Tobacco Vanille
Tom Ford (2007)

Opening thoughts: vanilla, high quality pipe tobacco, honey, gingerbread, mulled wine spices, some clove, but not enough to smell like clove cigarettes, dried fruit.

Drydown: loads of great vanilla, some clove, something dusty, probably cinnamon, cocoa.

Based on my personal experience, it feels like a much sweeter, less woody, more luxury version of Burberry London (for men), but more grown up. Get a small bottle for special occasions and for autumn and winter wearing. It is warm and cozy and sweet.

I would not recommend this to wear to any kind of professional environment or anything like that, it's way too sweet and festive for that.

Opening a big blast of tobacco - not smoke from lit tobacco, but the tobacco before it’s been lit, sweet and smooth. Also noticed some spicy notes. As it got to the heart, the tobacco mostly blended into the background, and I started to notice some cocoa and vanilla - smooth and creamy. As it got to the base, it all blended together beautifully with the dried fruits, reminds me of Christmas - cocoa, vanilla, the dried fruits, it’s like all the Christmas sweets and treat scents in a beautifully blended fragrance. The tobacco notes give the fragrance a strong and bold presence, while the vanilla adds a touch of sweetness and warmth. The cocoa, spice and dried fruits add depth and richness to the scent, making it perfect for the winter season. Great for winter, not as versatile as Oud Wood due to it being sweeter and very much (to me) reminding me of Christmas. I think I’ll always want to have this be my scent of the day on Christmas.

An instant love. I expected the rich tobacco and creamy vanilla, I did not expect the biting spices (clove?) I'm one of those folks who loves a rich vanilla, so I don't mind that the dry down releases the spices and goes straight into the vanilla, but I do especially admire the beginning of this fragrance where you get it all. This one's considered a classic and a masterpiece for a reason, but it will also cost you a pretty penny.

A nice spiced tobacco opening that I really enjoyed, with vanilla emerging as a supporting player. But later in the dry-down, the vanilla just overtakes everything, and diminishes into a super sweet layer of powder on my skin. This stage just smells like a cheap candle an killed the fragrance for me.

The opening of this fragrance can be a bit strong, and some may find certain notes slightly off-putting. While it's not overly animalic or unpleasant, some people may detect a "hay" note. The initial impression is average, but the drydown is quite pleasant. The vanilla note is dense and rich, rather than light and airy like Guerlain's SDV or Eau Duelle. Although the price is a bit steep, it may be justified by the fragrance's exceptional longevity and projection.

This fragrance has went through a reformulation so the tobacco note is less pronounced now. It smells watered down, which is a shame. Al Haramain Amber Oud Tobacco Edition smells just like the original.

As with so many TF fragrances, TV has been on my buy list for so long based on my memory of testing it on my skin many years ago. I finally got the opportunity to purchase it.. Clearly it has been reformulated and sadly a much more synthetic shadow of it's former self.