Year: 2013
Notes: Undisclosed
After being bowled over by M, one was expecting a lot more...
Black is Puredistance's second masculine offering, with a 25% perfume oil concentration and composed by the famous French perfumer Antoine Lie (who has also worked with Comme des Garçons and État Libre d'Orange). But what's bizarre is that the note pyramid remains top secret.
Regardless of this silly marketing gimmick, one can mostly discern some citrus, saffron, pepper, frankincense, something fruity or plummy, jasmine, patchouli, vetiver, cedar, oud, leather and white musk. Overall, its general demeanour is restrained, sweet and woody, but not as dark as the name implies – with fruity, smoky and spicy accents weaving throughout.
However, for all the hype generated, Black is really a cross between Amouage's Interlude Man and (to a lesser extent) Tom Ford's Tuscan Leather, with a dark woody drydown reminiscent of Serge Lutens' Serge Noire. And while Tuscan Leather's slightly synthetic fruity leather aspect is evident, it's Black's similarity to the Amouage creation that's even more striking. After some musing, one has been able to identify three distinctions between Black and Interlude Man.
Firstly, Interlude Man's herbaceous overload has been substituted for spices in Black. Secondly, while Interlude Man has nuclear sillage, which could be perceived as brash to some, Black stays very close to the skin, thus coming across as more elegant. And thirdly, Interlude Man has an irritating synthetic woody-amber foundation, with Black being far easier on the nose from beginning to end.
Although Black is far from original, it still serves as an alternative to the flawed Interlude Man, with exceptional longevity of at least 10 hours. But, for all its merits, it's still overpriced for what little it brings to the table.
Black is Puredistance's second masculine offering, with a 25% perfume oil concentration and composed by the famous French perfumer Antoine Lie (who has also worked with Comme des Garçons and État Libre d'Orange). But what's bizarre is that the note pyramid remains top secret.
Regardless of this silly marketing gimmick, one can mostly discern some citrus, saffron, pepper, frankincense, something fruity or plummy, jasmine, patchouli, vetiver, cedar, oud, leather and white musk. Overall, its general demeanour is restrained, sweet and woody, but not as dark as the name implies – with fruity, smoky and spicy accents weaving throughout.
However, for all the hype generated, Black is really a cross between Amouage's Interlude Man and (to a lesser extent) Tom Ford's Tuscan Leather, with a dark woody drydown reminiscent of Serge Lutens' Serge Noire. And while Tuscan Leather's slightly synthetic fruity leather aspect is evident, it's Black's similarity to the Amouage creation that's even more striking. After some musing, one has been able to identify three distinctions between Black and Interlude Man.
Firstly, Interlude Man's herbaceous overload has been substituted for spices in Black. Secondly, while Interlude Man has nuclear sillage, which could be perceived as brash to some, Black stays very close to the skin, thus coming across as more elegant. And thirdly, Interlude Man has an irritating synthetic woody-amber foundation, with Black being far easier on the nose from beginning to end.
Although Black is far from original, it still serves as an alternative to the flawed Interlude Man, with exceptional longevity of at least 10 hours. But, for all its merits, it's still overpriced for what little it brings to the table.
