Vert des Bois

What an interesting scent! So complex and well blended. So unisex and sexy. One that really transcends the male/female dichotomy in a way that makes it almost futuristic. It’s cool, challenging, dangerous, elegant, mysterious and unique. The kind of scent that casually grabs your attention. That makes you curious about a person. I’ve actually received spontaneous compliments from strangers now three times in only two weeks, which certainly has never happened with any other scents thus far (in Sweden communication between strangers is usually kept to a polite bare minimum). I see a lot of people drawing parallels to Oud Wood; like it’s a greener iteration. Although I somewhat understand the point (they share a balsamic quality), I don’t think it’s a relevant comparison. Vert de Bois is certainly its own thing. Stronger, greener, smokier, more challenging, resinous and information-rich than Oud Wood, which is cleaner, gentler and lighter. However, I highly recommend layering Vert des Bois with Oud Wood. They really complement each other perfectly. While Oud Wood brings a soothing balsamic touch, Vert des Bois brings the well needed weight and substance. The sweetness from the plum really seems key in tying the scent together. The jasmine also plays a subtle, yet important role. The first time I sampled the scent I remember immediately thinking it could benefit from some jasmine; not knowing there was actually some in there. I still think it could benefit from some more, not only jasmine but maybe tonka-bean. Or plum? Just something to round the edges off a bit. Oh well. The strange thing with this perfume is that it smells quite different up close than it does from a distance. Up close it ́s somewhat smoky, bitter and almost putrid. But give it some airspace and it evens out into a fresh, balsamic cloud of heavenly bliss. The more obvious notes include anise, which kind of sits semi-heavy on top. Green mastic, which I guess is what gives the scent its woody, piney quality. The poplar buds, with its balsamic sweetness. The patchouli (quite noticeable - gives the scent an “earthy” vibe). The mysterious “woody notes” (might include a smoky cedar?). If I was allowed to scale back on anything though I might have used about 20% less anise. It’s a bit too prominent, up close. It also doesn’t perform very well on my skin. Fairly quickly it devolves into a (previously mentioned) putrid, smoky, bitter, anise-heavy, experience. Seems like all the notes that, in my mind, makes the scent inviting fade away, whereas the more challenging notes remain, disrupting the overall balance. That’s why I only spray this one on my clothes. It just becomes a more pleasant and linear scent that way. Scent: Unisex, dangerous, futuristic, unique and sexy Sillage/projection: Good Longevity: Good Synesthetic musical connection: Quixotic - Dust to Dust Visual projection: Black, with different shades of dark-blue.

Once upon a time Tom Ford decided to release a 12 scent true niche perfume line, which would be expensive, not widely available and not really mainstream and accessible in general. This would become his Private Blend line back in 2007, with 12 perfumes which would be some kind of olfactive exercise. What he did was highly praised, gained acclaim for the uniqueness of those compositions, while they started to gain popularity, hype and high sales. Over the years Private Blend line started to transform into more mainstream and common line of scents (although their price skyrocketed), to reach the point of nowadays where the whole line (with the exception of the 4 surviving scents of the original 2007 line which are still available to this day, watered down but quite the same) feel bland, common, commercial and not artistic at all. The pivotal turning point of this downfall has been the year of 2016, when the Vert line was released. It was the last interesting line from the brand and the last one which tried to stay true to the spirit of the original Private Blend philosophy - the short lived Fougere line of 2019 was also interesting but explored the lavender field with a bit of a predictable way, moreover Tom Ford had already done the fougere masterpiece Rive Gauche for YSL a few years back. After that Tom Ford line fell into the sex-sells-more field with cocky names like F.Fabulous, Bitter Peach, Vanilla Sex and all those sweet fruity compositions which sell like crazy to the untrained noises of the new money buyers, but they offer nothing to the real olfactive connoisseurs. Vert Des Bois is a masterpiece of a scent, true to the original Private Blend spirit, very dark, mysterious, green and so a-la-Tom-Ford. Feels like a slightly brighter rework of the Milan boutique exclusive Italian Cypress - later receiving wider release - which had been already discontinued when Vert Des Bois was released. Olive tree and woods are the main notes of the perfume and apart from a very light jasmine undertone I can hardly smell anything else. Staying power is fantastic - I get 12 hours of longevity with great silage and projection, just like all the retro Private Blends. It is not a really accessible scent, it was not made to sell like crazy. It is really serious, smells so expensive, so bold, so unique. Not sure if there's anything quite close to it out on the market right now. Huge love from me and I feel really happy to own a bottle of this.

