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Apicius
Helpful Review
4
Brown Coal and Tar
If no shop nearby offers a specific perfume for testing you rely on your friends, or you need friends at Parfumo who send you a sample. I received Kalemat Black from Coutureguru, thank you!
If it comes to oud, certain images occur in the western consumer's mind, mainly of dark and opulent 1001-nights romanticism. No fragrance can be “black” enough not to match with this image. Kalemat Black fits into this scheme, but in another way, it doesn't. Here, an accord of oud surely plays an important, but not the leading role.
In the broadest sense, it is a combination of ambery notes that alienates the oud. The basic expression of Kalemat Black reminds me of dark and dirty things like brown coal, tar, maybe rubber. Who ever still remembers Jacomo's Anthracite might get the idea. Maybe, the rubber top note of Bvlgari Black could also be counted in as a relative.
The antagonist to tarry aspects is a well implemented, never ostensible vanilla. Without this, Kalemat Black would be ugly, and it is the vanilla that provides some opulence. The contrast provided by the sweet vanilla makes Kalemat Black interesting and lively. But no worry: the darker aspects prevail!
As it is so often the case, also concerning Kalemat Black it is a pity that the top notes do not last very long. The opening with some frankincense and basil is thrilling, it is a lean, herbaceous and prickling start which one doesn't find too often. However, Kalemat Black becomes broader very soon.
Kalemat Black is a roomfilling, pitch dark amber and oud fragrance for which you will find no direct expression at Montale or Micallef. Combining darkness and sweetness, I can imagine that especially friends of the A*Men variants might appreciate Kalemat Black.