Do you secretly hope to hate new-release perfumes whenever you try them for the first time so you’re not tempted to buy them? Or is that just me? I haven’t had to worry about Tom Ford’s releases being up to the mark for some time. Their flood of fragrances featuring ever more juvenile names and escalating price tags always coming up short in quality. Well, the laws of probability dictate they would eventually release something half decent, and finally, it’s happened with Black Lacquer. And it’s more than half decent; it’s one of the best compositions the brand has delivered in years. Indeed, on the back of one release, it’s too early to proclaim that the brand is back, but at least they’ve given us something to break up the string of mediocrity.
Like the best Tom Ford perfumes, Black Lacquer will be divisive. From the off, its rubbery, smoky, and inky qualities will alienate the brand’s contemporary customers. Instead, older Tom Ford devotees may admire its abrasive coarseness, a hallmark of earlier Ford staples such as Tuscan Leather, Oud Wood, and Tobacco Oud. While sampling Black Lacquer, I thought of Bvlgari Black and John Varvatos’ Dark Rebel Rider and their slightly off-kilter unconventionality. However, it most closely resembles Comme des Garçons Black and Akro’s Ink and their smoky, inky arrangements. Like the Akro, Black Lacquer becomes aromatic, woody, and resinous as it progresses. Elemi and olibanum provide the smoke, spice, and resins, but they feel stripped of their usual lemony sharpness in Black Lacquer.
The perfume suits the name with its dark and tarry details, and the combination of notes conjures up images of glossy, varnished wood. But, perhaps due to the influence of some of the accompanying notes, such as peony, apricot, pepper, and rum, it doesn’t feel completely black. These notes ensure the fragrance doesn’t become too inky, dark, and unwearable. Something dusty and leathery beneath the inky aromatics adds to the intrigue of Black Lacquer. And compared to recent Tom Ford Private Blends, the sweetness smells subdued. Pricing on Tom Ford Private Blends is out of control. Therefore, I’m never tempted to buy a bottle from this house. But I did buy a decant, and I enjoyed wearing Black Lacquer on some of the cooler late August and September days and nights.
Have you sampled Black Lacquer yet? Did you enjoy it or despise it? I wonder who the perfumer behind the fragrance might be. It wouldn’t surprise me if it’s Rodrigo Flores-Roux. He composed Ébène Fumé, and there are some definite links with Black Lacquer.
Note: I purchased a decant of Black Lacquer after sampling the perfume in-store. All images are my own, except the Black Lacquer image, which comes courtesy of Tom Ford.
Here are some other images that make me think of Black Lacquer.
Yes! I always hope not to enjoy new releases! And this one is definitely a NO for me. Hated it !
Haha! You’re like me in that regard, Tetê. And it’s just as I thought, this one is a love or a hate, perhaps without any middle ground.
Thanks for the review Daniel, nice to hear that TF are bringing something different to market, I’m looking forward to trying!
Thanks for reading and commenting, Marcus. Let me know what you make of it.
Mmm… I love the way you see it and describe this new TF, dear Daniel. Will definitely look out for this one.
Thanks, Rich. Yes, well worth a try. I’m curious to see what you’ll make of it.
I’m kind of the same way with secretly hoping not to like a new release, unless I already wanted to like it for some reason. Now I’m interested in this one as well.
Seems we can all relate. It’s worth a try, Nose Prose. I’m interested to see your thoughts on it.
You said the magic words, Daniel, Comme des Garçons Black. One of my all-time favorite perfumes. Now I’ll have to do my due diligence to get a sample of Black Lacquer.
Ah nice, Flaconneur. Let’s see what you think of Black Lacquer.
Tom Ford Private Collection have always made me give them side eye other than the early florals & the Japanese trio. Why was Plum Jap d/ced?
I don’t even try them when I find them in the wild.
This doesn’t read like my thing so I’ll likely avoid it. Easily done out in the rural sticks of Yorkshire
Yes, Plum Japonais seemed to be a community favourite, so hard to fathom the discontinuation. But, Tom Ford does get rid of quite a few of their better offerings. Is it due to ingredient restriction, cost cutting, poor sales, who knows. We can only speculate.