Reviews of Bulgari Black (1998)
by Bulgari

The men who dont like ths fragrance probably like run of the mill smells i.e Hugo Boss or Calvin Klein which I dont dispute that some of these are very pleasant Bulgari Black is a unique scent.
I get nothing but good compliments when I wear it.Perhaps the other reviewers have over applied it.
I do notice the rubbery smell which soon disappears to reveal a mellow fragrance with a hint of vanilla,leathery notes and woods.
Wouldn't say this was a paticularly feminine scent although it is marketed as unisex.
If you want something different give it a try.For me definately a winner.

The thing I like most about this frag is its schizo persona.

It's masculine, it's feminine.

It's sweet, it's smoky.

"I liked it, then I hated it, now I love it."

Longevity is good, longevity is terrible.

Even one of the reviews here thrashes it, but the rating is Thumbs Up.

That's why I had to try it.

Bought it, wear it, love it.

For now.

Very unique and interesting. I love the bottle - it does fit the concept very well looking like a tire and a rotor when placed on it's side. One thing is for sure, this scent has the "car mechanic" thing down to a very sexy science. It makes me think of that note in Fahrenheit (Dior) that is so obtuse (smelling of an oily mechanic). This one is different in that the "mechanic" aura is more akin to the smell a mechanic gets when being in the environment (the garage), but before getting really down and dirty and covering it up with something . . . or when it was a light day in the garage just changing a tire or two.

The end result - the mechanic went out in his work jacket had some vanilla tea on an outdoor patio.

Funny thing, it soooooo works . . . it certainly conjures up so very sexy imagery in my mind . . .

One thing I am perplexed about - I can not see this being unisex very well, it seems much more masculine to me, but, then again, feminine in an odd way too - like the tom girl, or the girl wearing the jacket of her oily beau hunk she is obsessed about . . . ahhhh, I see. It's like a movie in a bottle in one way it's like Rebel w/o a Cause (it makes me think of the scene when James Dean gives his jacket to Sal Mineo in particular) or, in another completely different version - a little Billy Joel "Uptown Girl" video maybe? In any event, those scenes definitely come to mind for me whenever I smell this fantastic creation.

Brilliant and highly recommended! 5 stars from this guy!

I didn't get a 'rubber' smell from this at all. It did however make me think wearing this you should also be wearing a knock out black outfit and a confident attitude to match. It makes me think dark and mysterious, and although it seems to lean towards being more of a masculine scent I've gotten only positive compliments from gentlemen I work with when wearing this.

This is sooo strange this one...Yes...the rubbery smell etc..which I didn't want to wear on a social night out...I used it just to smell up during the day,or to work.It really started to grow on me...in fact I am going to buy another bottle.The other strange thing was I never had any bad comments about it...in fact no comments at all...until I used my last bit...and off several people...I got " you smell nice!!..." This is something if you want to smell different...get a small bottle or tester....try it...it takes some getting used to...it's distinctive.

Just wow! I wasn't sure what to expect... I read the reviews of rubber and car parts and thought that this couldn't really be that great. It is more than great, it's awesome! I'm trying to pinpoint what it is that I'm smelling... could it be cedar and vanilla? It's a lot like I'm walking through a warehouse where cedar is being cut on one side, and vanilla is being pressed on the other side. I like it, alot.

i had this a few years ago liked it a lot after reading these reviews makes me wanna go get another bottle but be advised it's too stong in the summer time perfect fall winter spring smell

go get it

I first smelled this when a SA in a duty free shop responded to my * I can't stand Western (as opposed to Arab) perfumes, they all smell like fake jasmine * by offering me a spray of Black. I got the rubber and smoke with great pleasure; fancy that, a commercial perfume I like!!! Remembering that has led me to exploring commercial perfumes now ( though I have a good nose for notes, having studied aromatherapy in a previous decade)... and buying five different ones in the last week! I am exploring odd/masculine smells to match my first love (Terre d' Hermes on the way... and and am now that woman some reviewers say they admire who wears Black as standard.. to work...to the shops... I keep smelling my arm and spritzing different places to keep the rubber/smoke/powdery combo rolling on all day. Adventures in Black, love it!

