Tom Ford Noir Extreme and the Spiced Amber Colognes Around It

Tom Ford launched Noir as an eau de parfum in 2012 and then, in 2015, released a bolder version called Noir Extreme. I still think Tom Ford Noir Extreme is the one that made amber feel approachable for people who thought they did not like it. The brand describes it as spicy heat and glowing citrus giving way to Indian kulfi, wrapped in rose absolute, jasmine accord and orange flower, with amber, sandalwood and vanilla ember underneath. The bottle is a translucent black flacon with a gold-tone logo.

The grid shows what else the house does in this vein. Noir Extreme Parfum is an intensification of the original, with cardamom, Shimoga ginger and tonka bean, in a gilded gold-toned flacon. Oud Wood is smoky woods with rare oud, sandalwood and Chinese pepper. Lost Cherry is black cherry, almond and Turkish rose, and the PDP lists it as an allure 2021 Best of Beauty winner. One leather scent with almond and iris carries a name I will leave for you to look up. Black Orchid Eau de Parfum is black truffle, ylang ylang and rum-soaked black plum. Oud Minerale mixes oud with salty seaweed and ambergris accord, and Ombre Leather Parfum pairs black leather with violet leaf and cedarwood.

A quick test: spray Noir Extreme on one wrist and the Parfum on the other. The Parfum is the denser of the two, so decide which one you want to live in.

If Tom Ford Noir Extreme is your reference point, these are the other warm, spiced bottles to compare. Jo Malone London Cypress & Grapevine Cologne Intense is a garden of cypress and grapevine grounded by amber. Jo Malone London Mimosa & Cardamom is honeyed mimosa over cardamom, with tonka and sandalwood. Azzaro The Most Wanted Eau de Parfum Intense is green cardamom with a toffee accord over amber woods. Boy Smells Coco Hinoki is a milky, woodsy perfume with coconut, pear and hinoki, and it is vegan. Yves Saint Laurent La Nuit de L'Homme is cardamom, cedar and coumarin, which is the classic date night scent. KILIAN Paris Smoking Hot opens with apple hookah flavor and cinnamon before fire-cured tobacco. Dolce&Gabbana The One For Men Eau de Parfum is tarocco orange, clary sage and tobacco. Viktor&Rolf Spicebomb Dark Leather has black pepper, incense and a dark leather accord.

Pairing tip: use the Jo Malone bottles under something stronger. They are made to be layered, so a spray of Mimosa & Cardamom under an amber scent softens it.

What I would skip: Smoking Hot and Spicebomb Dark Leather in a warm, crowded room. They are dense, and heat makes them louder.

Evening scents lean on sandalwood and vanilla, and this grid has plenty of both. Azzaro Forever Wanted Absolu has incense, a whiskey accord and vanilla, and the brand says it leaves a 24-hour trail. Maison Margiela REPLICA Afternoon Delight is vanilla, a madeleine accord and sandalwood, a soft bakery scent. Montale Sweet Vanilla is apricot, vanilla and sugar, with a powdery finish. The Maker Alias is sandalwood, rice milk and freesia, quiet and skin close. Rabanne 1 Million Black adds coconut, pineapple and vanilla over ebony woods, and Rabanne Million Gold Eau de Parfum Intense is mandarin, cedarwood, sandalwood and cinnamon. The 7 Virtues Santal Vanille is sandalwood, vanilla and myrrh, and the brand compares it to a cashmere sweater. Jean Paul Gaultier Le Beau Narcisse is bergamot, musk and tonka bean.

How to wear them: sweet scents work best sprayed on clothes at the collar, where they fade slowly and do not turn syrupy on skin.

What I would skip: Rabanne 1 Million Black and Sweet Vanilla if you dislike anything fruity. Both start with tropical or apricot notes before they warm up.

If you love Tom Ford Noir Extreme, stay in the amber and spice lane and try the Parfum for more density. If you want something quieter, go to sandalwood and vanilla. If you want something lighter and layerable, look at the Jo Malone colognes. If you are shopping for someone else, match the bottle to how they dress: leather and oud for the person in a dark jacket, sandalwood and vanilla for the one in soft knits. Wear evening scents in the evening, spray sparingly, and let them settle before you decide. The best test is the second day: if you reach for the same bottle without thinking, it belongs on your shelf.

If Noir Extreme is your starting point, these are the other dark bottles I would hold up beside it for evenings. Tom Ford Black Lacquer is the nearest neighbor on the shelf, and Costa Azzurra is the bright one from the same house if you want a break from the dark. For amber, Montale Amber Musk, Jo Malone London Amber Labdanum Cologne Intense and ROJA Amber Aoud are each built on the idea in their names. Rabanne 1 Million Elixir and Invictus Elixir bring vanilla into the mix, and Dolce & Gabbana K Intense and The One for Men are the other designer options. Montale Oud Sapparot and Kilian Paris Angels' Share on the Rocks are for dinners. Spray once on the chest and let it settle. What I would skip: Jo Malone London English Oak & Hazelnut when you want a loud scent. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Montblanc Explorer Extreme Parfum and Prada Black.