Reviews of Bulgari Black (1998)
by Bulgari

Because of the review in "The Guide", I avoided this one until curiosity got the better of me. This is a very soft oriental in spite of the rubber (tea?) notes that remain throughout the progression. After the initial rubber smell (this is NOT unpleasant), the fragrance turns to a light, sweet, slightly cinnamon jasmine which quickly morphs into a musky vanilla. I need to try this in summer, because I find the notes are almost too soft, and the sillage & longevity are minimal. This is seductive in a very nice, pretty way. I can see this as unisex fragrance in spite of that pretty softness. However, I don't see this as one of the "greats".

The opening blast can be a little over-powering to some, but given time to settle, I get past the rubbery feel there is to it. It settles nicely into something less bitter and much sweeter (from the vanilla), with the smokiness and woodsiness lingering mildly. A strong scent that I find is more masculine than other-wise.

Smells incensey in the top notes, then turns into tar and tires, then turns into a vanillic musk. Bulgari Black suceeds in what CdG Tar was attempting: turning roadwork into a wearable fragrance. Surprisingly delightful, and I love that bottle!

Pretty much just as what others have described. A hint of rubber, tea, vanilla and musk. No more, no less, not bad.

The first 20 min. I get jasmine, and mudcakes, shoved into black rubber balloon.
Very unique. I couldn't keep my wrist from my nose.

Once it settles i get a more 'smokin' wood and vanilla' but i can still smell that black balloon lingering...

Highly enjoyable and 'fun' but not an everyday scent.

A fleeting (and synthetic) rubber and vanilla scent, which is something I certainly do not care for.

Great bottle concept, though...

[Original submission date: 29 December 2007]

I can picture Darth Vader wearing this one! Unisex? This may be Bvlgari's most masculine cologne. It's certainly its best. Though I can also picture Mrs. Emma Peel wearing it, as she counsels Steed to always keep his bowler on in times of stress and watch out for diabolical masterminds. . .

For something I was sure I'd like I was quite underwhelmed. I rarely like any cologne's top notes (I'm very finicky) but this was an exception! Very delicate and simple, it was just what I was looking for. Unfortunately nothing else really came about.. it was really disappointing. It didn't go anywhere or do anything surprising it was all really washed out. I'll give it a neutral because it does smell good, but there's no surprises or originality

If I had never seen the bottle or read the marketing for this fragrance, this is what I would say about it: Black is L'Heure Bleue lacking the florals and moody romanticism, but with an obstinant, self-assured voice....BB reminds me very much of my favorite parts of L'Heure Bleue without all the tricky stuff that sometimes makes it hard to wear. I think that Black is definitely unisex and is a well done powdery tea fragrance with a sweet powdery amber and vanilla drydown. I smell something a little like anise in there too. And rather than tar or rubber, what I smell is like a dry spice that is heated up to the point of being on fire - just before it starts to burn - actually the smell of something just about to burn. I think that makes it a little sexy underneath all the simplicity of notes. It is not as aggressive as the marketing and packaging would have you imagine.

Smells like asphalt. Settles on the skin and leaves a putrid tar smell. Can't imagine an occasion that anyone would wear this. Bottom of the barrel.

To me, this has always smelled exactly like a black leather motorcycle jacket. And I like black leather motorcycle jackets. Leathery and powdery. Strong but soft. Homme et Femme. Yin and --oh, you get the idea. I don't like that knob though...the one on the bottle, I mean. It's confusing.

OMG... I am in love with this scent. It's not overtly feminine (and I am not either) and it is so deep and mysterious. Not many people wear it (I like that). It is one that I go to at least 3x a week. Gorgeous!!

I tried this because I had heard it smelled like burning rubber. OK.... and there are several frags out there that are supposed to smell like steam from an iron. These are irresistible invitations to sniff, and guess what, they all live up to their billing. To borrow a line from Dr Johnson, it is not done well, but you marvel that it is done at all. I admire whatever wild inspiration made these ideas seem like good ones, but does anyone want to smell like an industrial accident?

