I was surprised last year when Tom Ford introduced his signature, eponymous men’s fragrance: For someone who has built his empire on salaciousness, the scent was (pleasantly) tame. That December he released a limited-edition Extreme version of the fragrance — and while I enjoyed the original scent, the Extreme sent my heart racing.

Making things worse: I only had a tester-size bottle — and it was already out of stores! I kept it hidden from my roommates, known to appropriate scents they liked into their own regular usage.

Extreme wasn’t a longer-lasting, or more potent version of the original Tom Ford fragrance — which I considered a good thing. (Who welcomes industrial-strength cologne?) Instead of “Tom Ford times two,” it was richer — both in terms of ingredients (black figs, oak-aged patchouli, shoyeido incense) and price ($125).

Because it was so treasured, I performed what I considered a noble deed: I bestowed it upon one of my best friends on our birthday (we were both born June 19 — mark your calendars!). And he responded like someone in the know should: He displayed it on a shelf and refused to let anyone else touch it. The last time I visited, I snuck a little bit and when he entered the room he yelled, “I LOVE TOM FORD!” and I knew I’d been caught. I missed it so much I considered “accidentally” taking it home with me, but I know I would’ve had my bags checked at the door had it shown up missing.

This month is cause for celebration: Tom Ford Extreme has been re-released: It will be a Saks Fifth Avenue exclusive for the month of October, then roll out to wider release. And, no doubt because of many tales like mine, this time it’s permanent. No need for hoarding!

Want to win a sample-size bottle of your own? Click on this link to send me an e-mail with your name and mailing address, and the subject line TOM FORD EXTREME. I’ll choose one winner from the messages received by Friday, Sept. 26. Good luck!

ammit

WHAT SAM WORE: 9/19/08
The shirt: Lightweight cotton long-sleeved button-down by Theory (Neiman Marcus)
The pants: Plaid cotton trousers (Banana Republic) The brown actually goes with the shirt, I swear!
The shoes: Leather sneakers by Puma (Nordstrom)
The scent: Fou d’Absinthe eau de parfum by L’Artisan Parfumeur
Listening to: “When I Get Where I’m Going” by Brad Paisley & Dolly Parton

sammit