London

The City of London is a maze, both in space and time. During the Victorian era, the streets were always smelly, dirty, smoky and dark. Charles Dickens and Arthur Conan Doyle objectively described for us a gloomy London shrouded in dense, rainy fog, and where people's daily lives were really tough. Its dark alleys were buried with horror stories and social tensions between its extremes of poverty and wealth. Characters like Mister Hyde, Jack the Reaper, Sweeney Todd, Fagin, Bill Sikes and Professor Moriarty can all be found in a bottle of London by Tom Ford. To recall modern Carnaby's Street, Picadilly Circus or stroll through the labyrinth of London Tube, it's more fitting to spray yourselves with Tom Ford Noir. I imagine the smell of Dickens' London resulted from blending the XIX century accelerated development of conventional polluting industry, hand in hand with overcrowded slums laden with prostitutes, pick pocketers, dangerous Inns, stinky taverns and abandoned rubbish. The black bottle of London looks like any other Tom Ford Private Line bottle. His perfumer - Yann Vasnier - has made several other fragrances for Tom Ford, so I'm guessing he was competent to extract the olfactory vibes required by Tom Ford for this scent. Other perfume houses have also tried to uncover a trail of perfume with these characteristics. I find the same kind of feelings aroused by fragrances like Dior's Leather Oud and Lutens' Muscs Koublaï Khän. They are not similar perfumes, but somehow, I relate them in my mind as provoking the same sensations. For me, the most remarkable facet of London is the huge amount and variety of spices. We find cumin, saffron, cardamom, black pepper, coriander seeds, coffee beans... Without a doubt, this elixir is very well seasoned. Of these spices, the most intense note is that of the cumin seeds that we feel at the opening. A portion of saffron has been added to it to enhance pungent, warm and earthy nuances. This chord contains an aroma that reminds me of leather and human sweat. It is sour and bitter at the same time and provokes a sense of intimacy. It ends up being suitable to emulate animalistic notes. At the heart of the evolution, this wave of spices is amplified by intense, smoky, amber and balsamic resins, and they prove to be present until the end of the dry down. This dark whirlwind is emphasised in the base, with leathery notes of smoked birch and animalistic musk, along with an intoxicating dominant note of agarwood, thankfully without a faecal profile. Strangely enough, I was hooked on this fragrance. I can only wear it at will in my own private space. In fact, no one likes it in my house, not even my dogs. But in the early hours of the morning, if I decide to watch movies like "Oliver Twist", "A Christmas Carol" or "Sherlock Holmes", a spray or two of Tom Ford London will certainly put me in the right mood. My opinion: Besides its singular gloominess this perfume behaves quite normally in what concerns performance, despite its dense, dark and heavy ingredients. If like me, you like a singular near gothic scent, even if just to please your nose, you may well enjoy this perfume as much as I do. Otherwise, don't jump into blind purchasing experiences. This perfume is far from being consensual and it will not reward you with compliments from those around you. As with most of the Tom Ford Private Line perfume offerings, try to sample it or test it on a Tom Ford counter. In my case, London has been loved at the first sniff in the perfume alley at Macy's. Music: Black Sabbath - "Changes"

My #1 Private Blend of 10 that I know... Classic, yet modern. After using this for a while now, I can say this has a strong barnyard and medecinal Oud, with a very strong floral presence, mostly the Jasmine. These contrasting notes are in perfect balance. The smooth signature Tom Ford "woodsy notes" are allmost as strong as the Oud. So this could have been called Oud Wood Intense, Not the synthetic bomb they now call Oud Wood Intense. Update: I want to say more about the anamalic funk that reviewers are mentioning. Some think it's castoreum, as I did; But now I think it's an anamalic Oud, along with an indolic Jasmine. This anamalic vib, makes a beautiful creamy and plush fragrance accord with the pepper, cumin, and Jasmine; Joined by the rich and dark oud and woodsey base notes. I think there is a great coffee note that's hard to pick out as it's in an accord with the other spices. It fits perfectly, and adds brightness along with the pepper. (I have "Cafe Tuberosa" so I know the coffee note. It's in here, in a great way.) I wear frags mostly for myself, but I felt good about wearing London at a restaurant today. This could be a signature frag for Winter, when going out, and making a statement about your good taste. I enjoy this for myself also, on cold days outdoors... This is a great Private Blend for those who like peppery/ spicy fragrances. The pepper and cumin are well blended with the safron, cardomom, and coriander, that produce a smooth spicy effect; very unique to the Private Blends. It's a dark fragrance, but not heavy. The nice alcohol volatility stays in the opening, for 20 minutes which is a really nice, fresh and moist opening, when many of the notes are in full force, and beautifully balanced. So the opening 30 minutes are the best. The mid is still good, but many notes loose their clarity. There is still a long drydown as a skin scent that lingers 10-12 hours. There is a real barnyard Oud here, not like "Oud Wood". It's well blended with the other deep Tom Ford signature "woodsy notes", all beautifully balanced with zesty spices. I think of my taste as a purist. I like "natural" woody frags like Diptyque Tam Dao, etc. But if I wanted to have a bit of anamalic sexiness, but be very discreet about it, and still be very classy; this is it. This is a cool sophisticated fragrance: "London" yea-man. Bond... James Bond here! The spiciness is great, and is unique to Private Blends, as it is a peppery masculine spiciness. The anamalic, which I don't care for usually, is peppery here, and masculine. I immediately new I needed this, because I could tell right away this is close to a masterpiece. The accords and blending are so tight. Everything is balanced and goes so we'll with each other, no note is obtusely dominant. One of the most masculine and wearable Private Blend. Have you ever imagined a perfect fragrance, but sadly you didn't have it. London is like a perfect fragrance that I could only imagine before. Complex, beautiful contrasting accords. Pepper and an indolic Jasmine, just wow! Rating: 10/10 God bless. John 3:16