Being a big fan of Annick Menardo's creations, I badly wanted to like this one.
All the ingredients are appealing to me and the basenotes reviews seem encouraging.
So I ordered a 40ml bottle, got it by the post, sprayed it on the back of my hand and…disappointment!
I only got vanilla plus a hint of jasmine, and after 20mins a synthetic rubber smell appears and stays forever, along the previous two notes. No smoke and no incense here.
The overall scent reminded me of something straight away, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. Now I figured it out: vanilla flavored condoms!
So for me is a big no-no, it might trigger hot memories in some people minds but that’s definitely not the idea I have of a sexy scent!
Of course that what I got with my skin but I will strongly advice you not to the same mistake I did and to sample it before buying.

This is the best of the best, seriously. Bulgari Black can multitask better the most of us: if you need a superhero costume here it is; if you love the Godfather, this is your chauffeur; if you prefer libraries and literature, everyone from Coleridge to Collins would find inspiration here. Bulgari's Black is like no other, it transcends traditional fragrances and offers something more like a Ticket to Ride. From the very first instant I smelled it, I could smell something as unique as it was enjoyably excitable. Black smells smart, innovative and incredibly contemporary. It also smells like new tires and black powder. This is a fragrance that could appeal to the agrarian in the comsopolitan while also crossing genders. To me, this is a very warm masculine scent, like De Lillo in a limousine. Yet, I must admit how much I really want to smell this on a woman. Truly a unisex scent, it embodies both the masculine and the feminine in one remarkable fragrance. While not for everday use, this should be in everyones selection. In fact, I make plans just so that I have an occasion to wear it. It dominates!

This is quickly becoming my signature fragrance. For me, the top notes are quite synthetic... rubber, latex, spice. Some compare this to tires but I have to go against the grain here and say that to me, it smells a bit of a "fetish" shop. An adult toy store. Standing in front of whips and costumes. It smells sexy, but not in an obscure way, it's more of an "in your face" sexy, fetish scent. Then moments after that you're at ease... the excitement of having something naughty gives way to smelling... warm, comforting, soft. The synthetic scents dissipate enough (but not completely) for you to begin to smell what I identify as warm skin, distressed leather, and strangely - pipe tobacco... or perhaps smoke FROM a pipe, it's very smokey... but still has a very warm and inviting fragrance. It's something you want to smell because it makes you comfortable... and then when you go in for a good whiff you still get the latex/rubber/erotic scent as well. I think this is a very alluring and inviting scent that could work on many levels.

The far far dry down smells more of pipe tobacco than anything else to me. When I put this on in the morning, I find that it excites me for a few hours of smelling and then eventually begins to lull me to a very comfortable place... perhaps the smell of someones grandfather, warm skin and pipe tobacco. The synthetic/fetish scent totally evaporates after a few hours.

I happen to enjoy that very synthetic scent so I often layer this with some of the CdG Synthetic series scents... usually either Tar or Skai. It works out nicely.

All in all, I adore this scent in all of its incarnations. I think it's very sexy and very comforting, all at once. It's a scent that others want to smell... and it's easily remembered.

A new love! That quick slap of burning rubber rocks us back. Smoky black tea promises to keep us up and in tune all night. Yes, the acrid rubber and the black tea drift off soon enough, leaving behind a generic vanilla coziness. So what - isn't love just like that? We're hooked by the torching tires, even if we're dead certain it'll simmer down to virtuous vanilla all too soon. But we plunge right in, don't we? Bring on the flames, again and again and again.

Two words that Turin/Sanchez should have used: VANILLA DOMINATRIX.

Rubber, vanilla, leather, gasoline. This. Is. Bulgari. Black!

I didn't find this edgy at all. Rather, an average musky, leathery vanilla that has good sillage and good lasting power. A friend of mine wears this and it is very distinctive on him, though until I tried it, I didn't know what he wore. Good on him, not for me though.

I am surprised of all the comments this being something weird, avant-gardish, bold or overall particularly impressive.

To me Black is a very wimpy scent. (This is not especially any kind of bad compliment)

I like the actual aroma, but I wish it had more volume to it, more that ballsy OOMPH!

Bvlgari Black is a nice vanilla powder scent with rubbery overtones. Its very subtle and it doesn’t last as long as I would like to.

Very versatile scent. Totally unprovocative.

