Lost Cherry is one of my favorite Tom Ford Colognes, but one thing I’m not exactly enamoured with is the price tag.
It’s pretty expensive, and there have been times when I’ve held off on using a particular fragrance because I feel the need to save it for a more special occasion.
About a year ago I decided enough was enough. I went on a search for the best Lost Cherry alternatives on the market to capture this sweet cherry and bitter-almond blend with a powdery vanilla streak.
Some of my picks are very close copies, like Fructus Viriginis. It smells incredibly natural, and lasts even longer than the original Tom Ford Lost Cherry – which is super impressive for a budget cologne.
Zara’s Cherry Smoothie is smells about 85% similar to Lost Cherry overall. It projects a little more quietly and removes the alcoholic/liquor note – so it’s a more subtle pick that you could get away with at the office.
And Last Cherry is the perfect pick for gents on a really tight budget. It’s the cheapest Lost Cherry alternative I would recommend, and manages to deliver a scent that far outperforms its $25 price tag.
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A Subtle Choice
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Best Overall
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Budget Pick
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N/A
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$42.99 ($42.99 / Fl Oz)
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$25.00 ($14.71 / Fl Oz)
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Pros:
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Pros:
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Pros:
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- The classic cherry/almond combo, but this time with a touch of berries.
- A more subtle scent for intimate encounters and indoor environments.
- Excellent longevity. Fructus Virginis will last at least 8 - 9 hours from just a couple of sprays.
- Plenty of rich cherry and almond - but lacks the nuanced florals of the original.
- Incredible value for the price - you won't find a cheaper cherry scent that still smells natural.
- Manages to nail the boozy liquor feeling of the original.
I’ll step you through the 6 Lost Cherry alternatives that I’ve enjoyed the most, and let you know when and where to deploy them, based on:
- Note profile (what does it smell like)
- Longevity (how long does it last)
- Projection (how subtle/strong is it)
- Occasion (season, time of day, setting)
- And most importantly… Value for money
Best Lost Cherry Tom Ford Alternatives
Fructus Virginis by Alexandria Fragrances – Best Lost Cherry Alternative for Longevity and Performance
Zara Cherry Smoothie – Best Lost Cherry Alternative for the Office
Last Cherry by CA Perfume Club – Best for Gents on a budget
Dark Cherry and Amber by Banana Republic – Best Lost Cherry Alternative for Winter
Dossier Ambery Cherry – Best Directly “Inspired-by” Fragrance
What are the Best Lost Cherry Alternatives?
Fructus Virginis by Alexandria Fragrances – Best Tom Ford Lost Cherry Alternative for Longevity and Performance
Wow, this thing kicks out fragrance. Fructus Virginis lasts 8 – 9 hours overall, but the key here is that the cherry note lingers on for the whole lifetime – longer than in the Tom Ford Original, where it sort of vacates in the base notes.
Excellent longevity. Fructus Virginis will last at least 8 - 9 hours from just a couple of sprays.
Plenty of rich cherry and almond - but lacks the nuanced florals of the original.
A soft base of tonka and sandalwood lends Fructus Virginis a cushioned landing that will keep you coming back for more. It’s a safe blind buy, sent from heaven for cherry lovers.
But like most things in life, there’s a trade-off. By emphasizing the cherry accord, there isn’t as much space for the complex florals you find in Tom Ford’s Lost Cherry.
There’s a rose note in the heart, but it doesn’t match the delicate bouquet of the original. But beyond that Frutus Virginis is about 85% similar to Lost Cherry by Tom Ford.
It’s my top pick because it’s the longest-lasting Tom Ford Lost Cherry alternative I’ve been able to find – making it even better value for money per spray
| Top Notes: | Cherry, Almond and Liquor |
| Middle Notes: | Turkish Rose, Vetiver, Tonka Bean and Jasmine |
| Base Notes: | Peru Balsam, Sandalwood and Cedar |
Zara Cherry Smoothie – Best Tom Ford Lost Cherry Alternative for the Office
I’m a big fan of Zara colognes and given their record of producing impressive imitations it wasn’t a huge surprise to me to find they’d had a crack at Lost Cherry.