Here we have Tom Ford in his darkest suit. This perfume is evil, gloomy, dry, and dirty. They got the name right but omitted mentioning the period. This is not your 20th-century London. Oh no, this is London in Dickens' time or around the Industrial Revolution. The dark, foggy, rainy, and smelly London, low standards for hygiene, and treacherous pebblestone alleys. This is what Tom Ford's London evokes to me. A small and dank London apartment, old books, and a leather jacket imbued with the smell of tobacco, dry woods, incense, spices, and musks. There is something almost poetic about it in its vividness. I can only applaud him for having the guts to put out something like this. It's an anti-Tom Ford perfume. If you are a fan of the house's more popular offerings, I can see how you might find this repulsive. If I were to smell it blindly, I would have mistaken it for a dark Amouage, a Prin, Areej, Slumberhouse, Fusciuni, or other indie-artisanal spins on the Spicy-Oriental genre. It mostly reminds me of Sixes & Sevens, Al Oudh, and Varanasi, but with that Tom Ford sleek and posh touch that reeks of sophistication. The four major accords to my nose are cumin, incense, dry woods, and musks. Secondary ones would be jasmine, leather, cardamom, saffron, and coffee, in that order. The first four are the dominant notes in this fragrance, and that's what you'll get for the most part. The secondary facets are there, but mainly help to round the edges and blend everything in. Hence, in the opening, the cardamom and the coffee help to pamper the huge cumin blast that might be difficult to take otherwise. The saffron introduces the leather accord further sustained by the castoreum and the birch, while the jasmine gives off a beautiful creaminess and slight indolic and exotic effect. I pick up the jasmine, especially in the heat, subtle yet there. There's almost no sweetness to the composition, and the overall effect is dry, spicy, and smoky, hinting at unwashed, sweaty human skin. Yes, most likely, it sounds off-putting to the average perfumista and Tom Ford consumers, and that is fine. There was a time when Tom believed his Private Blend line should target the most adventurous of consumers, and London is a bold statement to that, with capital letters - dark masterwork from the brand. For me, it ranks as the number one spot next to Oud Wood Intense and Tobacco Oud Intense, depending on my mood. IG:@memory.of.scents

Imagine they burned a batch of Oud Wood, the perfumer lost it and smoked a pack with the mixing pot as an ashtray and then pissed some in it, then you have London. I love it. London -when compared to other famous animalic beasts- feels purposefully dirty (not to challenge, but to embrace sexuality) and perfectly balanced. London is a great animalic musc, a realistic cafe cigarette, a full-bodied leather, an astonishing spicy woody-smoky and and one of the most complex, complete and harmonious perfumes I have ever smellled. There are so many possible ways for approaching to describe London, it starts with a dirty sexy spicy (cumin+coffee) animalic leather (birch, labdanum, saffron, musc) and then slowly transforms into the most carnal animalic musc made by a 1001 facets dancing on the dirty muscy texture of castoreum. To me it's probably the single sexiest perfume in my collection. To whom do I recommend this? Lovers of cumin, animalic musc, realistic tobacco and dirty leathers, woody smokies, this here is a must try and a rare recommendation to blindbuy. If you like Hard Leather, Montecristo, MKK, Kingdom McQ, War and Peace or Lui, rejoice, you've found a new love, from the same family but unique enough to be simultaneously comparable with them all. If you want another fruity sweety with hints of saffron+quinoline like Tuscan Leather, no this one's a big bad leather cowboy with close to no sweetness. I think the accords are very self explanatory, take them seriously if you're wishing for the usual sticky sweet private blend. What do I think of when smelling this? Dirty hot messy sweaty sex with cool ppl during art school parties and my experience as an ex-barista smelling cigarette butts in the burnt coffee ashtray. I imagine someone/animal unshaven, effortlessly attractive, dirty, topless, intelligent-but sex driven, wearing/smelling like this. I don't agree with Songe or LO comparison; don't blindbuy expecting sth as airy or as rough respectively. London is a relatively shy perfume, it sits in my personal bubble and lasts 3~6 hours with 4 spritzs there, before getting too close to my skin. Smooth, dirty, naughty and masterfully blended. Big love. 🤎

