The Tom Ford Private Blend collection is one of the more successful luxury collections on the market. One thing about it though is the fragrances which make it up would hardly be described as light. Outside of 2007’s Neroli Portofino and 2010’s Azure Lime this is not a collection I reach for during the summer. The two newest additions to the Private Blend line, Mandarino di Amalfi and Costa Azzurra, are going to change that.
As they did last year with the Oud Collection, Creative Directors Tom Ford and Karen Khoury are creating another collection of three by adding two new partners to an existing entry. This time the prior release is Neroli Portofino and the two new ones are packaged in the same blue glass bottle to signal they belong together. Both of them are being released at the perfect time as these are warm weather fragrances made for summer fun.
Calice Becker (l.) and the Author
Mandarino di Amalfi is composed by Calice Becker and it is Mme Becker at her absolute finest. When Mme Becker really hits a home run with me is when she takes what seems an almost impossible number of raw materials and fashions something subtle and complex. Mandarino di Amalfi takes the very common trope of a citrus fragrance and by adding in herbs, spice, flowers, resins and musk she twists the normal into something almost paranormal as some of these notes flit through like fast moving poltergeists.
Mme Becker places her luminous mandarin in place and then like an olfactory version of a clove orange she pierces it with all manner of herbs and spices. A spear of tarragon, a javelin of blackcurrant bud, a lance of coriander, an arrow of spearmint, and a stiletto of basil stab through the citrus each adding a particular kind of energetic contrast. By the end of the early going you have well spiced herbal mandarin standing by itself. This wonderfully aromatic phase is caressed by a floral touch of jasmine and orange blossom. The jasmine is the smell of humid summer nights and a bit of shiso adds a green foundation to the florals. Vetiver and labdanum make things a little greener but not overwhelmingly so. Finally a bit of civet and musk end with a flash of animalic sensuality. On its surface Mandarino di Amalfi is an orange perfume but underneath Mme Becker adds in layers of pleasures to discover as the day unfolds.
Mandarino di Amalfi has 6-8 hour longevity and average sillage, it is pitched perfect for a summer fragrance.
Yann Vasnier
Yann Vasnier takes Costa Azzurra in a completely different direction. Costa Azzurra is the perfume of the beachcomber walking the beach at midday among the driftwood and the seaweed with the waves crashing nearby. I grew up in South Florida and spent many afternoons looking to see what the ocean left behind as the tide receded. M. Vasnier captures all of that in Costa Azzurra.
Costa Azzurra opens with a fresh cologne top note trio of lemon, lavender, and basil. The first sniff feels so familiar only to have a wave crash and the marine setting comes alive. M. Vasnier uses a bit of ambrette seed, myrtle, and algae to create his ebb tide tableau. This leads to a heart of woody notes to create his driftwood accord. Cypress, cedar, oak, and a pinch of oud all combine to create that unique sun-bleached wood accord which also shimmers with the heat of the sun beating down on it. This all lays over the marine accord from the top to truly create the beach landscape in fragrant form. The base takes us back to the comfort of incense, vanilla, and labdanum in a green tinted resinous finish. It is the driftwood at the heart of Costa Azzurra which is the star here as M. Vasnier captures it perfectly.
Costa Azzurra has 8-10 hour longevity and average sillage.
Neroli Portofino was never my favorite of the Private Blends but these two new companions are much more interesting to me and already they have proven to be good summer company. I will be wearing my samples down to their last drops over the next few months.
Disclosure: This review was based on samples provided by Tom Ford Beauty.
–Mark Behnke