For a fragrance that costs far less than the Tom Ford version, it’s really impressive. The cherry and almond top notes are vibrant and natural-smelling, but this time there’s a touch of plum or berries, too.
The classic cherry/almond combo, but this time with a touch of berries.
A more subtle scent for intimate encounters and indoor environments.
The heavier, boozy quality of the Tom Ford original is also notably absent, so this is a great choice for anyone put off by alcoholic undertones.
It harnesses the vast majority of what makes Tom Ford’s Lost Cherry great for pocket money prices
As you’d expect from a budget scent, the performance here isn’t exactly beastly, but you’ll still get around 6 hours out of this scent. The main difference is that the projection is a little lighter.
It’s like a more intimate version of Lost Cherry, detectable when you’re 2 – 3 feet away rather than filling the room with fragrance.
- Learn more about the best Zara fragrances in our full guide.
| Top Notes: | Cherry, Almond and Plum |
| Middle Notes: | Heliotrope, Hawthorn and Peru Balsam |
| Base Notes: | Vanilla and Tonka Bean |
Last Cherry by CA Perfume Club – Best Tom Ford Lost Cherry Alternative for Gents on a budget
This budget fragrance from CA Perfume Club works miracles for just $25 per bottle. It smells surprisingly natural, and very similar to Tom Ford’s bittersweet cherry and almond synergy.
Incredible value for the price - you won't find a cheaper Lost Cherry alternative that still smells natural.
Manages to nail the boozy liquor feeling of the original.
During the dry down, you’ll notice rich vanilla and a hefty dollop of amber help the fragrance migrate from sweet cherry extraversion to something more balanced and mellow.
It smells far more expensive than it is, with a creamy, boozy sense emerging after the first hour.
And despite the budget price tag, performance is pretty good. You can expect between 4 – 5 hours of arm’s-length projection, with a room-filling scent for the first couple of hours.
| Top Notes: | Sour Cherry, Bitter Almond and Liquor |
| Middle Notes: | Plum, Turkish Rose and Jasmine Sambac |
| Base Notes: | Tonka Bean, Vanilla, Peru Balsam, Cinnamon, Cloves and Cedar |
Dark Cherry and Amber by Banana Republic – Best Tom Ford Lost Cherry Alternative for Winter
Dark Cherry and Amber is technically a women’s fragrance – but don’t let that put you off. To my nose, it’s a perfectly wearable unisex Lost Cherry alternative, with a touch of Amber warmth that makes it great for cooler nights.
Compared to Lost Cherry, Dark Cherry and Amber is a more sensual fragrance. The Black cherry is more rich than sweet, balancing with red amber to produce a fragrance that feels deeper than most.
The blonde cedar in the base involved here is soft and light rather than rugged and dirty. It’s sleek and serene, serving as a beautiful backdrop for lighter flecks of praline and cherry blossom to shine brightly.
Just like Lost Cherry, Dark Cherry and Amber lasts a fair while. For the first 3 – 4 hours you’ll pick up compliments from those who pass you by, and lasts another 4 – 5 as an intimate skin scent for those lucky enough to get close. Yum.
- Check our guide for more of the best winter perfumes for men.
| Top Notes: | Black Cherry and Pink Freesia |
| Middle Notes: | Cherry Blossom and Praline |
| Base Notes: | Blonde Cedar and Red Amber |
Dossier Ambery Cherry – Best “Inspired-by” Scent
Dossier isn’t shy about the fact that they’re in the business of “inspired by” scents. It’s their speciality.
A very, very close imitation. At first, you'll struggle to notice a difference between Ambery Cherry and Lost Cherry.
Unfortunately, the cherry note doesn't quite last the whole ride.
The cherry and almond opening is playful and sweet. It strikes a perfect balance between gourmand and sophisticated, with this cherry liquor sense mature enough to be taken seriously.
After a couple of hours, the boozy cherry makes a bit of space for warm cinnamon and fresh rose to make an impact.