At first, I was surprised at the in-my-face boldness: dirty and peppery, but somewhat softened by the captivating and comforting aroma of freshly-ground arabica beans. Totally elegant and warm. After 15-20 minutes, the real fun started as the woody and spicy complexities began to be revealed. I felt as if I was walking slowly through a dark ancient, incensed, king's throne room being fanned lightly by small bouquets of flowers as I passed through. I own a whole bunch of amazing TF private blends, but this one stands above the rest. While all PBs invoke vivid memories and often sensual events and special occasions, London took me to a new and alluring place, one that I felt very comfortable and welcomed in. You need to wear this a few times to understand and truly feel the vibe. Thus, to me, London is a very appropriate name, as I have felt precisely this way about the city itself. Indeed, London has many mysterious and enchanting neighborhoods for you to explore. Like most folks, I like to get the best longevity from my top shelf scents. So while I do need to reapply London after 4 hours, I am very happy to do so, and carry a small roll-on for this purpose. Thus, I am able to re-experience the wonderful top notes and the gradual de-cloaking of the intriguing and deep middles. The base notes as stated by TF seem to appear in the middle on my skin, which explains the deep complexities I experience while traveling through that extended range. The musky base notes are not as exciting, but for me that's an irrelevant issue as I typically reapply before I spend much time in that neighborhood. I cannot stop wearing this, as it's addicting, and I have been enjoying revisiting those new inviting places. While I was apprehensive when I first applied it in London, because it IS an unexpectedly unique TFPB, I'm very glad I brought this one back across the pond.

I've smelled most, if not all, of Tom Fords PB perfumes and with a few exceptions (Tuscan leather I'm looking at you) I enjoy them all. They are high quality and generally set you apart from the crowd. This, and Oud Wood and Patchouli Absolu are the standouts for me. I bought this on an airplane flying back from holiday and got it for a decent price. The reason why I don't own several of these PB perfumes is cause I would need another job to pay for them, but this I picked up for 190 euro less 30%...I had to pull the trigger. Now I've never been to London....I have no idea what it smells like. If it smells like this, I think I would have to consider moving there. Maybe this smells of Arabian royalty LIVING in London, but that's it. Here is what it reminds me of Stepping out onto the porch of a freshly hewn log cabin with a cup of steaming Indian pulled tea in your woolen fist. The sky is low and dark and starting to spit a few snow flakes. It is late afternoon in wintertime and the low wattage lights on both sides of your entryway are producing a rich but dim light. The winter wind is streaming past having picked up the dry smell of the leaves from the sleeping forest around you and the redolent smell of woodsmoke from your chimney is dancing with it....close. ...its a fabulous, dark, yet somehow lonely fragrance that matches my skin and personality to a T. Spicy and exotic as well as woodsy and familiar...almost nostalgic. Scent 10/10....for me it's something so personal. It's like it was made for me Projection 7/10....not bad, but not excellent. But something of this caliber you want to keep close anyway Fortitude 9/10....lasts and lasts and evolves to devolves to evolves again...

Don't let the name fool you - it's more Victorian London and Jack The Ripper than Swinging Sixties - more damp alleyways, etc. The notes just help build up a picture - dense, stimulating, claustrophobic. Possibly sexy but in a sweaty way. I don't think it's supposed to be reminiscent of any particular place in London. (London doesn't grow oud or have any notable spice markets.) The spices, woods, coffee and incense all conjure up the mustiness of London - the stuffiness and heavy air. This mixed with the faecal, creamy wood kind of oud, a little damp rot, and some indolic jasmine make it a wonderfully stinky, spicey, warm fragrance. You could also think of an old private members' club, but one which sidesteps the tobacco/whisky combo as in TF Tobacco Oud. In a similar ballpark to Dior's Leather Oud but not quite as challenging. Fragrances like this make it worth spending several years and several thousand pounds cultivating a fragrance habit, just so you can arrive exactly here. It's such a rewarding fragrance...but it will take time if you’re only wearing aquatics. TF London does have a sweetness to it, and it's quite delicious and moreish once you get used to the stench. It's also very smooth to wear...but I’m just not sure when I would wear it, mainly because it really does reek. It’s not my wife's favourite fragrance in the slightest, nor is it business friendly, and it doesn’t really say fun weekend out with the kids either.

The only other Tom Ford scent that comes close to this is Noir Anthricite. You have to buckle yourself in when you spray this. It is a crazy ride. I will start with the dry down which I think is amazing. It is warm, cozy and an overall beautiful scent. The dry down reminds me of a cold, snowy Winter night. You are inside, wrapped in a warm blanket. You listen to Jazz while sipping a hot Apple Toddy by the fireplace. The opening is also very nice but heady and strong. There is a lot coming at you right now. Incense, spices, wood, a very strong industrial vibe. There is nothing to hold on to for comfort. The coffee is there in the background somewhere but not really noticeable. You become very confused as to what you are smelling. It is blended so well that it becomes one big smell. The mid is where I have my biggest issues. If there was something to calm it down, maybe the coffee note rising up or a dark Chocolate in the background. Maybe even a jammy rose. Any of those scents coming through would probably put this in my top 3 of TF scents. I think a YouTube review explained the mid perfectly. The reviewer described it as an old dusty church. You definitely smell that. It is old and musty and damp with the dusty spiderwebs and incense playing in the background. Overall, it is like nothing else I have ever smelled. I would say this sits somewhere in my top 10 of TF scents. I would most likely purchase this again.

