Oud Wood

This roll-on oil aims squarely at Tom Ford's signature Oud Wood, leaning on a synthetic oud accord layered over sandalwood and vetiver. The oud reads a touch sharper and more resinous up front than the original's smoother, rosewood-softened opening, which is typical of oil concentrates pushing their loudest note forward. Sandalwood and vetiver hold the middle reasonably well, giving it a warm, woody backbone, while the tonka and amber base settles into a soft sweetness that never reaches the original's cardamom-spiced depth. It is a fair budget approximation of the shape of Oud Wood - smoky, woody, unisex - without the layered sophistication that justifies the original's price tag.