Initially I thought this was a real eunuch of a scent, but have been giving it more wearings and more time, and I've noticed that it does last but operates like a submarine, only resurfacing irregularly when you least expect to be reminded of the fact that you're actually wearing anything at all. BvlBlack suits those days when you're not really in the mood for perfume. It's not that linear to my nose - there's a unique topnote that's fresher than the rest of the marshmallow sweetness. The vanilla is also quite different from many others that have vanilla in the base. The bottle is ever so kewl and my spray mechanism is fine, thus far. I mean the spray mechanism of the bottle...

After reading some of the reviews of this cologne I questioned picking some up. I mean how can rubber and car parts smell good!?! I just picked some up and they pulled it off! I always have girls around for second opinions and they love this one too. You can get this bargain frag for $20 of some websites definitely worth it.

This review is under revision.

I've just taken possession of my very own bottle of Black, having lusted after it for a couple of years. When I first came to the perfumista world, I tried Black expecting to be shocked and repelled as it's touted as a 'wierd and wonderful' scent, yet I found it very comforting and familiar. The rubber note doesn't spring out too much on my skin (though I like rubbery, tarry smells anyway) and sadly, I don't get any baby powder, or black tea. Instead, I get a nice lingering saddle leather followed by a deep, comforting vanilla. Since I adore both notes, this makes me very happy.

I'd certainly recommend anyone of either sex to try this fragrance - it crops up frequently as a reference and it's an interesting and unique composition. Also, it's widely enough available that you should be able to get to smell it. It's often put in the Men's section of perfumeries, but is very much unisex.

I guess everyone has that one scent in their collection... you know the one... it goes from top shelf to back of the drawer because you can never really be sure of it. Well, Bulgari Black is that one for me: I suppose that's mostly because it, to me, only belongs in certain settings. One, it must be cool to cold outside, and two, it must be dark out. This would not work on a warm breezy summer evening, and would not work on a crisp spring day. Black says it ALL here, especially with the black tire punch from the very first inhale. Mixed with vanilla, and that slightly sour black tea note, this is very intriguing.

The only thing I'd change on this one is, tone down the vanilla, and dry out the sweet. That would make this more modern and more versatile. Bulgari Black Dry... the name needs work but I'd love to see it happen.

its half brother of body kouros...with the woody aspect toned down a lil bit..you would find the same linear smell of body kouros along with the tea (wow) and lil bit of brand new rubber tyre, although its (rubber note) quite subdued. great scent if you are lazin around in house when its rainin crazy outside or when you are smoking or with friends...quite personal kinds..makes you dwell on things and takes you back in the memory lane..quite personal kinds...love it.

it absolutely smells like a sweety playdough. lapsang tea is the refresher in this fragrance i think. altough bulgari says it's unisex, it is a very masculin scent with notes of cigar smoke and rubber. at least my nose thinks like that. i love to wear it in the morning because the sweet yet sharp tea note makes me awake! thumbs up and a hoo-ray. the most original and the best in the bulgari collection.

"You smell that? Do you smell that? Napalm, son. Nothing else in the world smells like that. I love the smell of napalm in the morning." This juice brings me back to the good old days when I sat at a traffic light on a hot summer day in the city before catalytic converters came into being. At first spray, I get a whiff of the guys on the roof spreading a layer of fresh hot tar. After my migraine clears, I wait patiently past the dry down, well into the basenotes, about 4 hours later. Then, my wrist gives off a scent like my roof got tarred yesterday, but someone tried to get rid of the odor with a powerful grease remover scented with something cheesy and floral. Come on people! You can’t really love this stench. I never got past the chemical plant smell to something I could call pleasant.

A great fragrance, though not necessarily unisex, it's rather masculine. Alongside Boucheron Jaipur and Rochas Man, the best sweet fragrance. The smoke and rubber scents aren't what you would normally expect, they are very subtle and veiled perfectly in a sweet and warm aroma. The touch of tea is also very noticeable, giving this fragrance a rather poetic allure. The bottle however, is horrible, it looks like it was made by someone who was in a hurry to catch a train and didn't have time to pay any attention to details. I've tried four bottles from different places and all of them were broken. This makes me think that maybe this fragrance turned out to be great by accident. But overall, this is one of the best scents you can find.