I grew up in Sparta, surrounded by endless fields of olive trees. Every late spring the flowers of the olives release an amazing scent, the aroma of the anticipation of the olive fruits, awakening countless dreams related to the liquid gold, as the olive oil production is the main source of income for the agricultural economy of the area. The olive scent is very subtle and most of the time is masked from the smell of the soil, the wet grass and the rainbow of scents released from the wild herbs. I have so many memories from the collection of the olives, a few weeks before Christmas, the aroma of the cut olive wood and the strong smell of the olive leaves crashed in the hands during the olive collection at the end of a tiring day, filled with the fulfilling anticipation of returning back home and having a glass of Ouzo with friends at the local tavern. I have also spent countless years in Chios Island, carefree summers in several of the mastichochoria (the villages where mastic is produced). Napping during mid day under the mastic trees and tasting every now and then a mastic tear, to enhance the flavour of the sweet and peaceful solitude that places like these can promptly offer to ones soul. The precious aromatic resinous substance that most of it unfortunately was destroyed from wild fires this year. Smelling Vert des Bois transported me to these two places. Made me feel and experience mediterranean as an inhabitant rather than a visitor. The smell in this perfume is mature. It encompasses the life and dreams of a whole culture. It encloses scents that someone can experience throughout the year in the Greek fields. It manages to draw all these subtle scents that can get so easily overlooked in real life, with bold colours on a vast canvas. So vast, that it awakens you an irresistible urge to be drawn in the magnificent picture it portrays, becoming part of it. For me it is one of the best releases of the Tom Ford's Private Blend collection. All the ingredients are presented realistically. It is a perfume that has enormous depth, complexity and at the same time it has this innocuous subtlety that requires from you your attention and effort, if you are not familiar with the above scents, in order to fully appreciate it. A masterpiece.

My lone Tom Ford release in the "scent arsenal" as it were, Vert des Bois attracted me immediately due to a poplar buds note in its pyramid. I immediately detected the distinct poplar buds absolute scent profile within seconds from the opening, as it is one of my favorite perfumery materials, and it is seldom used to the degree that Olivier Gillotin employs it in this composition. Poplar buds absolute, extracted from the buds of the Populus nigra, commonly known as the Black Poplar. The material itself has fruity, flowery osmanthus overtones and liqueur-like davana notes and prune and fig undertones. There is also something very pollen-like, resinous, and almost vanillic. It reminds me somewhat of the smell of tree catkins. Here, it harmonizes with the oleaginous, buttery, waxy olive and mastic resin (another favorite material of mine) with its bitter-green herbaceous, olibanum-fuzz texture. A woody, wildflower vibe is in its heart, reminding me of the seasonal transitions, mock orange blossoms, dangly, cryptic tree inflorescences, anisic hawthorn, and bumblebees burrowing into their forest floor hives. A leathery, supple dry down almost reminds me of original Jil Sander Man or Halston Z-14 with a more damp, vegetal leafiness in place of castoreum. In summary, Vert des Bois was such a pleasant surprise and struck me as such an innovative composition that its the only Private Blend release I felt compelled to go full bottle⁠—make of that what you will.

Crushed olives lying on a rustic grinder, beautiful tree aromas from a spring breeze, herbal lavender and that staple "Tom Ford" dark oud accord. When I was young my family and I visited a rustic olive oil company in the country-side. They'd make olive oil and a bunch of artisan products with oils in them and it all smelled incredible. This perfume somehow captures the exact experience. I definitely smell an olive tree. The mastic and patchouli give this crushed wood aroma without being green at all. I also definitely find the same oud note Tom Ford used in Oud Wood. There is *some* soapiness here too that's balanced very well -- It's soapy just enough to cut through the weirder notes but humble enough to let the interesting notes play out in your nose (This soapy accord is *almost* a herbal lavender but not quite. Probably smelling the anise?). Usually when I pick up discontinued perfumes I can see why they were discontinued but for this I really don't understand why! This smells absolutely incredible!! I *can* kind of see why someone will label this is as a grandma perfume (something about the oud with the mastic smells too balsamic & kinda vintage?) but it has something so unique I don't think I'll smell in another perfume ever! It's very dark and sexy while retaining that herbal lavender clean feel. And the olive note is so unique! Anyway. If you can get your hands on a sample, you won't regret it. If you can find a bottle, never let it go.