A very flat smokey vanilla fragrance. Flat in a bad way. It lacks depth and character which makes a scent interesting beyond that it has notes which are unusual. Which it does. It's not a bad one, it just is too flat to be something worth reaching for.

My husband and I split on this one when we both tried it. I loved the vague new tire aspect, accompanied by a pretty muted, subdued blend of vanilla, tea, and spices; he couldn't get past the rubber. To me, this is a very refined, perfectly turned out person (of any gender--Black is truly unisex to my nose) sitting in a new car. Interesting and a little unpredictable. Edgy? Not so much--like the other Bulgari tea fragrances this one is pretty Apollonian. If you like your fragrances to evolve as you wear them, Black isn't the thing for you. On the other hand, if you like it at first spritz, you'll probably like it until it disappears.

I've been wearing this for the last couple of days. I caught a whiff when I opened up the decant, and OMG tar. I don't even know what compelled me to put some on my wrist, because I was completely revolted. On my body, it's actually fairly sweet- in a warm way. I like it, it's dark and sexy. Very unique as well. I'm going to test it out on my husband to be certain, but I just don't see how anyone could pull this off as unisex. It's way too sweet and feminine. Kind of a dark, sadistic vanilla.

Opens with vinyl/rubber, swiftly settles into vanilla, and finally a vanilla-tinged musk that is slightly baby powder-ish. I don't find this 'edgy' or as complex at all, save for that fleeting bike tire opening. I think some people are being swayed by the name and presentation -- otherwise it's a unisex vanilla with a bit of a twist. That said, it is very wearable, and I wouldn't mind a small bottle.

Definitely not for everyone, but if it works with your chemistry then you're in for a treat. The Lapsang Souchang tea notes give a smoky and almost rubbery scent that sits in the background while warm amber and vanilla notes dry to a creamy scent on the skin. Hints of Jasmine, cedar, sandalwood and musk can be found but mostly these blend together to create one unique fragrance. Somewhat like Le Male but less sweet and no mint.

Sinister vanilla, a perfect combination : when you get really frightened, it turns into a Krispy Kreme and lets you tickle its tummy; when you relax, it shouts cruel remarks about your figure. It also has its airy-supercilious side, which comes from the whiffs of lapsang and rosewood, as if from a duchess’s antique tea-caddy. Delicious and weird.

Like others here, after reading the "rubber, burnt tires, tar" etc. I had to try it. And it doesn't disapoint. Who would have thought that a scent of tires would make a great cologne. There are other things in there too though, smoky wood, vanilla and spice. I don't get the unisex title, this is a straight up many scent for sure.

This seems to have been discontinued in the UK now. You can still buy Joop and Beyond Paradise though -- where's the sense.

I live in England and this scent is nowhere to be seen in this country. Every department store claims it's been discontinued, but it hasn't according to basenotes.

Several years ago, I bought the body lotion and just wore that. It was enough: my body warmed the lotion and I was enveloped in the scent all day.

I find this scent to be very comforting and quite sexy. I like the vanilla, which is not overdone, the spice, and the smokiness. It's very unique. The sales assistant who first sold it to me said that it was created to capture the smell of the streets of New York. I never found out whether or not that was true, but as someone who just loves New York City, it sure did help to sell it to me.

I'd love to repurchase this fragrance, either in the spritz form or the body lotion form, and wish I could find it in the UK.

This is one heck of a brew! Bulgari, as usual, has designed a unique frag, really unlike anything else. I cannot fathom comments that include burnt rubber, tar, etc. in this frragrance, which will be sexier than hell on the woman who CAN wear it. It is bold, starts out with a creamy vanilla top note, soon revealing black, tea musk and leathery basenotes. his fragrance lasts, and like most Bulgari scents, becomes closer to the skin. The term androgeny is also inappropriate for the frag, since it implies "unisex." I can see this on myself, and have used it occasionaly, feeling quite well with the scent, opening and dry-down. The strident uniqueness of this cologne may be one issue that some have. For my part is is truly unusual, but distinct and beautiful.

This is gasoline and vanilla... just that, sexy but I couldn't imagine an occasion to wear it, so I left it at the free shop...