My most sought after Tom Ford Private Blend — London. London is an absolutely amazing fragrance! It is dark, woody, spicy, and raw. Upon the first sprays, you are greeted with woods, spices, and mystery. London pays homeage to the Middle Eastern culture of London, and I have to say I am in love with it! If I had to think of fragrances that London reminds me of (all Tom Fords), I'd have to say Tobacco Oud, Oud Wood Intense, and Extreme for Men; all rolled into one magnificent scent. Based on some reviews, I was expecting this to smell sweaty/BO like but I do not get any of that at all. Or, if there really is, maybe I like it. I have not done a true longevity test (usually on my neck) I've sprayed on my inner forearm, and it is very soft in projection. This is a scent you could easily go nose blind to. That's my one gripe with this fragrance. My bottle that I have is a batch from 5 years ago, so maybe it needs to rest a bit to evolve and macerate. London is for the Tom Ford connoisseur. You'd have to really love and appreciate Tom Ford scents to like this one I think. This is definitely a bold scent that is unique and will please anyone who likes Tom Ford's darker scents. I'm going to give this an 8/10 for now. I will update my review once I get the chance to properly wear this. I'm very glad I have London added to my collection!

I will preface this by saying my batch code is A78, which dates my bottle to June 2018, about the time that the scent was discontinued. I’ve owned it since July 2022. I’ll update this review if the longevity gets any better due to maceration. It’s the only private blend I’ve bought a backup bottle of. I will probably never wear the second bottle as I never want to be without this gorgeous juice. I need to get this off my chest... It’s a beautiful fragrance that I’ve always loved. I think of it as a niche take on YSL’s Kouros. Animalic, leathery, musky, with a touch of coffee and a metric fuckton of cumin. It’s a stunner. Just try it, I’m not gonna say any more. Longevity: 4-6 hours Projection: Very strong for about an hour, then becomes a skin scent for the remainder of its longevity. Overall score: 9.5/10. I would give it a full 10 if the longevity was better. It’s a good scent but it needs more staying power for me. In its defence, my skin is absolutely horrific when it comes to fragrances. I can’t find anything that lasts longer than 6-7 hours, even Tobacco Vanille! I can see why this scent was discontinued as it’s very polarising. I love it but others aren’t so keen. My Mum hates it but my sister loves it! If the Private Blend collection is meant to be for fragrance enthusiasts, why are all the daring scents discontinued?

Tom Ford London,.... Hmmm, where to begin; Tom Ford Private Blend London could be considered as the "next of kin" to Tom Ford's Oud Wood. Its not as sweet as Oud Wood, and has more animalistic notes than oud wood, yet it is flatter than Oud Wood. However, the mystery remains for those who have not smelled this gem; Is it worth purchasing? Tom Ford London is a fragrance which is tolerable after the first 30mins of application. However I strongly suggest wearing this fragrance around the house at least 4times before going in public. Reason, because of the animalistic note for the first 30mins. Yes, this fragrance has coffee along with a slight subtle sweet note in the background accompanied with a heavy balsamic and spice presence; But I cannot say there's much oud in it such as Oud Wood or Tobacco Oud. Is it worth purchasing? Tom Ford Private Blend London is the ultimate scent. A fragrance which has its own fougere which is defined as "Mystery". For those that have useless money for a $215 50mL bottle; then by all means. It does have good lasting power, and so-so silage but nothing to brag about. It works good with other Tom Ford Private Blend scents as far as blending goes.... Overall 7.5 out of 10. Its an okay scent, but I'd be reluctant to buy another bottle once I finish with what I have.

Wow. Where do I even start with this one.... Top Notes Madagascan black pepper (very faint), Saffron (this is very present in the opening), Cardamom (this is very present in the opening), Coriander seed (also very present), Cumin (not so much standing out but it's detectable), Coffee (Heavy Hitter) Heart Notes Egyptian geranium (after about 45 minutes), Jasmine (comes into play a little more quickly), Frankincense (I have to assume this is where the smoky/tobacco essence is derived from which is very present), Cistus (Rock Rose or Labdanum gives this a slightly rose-like essence wafting in the background) Base notes Oud (Loud and CLEAR!), Musk (Noticeable and gives a very clean smell to the dry down), Birch (very nice touch to the base), Cedar (Goes well witht the coffee notes in the top), Balsam torchwood (West Indian Sandalwood - this does not stand out to me...) All in all this is a fantastic ol factory adventure. This starts in a place of dark smoky, animalic territory and slowly becomes a sweet, resinous and warm scent that lingers for hours. Well worth the wait to purchase, i truly enjoy this but will only be used for more formal settings as this is simply too much for a day to day wear.This is heavy, deep and sophisticated. Heady and well received - another winner from Tom Ford!