Vert des Bois to me is a blend of green, woody, gourmand and sweet. Crushed olive leaves, pine-like notes from the mastic, green resinous poplar buds, and herbal patchouli create a radiant and refreshing greenness. The wood isn't dry, dusty or reminiscent of dried planks but of freshly chopped wood still wet and green. The plum, anise (in the form of ouzo), tonka and jasmine are what steer this into new territory instead of just settling on being just another green fragrance. I normally hide from anise and tonka, but this fragrance makes me love them. It's THAT good. In a way it reminds me of a green version of Noir de Noir. It's less sweet, but has the delicious play between gourmand and earthy. It makes me picture a fallen oak arm covered in moss, dripping wet from the cool morning fog, but also has enough warmth in it to evoke images of sunny olive groves. At first I wasn't crazy about this one, but the more I used my sample the more I loved it. Vert des Bois feels so fresh and different. It really shows Tom Ford challenging himself by trying something new and innovative, but also returning to the quality and boldness of his earlier work.

Greece in a bottle! Fougere but in a complete different way! This is an amazing, unique, high quality fragrance. It's a fougere but it has none of the traditional fougere elements. Ouzo, olive tree and mastique are some of the most known Greek products and so rare notes in a fragrance but here they work in a beautiful way! It also has woody nuances, some sweetness and darkness with a known Tom Ford dna on the background. It doesn't remind me of something specific but you can definitely see that this is a Tf fragrance. The performance is great, lasts for over 9 hours with good projection. It's versatile in my opinion but it's better suited with nice clothing. I usually don't categorize fragrances in genders but this is masculine to me, i would appreciate it on a bold woman. It's so unique that it's impossible to ignore but likeable enough to gather compliments. Wow!! This is one of the best Tom Fords, it has top of the top quality, it's inspired and unique fragrance. I also own Vert d'encens wich is equally beautiful. It's a shame that these are discontinued.. If you can still find one, you have to try them! They will not disappoint 🙂

This does indeed go on with the scent of green olives and an ouzo-like wink of anise. It’s green in an unexpected way, and altogether charming. Underneath, there’s a wine-dark floral heart that I feel like I recognize from some of the classic 70’s green chypres like Weil de Weil. I love this shit. It’s cool and fresh, it’s elegant, it’s mildly civet-y. And the floral is very slowly giving way to a truly dank patchouli. A different side of the 70s, so to speak. Honestly I like this stage too, though it’s a little cigarette-y. One of my wrists is really bringing out the purple plum, and plum + patchouli smells vile, but I can forgive that because I love the overall fragrance so much. Most of the far drydown is patchouli-dominated. Delicious, delicious slutty grime. Suitable for slinky jumpsuits and chest-hair-baring V-necks. (Yes, I think it’s “unisex”, unless you’re the kind of man who’s afraid of flowers or the kind of woman who’s afraid of dirt.) I’m impressed that Tom Ford actually decided to resurrect the skanky, hissy 70s scents I love.

Being mostly keen on TF’s wood, leather and spice I would have never thought by note description I’d fall in love with this one. But I had. It’s soooo well blended and unique, unlike anything I’ve tried so far, really stands out in a long line of variations and straight plagiarisms of many other TF fragrances. So thank you, my fellow fragranticans, for all of your poetic reviews below - it made me want to sample this fragrance in the first place rushing to get a full bottle immediately thereafter. Such a shame it’s being discontinued. PS Husband’s (knows-nothing-about-perfume intellectual introvert, favours Terre & Vetiver Tonka by Hermes) verdict: a very pleasing and happy fragrance, leans masculine. (I know what you’re hinting at, Hubby, but there’s no way I’m parting with this.)) UPD: After wearing it for some time I’m loving it even more and made it my signature. Sad, sad, sad it’s been discontinued. Stalking up on back up bottles.

TF VdB smells deep and expensive, as one would expect from the PB line. It's the closest thing I've found to a complex oriental style fragrance that might also be called 'sporty' or 'green.' I definitely perceive the resemblance to its blue-green cousins Costa d'Azzura and Neroli Portofino in the distinctive, somewhat oily blend of leafy, floral, and resinous notes. Performance, however, is disappointing for this line, or for any edp. I get less than 4 hrs of perceptible projection and about two more of skin scent. No one, I think expects performance comparable to Tuscan Leather or Noir de Noir, which can stick strongly for 24 hrs or more, but this is the worst performer of the Private Blend edp's I have tried. I'll still wear it, layered up with Tuscan Leather, Tobacco Oud, or Plum Japonais, knowing that the layers will fade in sequence.

An amazing scent, unique, well-blended scent, which is even more surprising knowing this fragrance was discontinued. The note of olive is the dominant accord and noticable (in a good way, actually the best way possible) but the hidden sweetness (plum?) balance it. It has the Tom Ford signature which cannot be mistaken. Its not a screaming scent, but calm & confident and has its own uniqueness. I would say its almost unisex but still leaning masculine, this is where it shines IMO. It shares the exact genre of "Oud Wood" and therefore can be pulled out at similar occations eventhough they do smell different. If Oud Wood is for ages 25-30 and above, this one is perfect for 35-40+ males, so unforetunately I would not wear it as it feels a bit misplaced. Scent-wise and for the right person - 10/10 Easy.