I describe this scent as a room lit up with vanilla scented candles and you can find leather whips under the bed. I love it, on myself either at work or when I'm in a naughty mood already.

I picked this up as my third "serious" foray into searching for a personal scent. After the very pleasant, but predictable Burberry London and the delightfully off-putting Green Irish Tweed, I thought I might try something which everyone seems to agree is different.

There is just something "wrong" about this scent. I don't have a trained nose and am admittedly not very experienced in picking out the basic points. However, this seems to not fit into what I would consider the more pedestrian ranges. And that is something wonderful.

The black tea which I am able to discern reminds me of my favorite cuppa, which is actually Lapsang Souchong. This is not so much New York to me. But more Hong Kong, São Paulo and Tokyo. Urban on the outside with deeper, richer organic roots just below the surface.

I at first hated this... But because Mario Justiniani loved it so much. I gave it a second chance. I do not know if may be I just smelled a tainted tester or what... But the truth is. This is not bad by any stretch of the imagination. For some reason it smells like a vanilla latex condom.

I love it.. I would definetly buy it if I could find a bottle larger than 2 oz.


The rubber vanilla and what I believe tar and tea are great.. A bit too powerful for a woman to wear IMO.. But hey.. Go for it..

One of the most original fragrances to be mass produced. One hour after spraying the most obvious notes are rubber (tire and latex) and vanilla, but I can also smell wet wood, tobacco and jasmine. I think it is much more complex than most people perceive it to be. One of my favorite contemporary fragrances.

one of my favourite fragrances ever!
somehow it seems that i really feel attracted to fragrances composed by annick menardo! i got them all, not knowing they were all created by her in the first place!
they all (and especially this one) develope a latex + babypowder combination on my skin!
this is a fetish fragrance!!!
and believe me: 9 of 10 women fall for it! ;)
(at least smelling it on my skin!)

I have yet to find a tea scent that matches this for me. It's smokey, yet light, and slightly sweet, with a tangy but not piercing top. The drydown is musky and dark. This is one of my favorite all time perfumes.

This was my signature fragrance for a number of years, and I find it so odd that it is classified as unisex... and even odder when I happen past a man who is wearing it. To me, the fragrance is very sexy and feminine, too sweet to be considered unisex or masculine. (No offense to the many men who obviously do not share my opinion on this.) It smells like black leather soaked in vanilla and spices and is very sweet in a non-foody way. There is a rubber-like note in this (although I might never have identified it as such without having read the reviews), but it is not unpleasant. For me, the leather note is the hook; it gives an edge to what could have been an overly soft, generic Oriental/gourmand fragrance and elevates it to something far more unique.

I recently purchased the mini puck. I have been using Issey M. for the last 2-3 years and I am searching for a new fragrance. I really am surprised at the 'new' smells I have found. This one is wonderful. I love it. I have now order the larger 'puck'.
It does take some getting used to as it does remind me of a tire. But, that goes away and morph's into something great. I will be selecting 2 or 3 more to have different smells.

Extraordinary. I honestly cannot believe there are so many different very wide ranging opinions out there. This has been my absolute favorite since first buying it in 1999. Not many others as distinct or unique. From reading some previous reviews, I'm convinced that people are smelling only what they want to smell. I definitely smell rubber, black tea, and vanilla. How some only get cloying sweet vanilla only is beyond me. I have to say, I will now study Luca Turin, because if it's in his top 10, I already have great respect for him without knowing much at all. Pure genius. 10 out of 10!

This was a blind purchase and it's the best blind purchase by far I've made this juice smells great hmmm wonderful instant classic for me can't stop smelling myself a thumbs up way up

I just purchased a bottle (puck?) of this yesterday, and although i'm not sure i would have picked out the "rubber" note had it not been mentioned so much here, i can definitely smell it. For me it's not so much a rubber tire note as it is that of a rubber squeeze toy if anything. I put some on last night and found the sillage to be pretty average, and though some have said it lacks in persistance, I could still very much smell it this morning. Interestingly, while Black develops in a pretty linear fashion (thanks to that O.B.), when i awoke the aroma that greeted me was this peppery/vanilla/muskiness that i REALLY liked. Anyway, the overall unique spicy/sweetness of Bvlgari Black really works for me, and i can see it getting a lot of playing time .

