Oud Wood

Tom Ford Oud Wood, released in 2007 as part of the Private Blend line and marketed unisex, helped bring oud into the mainstream Western market with a smooth, creamy take on the wood - cardamom and rosewood open things up, before a refined oud-sandalwood heart settles into a warm vanilla-tonka-amber base. Clean Shaven's version reaches for that same warm, woody-spicy territory and the cardamom-oud pairing is recognisable early on. Where it falls short is in texture: the real Oud Wood is prized for how smooth and creamy its oud accord is compared with sharper, more medicinal ouds, and this dupe's version is simpler and a little rougher round the edges, without the same sandalwood-vanilla polish underneath. It also loses steam faster - where the original can hold on skin for five to seven hours, expect closer to three here. Still, for anyone curious about the Oud Wood style without committing to Tom Ford pricing, it is a reasonable way to test whether creamy oud fragrances suit you, best worn on cooler days or evenings when its warmth will not feel out of place.