Tom Ford's Champaca Absolute

Any thoughts on this fragrance?

"Champaca Absolute" by Tom Ford? I absolutely hated it. Stale, uninteresting and a complete scrubber IMOA.

Interesting! I get the feeling it is a very polarizing scent- either love or totally hated. I smelled it recently at the Tom Ford counter, but I had 3-4 other fragrances on so I can't remember whether I liked it or not. I found most TF Private blends rather linear. Strong, smooth but linear.

I was given two generous samples by a SA at Nieman Marcus, one of these was Champaca Absolute and the other was Arabian Wood. The SA told me that her husband, tired of perfume, preferred it when she didn't wear any, but that she wore CA on her wedding day and that he loved it on her. We were in Hawaii at the time and I can imagine that it developed beautifully in a hot humid climate. When I returned home, to winter, Champaca seemed like an imposter, a wannabe and just too sweet for me.

That is fascinating...I just had an initial impression that it was a little high pitched...but my first impressions of fragrances are sometimes wrong, especially when I'm on a fragrance testing bender. But it seems like this is a common feeling...too sweet and trying too hard....hmmm

I really love champaca flowers, but in Champaca Absolute they seem trampled to death by the heaviness of the orchids. I do wear this, but VERY sparingly. It's definitely a heavy hitter and I'm glad I didn't go ahead and buy a FB. My mini will last me a very long time.