved Oud Extrait de Parfum

Vanilla Sex can be replaced with anything else vanilla

Neroli Portofino Eau de Parfum is a good event profile imho but the performance is trash. Figured Neroli Portofino Parfum would improve that but not at all.

Fucking Fabulous Eau de Parfum is not that Fabulous. Not horrible but not Fabulous either.

Oud Minérale was actually a huge surprise for me and I do enjoy the different take on an aquatic fragrance.

Ébène Fumé Eau de Parfum..... nothing bad to say. Actually a pretty good smoky, dry amber.

Plum Japonais if you can find a bottle, cherish it forever!

any of the cherry fragrances....I just don't want to smell like all cherry.

Tobacco Oud is actually quite good.... never tried the Tobacco Oud Intense

I'd say before you give up, to try Ébène Fumé Eau de Parfum, Noir Extreme Parfum, Fougère d'Argent, and Costa Azzurra Parfum. Ebene Fume is my favorite, a super smoky woody/resinous creation. Lots of their recent releases are very similar to Ebene Fume, like Black Lacquer, Myrrhe Mystère, and Bois Pacifique, so if you try Ebene, you've sort of tried all of those too. Noir Extreme Parfum is a very sweet cardamom/tonka/woody. Fougere d'Argent is one of the best barbershop fougeres on the market, with a slightly mineral character that makes it a lot more modern-smelling than Beau de Jour Eau de Parfum in my opinion. Costa Azzurra is a really nice summery fresh aromatic. If you don't like those 4, along with the 7 you've already tried, I'd say you've tried everything good Tom Ford has to offer that is not discontinued. I don't like going down discontinued rabbit holes personally so I don't encourage anyone else to. Lots of people still like Tobacco Vanille Eau de Parfum but I think there are much better tobacco/vanilla fragrances around now like Vanille Havane Eau de Parfum so it's not worth it anymore imo. Tuscan Leather Eau de Parfum is very similar to Ombré Leather (2018) Eau de Parfum and Godolphin so nothing you're really missing there.

A few to possibly try:

Ebene Fume is sexy, deep, and dark. I’d wear it if it didn’t give me a headache.

Tobacco Vanille If you want to smell like a really nice Christmas candle. I wore it to holiday parties.

Lost Cherry if you want to smell like…a cherry.

Oud Wood is a really well balanced “Western-style” Oud, but Carved Oud by Thameen is nicer and lasts longer.

Well of the couple I have tried the only bottle I have bought is Beau de Jour.  To me it is a wonderful scent for a day at the office, especially in spring.  Other than that I have not tried anything that I would want to spend the money on.  So much out there to smell and enjoy I do not concern my self with Tom Ford that much.

I have, and completely love Tuscan Leather Eau de Parfum but you may not think it to be challenging enough?? It’s just a good AF leather scent that I can wear anywhere

I want to try Bois Pacifique

Personally, I really love Tom Ford. I think the issue you're having might be about your preferred genre of fragrances..? Because all the stuff I love from Tom Ford are either tropical-fresh (Soleil Blanc Eau de Parfum, Neroli Portofino Eau de Parfum) or floral-gourmand (Café Rose (2023), Velvet Orchid Lumière, Lost Cherry Eau de Parfum) so I don't know if they have anything exceptionally good for your personal preference non-sweet super masculine. 🤔