I have about 12 Tom Ford Private Blend, and tried several others. London is quite unique from all of them. They mostly try to be somewhat sensual or mass appealing. London is a serious, mature spicy oriental. It does remind me of when I rode the train from Grand Central train station, NYC. Where you boarded the train there was a musty smell, like old BO. It's the cummin and coriander. It also has some Turkish coffee smell, with the coffee and cardomom accord. It is highly wearable never the less. It has a good ashen incense note, a decent synthetic oud I believe. It has some serious spice, cummin, black pepper, coriander, with a nice touch of cardomom. The Jasmine softens it up, and gives it a creamy classy touch. It also has a nice leather. A very well blended fragrance. I would say London and Italian Cypress are the 2 best Tom Fords. As far as price: It is unique for Tom Ford, but there are other great orientals, or better, for $300+ dollers. I would recommend Bortnikoff Mysterious Oud for $350/ 50 ml. You get genuine oud, and better notes and performance. For a collector who wants this great Tom Ford, I think $350 is not overpriced. But I would not pay more. In the fragrantica "pros" on this page for London, they are spot on!

When I originally tried this TF exclusive it was in passing so to speak and I really didn’t pay it all that much attention but upon revisiting I have to say that I really like it, especially the muted, sweeter tones of the drydown. I say that because London opens with a swathe of animalic musk, leathery castoreum like vibe, which morphs into a mixture of realistic and synthesised woody notes and warm resins. It’s clearly an Oud accord with a spicy undertone of fresh sweat from cumin. Don’t get me wrong there’s nothing floral about this woody/incense perfume but the way the muskiness is sort of hints to classic perfumery and a kind of floral musk. The way it comes together in the drydown is not massively impressive but has absolutely hooked and constantly sniffing myself and what more could you ask for really? Perhaps a little more performance? It’s by no means a shrinking violet and lasted okay, but not super well. London is a winner in my book though, masculine, interesting, modern yet classic, eventually cosy and full to the brim with stuff I like, incense/wood/spices/. I would add it to my collection over other private blends, simply because it’s one of the more unknown ones.

I believe London is the best, maybe masterpiece fragrance of all the TF Private Blends. I have gotten into some Roja Dove and Bortikoff fragrances. They have some of the very best genuine Oud fragrances. London is in that league. London may use a very good synthetic oud, with a sweet labdanum, and the signature TF woody notes in the base. It has great spices, cardamom, lots of cummin, and safron floral spiciness. The cumin note gives it a dirty skank, which may be the piquant note, that makes it a standout niche frag. Yet it is balanced with a creamy jasmine. The coffee note note is a good one, and goes well with the spices. London has ventured into darring territory. They have added some jasmine, and light gourmand notes of chocolate and coffee. This is why it reminds me of some luxury brands like Roja Dove or Bortnikoff. London is not Oud dominant, but neither are the best oud fragrances, from the luxury brands I mentioned. This is like a niche version of the mass appealing Tom Ford Oud Wood. But I would say London is the best Tom Ford Oud fragrance. Rating: 9.5/10 God bless. John 3:16

A masterpiece, a treasure, a passion This perfume is pure art to me, very addictive I keep on sniffing it ALL THE FUCKING TIME! I even wake up the morning just to sniff it. It makes me feel happy when I sense it on my clothes, it makes me forget my anxieties, it's heart -warming and sexy... This perfume is beyond perfection to me! Some might not like it at all but those whose type is, will fall in eternal love with it, and no wonder it's discontinued, this isn't for everybody, because not everybody is an artist, so I say this is a treasure for the artists and poets, SALUTE TO TOM FORD for making this! The only thing that makes me sad is the longevity... It even depresses me how fast this wonder fades away... Why do all good things come to an end... It is mature, like VERY mature. Its sophisticated, its traveling, VERY masculine, the type of old times manly men but not in an abusive way, no, in a VERY passionate seductive sexy way, if only Tom Ford makes an intense version of it that lasts for long and projects more, the only thing I'm asking for in life...

I'm really new to scents, but the pandemic which brought me working alone onsite to appreciating the value of scents that I can wear and smell every time as some sort of companion. London is something I bought with no idea how it would smell like—and I'm still surprised how differently my mind makes up reviews and scent profiles based on notes and get surprised by how differently the actual scents are on the skin, on clothes, and straight from the bottle—and I liked it, surprisingly. I'm wearing it now, but I think I might've oversprayed because it's not as gentle on the nose; although, surprisingly, too, it's one scent that didn't give me asthma the first time I tried. So it works best when sprayed lightly on clothes and on the skin so it would give you what for me as a strange bouquet scent of various dried flowers. I'm not really sure how to describe its masculine and yet also feminine highly oriental fragrance of strong flowers and spices, even incense and smoke. I love it when I smell it on my collar.

So: blind smelling on day one, without looking up the notes, what I smelled was vetiver and sandalwood. Really, really good sandalwood, like you could find so easily when I was a kid-hell, when I was a teenager, you could buy sandalwood oil in funky little hippie-dippy shops that puts what some fine perfumes are using now completely to shame. On day two I looked at the notes here on Fragrantica and was surprised to see that neither vetiver nor sandalwood are listed as being in London. Nope. Not a trace. So I reapplied, sparingly, and sniffed very carefully. So, OK, I get the oudh and the cumin; I get the incense. Give it a little time and I get the birch and the cedar. But if it weren't for armaniboy's review, I would assume that I am experiencing olfactory hallucinations. No kidding: this is an all-day perfume with massive sillage, and it still smells like sandalwood and vetiver, with a tiny peep of civet, to me. It's terrific. Absolutely fabulous.