Good stuff. Sweet, smoky and modern. Vanilla and burning rubber, almost cloying but with just enough traction, if you will. I can understand why someone wouldn't like this - either the sweetness or the smokiness could rub one the wrong way - but that tension makes Bulgari Black probably the only good stuff you'll find in a department store.

Personally, it's almost too sweet for me to wear, but it's pleasant yet kinky, a great evening scent for people of all genders. The big plus for this stuff is its wide availability and low price, which is why I picked up a bottle.

In the same vein but on a whole other level is L'Artisan Perfumer's Dzing!, which is unafraid of the burning note, and throws in the surprisingly enjoyable wet cardboard note/phase, while toning down the sweetness as it takes us though our trip to the circus. But Dzing! costs 2-3 times as much, and I guess the fact that Bulgari Black smells the same right out of the bottle or 4 hours on (though less intensely, of course) is a sort of a plus, too.

Rubber tires, hot black roofing tar/pavement, and sweet, smokey vanilla. Surprisingly sexy and wearable, however I don't enjoy smelling like tar. Very strong stuff and not for the faint hearted. One of those fragrances you might like if you love the smell of a busy urban city like New York, especially when there's lots of construction and road-paving going on. (If you live in Montreal like I do, you'll know the smell of fresh pavement quite well, all the while wondering why we still have so many potholes!)

Some say this is similar to Dzing, but I personally don't see any resemblance. I'm sure there is something similar to Bulgari Black out there, but I can't think of anything else very much like it (in my limited fragrance experience).

7/10

Unique. I love the smoky rubbery smell, and with whatever else I could possibly smell alongside the vanilla yummyness. I love the bottle, I love the whole fragrance.

Lasts quite long, sillage I don't know (not used it so much), pretty strong (2-3 sprays max - no more than that for me).
Unisex - sure, it seems very induvidual if you would acctually be able to '''pull it off'', Im weird enough tough so I don't have to worry about that.

A much more innocuous scent than the reviews led me to believe, with an intriguing smoky opening (the only part that connotes "masculine"), turning vanilla all too soon and then lasting a long time as perfumey vanilla. Good quality. Far too sweet for me, definitely unisex.

Bulgari Black starts off with a warm, almost rice pudding note. It is a velvety fragrance and though it is apparently for men, I could easily imagine wearing it myself. As it dries down there is a very faint rubber/leather smell which I really only found by having read about those notes. If I hadn’t, I don’t know that I would have detected them as they are not dominant notes in the composition. The best way I can describe Bulgari Black is that it is a soft yet translucent, vanilla musk fragrance with a mild hint of coconut, cinnamon and powder. Which doesn’t do it a lot of justice as Bulgari Black really is much more stylish and modern than these words indicate. It also reminds me a good deal of a current favorite of mine – Le Labo Aldehyde 44. And finally, no question about it, that is one sexy little bottle!

Per The Perfumed Court, here are the notes for Bulgari Black: black tea, rosewood, bergamot, cedar, oakmoss, vanilla, amber, sandalwood and musk.

Vanilla + Rubber = bulgari black.... it's not that bad but smells exactly like one of those cheapy air fresheners you get from walmart for your car.

I try to keep an open mind--far be it from me to hate something because it is "different"--but this fragrance makes me physically ill. It is very strong, and the burnt rubber smell is very strong on me, inducing headache/nausea. Occasionally I get flashes of mellow vanilla and smoky tea, which are nice, but overall, this fragrance is completely unwearable on me. I have yet to smell this on another woman or on a man, but believe me, if I caught a whiff of the "tire fire" on someone else, it would be a one-way ticket to Queasyville all over again. Approach with caution, IMHO.

I decided to purchase 'Black' after reading the reviews round here, and it turned out to be a really good buy!

For me, it's a very ambiguous fragrance - in fact it seems to be the perfect olfactory equivalent of the "Necker Cube": On a casual whiff, it actually seems to convey the smell of metropolis, with the emphasis being 'burned rubber' on busy city streets. However, when concentrating, my nose immediately gathers the composition of what I consider to be its main components: vanilla, tea and jasmine.

