14 Best Tom Ford Colognes: How to Choose the Right Fragrance
GroomingIt’s 2025, and there’s still one name in men’s fragrances that soars above the rest.By Jack StanleyJanuary 29, 2025Image: Getty; Collage by Brittany LogginsSave this storySaveSave this storySaveAll products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.Next year, Tom Ford will celebrate twenty years of fragrances—and there’s a strong case to be made that in that time, no perfumer has made a bigger impact on how distinguished men smell. The brand's seductive potions are admittedly not cheap, but once you get a taste, you understand why. Really, the best Tom Ford colognes just seem to fly at a higher altitude than the rest of the market—but that doesn’t mean they’re all equal.Because, as with any successful product line, the offering has bloated a bit. Sometimes, that means we’ve been blessed with a true new classic. Other times, they’ve still been good, but nothing that we’d ever swap out our beloved Tobacco Vanille for. Having now smelled our way through the entire line, we’ve gathered the best Tom Ford fragrances below, starting with the undisputed core classics, moving through to the sleeper scents beloved by self-described “Noses.”Before we start, a quick note on seasonality: We all live in different climates, so technically these are all year-round wearers. But for a gut sense of how these might feel, a good rule of thumb with Tom Ford is that the darker bottles contain a heavier scent (more suited to colder climates), and the lighter ones have brighter ones.The Best Tom Ford Colognes, According to GQThe Best Tom Ford Cologne: Oud Wood (1.7 oz), $300The Best Tom Ford Fragrance for Winter: Tobacco Vanille (1.7 oz), $300The Best Tom Ford Fragrance for Summer: Neroli Portofino (1.7 oz), $300The Best Leather Tom Ford Fragrance: Ombre Leather (1.7 oz), $160The Best Date Night Tom Ford Fragrance: Noir Extreme (1.7 oz), $160The Best Tropical Vacation Tom Ford Fragrance: Soleil Blanc (1.7 oz), $300In This Shopping GuideAccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevronThe IconsThe Insider FavoritesThe Best of the RestThe IconsOud WoodTom FordOud Wood$300 Nordstrom$300 SephoraScent Profile: Earthy & Woody Top Note: Oud Wood Middle Note: Sandalwood Base Note: Chinese Pepper Available Sizes: 1 oz., 1.7 oz., 3.4 ozPut simply, there’s a reason that Oud Wood is Tom Ford’s most-referenced scent. The cologne is the perfect year-round, all weather, daily driver. It’s spicy, woody, ambrous, and yet despite all that heft, still manages to be light and uplifting. If you’re looking for a signature scent that you can call on every day and for every life event, then Oud Wood is the place to start.Neroli PortofinoTom FordNeroli Portofino$300 Nordstrom$300 SSENSEScent Profile: Fresh Top Note: Tunisian Neroli Middle Note: Italian Bergamot Base Note: Sicilian Lemon Available Sizes: 1 oz., 1.7 oz., 3.4 ozIn the summer, the Tom Ford podium reorganizes itself a little, and Neroli Portofino takes the top spot. It has become one of Tom Ford’s most popular colognes, spawning a whole internal line of slightly-different versions, and with good reason. As the name suggests, the fresh and citrusy fragrance perfectly captures the Italian riviera and everything that comes with it. As well as notes of lemon and bergamot, a top note of Tunisian neroli only adds to the floral, citrusy scent. It’s really shines when you wear it in summer, but it's also one way to inject some sunlight into your every day.Tobacco VanilleTom FordTobacco Vanille$300 Nordstrom$295 SSENSEScent Profile: Warm & Spicy Top Note: Tobacco Leaf Middle Note: Vanilla Base Note: Ginger Available Sizes: 1 oz., 1.7 oz., 3.4 ozLikewise, in true winter, there’s nothing like Tobacco Vanille. It’s old school, it’s sexy, it’s sweet but soul-warming. One of the most well-known (and most-copied) Tom Ford fragrances, almost everyone who gets near it comes closer for a second sniff.Ombre LeatherTom FordOmbre Leather$160 Nordstrom$160 SSENSEScent Profile: Warm & Spicy Top Note: Black Leather Middle Note: Violet Base Note: Jasmine Available Sizes: 1.7 oz., 3.4 ozAs another of the “Private Blends,” Tuscan Leather may be slightly better known, but the (noticeably more affordable) Ombre Leather is another leather standout in the TF line. Sure, it’s powerful and sophisticated like all leather scents, but other details manage to round out its profile. The touches of jasmine, patchouli and amber help to show a softer side, creating a cologne that’s warm and wearable year-round.Noir ExtremeTom FordNoir Extreme$160 Nordstrom$160 SSENSEScent Profile: Warm & Spicy Top Note: Amber Middle Note: Cardamom Base Note: Sandalwood Available Sizes: 1.7 oz., 3.4 ozInitially, Tom Ford launched Noir, with a darker, deeper take on floral notes: bergamot, violet, pepper, and amber. It was such a hit that the more intense version—Noir Extreme—has since elbowed out the original. Of course, Noir Extreme is a famously big scent: It’s got strong notes of spice and ci
All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Next year, Tom Ford will celebrate twenty years of fragrances—and there’s a strong case to be made that in that time, no perfumer has made a bigger impact on how distinguished men smell. The brand's seductive potions are admittedly not cheap, but once you get a taste, you understand why. Really, the best Tom Ford colognes just seem to fly at a higher altitude than the rest of the market—but that doesn’t mean they’re all equal.