I really don’t understand a lot of the comparisons in the reviews below. Oud Fleur, smoky? I want to make this as simple as possible. London is a more wearable, accessible version of the skanky twins Dzing! and Muscs Koublai Khan (L’Artisan and Serge Lutens). I couldn’t wear those evil siblings despite all the love many perfumistas had for them and shouldn’t be able to wear this, but I can, barely. The animalistic stronghold has been reduced to a shimmering shadow and replaced with semi-sweet undertones which to me is a good thing. This is still going to be challenging for most and some days when I wear it I feel uncomfortable in the presence of others who are either into mainstream scents or none at all. There is an undeniable sweaty, sex filled, escapade delivered when I take this scent in. If you and your significant other are both into niche scents, I say go for it. It would be perfect to wear before doing your thing.

Discontinued, but should still be discovered by the connoisseur. If you are chasing unique, somewhat challenging scents that will intrigue you and render compliments, then this would be a great choice. London by TF is now discontinued because it simply didn't sell. When you smell it, you will see it less challenging but more unbecoming of Tom Ford scents. This smells very similar to NanBan and NanBan is loved and respected a lot more because it is welcomed by the niche community. The smell is designed to remind one of London late at night. It is an aromatic potpourri of spices smoked over oud chips that have been sweetened to create and almost caramel accord. The fragrance gets warmer as Coffee and flowers ascent towards the woody amber heart of this fragrance. Its excellent, and can be layered very nicely. If you find it, certainly sample but be weary of markup prices. 4.25/5

Wow, this is a Sweeney Todd take on London. It’s dark and devious. The Oud is so indulgent and perfectly paired with aromatic and biting spices. I actually love this more than the other private blend offerings. This exudes non-Chalance, power and masculinity. He isn’t a gentleman though, he is a brute. Alfie Solomans from Peaky Blinders. The projection and concentration of perfume oil is very high, excellent quality and a very creative expression. The black pepper is quite prominent and causes a throat clenching initial impression, but it is sweetened slightly with subtle florals, like the scariest guy ever smiles momentarily. Something about this fragrance captures the gloomy, overcast London skies and cutting breeze. It only heightens my love for this beautiful city.

This is one of those perfumes that definitely needs significant time to settle on the skin before you can judge it. The opening is quite animalic, and I do agree that it smells somewhat like piss. I’m being brutally honest here, I love Tom Ford fragrances so I wouldn’t be saying it smelled like piss if it didn’t. That’s how it smells. Once it calms down you get a nice deep, rich, peppery leather, with nuances of booze and cumin. It will take you about 15 to 20 minutes to get there. Leading up to that you will need to fight the urge to scrub it off. To summarize, the opening is horrid, the dry down is good but not exceptional. Understand why it was discontinued.

An absolute pleasure. The bottle is precious, always ready for a sniff but only occasionally applied. The smell of paint brushes in resin derived turpentine in a cluttered old painters studio with heavy wood floors, cumin wafting in from the alleyway on a late Saturday night. Somebody in the comments mentioned it be best worn for 'on the go' on a big city night out, a big diverse city, I concur. If you stumble upon this, even blindly, dumbly like I did, I recommend you nab it, even just a sample. I have found this juice is loved and hated by just the right people.

@jakec42490 Wow! I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought this is similar to Oud Fleur! I'd say it's more like 70% though.. What Oud Fleur did with the rest of the 30% is magnificent, whereas London only utilized 25% of that space, stuffing it with all kinds of spices; although not as glorious as OF, I think London still did a great job keeping up with the family--sophisticated, exotic, and masculine--taking notes from all 3 Ford Ouds p.s. Most fragrances are not $220 [for 50ml] worthy (quite ridiculous actually), but some are $300 [for 100ml] worthy though :)

An addictive scent that reminds me of Tobacco Oud, with an additional more masculine touch, perhaps the result of the cumin, black pepper and coffee combination. There is a distinctive note of expensive cognac that envelops it all, and my nose also seems to recognise something close to juniper, in any case a dark note that gives the entire velvet-like blend a virile wave. It is very gentlemanly and discreet, just like the famous exclusive clubs in Mayfair. Exclusive and elusive, perhaps even a bit excessively elusive... And addictive...

A complex, contemplative, and self-assured stunner by Tom Ford. London epitomizes the seductive (and divisive) darkness the brand built its reputation on. You've never been to London, but smelling this will ignite your imagination for experiences you want to discover there. The florals provide a subtly sweet and uplifting balance against a canvas of savory spices, oud, and smoke; and its projection is subdued enough to be passable in an office setting. This is a fragrance one wears for oneself rather than to please others.

