Reviews of Ombré Leather by Tom Ford

I’ve said it repeatedly and I’ll hold to it forever: Ombre Leather 16 should’ve been the Ombre Leather we got. It is superior to Ombre Leather EdP and Parfum. This takes a lot for me to say because I adore Ombre Leather, though I think I understand why we must go without. It seems, at least olfactorily, 16 was perhaps too close to Tuscan Leather in terms of where it sits on the “leather spectrum”. On one side of the spectrum is the orris-cum-suede powdery and lady’s handbag leather, and on the other is the smell of Satan’s foul and feverish beast. Tuscan Leather and OL 16 lived somewhere in the middle but slightly on the side of Satan’s pet, with 16 going more in that direction with the animalics but holding onto the parched herbs that gave TL its Tuscan feel. Ombre Leather goes even further in the direction OL 16 wandered.

The perfume announces its intention from the get go: this has no intention of being a safe leather; this is for serious leather fans in all of its chemically and animalic glory. It opens just like that first whiff from a can of black leather polish over freshly tanned American leather. It is hot, it is bold, and it wants the chemicals and tanned hides front and center. An incredibly dry jasmine indole sucks all of the moisture from your palate. Once the jasmine departs yet the leather remains, a pale, woody, and slightly sweet cardamom comes in to cool off the leather but make no mistake, OL is not done and its not cleaning up its act as it introduces a properly dank, musty, composted patchouli note like your fresh leathers just got some mud on them. The leather accord still goes on even after the cardamom and most of the patchouli dispense but their dividing lines get a bit muddy as we dry down into an base of animalics, earth, and a bit of moss.

I still miss OL 16, but I do love this perfume. Why couldn’t we have both? I know why, because TF is a business before it’s a fragrance or fashion house and someone in their marketing department said they couldn’t have three, little alone one that sat as close to their juggernaut Tuscan Leather as OL 16 did, even though there were sufficient enough differences to the nose. Though I am glad they took it in the direction on the leather spectrum that they did, and far enough for it to be a challenging leather meant for true leather-heads. It’s excellent.

EDP is great on its own, annd also a perfect layering partner. I do find the Parfum a little smoother to wear than the EDP. I’d definitely try both the EDP and the Parfum and see what your nose thinks. You can’t go wrong with either.

A absolutely sexy stunner of a fragrance that will make you smell like a member of the billionaire boys club. And someone who has just stepped out of his expensive leather upholstered sports car for a night on the town.

As soon as you spray this on you are enveloped with the most plush and luxurious aroma of jasmine and supple plush leather. It's floral, smoky and slightly sweet and gets creamy in the drydown. The fragrance is so lush you may be mistaken for royalty if anyone smelled this on you.lol

Performance for the first two hours is stellar, projection and sillage is strong. After that it stays within arms length but longevity is over eight hours on my skin. Wonderful regal smelling leather scent, big thumbs up from me.

Well.... I have wanted this for a few years now.
Why the hell did I hold back on getting this stunning frag?.


I love everything about this, to my nose this is pure addiction in a bottle!
I wear this my nose and mine alone, I love this aroma, so I wear it for myself. I got a 50ml... maybe I should have got the 100ml???

Well the e.d.p. is awesome and so is the Parfum.... but that is more floral, another love, they are very similar, love both, but this is harsher, darker and heavier.

Parfum is more mass pleasing and love the floral addition in the parfum.
The parfum stays less weighty but continues on...on... and on.

So both are worthy of the full bottle. Awesome stuff.




Overall.... 8.6- 10
Scent ......8.9- 10
Silage......8.5- 10
Longevity 8.1- 10

The year this was released the perfumer who did it made another eleven perfumes; that's one a month, and almost as many as Roudnitska did in his whole life.
So having assembled a black leather accord and a sort of spiky Guy Thing that smells like drain cleaner, it was time to move on to the next project, most of which have been flankers or made for unknown labels of no import, and which don't need more than a cursory lash up before bottling.

So why is this different? Because it's Tom Ford? No, because it costs 250€.
Taking the piss.

Edit: If you like strong leather scents without much else, you may like this. Ironically, it is somewhat hurt by its excellent longevity, because the "leather, leather, leather" drumbeat that is nice at 2 hours gets tiring at 8 hours. I really want to like this more, but I don't see much utility for this unless I layer it with something else; and you shouldn't have to do that with a niche fragrance in the $250 price range. Some people compare wearing this to wearing a leather jacket or sitting on leather seats, but this is much stronger and more animalic that those prosaic images.
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It appears that many women are repelled by the scent (watch the curly fragrance blind smell test where 11 out of 12 women on the street reacted violently to this). This is the kind of fragrance that you wear primarily for yourself.

I give this a neutral because it is a good version of what it is, though what it is is pretty limited.

Really?!? Really....

OK, so pretty much every niche brand and downmarket Middle Eastern perfumery has copied Tom Ford's Tuscan Leather by now, so much so that it's become the definitive, ubiquitous modern leather perfume recipe. So, in what's either a shameless ploy or an example of brilliant post-modernism, Tom has copied everyone who copied him and released his own downscale version of Tuscan Leather.