Vert des Bois is not a green I can compare to any other. I get heavy Anise and Olive - can't quite pick out the Ouzo in the opening.. Jasmine is lightly present half of an hour in and mastic slowly unfolding throughout the composition.. Roasted tonka bean and patchouli are the most forward to me. This is creating a sort of Tonka/Floral, Vanilla and (I know its not listed) roasted pistachio. This is a masterpiece.. No other way to put it. I bought Vert Encens, Vert Des bois and Vert Boheme upfront full bottles. Vert Des Bois and Vert Encens are masterpieces. I give this 10/10 best for cool weather, it is a warm, glowing green. It smells like something familiar - perhaps its a bit of everything combined that makes this feel so cozy and worn. This lasts forever and projects on and on.

Starts of with a blast of green that isn't harsh but well rounded and then a bit of nuttiness which can be weird at first but then it quickly becomes boozy with a bit of spiciness to round it out. Such an interesting fragrance that lasts a solid 10-12 hours on my skin and projects 6-7 feet for the first 4 hours and than retreats to a good 2-3 feet. I work in an environment with rapidly changing temps and this baby held on all day and I can still smell it 12 hours later radiating on my chest. Can't wait to get a full bottle when it releases because this is one of the private blends best. Reminds me a bit of express reserve and Tom For Noir extreme but on steroids.

I became interested in testing this scent after reading an article here on Fragrantica. And Vert de Bois is an instant love: it’s green and exotic, and right up my perfume alley. Anise gives it a boozy vibe. A persistent floral note plays a support role throughout, stronger in the opening and mellowing in the drydown. My second day wearing VdB in freezing temps, and I don’t think it belongs here. So I’ll be testing how this performs on a warm spring day in a couple of months. For now I’m getting an acceptable 2.5-3 hrs of performance. I’d like more time but I rarely am annoyed with an EDP giving me 3 good hours, especially one this unique.

If anyone is looking to offload a bottle/partial bottle, I'd love to swap. I adore this fragrance, and never realized it was discontinued! It's definitely more masculine leaning, but it's one that once I tried it, I couldn't stop smelling my wrists all day. I couldn't decide if I loved it or hated it, but it was addicting. It's very rich and grows on you. It's definitely a "love it or hate hit" kind of fragrance. It's my confidence boosting scent for work. Just a touch and I feel way more important than I should. Unique and powerful, I just love it.

I agree that this is similar to Oud Wood (or at least the older formulation of Oud Wood). A very masculine woody oriental with an excellent drydown. I like the anise and the jasmine at the top and really like the drydown, which to me is a peppery woody base which works well with the light floral notes. I think this works well as a work fragrance and could even work as a signature scent. I personally love it. My favourite of the Tom Ford PB collection and showcases why I think Tom Ford is the best in the business.

9/10- Evolution of Fougere. Best of "Vert" line in TF Private Blend. This scent gives me a bright Mediterranean vibe and I imagine myself wearing this on a vacation under the bright sun on a fairly warm morning. It is almost ethereal and airy at its top and heart. I think the olive tree note is spot on with this scent. Bright sunny woods travel throughout its life with quite a prominent mastic resin. I get minty/fresh incense note which pops out every now and then. Very interesting and tingling scent.

Tom Ford Vert du Bois (2016) - olive tree - Sadly discontinued. This #oliviergillotin creation recreates an Olive Tree, which is a fantasy accord, interpreted by the perfumer. Starts with this balsamic, sharp cut grass, camphor and anise top accord. Definitely this pine-like bitterness. This transitions to this terpenic Mastic with beautiful white flowers at its heart mixed with a woody Patchouli. I also get the signature Tom ford accord of White musks, Coumarin, Amber and woods with its drydown.

Someone told me it was one of his all time favorites and that everybody loves it. I blind bought it and love it. I can see myself always having a bottle in my collection, exept, i believe, it is discontinued. This is quite a sublime scent: fresh, light, smooth, slightly tangy, with depth though. It can be an early morning scent or a night scent as it is so delicate yet strong. The longevity, like with most of the FT Collection Privee, is limited.

This one is great. Warm, comforting, woody and of course very green. The Opening is quite harsh green, after five minutes the olive wood and another wood note take the main stage and perform very good. In terms of sweetness this reminds me a lot to Italian Cypress but it has a better variation of different greens. Very good! Longevity is about 6 hours on my skin, it projects around 3 feet. This is a good all day and even office scent. 9/10