Blind bought this due to someone likening it to Tobacco oud which I find intriguing to say the least. Does not smell like TO, it smells completely different. Deep mildewy woods and spices is all I get with some slight animalic sweetness. Suffice to say this is FILTHY, I feel like a Babylonian whore wearing this. Solid 8.5 out of 10. Drawbacks are the poor performance about 5-6 hours 1 hr projection? Worth it for the experience and evocations of the scent, In my humble opinion

Probably my favorite Tom Ford perfume. Very spicy with dry woods, I can't say that I get much leather or anything else in here. It reminds me of another favorite of mine in this genre and that is L'Artisan's Al Oudh, sans the date sweetness. I don't find it similar to Lether Oud, at least not to the original formulation, because that one has a prominent beeswax accord that provides a significant amount of sweetness. This perfume is mature, mysterious, and truly captivating.

I love the dirty but refreshing smell of the London underground, one of the only places in London where you can still smell something real and urban. All the past smells of the city have evaporated over the years as the cleanliness and gentrification took over. This perfume is exactly that: The smell of entering the underground, rushing to the platform, reminiscent of sweet 90's and early 2000's memories of a seedy city. Too expensive, but a true treasure.

One hell of a fragrance (scent wise). This smells so good. Starts off like tobacco oud but then ventures off to London. This is what I call "Cumin done the right way". The cumin, incense and oud are the main players in this one. The incense and oud are to the front, while the cumin is right behind. Lovely scent but poor performance. Longevity is terrible (I get 2-4 hrs tops) and sillage is moderate. Extremely disappointing for such a beautiful scent.

The first 30 minutes of this is simply glorious. Spicy, sweet, peppery, smoky, and slightly floral notes compete, and with each breath a different one stands out. Becomes a skin scent after only 3-4 hours but it's still very pleasurable. The ratings say oud is involved, but I really don't detect any or it is masked by the other notes. A little to pricey for me to wear every day, but I could see breaking this out for special occasions. A winner.

I have many Tom Ford Private blends, reviewed at least 15. I think London is the best crafted fragrance. Italian Cypress is my favorite. It's complex Oriental, with sophisticated spiciness. It's not by far the most mass appealing. The cummin is strong and makes it smell dirty, like the London subway. I have 2, 50 ml bottles about 80% full. Will sell one soon on eBay perhaps. Selling now on eBay 1/12/25.

We are living our life for things like this, this is one of the most beautiful fragrances ever made. Showcasing the name in the scent artistically is something impressive. Beautiful and as a Londoner this is described London very well, the smoke, the dirty leather and the sweet, sweaty and spicy body musk makes it as a piece of art. A very luxurious scent and for the beautiful minds only.

the rubber and stale steel the brakes pads screechings of the London Tube late 80's the old trains left this rubber raunchy very singular smell captured here the scent in itself not so much wearable low persistence and low sillage interesting concept and spectacular reproduction of one of the most original smells the smell of the London Underground before privatisation

I tried this on a strip. I get lots of leather here. Maybe it's the way the oud is blended with other ingredients, so it appears like leather to me. Also, no incense, cumin, coffee or coriander. After a few hours, smells almost exactly like Tuscan Leather. If I get the chance, I'll try this on skin and see if it's any more similar to what everyone else is describing.

The name is spot on. This really reminds me of London, the smell of a huge city, of overcrowded streets but with great style and excitement. This actually reminds me a bit of the tube and its many smells. It is part wonderful part dirty especially because of the white flowers. Great urban smell that holds endless stories

For me is the (or one of) quintessential of a refined, classy, rich masculine scent...but not in a provocative way. It doesn't 'scream', it's a sophisticaded scent for connoisseurs, not for nouveau riche. One of the most beautiful scent from Tom Ford's Private Blend line.

Now with Winter comming upon us, I put London back in my top 5. This is so classy and masterfully blended. I have a full review from a year or two. But this is amazing. I remember when I first discovered it. There's just a few fragrances that moved me like this one.

This is Tom Ford's most refined Oud to date, it could even get away with the name "Spice Oud" instead of "London." It's perfect for people who find M7 a little outdated, Oud Wood too "nice" (boring), Tobacco Oud too dirty, and Oud Fleur too flamboyant..

My signature.Really can smell the scent of subway railways and that's a pleasure. Cumin and coffee, oud in the right place and incence ..Longevity beastmode, good sillage.Something in my head scream copper and rust when wearing this..a delight.

Un parfum sensuel arabesque qui me fait rappeler l'arabian night de del pozo, a peu prés les mêmes notes... Il est parfait, dure longtemps est aussi apprécié par les passants ;-)

I had an ex that wore this so I have good memories associated with the scent. It's mysterious, its sexy, it's messy, it's cold but seductive. Smells like a man.

I wear this on cold, dank and drizzly days. It's fantastic, a love. The thought that it's not for everyone is a reassuring one in this world of late.