In terms of differences, Ombré replaces TL's signature cherry topnote with minty greens, and while Ombré has decent longevity, it lacks the nuclear strength and staying power of its father.

I'm giving this a thumbs up (even though I'm a bit ashamed) because this is a well-worn formula which I enjoy, but I'm still confused why this needs to exist.

This leather-forward scent leans fresh and clean. The overall performance could be better for an EDP.

Fragrance In Three Words: new leather wallet

This is in the affordable range of Tom Ford fragrances and delivers on performance lasting a good 7 hours on skin with big projection if oversprayed.

Starts off with a smooth leather similar to the fresh smell you get when you take a new leather wallet out of a box. I get a slightly spicy, slightly herbal aroma, maybe cardamom and although not listed as a note I get pepper. Has a cloying amber haze that lingers, similar to Rouge Avignon.

This is a sexy clubbing scent at its heart. It stands out by using quality expensive aromachemicals from Giurvadan and being more obscure than say Y or Invictus. Value wise at around £120 for 100ml with discounters offering it for around £100 it is good value, but for similar money I would rather buy L'instant De Guerlain or Terre De Hermes.

Scores 7 out of 10.
Source: official carded sample from rep.

The leather greets me from the start. It is quite a balanced leather, partly smooth, partly a bit harsher, with a restrained smoky undertone. A dark-ish patchouli seems to be a main component of this opening phase.

Soon a slight green and woodsy jasmine impression develops, adding a slightly softer element, which is counterbalanced by and equally gentle spic cardamom. The latter combines with an ambery white moss, and all three result in quite a sweet-and-spicy impression and unusual aroma, that lingers for the second half of the development of this olfactory journey.

I get moderate sillage, very good projection, and nine hour of longevity on my skin.

Much less loud than Tuscan leather of the same house,
this autumnal creation is a nice, fairly discreet but rather characterful leather scent. The second half is a bit bland. 3/5

The opening is a combo of caradamom and jasmine - the uplifting sweet spice note of cardamom doing the tango with the sweet florals of jasmine. This inviting unisex intro slowly morphs to a heart of earthy, slightly pungent note of leather which is well tempered by a dash of amber to keep things light, airy and a bit on the sweet/floral side.

Overall, a decent, easy to wear leather fragrance. More of a millenial/genX leather than a rugged 60s marlboro man leather frag.

Brand new shoe or suede leather jacket smell, together with something fresh and tart from the plant kingdom. I do not perceive the raspberry note others have mentioned; it is more green, like crushed raspberry leaf maybe. The two notes do not mesh at all, but switch back and forth and you can tell them apart very easily. Also a very synthetic impression. Oh, and an utterly offensive price tag. Get out of here.

Smells similar to the raspberry opening of Tuscan Leather. But its funny, it only smells similar right off the top. It changes, and becomes a floral leather, then ultimately a dash of ambrox. At times it smells dry and floral like Dia, others its clean smoke patchouli. Its really good, and been an enjoyable wear every time. Lasts about 10 hours. Thumbs up!

Raspberry shoe leather!

Others before me have done a good pull-apart of this fragrance, so I won't get too verbose with this.

It's a linear scent that smells like shoe leather with the cardamom and jasmine giving this a slightly floral and sweet touch to it, akin to the faint odor of raspberries. The best way I could describe this would be for you to go to a Nordstrom/Saks, etc., grab a nice captoe, maybe Allen Edmonds or Ferragamo, from the men's shoe department, walk towards the fragrance department, stand about twenty feet from a fragrance counter where the various perfumes can be smelled in the air, and then bury your face into the shoe and take a big whiff. This smells like the midway point between the men's shoes section and the fragrance counters. That's the best way that I can put Ombre Leather into an experiential description.

That said, I like it. I'm not sure if others would enjoy smelling it on my person, but I just dig it. I love the smell of good shoe leather, and this is a solid representation of it. I'm also not sure what situation I'd be in where I would want to wear this or where it would be appropriate, but I do know that it needs to be autumn/winter to pull this one off.

Thumbs up on this quirky number!

Effectively a flanker of a flanker, Ombré Leather (2018) is not the unabashed home run that the limited edition Ombré Leather 16 was. Ombré Leather 16 cannily rebuilt Tuscan Leather around a sensual, striking, dark floral heart, creating a dynamic contrast between the leather blast for which Tuscan Leather became so celebrated and a more feminine, formal-feeling supporting structure.

The 2018 release is a drier, starker, more direct affair. The central leather accord is mostly preserved and is still appealing, but the lack of complexity is a significant weakness (unless you're using it for layering purposes). Still a fair buy, though, and I find it more pleasant and balanced than the originator of the line, Tuscan Leather.

It's a soft leather (only) with a blue feel. I don't see anything original or innovative enough for it to be interesting or more attractive than any other fragrance. I can appreciate its quality though.