I consider it to be a good choice for someone seeking some slightly 'unusual' fragrance. And it's also more of a 'male' scent, methinks.

Delightful powdery vanilla with the occasional and unpredictable waft of burn rubber.

I am slowly beginning to appreciate fragrances of works of art. Like art, scents can be appealing because they are beautiful, enjoyable, innovative, provocative, or just interesting.

With this analogy, Bulgari Black is the Robert Mapplethorpe of the fragrance world. Often downright crude and disgusting but never dull... always pushing the boundaries of the tolerance of the person trying to appreciate it. I can appreciate this scent for its interesting elements but have no desire to ever again have it on my skin, just as I wouldn't want Mapplethorpe's work in my living room.

Loving that sexy bottle, not loving the smoky bonfire smell. It's rubbery and just too much. One for the fetish clubs, perhaps?

I am not a huge fan of Bvlgari scents but this one blended very nicely. Spicy and lasts very long.

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.

Strangely edible while still being a fragrance. Smoky tea and woody notes, a creamy touch of something I can't identify. Very lovely, and probably drop-dead gorgeous in cold weather.

This surely is a re-release!!! The original (which I own and was looking to replace) is unforgettable, phenomenal... The new bottle is a huge disappointment

Rubber, pavement, and vanilla. Lots of points for creativity and a cool bottle, but the juxtaposition of notes is just too extreme on my skin. I think I'd prefer it on a man.

I bought this blind and sold it after a couple uses. It's a decent fragrance, strong, and very unique. I thought it's what I was looking for but honestly it just didn't work on me. Urban and fairly one dimensional, unique but doesn't offer character.

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 agree with eugenie about this one. It's very nice, but there's nothing about it that knocks my socks off. I expected to really like this as I was very intrigued after reading many of these reviews for it here on BN. I was hoping for, but got absolutely NO rubber, leather or anything rough and tough like that. Instead it was a predominantly vanilla scent on me. In my opinion it's very tame. It wouldn't be the one I would reach for if I was trying to make a statement. The sillage is good and it's definately a unisex scent.

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.

I was anticipating the smoke and burnt rubber notes to be prominent (based on the Basenotes reviews), and indeed they are. However I wasn't expecting the sweetness in this one. It isn't a cloying sweetness by any means, but there's something in there to give it a slight airy or "perfumey" presence. There's also a hint of an old worn leather jacket in there (or perhaps it's my imagination, given that this fragrance reminds me of Harley motorcycles and black leather jackets).

So I was expecting some nasty viscous black liquid to spray out of this bottle, but I was pleasantly surprised with Bulgari Black. Don't get me wrong, I would never wear something like this, however I could see how someone could pull this off.

I'll give it one thing... it IS original!

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.

The scent of a biker bar's parking lot. Motorcylce exhaust, asphalt, chrome and the leather upholstery. Sweet and smokey and reminds me of a subdued Egoiste. Very unique and takes some getting used to.

Walk up to the back of a Trans Am. Place your nose near a rear tire, not too close though because you don't want to get hurt. Now request that the driver do a nice break stand. Ummmm ummmmm. How would you like to smell that nonsense all day? There's a reason that this smell hasn't been used, to my knowledge, in any other perfumes. It stinks. It's a shame too because the tea notes are really freaking good. Oh well, I'll find a teaish scent elsewear.

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 have had my bottle for 2 years and have never worn this in public and never will. not a bad scent but it does not make me do backflips neither.one dimensional and a bit short on longevity.

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!

Am I missing something here? Having read many reviews, I expected to love this. Instead, I...rather like it. But it's far more conventional than I had been led to believe. The rubber, which I was dreaming of, is faint enough that I might not have noticed it had I not been specifically looking. The tea is pretty, especially in the (lovely) drydown....but overall, it's a fairly ordinary, pretty but not spectacular vanilla oriental w/entirely too much old lady floral in the first couple of hours, after which it becomes a somewhat more masculine version of Shalimar, but less spectacular and barbaric. Am I the only one who feels this way? I wanted to love this so much....