The smell of a metropolitan jungle... Hong Kong, Moscow...Monolithic steel towers, steamy asphalt, sweaty markets full of spices and teas.... This is one of the most unique fragrances on the market. It's blend of smoky tea and vanilla with an odd ozone-rubber note makes for one of the most interesting smells around. Sexy, urbane, and very original. Lovers of vanilla fragrances or tea fragrances should definitely have a bottle in their collection. This one is good for the office or a hot date. Smells equally divine on men or women, though it probably has more of a masculine edge to it.

Bvlgari Black to me is the opposite of Bvlgari PH. Where PH is quiet and subtle, Black is very noticeable and loud. That being said, I like it. It's a very unique combination of ingredients that make it great for a night out on the town, or whenever you feel like wearing it. I wear this year round.

I splashed this on and was immediately taken back to when I was seven or eight slot car racing with my dad - at the big racing tracks not the small HO scale sets at home. I remember we had a batmobile slot car the shot flames out of the back and we built a Ford GT-40 and . . . . I immediately get rubber, metal, light weight oil, and electricity. As it dries down, the rubber looses its sharpness (blends more) and the vanilla and tea comes out. Definitely a "different" fragrance.

Dry, black tea, hints of rubber with vanilla.
Divine and different. Sillage ok
Quite masculine:)

I love Black - it's edgy, yet pleasant and makes me feel mysterious and pleasantly clear at the same time. My boyfriend who loves black clothes and minimalist design likes it very much, too. Bulgari's own description as an urban scent perfectly fits, I think.

I don't get the rubber - but certainly the tea and smoky wood - also a little touch of sweet. This is (so far) my favorite from house Bulgari, but I'm just having a hard time deciding when I would wear this. I'm sure office would be OK as would any casual occasion. I will call it cutting edge simply because I have never smelled ANYTHING like it. I give it thumbs up, maybe I will even buy a bottle when I run out of Armani Code. The two are not so much similar in fragrance notes, but I would wear either in similar circumstances (casual Fall comes to mind).

Thanks to Djuna, I now have a decant of this, and I agree with the descriptions of smoke, rubber and black tea...but I think that it should not be reserved for Batman only, how about L'Eau du Catwoman? It's soft enough for a woman.
I also see how it could be a good layering fragrance.
I like it very much!

Nice warm and light cologne.But anyway this should be men's only.I really adored it three years ago.It lasts very much and it is subtly sweet so you won't smell like a cake.

I really don't find this very sweet at all. I find it smokey and dry; to me its entirely rubber and black tea. Mysterious and off-beat. L'Eau du Batman.

I think this may well be the most avant-garde scent released by a major designer house. For a wholey unique fragrance, try layering a couple sprays of Bulgari Black over a base layer of Dior Homme. No one within a thousand miles will smell like you, and few will smell as good.

Well well well. Bvlgari Black. We meet again. The first time we met, I was astounded that I could be so revolted by a fragrance. You smelled like someone had spilled a cup of stale tea on an old dirty tire. Now, you smell like someone sprayed a sublime vanilla infused tea fragrance on a fresh, shiny tire. A Ferarri tire. And the Ferarri is at a fancy car show featuring many stylish and rich individuals. Honestly, I don't know what happened. Was it my nose becoming more accustomed to unconventional notes? This is an amazing scent. It is minimalistic without being boring. Attention grabbing without being loud and obnoxious. Classy without feeling stifled. Sweet without being cloying. And most importantly, unique without being intimidatingly weird. Despite what others have said, I find sillage and longevity to be better than average. This is an amazingly well thought out and expertly crafted fragrance. Try it!

This is the perfect fall fragrance for me. It's smoky and mysterious, and not just a fragrance, but a sensory experience. I just smell the smoke (and maybe a hint of tar), rubber, and vanilla. And those notes blend together smashingly. I wear this everywhere from work, to running errands, to the club, and I always get compliments on this one. I think it suits my personality, and may eventually become my signature scent. Two thumbs WAY up!!!

