Top Notes 
Heart Notes 
Base Notes 
10/28/2018
Elysium
815 Reviews
Elysium
Helpful Review
5
A Precious Little Gem That Needs Some Hype
To begin with, Black was developed by perfumer Olivier Polge who creates other gems such as Burberry Brit Rythm, Christian Dior Homme, Davidoff Hot Water, Dolce&Gabbana The One, Kenzo Homme Boisée, Kenzo Power, Valentino Uomo, Viktor&Rolf Spicebomb, and last but not least Ferre In The Mood For Love. If you compare Black and In The Mood for Love you'll notice that they share roughly the same note, except that the former has the Basilian Teak Wood (aka Kumaru or Cumaru) in the base notes, which has a faint, vanilla or cinnamon-like odor, whereas the latter has Fava Tonka, which is like a vanilla caramel with dark honey and hint of tobacco. I presume that those 2 were a sort of credible options Polge came across during the perfume creation and then he chose to release both to the market, one some years after the other. Black has the soul of the In The Mood For Love Man but it's more aromatic and masculine to my nose.
Yet, that is my feeling out off the top of my head. That said, I like the scent. It's warm and inspires confidence in me. Oh, guys, this scent needs some hype, because it's a sweet little gem! It's that good, very safe scent but an amazing one. For a date or cuddling, it's superb!
Just tested it this morning and I'm delighted with this fragrance already! The notes in Black are pretty typical. Olivier combined here soft teak wood sweetness, dark flowers, a pinch of generic spices, a beautiful woody dry down smelling like an unlit Indian incense stick a bit citruses. Lavender dominates and has done in a contemporary also manly way making the opening classy, refined and calmy. That fresh burst of fresh lavender is cut with a lightly spiced pepper, then followed by a hint of juicy grapefruit which is becoming stronger after some seconds. Yes, it has a very modern start, a little bit clean and fresh, yet with some light sweet notes. The pepper is there alive and kicking. It has a vibrant opening so fresh and spicy at the same time, with a subtle sweetness but not so powerful.
The opening is sweet and bloody peppery but after a while, the floral face shows up. It gets much warmer with the sweet notes blending with wonderful spicy-woody scents, I get the coriander and the cedar in particular… but don’t get me wrong, it’s not the same sweetness as Le Male, or A*Men or Lolita Lempicka Au Masculin. Surely, a spicy heart of coriander, cardamom, and sweet orange blossom. I am convinced there are more floral notes not only orange blossom but I cannot point. The floral note is a very dry one with cardamom also slightly noticeable in the background. Here's when I got seduced by this composition: the sweet and spicy notes are delightfully balanced and blended, I didn't expect such distinct and vivid scents to produce such a refined result!
The drydown is so nice and smooth, the sweetness is gone and here we have woody notes with some spices. The teak wood is the most powerful note of the base with a tender touch patchouli and noticeable cedarwood slightly pencil sharpener like. The patchouli is not loud nor shy, just rightly done, to make a pleasant mixture for a modern young man. Maybe there is a pinch of coffee note here. So, the dry down is woody and well rounded due to hints of tobacco, resins, and amber accord.
It is not overpowering so you can wear this both day and night. Clearly, it is suitable for 30+ and it’s not that type for everyday use or at the office. I think it will shine best in autumn/winter nights and it can be a winner for some special occasions. Silage is great. It’s a very powerful scent, the longevity and the projection are both moderate. Nice, pleasant, fresh spicy oriental scent for men. Again this is my first impression after about three hours on my skin and it's just getting better at the drydown!
Ultimately, the overall aroma is not utterly original but its dusty spiciness imprints an element of inebriating peculiarity which I really appreciate. So, if you are looking for a classy, elegant, modern, but at the same time masculine men scent, underrated Black deserves a try. I’m very delighted with it. Bravo to Olivier Polge, great job! Refined, balanced and complex at the same time without being heavy at all, the nose behind this creation has done a marvelous job.
-Elysium
Yet, that is my feeling out off the top of my head. That said, I like the scent. It's warm and inspires confidence in me. Oh, guys, this scent needs some hype, because it's a sweet little gem! It's that good, very safe scent but an amazing one. For a date or cuddling, it's superb!
Just tested it this morning and I'm delighted with this fragrance already! The notes in Black are pretty typical. Olivier combined here soft teak wood sweetness, dark flowers, a pinch of generic spices, a beautiful woody dry down smelling like an unlit Indian incense stick a bit citruses. Lavender dominates and has done in a contemporary also manly way making the opening classy, refined and calmy. That fresh burst of fresh lavender is cut with a lightly spiced pepper, then followed by a hint of juicy grapefruit which is becoming stronger after some seconds. Yes, it has a very modern start, a little bit clean and fresh, yet with some light sweet notes. The pepper is there alive and kicking. It has a vibrant opening so fresh and spicy at the same time, with a subtle sweetness but not so powerful.
The opening is sweet and bloody peppery but after a while, the floral face shows up. It gets much warmer with the sweet notes blending with wonderful spicy-woody scents, I get the coriander and the cedar in particular… but don’t get me wrong, it’s not the same sweetness as Le Male, or A*Men or Lolita Lempicka Au Masculin. Surely, a spicy heart of coriander, cardamom, and sweet orange blossom. I am convinced there are more floral notes not only orange blossom but I cannot point. The floral note is a very dry one with cardamom also slightly noticeable in the background. Here's when I got seduced by this composition: the sweet and spicy notes are delightfully balanced and blended, I didn't expect such distinct and vivid scents to produce such a refined result!
The drydown is so nice and smooth, the sweetness is gone and here we have woody notes with some spices. The teak wood is the most powerful note of the base with a tender touch patchouli and noticeable cedarwood slightly pencil sharpener like. The patchouli is not loud nor shy, just rightly done, to make a pleasant mixture for a modern young man. Maybe there is a pinch of coffee note here. So, the dry down is woody and well rounded due to hints of tobacco, resins, and amber accord.
It is not overpowering so you can wear this both day and night. Clearly, it is suitable for 30+ and it’s not that type for everyday use or at the office. I think it will shine best in autumn/winter nights and it can be a winner for some special occasions. Silage is great. It’s a very powerful scent, the longevity and the projection are both moderate. Nice, pleasant, fresh spicy oriental scent for men. Again this is my first impression after about three hours on my skin and it's just getting better at the drydown!
Ultimately, the overall aroma is not utterly original but its dusty spiciness imprints an element of inebriating peculiarity which I really appreciate. So, if you are looking for a classy, elegant, modern, but at the same time masculine men scent, underrated Black deserves a try. I’m very delighted with it. Bravo to Olivier Polge, great job! Refined, balanced and complex at the same time without being heavy at all, the nose behind this creation has done a marvelous job.
-Elysium
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FuzziKSA
Jazzy76
Elysium