I've enjoyed most of Bulgari's fragrance except for this one. For the life of me I can't grasp the idea of why someone would wish to smell like burnt rubber/tar/smoke or wet animal, which all these things evoke when I smell this. It smells like you've ridden on the back on the tailpipe of a bus. This is just awful stuff. In my opinion there is nothing refreshing or sweet about this one except the joy in being able to have something cold soap or body wash to get rid of the smell and open windows to permeate the room. Just god awful. I am thankful though that so many don't seem to know about this hidden gem and don't wear it too often as say "Angel".

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.

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.

Has my nose changed, or has Bvlgari Black? Both, I suspect. Here's what I had to say a while back, based, I am ashamed to say, on my memory of Black from an earlier date:

"Audacious and original when it first appeared, but I'm afraid it's been surpassed in my book by many of the smoky leather scents that have come after it. Admirable, I suppose, but no longer all that exciting."

I recently tried Black again, just for kicks, and now I have a different impression. I hardly notice the notorious burnt rubber note. I can't even smell the tea. All I pick up now is the most cloying - even choking - powdery vanilla I've experienced in years. These days I'd turn to Santa Maria Novella's Nostalgia for a taste of what Black used to be...and sadly, I'm again having to punt the puck.

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.

I used to be a big fan of Bulgari colognes a few years back. I got this one from an uncle of mine, who received it as a gift and thought it was way too heavy. Well, I tried it and I must say I quite like it. I mostly smell the vanilla, nothing too special, but wuite alright if you like sweet smells. not much staying power, though

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.

When I first smelled a sample of Bulgari Black, I loved it, and bought a bottle on impulse. Although I don't mind the scent now, I find the vanilla dry down quite cloying and that puts me off. If there was more going on, once the rubber/smoke note fades, I might have enjoyed this more. I am not the greatest fan of vanilla at the best of times, but I do admire this mainstream scent for being a little out of the ordinary. If anything, I prefer wearing this in hotter weather, even though the vanilla would lead me to think it would be better in cooler weather, but for some reason it doesn't work like that on my skin - heat seems to bring out the smoky/rubber accord more, which I prefer.

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

Meh...Its alright...simply doesn't smell as wonderful as a lot of people like to make out...

A lightly vanillic semi-smoked black tea (or hong cha, red tea in Mandarin). Not special.

I have mixed feelings about this one: whilst the rubberish note makes it somewhat unique, it also ruins it for me...should replace this with some white tea notes, and maybe perhaps some guaiac - it would suit the fragrance better.

Its very urbane-smelling, a modern take on a tea perfume, quite palatable, and very acceptable.

Something about it screams out "MAINSTREAM"; I'm by no means a niche devotee - there are plenty of fantastic mass-market and semi-exclusives out there, particularly in classics, but there's something in this that just says to me "I'm mainstream, but its ok, coz I'm not 'usual'..."LOL.

Well, thats my honest opinion. spot on 5/10.

Cheers.

TurkishRose and some others are right on the money: NOTHING SPECIAL, but very deserving of that 'black' name.
It is smoky vanilla, much like Escada Magnetism and others, but it is noticably different. What do you notice? that it is nothing to write home about.

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.

this one is smokey and dark. its more suitable on the mens.too rubbery ,used to like it some years ago not anymore.

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.

I would really like to be positive about this frag as my husband loves it, but fact is, it makes me feel nauseous. Probably too much vanilla, which IMHO should be found only in desserts, and should be kept out of fragrance. My husband can only wear this when I am away on business. I agree with ruggles that it bears no resemblance to Dzing, thankfully.

I can smell the rubber but it's not offensive. I thought it would be more edgy but it's just nice enough. Nothing special in my opinion.

It's been said here that this one isn't all that black, and I agree. I had high expectations from this one but it's just a very pleasant fragrance. I can't smell the rubber, which is much more evident in Dior PH for example, and although I admire Menardo's works, I think that one is more Bulgari (meanning "nice fragrance") than Menardo.

Lilly-of-the-Valley and new tires. Odd combination. At first I liked it's smokiness but then the rubber settled in. Definitely masculine, not unisex as I first thought with my sample.

Olfactive Block? Why bother? While I love vanilla bases, I found BB to be a cloying and polluted vanilla. Too simple and, IMHO, nothing to do with the divine Dzing!

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.

