Black Orchid is a spicy and earthy amber-based fragrance that was released by Tom Ford in 2006. Tom Ford is renowned for creating award-winning perfumes that are worn by celebrities like Eddie Redmayne, Trey Songz, and Mary-Kate Olsen. If you love the way Black Orchid smells but aren’t quite sure it fits into your budget, you’re in luck. I’ve rounded up a great list of dupes and alternative fragrances you should try if you love scents that feature a spicy floral heart paired with floral and woody notes like those featured in Black Orchid.
What We Are looking for in Black Orchid by Tom Ford
Black Orchid smells like a dark, rich mix of warm spices and deeply fragrant florals. It’s quite strong right from the opening with top notes of earthy truffles, juicy citrus, fragrant gardenia, and mysterious ylang-ylang. These floral notes remain as it moves through a deep orchid heart and warm spices that project throughout wear.
As it settles into a musky, amber base, Mexican chocolate and vanilla intertwine giving it a slight gourmand feel. Sandalwood, vetiver, incense, and patchouli round out these bottom notes, creating a mysterious vibe that makes Black Orchid the perfect fragrance for those who enjoy making a statement when they walk into a room.
When you are looking for your perfect perfume similar to Tom Ford Black Orchid, you want to make sure it features a mix of spices and white florals. Ylang-ylang and orchid notes should be present throughout wear and it should project strongly for at least the first several hours. While it should also feature some citrus notes, they should remain in the background and shouldn’t become too sweet over time. The base should be earthy, and chocolate and vanilla musk should make an appearance to soften it up a bit.
Now that you know what to look for let’s move on to my top ten list of dupes and alternatives similar to Black Orchid by Tom Ford.
10 Dupes of Black Orchid by Tom Ford
1. Dossier Spicy Orchid
For a Tom Ford Black Orchid dupe that is perfect for layering with other fragrances be sure to check out Spicy Orchid by Dossier. This fragrance is very simple in terms of notes and formulation, but it may be a good choice for you if you enjoy customizing your fragrances.
It’s quite strong when you first spray it, and the cinnamon and pink pepper tend to overwhelm the rest of the notes for the first several minutes. However, as it settles it transforms into more of a layered fragrance featuring juicy plum, rich vanilla, and fragrant orchid notes. The way these floral and fruity notes are layered give it a lighter vibe and helps balance out its dark, woody base of sandalwood, incense and patchouli. You could bring out these intense woody notes even more by layering it with an amber-based fragrance or lighten it up a bit with something more citrusy.
Overall I think Spicy Orchid is a decent dupe that you can have fun experimenting with to create your own unique signature scent.
2. Oil Perfumery – Our Impression of Tom Ford – Black Orchid
OilPerfumery is known for creating oil based dupes of best selling fragrances. After I applied their fragrance onto my skin my nose was immediately greeted with a mix of sweet spice and earthy floral notes. Ylang-ylang heavily dominated the opening and I noticed musky notes of truffle within just a few minutes. Although citrus notes are listed in the formulation I couldn’t detect any of them, unlike Black Orchid which strongly feature mandarin, bergamot, and lemon at the head.
At the heart of this fragrance lies a mix of fragrant gardenia, jasmine, orchard, and lotus. Although it does eventually dry down into a woody, earthy base, various notes do reappear throughout the day before fading away again.
This dupe is quite similar in terms of longevity, although I think it may outlast Black Orchid to some extent. The projection is also pretty strong, though you can easily control how much you apply with the rollerball packaging.
OilPerfumery’s fragrance is one of the most affordable picks on my list and I think it’s a good option for those who are looking for something similar to Black Orchid but don’t have room in their budget for the real thing.
3. The Dua Brand – Celestial Flower Attar
Truffle is a very unique gourmand, yet earthy, note that is heavily featured in Black Orchid. If you’re looking for a dupe that also showcases this note within its accord then I suggest checking out Celestial Flower Attar by The Dua Brand.
As soon as I sprayed it earthy truffle notes become heavily apparent and remained throughout wear. It leans slightly more masculine than Black Orchid, however the plum and rum notes that follow do a good job of balancing it out with a slightly sweeter vibe.
Celestial Flower Attar projects very strongly, so be aware of this before you spray it. I must say that its longevity outperforms Black Orchid, and the scent trail is powerful.
If you’re a fan of Black Orchid and love those earthy truffle notes then you should definitely check out this fragrance.
4. ALT. Truffle No. 5
If you’re looking for something much richer and heady with a deep floral opening then check out Truffle No. 5 by ALT. This fragrance starts with floral notes of ylang-ylang and jasmine followed by earthy, fragrant black truffles. As it moves through a heart of coffee, bitter almond, and blackcurrant it begins to take on a slightly gourmand feel before settling into a base of vanilla, dark chocolate, sandalwood, and amber.
Truffle No. 5 gives off a deep, mysterious vibe much like Black Orchid, though I feel it is somewhat darker. This might be due to a lack of citrus notes which tend to brighten up Black Orchid just a little bit. To my nose it leans somewhat more masculine but it can definitely work for either a man or a woman. It is quite strong so be cautious when applying it.
If you like Black Orchid but are looking for something that’s a bit more masculine and mysterious then you might want to see if Truffle No. 5 is right for you.
5. Alexandria Fragrances – Unforgettable Inspired By Tom Ford’s Black Orchid
For a fragrance that’s lighter and much more office-friendly then you should check out Unforgettable Inspired by Tom Ford’s Black Orchid by Alexandria Fragrances. This dupe is quite versatile and is a good option if you enjoy the overall vibe of Black Orchid but wish it was more refined and not quite as strong.
