FRAGRANCE | Lost Cherry EDP by Tom Ford: No, it never loses the cherry

Once upon a time, fruity fragrances to me universally meant those cheap, thin, childish, cloying, and synthetic-smelling kind, that I have pretty much shunned them altogether. But then my fragrance journey has widened my appreciation for different types of scents, including fruit-centric ones. I have since come to love the prominent apricot in Diptyque's Kimonanthe and the boozy and smoky treatment accorded plum in Tom Ford's Plum Japonais. Now we come to Lost Cherry, also from Ford.

The red-tinted bottle pretty much reflects the fragrance's sweet cherry opening, like bottled maraschino cherries but with a strong almond support. It's sweet, almost too sweet, until a slightly sour, boozy note joins in the mix, effectively reining the cherry in and adding a more mature dimension to the scent. Meanwhile, a light creaminess from the almond swirls coyly in the background.

A certain juiciness emerges between 15 to 30 minutes in, with the fragrance's fundamental, boozy, sweet cherry character still intact. There's something about the base that keeps the scent balanced, the fruity sweetness tempered just enough, even with the addition of vanilla later on. On me the scent lasts from morning till afternoon. Projection is mostly moderate for at least 2 or 3 hours before the sweet cherry liquor starts fading gradually until a warm vanilla skin scent is left.

The cherry is certainly not lost in Lost Cherry. From start to (near) finish, the main star shines and endures. And despite wearing some adult clothes, it never loses its sense of fun. I'm not sure when to wear it best but hey, wear what you want. However, because it's inherently sweet, just don't use it on the hottest of days. This stuff is yummy and addictive but of course it's not for everyone, so always try before you buy.