Because, as with any successful product line, the offering has bloated a bit. Sometimes, that means we’ve been blessed with a true new classic. Other times, they’ve still been good, but nothing that we’d ever swap out our beloved Tobacco Vanille for. Having now smelled our way through the entire line, we’ve gathered the best Tom Ford fragrances below, starting with the undisputed core classics, moving through to the sleeper scents beloved by self-described “Noses.”
Before we start, a quick note on seasonality: We all live in different climates, so technically these are all year-round wearers. But for a gut sense of how these might feel, a good rule of thumb with Tom Ford is that the darker bottles contain a heavier scent (more suited to colder climates), and the lighter ones have brighter ones.
The Best Tom Ford Colognes, According to GQ
- The Best Tom Ford Cologne: Oud Wood (1.7 oz), $300
- The Best Tom Ford Fragrance for Winter: Tobacco Vanille (1.7 oz), $300
- The Best Tom Ford Fragrance for Summer: Neroli Portofino (1.7 oz), $300
- The Best Leather Tom Ford Fragrance: Ombre Leather (1.7 oz), $160
- The Best Date Night Tom Ford Fragrance: Noir Extreme (1.7 oz), $160
- The Best Tropical Vacation Tom Ford Fragrance: Soleil Blanc (1.7 oz), $300
The Icons
Put simply, there’s a reason that Oud Wood is Tom Ford’s most-referenced scent. The cologne is the perfect year-round, all weather, daily driver. It’s spicy, woody, ambrous, and yet despite all that heft, still manages to be light and uplifting. If you’re looking for a signature scent that you can call on every day and for every life event, then Oud Wood is the place to start.
In the summer, the Tom Ford podium reorganizes itself a little, and Neroli Portofino takes the top spot. It has become one of Tom Ford’s most popular colognes, spawning a whole internal line of slightly-different versions, and with good reason. As the name suggests, the fresh and citrusy fragrance perfectly captures the Italian riviera and everything that comes with it. As well as notes of lemon and bergamot, a top note of Tunisian neroli only adds to the floral, citrusy scent. It’s really shines when you wear it in summer, but it's also one way to inject some sunlight into your every day.
Likewise, in true winter, there’s nothing like Tobacco Vanille. It’s old school, it’s sexy, it’s sweet but soul-warming. One of the most well-known (and most-copied) Tom Ford fragrances, almost everyone who gets near it comes closer for a second sniff.
As another of the “Private Blends,” Tuscan Leather may be slightly better known, but the (noticeably more affordable) Ombre Leather is another leather standout in the TF line. Sure, it’s powerful and sophisticated like all leather scents, but other details manage to round out its profile. The touches of jasmine, patchouli and amber help to show a softer side, creating a cologne that’s warm and wearable year-round.
Initially, Tom Ford launched Noir, with a darker, deeper take on floral notes: bergamot, violet, pepper, and amber. It was such a hit that the more intense version—Noir Extreme—has since elbowed out the original. Of course, Noir Extreme is a famously big scent: It’s got strong notes of spice and citrus, all backed up with a strong woody base. This may mean you won’t want to wear it all of the time – least of all on a summer morning – but when timed right, there are few more effective fragrances out there.
The Insider Favorites
As mentioned above, Tuscan Leather is another of Tom Ford's “Private Blend” scents—the ones intended by the man himself to represent the most personal, complex offerings in his line. No points for deducing that leather is the major scent in this one, but those rich tones of leather and suede are lifted up by lighter touches from raspberry and jasmine. Like many Tom Ford fragrances, it’s a clever reinvention of a classic profile.
If you haven’t already figured it out, all of the best Tom Ford fragrances manage to mix dark with light, and heavy scents with more refreshing notes. For California-lovers, Bois Pacifique celebrates the Californian forests and oceans, once again finding the balance between woody and citrusy.
Despite its woody profile, Grey Vetiver is packed with citrus, spicy and aromatic notes. The result is a cleaner, crisper take on traditional vetiver fragrances, and that beautiful bottle doesn’t hurt either.
Ok, coconut and Ylang Ylang! We’re branching out now, into a sweeter, warmer scent universe of banana, honey, jasmine, and freshly-cracked coconut. If those words make you salivate a little, this is probably the deeper-cut pick for you.
The Best of the Rest
A “fougere” scent—meaning it highlights forest smells—this fresh and bright springtime cologne has notes of lavender, geranium and moss. A fresh-from-the-barbershop feeling, if that barbershop was in a five-star hotel. (It’s also very worth noting that this scent costs much less per millilitre than the others, as the bottle contains twice as much juice.)
If you’ve read this far, you deserve to know that this scent is our pick for a less-expected signature scent than Oud Wood. It borrows from the northern, deep-blue coasts of Italy—think crisp citrus and lavender grounded by evergreens.
This scent has lavender too, but otherwise draws on a more wintry base range: That’s spice, mandarin, ginger, vanilla… all you need for a cold-weather date night.
Unlike Noir Extreme, Noir de Noir is great for those evenings when you're looking to do a little more catching up and a lot less romancing—say at your office happy hour, or group chat Sunday football watch party. The velvety scent is rich with layers of rose and patchouli, scents that are both exciting and grounding by nature.
Another that’s a little different from the other fragrances on this list, Tubéreuse Nue has a gentler, lighter profile, with powdery floral and musky notes. A lovely option for anyone whose worst nightmare is their scent being commented on, but who still wants to know that they smell good.