I guess I just don't pick up on the much-discussed "tar" notes in this fragrance, folks. I happen to like this one a lot -- esp. the woody notes and tea notes. All that said, I DO have to be among those who say that longevity IS a problem with this one, though -- wish that Bulgari would attempt an EDP version of Black.

Very compforting scent to wear and lasts all day. I don´t think it is too feminine for a man to wear, although on the other hand it smells fantastic on my GF as well.
The consistancy of the notes is superb, Black smells much the same from initial drydown till the very end (many 7-8 hours). Testers are available for next to nothing on ebay right now, highly recommended!

This one does not evolve and it certainly can smell rather odd when on certain types of skin but on the RIGHT skin it is great. Longetivity is it's major problem, that and the fact that it has been deleted in Australia (according to the stores I have visited)

I think Bvlgari Black is masculin & not feminine.
Tea for Two is the best unisex fragrance for me but Bvlgari Black worth to have.
it's a bit like Body Kouros but Bvlgari Black is more refined than Body Kouros.
it is elegant & good longevity,, black tea makes it balanced.
i have always like tea notes.

I made a mellow review of this the other day. But a few days ago I smelled it on someone else in a store and it was an absolute enchanting scent. Lovely. I havent been using it for a very long vile but I might stray with it when I get tired of my signature scent voleur de Roses.
benb

I see that many of the reviewers primarily notice rubber in Bvlgari Black, but I do not notice rubber at all! It is definitely an unusual scent, and far more masculine than feminine. I love to smell this on a man. It is woody and aromatic, with the slightest tinge of aniseed (although I don't know if aniseed is actually in it). It is sexy and mysterious, and its name is fitting.

One of the most chic and ultra-modern things out there, it's perfectly balanced, simultaneously animal, vegetable, mineral. Sexy yet serious, fun yet dignified and mature without being the least bit fusty or old-fashioned - probably the only truly unisex scent I've encountered - as opposed to many others which are really more androgynous than unisex - in that a woman could wear this and still smell completely feminine, and a man completely masculine, if that makes sense.

What to say about Bvulgari Black. One of my favorite scents, despite it's lack of evolution. What you see is what you get.. as mentioned previously, you get your smoke, rubber and vanilla.. pretty much in that order... and the combination is something quite alluring. To me, it is reminiscent of Lolita for men, without the heavy Anise tone. Something about this fragrance reminds me of a freshly opened box of Christmas Ornaments. That being said, my one issue with this scent is the fact that on my skin it just doesn't last.. within 3 hours it has disappeared fully. Like a one night stand, Black is great while it sticks around.. but it always leaves me forlorn, staring into the rainswept streets.. pensively..

This fragrance is pretty unique .. it has that "burning rubber" top and middle notes which are strangely alluring, despite initially sounding like a bad idea .. the dry down is vanilla-esque, and the scent stays close to body. Good lasting power too. In my opinion, this is more of a manly scent.

A unique mysterious fragrance, which is definitely worth a try.

I don't know about this Olfactive Block business. Bulgari Black may have a subtle progression, but it is certainly there. The dark, sort of nasty burning rubber overtones give way to a very well balanced vanilla / leather / tea scent. Polite and sophisticated, but very very versatile. I can't actually picture this as a feminine scent.

Man this stuff is great. It's a slightly smoky vanilla-like scent with a hint of rubber, like a formula1 car driving through a vanilla patch.

Bulgari Black is an original - with a capital "O"! Black tea, wood notes and vanilla steam off of the sandalwood, amber, musky base. VERY SEXY! This scent is earthy and dry with a warm edgy feel. Not overpowering ~ strictly subtle. The bottle is also an original, and seems to be aimed more toward the men, although it has come to be known as a uni-sex fragrance. This is my favorite on my husband ~ I think he's on his fourth bottle! Undoubtedly worth a try!

YUM YUM YUM

Unlike some on here, I DO believe this is a sex-elixir. Not sex of the fluffy, twinkie variety though. This DRIPS with eroticism and masculinity the way nothing else does.

Bulgari does it again. Divine. Very close to being a signature smell - this combination of dark smokey black tea, fresh citrus, mild flowers and a rosewood/sandalwood/vanilla/leather drydown is a magnificent fragrance. What might sound like a fragrance for the winter months actually smells just fine in the hotter months too.