Unforgettable is woodier than Black Orchid and the dark chocolate notes are less intense. There is quite a bit of sillage with Unforgettable and the projection is still quite strong, though not nearly as strong as Black Orchid.
Overall I think Unforgettable’s formulation seems a bit more streamlined and not as complex as Black Orchid. Give Unforgettable a try if you’d like something a little more appropriate for the office but still helps you stand apart from the crowd.
6. La Yuqawam Femme Rasasi for women
For a fragrance that has a deep, spicy vibe but is a bit sweeter than Black Orchid I suggest checking out La Yuqawam by Rasasi. This fragrance starts out with fragrant notes of incense and bergamot that immediately give it a smokier vibe when you first spray it. The incense tends to linger as it moves through middle notes of spicy pink pepper and cinnamon followed by earthy ylang-ylang.
I did notice that its base becomes slightly gourmand due to milky notes that develop as it dries down. Soft sandalwood lingers and projects quite strongly throughout the duration of wear. There are also hints of vanilla that seem to develop and then fade throughout the day.
This is a very mature fragrance and I think it’s better suited for the fall and winter seasons. If you like the intensely woody vibes of Black Orchid and are looking for a more affordable alternative that still projects very well then check out La Yuqawam by Rasasi.
7. Maremma Tiziana Terenzi for women and men
If you enjoy deep patchouli notes and are looking for a fragrance with similar vibes as Black Orchid and is just as potent then be sure to check out Maremma by Tiziana Terenzi.
Maremma starts off strong and heavy with notes of oak and black currant. Fragrant ylang-ylang rounds out the opening before it moves quickly through spicy, earthy notes of angelica, cumin, and agarwood. Unlike Black Orchid, there is a slightly tangy persimmon note that appears at the heart of Maremma before fading into the background. It eventually dries down into an intensely layered base of cacao, patchouli, amber, rosewood, and sandalwood.
This fragrance is heavy and projects very well. I think it may even outlast Black Orchid. That being said, this is an intensely, earthy, woody fragrance that evokes a mysterious vibe that is perfect for date nights. However, I wouldn’t wear this to the office or on a job interview.
In terms of price, it’s nearly comparable to Black Orchid, so check this fragrance out if you’re looking for something with a similar intensity and vibe as Black Orchid.
8. Precious Oud Van Cleef & Arpels for women
If you want to love Black Orchid but find it’s too overpowering you may want to try something a bit softer with less projection. Precious Oud by Van Cleef & Arpels has a very similar vibe, but it lacks the intensity that Black Orchid is known for.
Upon first spray, it starts off a bit spicier with notes of pink pepper and bergamot. Precious Oud is sweeter than Black Orchid due to a mix of fragrant white flowers that lighten the smokier incense notes as it dries down. The base is similarly earthy with oud, sandalwood, patchouli, and amber taking shape, and it tends to sit more intimately on the skin than Black Orchid. Overall, its performance is somewhat weak, and it disappears completely after a few hours.
The projection is also quite minimal, however, that may be something you’re looking for if you enjoy Black Orchid but wish it was somewhat lighter. If you’re looking for something more feminine and sweeter than Black Orchid but still features some of the same notes then be sure to check out Precious Oud.
9. Oud 24 Hours Ard Al Zaafaran for women and men
For something a bit more masculine that still works as a unisex fragrance check out Out 24 Hours by Ard Al Zaafaran. Although the opening is slightly synthetic it settles quickly into a sweet mix of dark chocolate, mixed fruit, tangy citrus, and spice. Fragrant, woody hints of ylang-ylang and gardenia reveal themselves before moving through a base rich with patchouli, oud, incense, and amber notes.
This fragrance is darker and woodier than Black Orchid, and there is a subtle hint of tobacco that I can detect, although it is not listed within the fragrance accord. Oud 24 hours is very strong and projects more than many of the other fragrance options on my list. Just a couple of sprays will last you through your busy workday.
If you enjoy the sweet, earthy vibes in Black Orchid and appreciate its intensity then you should definitely give Oud 24 Hours a try.
10. DIVAIN 542 – Similar to Black Orchid by Tom Ford
For something with a more floral opening and strong projection I suggest checking out DIVAIN 542 – Similar to Black Orchid by Tom Ford. To my nose, the first notes I detect right as I spray it are fragrant jasmine and gardenia. These white floral notes seemed to linger quite a while before moving on to more citrusy notes, specifically tangerine and lemon. The truffle note seemed to take a while to develop, and it faded just as quickly as it appeared. A spicy heart eventually reveals itself and mixes with fruity, floral notes of orchid, lotus flower, and ylang-ylang before settling into an earthy, gourmand base of sandalwood, incense, Mexican chocolate, and vanilla.
I think this is a well formulated Black Orchid dupe, however it is very potent, so make sure to spray lightly if you intend to wear it to the office or as a daytime fragrance. Also, the sillage is pretty high so you might want to try this one out first before buying a bottle.
Finally, I would like to mention
Black Orchid is a strong and unique perfume, which means you’ll need to make sure whichever fragrance you choose can match up with its longevity, projection, and intensity. Your perfect dupe will incorporate dark, earthy notes like truffle, sandalwood, amber, and spice with citrus or fragrant floral notes, specifically orchid and ylang-ylang. White florals will also make an appearance as top or middle notes. Because this combination of notes tends to be higher in sillage, I suggest trying each fragrance out before purchasing. Stick to these tips and you’re bound to find the perfect dupe of Black Orchid to wear this season.