As long as I’ve been writing about perfume I have general impressions of brands. When I see a new release I kind of know what will be in the sample. There is nothing wrong with creating a brand aesthetic and sticking to it. It allows your consumers to know what they are getting when they pick up your fragrance. This was true for Tory Burch fragrances. The first nine released since 2013 were all “fresh florals”. They were typical for that style without standing apart in any way. Then with last year’s release, Just Like Heaven, that formula was thrown away. An off-kilter green floral greeted me and impressed me. It left me with a question. Was this a one off or was this the beginning of change for the brand? Tory Burch Knock On Wood is here to answer that.
Yves Cassar
Knock on Wood is composed by perfumer Yves Cassar. It is also the first woody perfume for the brand, thus the name. What really sets it apart is the use of a lot of vetiver to go with the floral component. This blurs that “fresh floral” aesthetic in good ways.
From the start the vetiver is present as a green grassy presence. M. Cassar uses the tartness of blood orange to give a different citrus partner to the vetiver. A swoosh of cardamom breezes over the top accord. Rose provides the central floral part of Knock On Wood. It is a spicy rose which pairs with those similar facets of vetiver nicely. The sweetness of carrot and the sticky green of blackcurrant buds provide some contrast and texture to the heart accord. The deep woodiness of vetiver is made even more prominent by clean cedarwood in the base.
Knock On Wood has 10-12 hour longevity and average sillage.
This is marketed as a women’s fragrance but if you are a fan of vetiver masculine fragrances and like rose you might want to walk over to women’s fragrance on your next trip to the mall. As far as my question up top. Knock On Wood is another successful departure for the Tory Burch brand with another excellent perfume. I know change can be scary but in this case change is good.
Disclosure: this review is based on a sample supplied by Bloomingdale’s.
–Mark Behnke
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