The only major distinction I’d draw between Ambery Cherry and Tom Ford’s Lost Cherry is the longevity of the cherry note. In the Dossier scent, the cherry shifts progressively into the background, but it’s front and center for the whole ride with Tom Ford.
The cherry is always there, but it only matches the strength for the first 2 – 3 hours in my estimation.
Still, for the price, Ambery Cherry more than justifies itself as an impressive Lost Cherry alternative, and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for the closest fragrance note-for-note.
| Top Notes: | Cherry, Almond and Cinnamon |
| Middle Notes: | Cloves, Rose, Jasmine and Plum |
| Base Notes: | Peru, Balsam, Tonka Bean and Vanilla |
What You Should Know Before Buying a Alternative for Tom Ford’s Lost Cherry
Which Tom Ford Lost Cherry Alternative is Best Value for Money?
The cheapest Lost Cherry alternative per spray is CA Perfume Club’s Last Cherry. It’s also the cheapest bottle to buy outright, making it the best choice for gents on a tight budget.
| Fragrance | Price | Bottle Size | Price per Fl Oz |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fructus Virginis | $42.99 | 1.8 oz | $23.89 |
| Cherry Smoothie | $69.00 | 3.4 oz | $20.29 |
| Last Cherry | $25.00 | 1.7 oz | $14.71 |
| Dark Cherry and Amber | $49.70 | 2.5 oz | $19.88 |
| Amber Cherry | $49 | 1.7 oz | $28.82 |
On the other end of the scale Dossier’s Amber Cherry is almost twice as expensive per spray – which is part of the reason it ranks bottom of my list.
What Does Tom Ford’s Lost Cherry Smell Like?
For me, Lost Cherry is the best cherry-inspired fragrance I’ve come across. And I’ve been looking.
You may have found cherry colognes to be a little sickly sweet in the past, but it doesn’t have to be that. This is a classy representation that maintains Tom Ford’s reputation for subtlety and sophistication but not at the expense of excitement or intrigue.
The cherry here is juicy and leathery. It’s mature and nuanced, blending with rich, vanilla-tinged almonds in the opening to conjure something that smells inviting and elegant.
The primary accord ebbs and fades throughout the lifetime of the scent. If it started at 100% cherry, it’s probably at 20 toward the end of its 10-hour lifetime. It’s gradually succeeded by progressively potent notes of licorice and cloves, and the gradual reveal of cedar and patchouli in the base.
| Top Notes: | Sour Cherry, Bitter Almond and Liquor |
| Middle Notes: | Sour Cherry, Plum, Turkish Rose and Jasmine Sambac |
| Base Notes: | Tonka Bean, Vanilla, Peru Balsam, Cinnamon, Benzoin, Sandalwood, Cloves, Cedar, Patchouli and Vetiver |
Can I get a Sample of Tom Ford’s Lost Cherry?
If none of these alternative scents are jumping out at you, maybe consider getting a sample decant of the real deal instead.
Stores like Microperfumes will let you order 2ml vials of fragrances for just a few bucks so you can try out designer colognes without blowing the bank.
The most affordable place to try genuine samples of designer colognes - starting at 99 cents.
A huge range of the most popular colognes, with quick and easy shipping options.
Once you’ve tried Lost Cherry, there’s a good chance you’ll fall in love and be able to justify splashing out on a full-sized bottle. At least, that’s what happened to me.
|
A Subtle Choice
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Best Overall
|
Budget Pick
|
|
|
|
|
|
N/A
|
$42.99 ($42.99 / Fl Oz)
|
$25.00 ($14.71 / Fl Oz)
|
|
Pros:
|
Pros:
|
Pros:
|
- The classic cherry/almond combo, but this time with a touch of berries.
- A more subtle scent for intimate encounters and indoor environments.
- Excellent longevity. Fructus Virginis will last at least 8 - 9 hours from just a couple of sprays.
- Plenty of rich cherry and almond - but lacks the nuanced florals of the original.
- Incredible value for the price - you won't find a cheaper cherry scent that still smells natural.
- Manages to nail the boozy liquor feeling of the original.
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