FRAGRANCE | Tom Ford Metallique EDP: A cold and snobbish vanilla

Tom Ford doesn't seem to add as many fragrances to his Signature Collection as much as he does to his pricier Private Blend Collection. So when Metallique came out in 2019, I was curious. The eye-catching bottle, with its perfect combination of metallic gold and silver, only fueled my interest. It's but fitting for a fragrance named as such. 

Of course I was expecting a showcase of metallic notes. I didn't know if it was going to be something like V Canto's Irae or Timothy Han's Against Nature but I was thrown off for a second by Metallique's well-defined vanilla right at the onset. There's a bit of citrus and spice that provide a stark contrast to the roundness of the vanilla. Slowly, they develop into this metallic accord, soft at first  and steadily gaining strength but stops itself short of being the fragrance's dominant force. It's undeniably still a vanilla-based frag but instead of the usual warm and cozy, it's cold and snobbish. 

There's also a slew of indistinct florals that appear after a few minutes, lending the scent a clean, soapy character. I don't think it's meant to dominate either, as it's far from the soapiness I get from Amouage Bracken Woman. Both metallic and soapy accords waft around until the scent dries down to a moderately sweet vanilla, softened by a light, powdery touch. I noticed, though, that the progression is accelerated when it's warm, so it's best enjoyed in a cold or temperature-controlled environment. Nevertheless, because it's not as heavy as other vanilla scents, it works just as fine on hotter days. It just develops much faster. 

As with most offerings from this house, Tom Ford Metallique never goes into beast mode. The scent stays fairly long but projection is generally moderate, especially for the first few hours. It's not a really complex fragrance but I think it's a well-balanced composition that's worth trying. However, if you're looking for a vanilla-based fragrance that's unique and groundbreaking, this isn't it because there's not really much that sets it apart from the sea of vanilla scents in the market today.