Very refined, elegant and luxurious. Closest description would be more rounded, smoother and a bit creamy Dior Fahrenheit. I just can't make a better description of it.

Exquisitely well done, albeit not really original. One can't hold any grudge because of this lack of originality because the fragrance is so damn good. It is maybe a bit of a taste to acquire and not for beginners.

Originality 5/10
Scent 8/10
Longevity 9/10
Projection 6/10
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70%

A beautiful refined leather frag, elegant, that some sweetness may allow for a woman to wear it.

I agree in saying that it is a more airy/thinner version of Tuscan Leather, with the rasperry being substitued by a jasmine note (that results smelling pretty similar to the rasperry). The drydown gives the impression of a subtle smoky note.

It is less aggressive, less in-your-face than TL, and for sure a more elegant version. It has a more suede leather than dark leather feeling.
That said, there is no compromise in performance, as it project strongly in the first couple of hours, and then stays moderate for another couple of hours.

Pretty linear, but still another win for me together with Tobacco Oud, after a long series of "meh" from the house of Tom Ford.
Worth considering if you can get it under $100 (look around, it starts to show up for that price!)

Mildly cold evenings, 25+

A diluted Tuscan Leather with the raspberry note toned down, and some vague floral notes added. Strangely, I do not find it particularly leather-y, maybe because it feels watered down. The accord is moderately satisfying, but is too meek, and doesn't hold up well for long on my skin - it fades in about a couple of hours. It is linear, in the usual Tom Ford style. Stylistically it is in the same vein as Tuscan Leather or Acqua di Parma Colonia Leather, but those two are much superior.

This is the same as Ombre Leather 16 to my nose. Honestly it seems that much of the fanfare about this fragrance is because it is the same as Ombre Leather 16 (a diluted spin on Tuscan Leather, and Tuscan Leather is too strong for some) at about two-thirds of the price. There are dozens of better leather perfumes at lower prices, including the Acqua di Parma which can be had for less.

2.5/5

Part of me wants to like Tom Ford colognes: one of the reasons I'm writing these reviews is because of my love for Tobacco Vanille years ago. There are aspects of his fragrances that really draw me to them, and I hold out faith that his aesthetic of refinement could ultimately lead me to something substantial in my collection. Then there is the part of me that wonders why I keep setting high expectations for fragrances that rarely last more than 5 hours on my skin, which is once again the case for Ombre Leather.

The floral notes are well done, softening the stringent synthetic blast of leather on first use: not altogether unlike Tuscan Leather but without as much raspberry and a good deal more cardamom. The leather scent is strong-a cold and methodical leather. Drydown is straightforward, becoming a soft, spicy leather as the hours progress. Not many hours, however: it becomes a skin scent after 4-5 hours. As usual. I would squarely put this fragrance in the realm of unisex.

I enjoy it more than Tuscan Leather, I'll say that. If the drydown was more interesting and there was more depth this may be a thumbs up, as you'd be getting something quite interesting for a brief period of time. It's a fine scent, the below average longevity and sillage again make question how many more times I'm going to spend this much money to get disappointed.

6/10

Really nice offering from Tom Ford.

As a big fan of Tuscan Leather I thought this one would be redundant. I was wrong. What we have here is a leather/suede with various floral notes. I've heard others say that this is all leather. I disagree. The floral notes are quite noticeable.

Doesn't have the staying power of something like TL but very nice in it's own right and would make a great choice for those that find TL a little overwhelming.

Smells classy and upmarket. More palatable than TL.

Wow. As someone who loves and wears a wide variety of leather fragrances, I have to say that I am gobsmacked by the stellar reviews this one is receiving. To me, this smells like a highly, stridently-synthetic and sharply-ambered version of Cuir Ottoman (on a REALLY bad day). Cold, bitterly pungent, plastic-y, and artificially harsh are some of the descriptors that come to mind when I spray this on. I find nothing redeeming in this fragrance and I'm sad to think this is how modern noses interpret the glorious and (normally) varied smell of "leather."

Strong leather mixed with florals and warm, sweet caradmom and amber. An interesting combo that had me saying how masculine it made me feel while the wife thought it leaned too feminine. Quite interesting.

Either way, it's a scent you keep having to re-smell to confirm your original thoughts and then adjust them to the newest nuance discovered after your latest sniff. Is it a Tuscan Leather flanker? No, scratch that. Is it too feminine with the florals and sweetness? Nope, try again. I'm enjoying my testing journey with this one as it really has changed my mind from the initial spray.

Projection is very good and longevity to match. A very good performer.

Soothing and smooth leather in the first spritz that holds tight throughout the day. Reminds me of the leather in Aleksandr but a hundred fold bolder and at the forefront. The jasmine plays second fiddle as leather is still dominant after the dry down. I have a soft spot for cardamom and in Ombre Leather it's has a fried/baked cardamom quality pushing it as more savory rather than sweet.

I'm not a Tom Ford fan, I often find his perfumes and makeup overpriced, but this perfume I would gladly add to my collection.