Here is a Mediterraniean twist: I just realized that London smells a lot like tiny dark Niçoise olives. In my opinion the best fragrance from TF.

smells like the dry down of Rien (but a bit smoother) i like it a lot. don't know why it's soo underrated in the community.:/

I have no idea what this has to do with London, but perhaps that's a better question saved for cosmopolitan Londonites intimately acquainted with the cultural aspects of the world capitol (as well as perfume). What I surmise that Tom Ford is trying to say is that London more than anything else is multi-cultural, having a very rich (but difficult) history with India, leading to several things from Indian culture (tea and food, especially) becoming mainstays of English culture, and a rich (but difficult) history with Arabia in that more and more Arabian peoples are choosing London as home and bringing much of their cultures with them. It's a confident guess on my part because the opening is rich with a bright fruity pepper accord, which gives me an impression of bergamot, and black tea reminiscent of Earl Grey (which at its origin is south Asian) - or is that a bias making me think that? I don't know. As that fades into the air it pulls from the fragrance strong accords of saffron, cumin, and coriander, topped with ample doses of jasmine and geranium, nestled firmly on a bed of labdanum, olibanum, and woods. It's a very intriguing and evocative fragrance; high quality ingredients masterfully executed to tell an interesting story. I don't know how Londonites will feel about it, though. This almost seems like a joke levied against the English capitol as it says, quite unequivocally, the English capitol is not really English. Perhaps that's true, perhaps it's not. Either way, for the perfume enthusiast it is going to make them wish they could be in London, and that strong of a feeling is about the best that you can ask for out of fragrance.

Classic, refined, sophisticated and (at times) can seem a bit dated. But, though it seems it's from a bygone era, London still remains shy of being antiquated and stodgy. It starts off with a spicy bang full of pepper and cumin, and a hint of mellow-ness thru the coffee and oud. From there, the oud takes centre stage, and the oud here in London is, for mine, the most typical and classic oud amongst all of the Tom Ford fragrances; it's the closest to oud essence you get in the Arab world, or the classic bottled "attar" that's so common in the sub-continent. Once the oud takes over, it stays all the way thru till the end, and stays and stays and stays...In between, you get glimpses of incense, saffron, coriander and very lite jasmine/rose, but all of these interplay with the oud without ever taking over. The eventual dry-down is where the coffee come thru again, adding softness and subtlety to the magnificent oud. Silage is nice, and longevity though not as good as other TF's, is still better than expected (about 4 hours with the dry-down). Overall, this is a nice, warm scent, ideal for formal evenings reminiscent of old world opulence, yet comfortable enough for most of us not indulging in such excesses. I just wish it had a bit more cardamom and saffron, or perhaps a touch of something earthy like violet to make it more complex and really unique.

This is a review for LONDON EYE by JUST JACK, a clone of TF London. (This review will be transferred as soon as its page will be created). The early opening will have some citrus, cardamom, pepper and coriander stop-by quickly. Shortly after, it morphs into a stunning spicy combination (mostly cumin and saffron) with an fecal facet. The heart will develop a noticeable incensy labdanum note (even if soft). The base is all about an animalic musk and saffron-y wood, giving a great impression of oud, in the same manner as Guerlain - Bois Mysterieux. Performance is often the weakness of affordable fragrances, and this one is no exception, with a soft projection. That said, its democratic price point will allow for overspraying, and thus to reach a longevity of 3-4 hours max. I have never smelt the original London by Tom Ford, but what I smell seems to be in line with the numerous reviews and the pyramid of the original. Anyways, even if I'm unable to compare it to the original, it has little importance, because it's a great fragrance taken on its own, that will get ****/* (missing the 5th star because of its sadly low performance - but I understood that the original is not a beast either, so...). Highly recommended. Just Jack? No... just wow!

This is a review for LONDON EYE by JUST JACK, a clone of TF London. (This review will be transferred as soon as its page will be created). The early opening will have some citrus, cardamom, pepper and coriander stop-by quickly. Shortly after, it morphs into a stunning spicy combination (mostly cumin and saffron) with an fecal facet. The heart will develop a noticeable incensy labdanum note (even if soft). The base is all about an animalic musk and saffron-y wood, giving a great impression of oud, in the same manner as Guerlain - Bois Mysterieux. Performance is often the weakness of affordable fragrances, and this one is no exception, with a soft projection. That said, its democratic price point will allow for overspraying, and thus to reach a longevity of 3-4 hours max. I have never smelt the original London by Tom Ford, but what I smell seems to be in line with the numerous reviews and the pyramid of the original. Anyways, even if I'm unable to compare it to the original, it has little importance, because it's a great fragrance taken on its own, that will get ****/* (missing the 5th star because of its sadly low performance - but I understood that the original is not a beast either, so...). Highly recommended. Just Jack? No... just wow!

Tom Ford London conjures several descriptions---smoky, animalic, woody---and this provocative mix holds throughout its lifespan. Cedar and musk provide some sweetness in the dry down but London is mostly held together by its top and heart notes of pepper, cumin, coffee, and incense, touching on all of these notes but never being dominated by any note in particular, which is good, as we could all find a fragrance that does this with each of these notes, and as always, it's the mix that makes this fragrance relatively unique. I've seen some reviewers call it feminine, but it strikes me as masculine, at least on my skin, perhaps due to the leathery quality. Also, it's an excellent example of a fragrance that leans toward the cold weather but isn't overpowering enough to restrict its use to the winter, as this probably has 3- or even 4-season wearability. Of course, availability is lacking since this is mainly sold in the UK, but perhaps that adds all the more intrigue to fans from elsewhere. Not necessarily the next bottle I'd buy but one I would strongly consider. 8 out of 10