Richard HerpinThe nose · 19 fragrances · also made Indonesian Oud Eau de Parfum (2019)Portrait →Will you like it? Mark a few fragrances you own or love and we'll tell you.
Tom Ford · Sold as unisex
Oud Wood
The crisp clarity of a city street in early morning, where the scent of citrus and herbs mingles with the warmth of wood smoke from nearby cafes.
Full bottle: Luxury tier, typically $250+. Links open each seller's own page. We may earn a commission; it never changes the order.
Oud WoodLuxury · $250+
44%Similar accords, often for lessYves Saint Laurent Pour Homme Haute Concentration · Yves Saint LaurentPremium tier, $100–250 · shares 5 of its 8 notes8 matches →How it wears
From community votes · bars are each option's shareComposition & Character
Notes Pyramid
BaseFoundation
Main Accords
When to Wear
Who Wears It
The story behind the bottle.
When Tom Ford launched Oud Wood in 2007 as part of the Private Blend collection, Western perfumery was only beginning to discover oud. Rather than presenting the material in its traditional form—dense, medicinal, animalic, and often challenging—Ford and perfumer Richard Herpin translated it into a language luxury consumers could immediately understand. The result was not an oud fragrance in the classical Middle Eastern sense, but an interpretation of oud through the lens of modern tailoring.
Rosewood, cardamom, and pepper create an opening that feels polished rather than dramatic. The heart is built around oud, sandalwood, and vetiver, but the composition never descends into darkness. Instead, vanilla and amber soften every edge, creating a fragrance that wears more like finely finished wood than burning resin.
Its influence is difficult to overstate. For many Western fragrance enthusiasts, Oud Wood became the gateway to oud itself. Countless woody-amber fragrances followed its blueprint, but few matched its restraint. What makes Oud Wood enduring is not its intensity but its balance—luxurious without excess, exotic without caricature, and approachable without sacrificing character.
One or two sprays is sufficient — the bright top notes are vibrant but fleeting. The warm spiciness and woody base will bloom gradually over time, providing a lasting presence that suits both daytime and evening wear.
Fig. 01 — Oud Wood, Tom Ford
Where to buy.
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Richard Herpin
Mentored among antiques and precious woodsRichard Herpin was born and raised in Cannes, surrounded by antiques in his father's shop that instilled a strong aesthetic sense, particularly for precious woods.
The Oud Wood line
3 fragrances, compared side by side
Designer Tom Ford
More from the house · founded 2006 · United States
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Chosen from what wearers say it smells like, what its fans also love, and its notes
Love it, not the $250+ price?
Matched by accords and notes. Sample first, then decide.
The originalOud WoodTom Ford · Luxury · $250+Yves Saint Laurent · 1983Yves Saint Laurent Pour Homme Haute ConcentrationShares 5 of its 8 notes$100–250★ 4.35 (310)43%Match
Diptyque · 1973L'Autre Eau de ToiletteShares 5 of its 7 notes$100–250★ 3.62 (204)38%Match
Escada · 1993Escada pour HommeShares 5 of its 18 notes$40–100★ 4.42 (530)38%Match
Lacoste Fragrances · 2011Challenge Re/FreshShares Rosemary, Cardamom and Patchouli$40–100★ 3.67 (216)
With Le Jardin Retrouve Bois Tabac Virginia
Adds earthy, patchouli and herbal; shares petitgrain and patchouli.
Suggested from accords and notes · not yet tried by wearers
What people
are saying.
Well loved by wearers: loved by 55%, disliked or hated by 9%.