FRAGRANCE | Tonka EDP by Commodity: Another lovely scent marred by lackluster performance

Our bottles of Commodity fragrances have unjustly suffered from neglect for so long. The brand has since folded up and has subsequently been revived yet we’ve still barely used ours, if at all. So today I’m bringing out Tonka EDP.

To me this is a sweet amber-vanilla fragrance, which is apparent right from the start. There’s also a noticeable almond in the mix although it’s not the smooth and lactonic kind you’d find in the likes of Tom Ford Fucking Fabulous or Xerjoff Casamorati Italica. Rather, there’s a certain rawness to it; a little rough around the edges, if you may. Perhaps it’s because of the bitter spices thrown in, which also renders the scent a little dry. This isn’t a bad thing, though. It’s just a different take with its own brand of beauty.

After several minutes, the nuttiness of the almond (or maybe the tonka beans?) comes through, providing an added facet to the fragrance. Several more minutes later, the scent becomes a little less dry, with the amber-vanilla slowly gaining strength. Interestingly, I also get a tobacco-like accord up close that lasts considerably for some time before everything else fades, leaving the amber-vanilla sweetness in the spotlight. The sweetness is never cloying and the scent remains light and pleasant, which is only reinforced by an ensuing powdery overtone. 

I don’t know if the brand retained this fragrance when they relaunched but Commodity Tonka is a lovely creation that’s unisex, versatile, and easy to wear. My only gripe would have to be its rather dismal performance. It weakens easily after an hour or two and lasts for only a few hours, so resprays are a given to get you through the day. Nevertheless, it’s still worth a try—but only if Commodity kept it in its line. If not, don’t worry because all things considered—especially performance—you’ll be fine without it.