After his summer re-tread of all things Neroli, Tom Ford is back in my good graces with his trio of new Private Blends. While there are actually four fragrances in the new ‘Les Extraits Verts’ line (Vert d’Encens, Vert de Bois, Vert Bohème and Vert de Fleur), only three are currently available stateside. Here is the literature on the new line, followed my first impressions of the three at hand.
Vert d’Encens ~ “Sophisticated, aromatic and wild, Vert d’Encens is a whole new concept for an incense fragrance, inspired by the rugged Mediterranean coastlines of Corsica. Incense, so long the domain of austere, church-y scents or lavish Middle Eastern fantasias, is combined here with intense green notes and resinous tree sap for a bright, bracing and expressively textured burst of naturalistic character.” With pine resin, tree sap accord, fir balsam, incense, heliotrope and boxtree oil.
Vert de Bois ~ “Unique and provocative, Vert des Bois represents a new evolution for green scents- a refreshingly avant-garde combination of woods, aromatics and florals as distinct as it is versatile.” With spiked ouzo accord, poplar buds, olive tree leaves, lentisque resinoid, roasted tonka and patchouli.
Vert Bohème ~ “Fresh, green and entirely free spirited, Vert Bohème sparkles like an emerald on the finger of a dynamic young artist idling away a sunlit afternoon.” With galbanum, mandarin, magnolia, honeysuckle, violet leaf and gustavia superba.
Vert de Fleur ~ “Private Blend Vert de Fleur strikes an alluring note on the definitive theme of 70s glamour. Refined with a modern flourish of iris and hyacinth, Vert de Fleur is Tom Ford’s floral subversion of classic green and captures an exuberant scene where beautiful icons with inimitable personas uncover a new world of pleasure.” Additional notes include galbanum, neroli, bergamot, basil, jasmine, rose, orange blossom, vetiver, patchouli and oakmoss.
As mentioned, the Fleur is not yet available here, and it sounds little too floral for my liking anyway, so on with the three Verts that held the most promise. I’ll begin with my least-liked to most-loved, with samples provided by the lovely Ann at Neiman Marcus (the stingy associates at the Boston Saks Fifth Avenue only allowed me two of the three samples, in spite of all the bottles I’ve purchased there).
- Vert Bohème is quite floral itself, and as such it turned a little too sweetly for my taste. It also had little to no staying power, a sin when attached to such a price point.
- Vert de Bois is reminiscent of the defunct Italian Cypress, with a pervading jolt of patchouli that’s not at all offensive in that sweaty 60’s way. There’s an interesting mid-section in which it dries down to a powerful twin of Thierry Mugler’s popular Angel, before dissipating into something more subtle. The opening is a little too chemical for my taste, but the pine does its best to temper it, and in the end is successful.
- Vert d’Encens is the Tom Ford Private Blend I’ve been waiting for since the luscious Plum Japonais. This incense-like dark prism of gorgeousness smolders with a smoky edge – echoes of the amazing Amber Absolute are in subtle effect – but it is softened with an unlikely violet thread of heliotrope, lending it further jewel tones and sparkle. As an early birthday present, I bought this one for myself. Sometimes something so beautiful demands such self-indulgence.
