When Tom Ford released the scandalously-monikered ‘Lost Cherry’ it was somewhat of a let-down. Like ”Fucking Fabulous’ before it, the name was more exciting than the fragrance, and while I love and enjoy ‘Fucking Fabulous’, it doesn’t walk into a room and announce its presence with fanfare and electricity. It seduces in a quieter manner. ‘Lost Cherry’ simply lost me, with a rather cloying sugary element that might appeal more to the youth of today than the old curmudgeons like myself who want more oomph than sweetness.
So it was with a dose of skepticism intermingled with hope that I heard about two new cherry frags from the Tom Ford Private Blend collection – ‘Cherry Smoke’ and ‘Electric Cherry’ – whether they will be flankers or stand-upright on their own remains to be seen. Of the two, ‘Cherry Smoke’ sounds the most promising, and I could totally get on board if they’re going for a darker cherry vibe. That said, my nose tends to favor the fruity, as evidenced by the ‘New York Oud’ by Bond No. 9 which entranced me despite my reticence to sweet and fruit-like scents (nothing really Oud about it) so perhaps ‘Electric Cherry’ will be the one that brings me into Ford’s cherry-popping glory.
The new releases come at an opportune moment, right before Valentine’s Day, not unlike his exquisite Rose release last year. That one resulted in one of the more beautiful creations of Private Blend history – ‘Rose de Russie’ – which I enjoy to this very day. Will any of these new cherries strike similar sparks? We shall hopefully see…
