Tom Ford Noir Extreme: Paradox in a Cologne?

The perfect fragrance can change how you feel and how others perceive you.

Though Tom Ford has a reputation for all types of luxurious products, the company’s fragrances can add personality to your signature style.

But is Tom Ford Noir Extreme the right option for you? Learn more about this woody, complex fragrance and see whether it’s worth a try. 

Who Makes It?

Tom Ford Noir Extreme comes from the incredibly talented mind of Tom Ford. Ford has a long history in the field of fashion. He worked for the Gucci Group for decades until launching the Tom Ford Brand in 2005. At that time, the brand sold sunglasses and optical frames, which it still does today.

Over the years, the Tom Ford brand has expanded into fashions for men and women and watches. It also creates beauty items, including fragrances, in collaboration with Estee Lauder. The brand has retail stores around the globe.

In 2015, the brand launched Tom Ford Noir Extreme. It came after the original perfume version’s launch and was the second of the Tom Ford men's fragrances, with Noir Eau de Toilette being the first.

Scent Notes

Your introduction to a Tom Ford Noir Extreme sample will have a range of scent profiles jump out at you. Our first impression gave us the following notes:

• Vanilla
• Fresh spice
• Amber
• White floral
• Citrus
• Oriental woody

Our thoughts on it after the initial impression were that it was aromatic, powdery, and sweet. While those impressions may make you think this is a feminine-leaning fragrance, we felt that its complexity made it aggressively masculine overall.

Top notes for the fragrance are nutmeg, cardamom, mandarin orange, neroli, and saffron. The middle notes feature orange blossom, mastic, kulfi, rose, and jasmine. Rounding out the fragrance notes, the base is woody, amber, vanilla, and sandalwood.

The fragrance immediately tantalizes the senses and is intriguing in a rather unconventional way. And when we say unconventional, we mean unlike anything else, even Noir Extreme’s sister fragrance. 

True, the two are closely related and the brand released them within years of each other. Yet GQ explains that the two couldn't be more different from each other when it comes to their overall impact.

Extreme is much lighter and sweeter than the original. It also has leather notes and a warmer presentation that make it stand apart. Adding "extreme" to a fragrance name usually means a harder-hitting scent that is very much like the original, but that isn't the case here. 

Extreme is a whole new experience.

Packaging and Presentation

The packaging and presentation of Tom Ford Noir Extreme stay true to the target. It's very masculine with strong lines and simple printing. The bottle is a deep black with a gold ribbed cap. The box is also very simple and in gold.

You can buy this in 3.4 ounces or a 0.33-ounce travel spray. A Tom Ford Noir Extreme gift set is also available, which includes both size bottles.

Personal Impressions

The initial impressions we got from this fragrance were quite sweet, but it faded to a woodier smell as it settled. It doesn't really project, so it isn't something that anyone would call overwhelming.

The spicy and floral mix you get upon first spraying the fragrance is soft yet rich in its introduction. As it settles, you will start to detect the more subtle notes within the scent. Eventually, it lingers as a light spicy floral scent with hints of vanilla and amber.

Performance

Our Tom Ford Noir Extreme review of the fragrance revealed a subtle, lingering scent that is very warm and compelling. It is not a strong scent and won't cloud up the air after you leave a room. In fact, the very masculine fragrance is quite sophisticated in its presentation. It isn't something you wear to make a strong impression, but it does work rather well as an intimate fragrance choice.

Who Would Like It?

Even though Tom Ford Noir Extreme is a men's fragrance and very masculine in its presentation, some women may find its sweet and floral elements to work well for them. This is especially true since it isn't a strong fragrance.

Overall, though, its true audience is the male wearer. Tom Ford Noir Extreme is classy and sophisticated. It works nicely for professional settings when you can't afford to wear a too bold fragrance or linger too much.

Due to its warmth, this fragrance is an excellent choice for winter or cooler weather. Also, the subtle nature makes it ideal for getting closer to a special someone.

Copies Worth Mentioning

While no one has managed to do an exact copy of Tom Ford Noir, some companies offer smell-alike scents. They intend to give you an impression of the original fragrance.

This often means that they go one of two ways. The company will try very hard to duplicate the scent fully or find the main notes and focus on those.

One copy scent that seeks to give you the same experience as Noir Extreme is from Oil Perfumery. The fragrance, Noir de Noir, seeks to duplicate the woody, floral, and sweet elements of the original. It features vanilla, black truffle, saffron, oud wood, patchouli, rose, and tree moss.

Another smell-alike product comes from Quality Fragrance. Its name is Tom Ford Noir Extreme Impression, and this company wanted to work towards a complete replica of the original. It focuses heavily on getting the sweet nature of the original, and it also hits many of the other notes you'll find in the original Noir Extreme fragrance.

Wrapping Up

We feel, overall, that Tom Ford Noir Extreme is not going to be for everyone. It is a subtle masculine scent with a very sweet side to it.

Those who want something that packs a punch and leaves a trail of scent in their wake will be disappointed, but a man who likes to keep things sophisticated and leave a whisper behind when he leaves a room will likely gravitate towards this fragrance.

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