Perfect for me. Leather like,rubbery, soft and it goes sweet on my skin. Somehow it reminds me on guerlain:shalimar. One day black, next day shalimar.

I love this, for the uniqueness and the original of the fragrance. I've used up a few bottles of the fragrance, and still a loyal fan to this.

This one is very tempermental on me. I have to apply it just right in order for all the notes to properly shine through. Apply too much, and I'm left with a mess of burning rubber without a trace of the vanilla note. It's a unique scent that takes some warming up to. It first struck me as very odd, but as a fragrance enthusiast, I like odd. The only downside is the pesky bottle. I don't dare switch it to the 'off' position because I'm afraid it won't turn 'on' again.

I like this a lot. It's gentle rubbery-vanillary, like the plastic layer on a baby's nappy changer or something, sprinkled with talc. It's mild, soft and therefore perfect for wearing with pjs on a grey Sunday when you can't get your arse in gear to do anything but lounge around and snuggle.

WOW, I'm currently obsessed with this fine fragrance that you can only expect from Bulgari. Not overly complex smelling, and yes, it's slightly reminiscent of rubber at one point of the drydown, but on the whole I think it really resembles Kouros Body, or rather Kouros Body is reminiscent of Bulgari Black, since it was created two years later. I love the smoky mellow tea note that seems to be the main theme of all Bulgari scents. Any Bulgari scent never seems to overpower, they are transparent scents that seem to compliment any environment the wearer decides to be in. Modern, simple, timeless, unisex, and beautiful that I regard Bulgari as more of a niche type of fragrance. Buy this if you are like the idea of minimalist sophistication.

Actually, my favourite fragrance.
Wonderful composition of the woody-leathery and delicious vanilla.
Reminds me a bit of JPG Le Male.
Make sure you sample this first, though, since it seems not to fit everyone.
Only downside is that it has a little short longevity

I, also, do not see this as a woman's scent. It is a beautiful powdery, woody scent with a delicate smoky-tea aura. It is subtle, haunting, warm. How can the scent of rubber be so ethereal?

I love Black! This is a great soft leather fragrance. It’s not at all harsh, or herbal like many leather fragrances on the market. Instead, Black is a soft, rubbery, smoky leather fragrance. The biggest downside to Black is the bottle; there is a defect with the spray mechanism and it’s very common to have it fail completely. I ended up swapping my bottles, because I fell in love with Nostalgia by Santa Maria Novella, which is, imho, slightly similar to and much more interesting than Black.

Unique. You can definately smell the rubber intially, with the drydown being dominated almost entirely with a warm vanilla note. The vanilla is not as cloying as in other colognes though, and it retains a slight smoky character.

a fantastic woody vanilla leathery fragrance - verz lasting, very formal, very much like a black suit with thin pinstripes.

Excellent. Classy, subtle, original. Another modern classic from this superb Italian house. Solid rubber mingling with mellow vanilla and smokey tea. As urban as it gets, from image, bottle to scent and overall impression. 10/10 Mattias/Sweden

Good. It reminds alot of DKNY Unleaded, which I liked, but is no longer made.

Resins,leathers and animals rounded by smoked tea, some herbs and bergamot.How could I not like this since it was created by my favourite perfumer Annick Menardo.Jazzy...

The best of all the Bulgari fragrances in my opinion. I love the powdery sweet smell. Clever how they managed to sustain the same scent from spray to drydown. I really like the rubber coated bottle and off/on switch on the sprayer. This is superior to Bulgari BLV. Give it a try if your a sweet fraqgrance buff. Who said this smelled like wet cardboard? where did they get that crazy idea. This is great!

Like all Bvlgari scents, this one is classy and understated. This one is dark and smokey. It becomes a bit powdery, like most Bvlgari's, but is one that I get TONS of compliments for and is a great evening scent. Listed as unisex, but I have trouble seeing most women being able to pull this one off.

A unique scent. I love the heavy warm and smokey scent of Lapsang Souchong tea that first hits the nose and then there are touches of rubber and woods. Although bill as unisex, I can't see most women being able to wear this successfully. Bravo Bvlgari for giving us something that is not a clone of some popular fragrance.