My first review! Everything about this fragrance primed me to love it: the name, the urban positioning, the packaging, the reviews, and several of the prominent notes (tea, vanilla, rubber, etc.: I love the scent of tea but perhaps not in a fragrance?). It just doesn't work for me: cloying and superficially sweet(none of which sounds very urban!).

Fortunately I only purchased one of the very inexpensive testers referenced in these reviews, but I'm sorely disappointed. That said, the packaging is still amazing.

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 am one to believe that different perceptions of scents are not so much a product of chemistry as a genetic inability of certain noses to detect certain notes. Bulgari Black was purchased to entertain my craving for deep, dry rubbery tar and tea. What I got was the sickeningly cloying artifical vanilla scent of a cheap hand cream or dime store body spray. I believe it's contributed by the ingredient Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene, basically an overused compound put in every hand cream to give that love it or hate it "warm vanilla" note that I find heavy and repulsive. Interestingly, studies have shown it also to be a HUGE irritant, and Europe demands that it be disclosed on labels. It's hard for me to overstate how much I loathe that smell. It literally closes my lungs up in bronchospasms.

My bottle of Bulgari Black went from my wrist to Ebay in 15 minutes flat to finance a purchase of Comme des Garcons Synthetic Series "Skai." I'm hoping it gives the smoky, Barbie Doll PVC scent I'm after.

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 had to give this away, it was too woodsy and irritating for me, usually love blvgari's scents, but this one was not a good one.

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.

It does smell like rubber, like a sweeter and more wearable verison of the CdG Synthetics series (Garage and Tar, mostly). I don't mean "more wearable" as a compliment though, it also makes it less interesting. And it's very faint and fading fast on my skin. I need to try it more though.

Rubber is prevalent at first but it dries down fairly quickly to a much more pleasant smoky vanilla + leather. It's a great urban scent but won't really stand out in a crowd. Slightly synthetic-smelling, thanks to the rubber. It's inoffensive--I would consider wearing this (albeit lightly) to the office, but there are better chic urban scents to be found.

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!

A scarily convincing imitation of one of those latex condoms that comes packaged in artificially sweetened lube. After a while, the condom makes its exit and is replaced by an even sweeter vanillic talcum powder. Completely perverted, which I admire, but the sweetness is just too nauseatingly tenacious for me to stomach for long.

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.

Doesn't smell like burning rubber so much as tires and tea mixed with vanilla. Not a bad scent, but it had almost no longevity on me.

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

Well... not my style. It smelled like plastic inside a new car. Try smelling a Twinings' Lapsang Soochong tea plus extra vanilla... is almost the same smoky aroma!!!

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.

It smells like burning tires on my skin. Spritzed in the air it has a much more pleasant sweet, smoky smell that is so much easier to take.

"Sir, either you're wearing your rubber latex underwear again, or you've spilled a considerable amount of Russian Caravan tea on your person." As usual, my valet had a point, for these were my thoughts as well, but the truth was that I was trying a new fragrance again for the hundredth time, [b]Bulgari Black[/b]. I was prepared to be startled, but it wasn't as bad as I thought, certainly more tolerable than that headache-inducing CDG2 Man. The resemblance to black rubber latex mixed with vanilla is unmistakable, but after a while you also begin to appreciate the smoky tea note. At this point, if you're a tea lover like my valet or I, Russian Caravan will spring to mind, as opposed to Lapsang Souchong. The Lady of the house is traveling presently, and this is a scent that I shall need her approval to wear anything other than very discretely. For this reason it must deal with a neutral rating for the time being.

Wicozani

Yes, "steel-belted radials" can be an acceptable note. I also was reminded of a family friend, a machinist who always had a stogie (short cigar) in the corner of his mouth. Despite the apparently negative associations, I like smelling Bulgari Black on my husband once in awhile, partly because I admired Bulgari's departure from the ordinary. I'd also notice and admire any woman who had fortitude to wear this routinely.

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

This fragrance rocks! >:) I love its subtle, reserved nature (that "olfactory bolck" thingy) and how it changes to a vanilla-like texture over time. Yet, that smokiness doesn't disappear altogether. I can't see a woman wearing this, though. But what do I know. :->

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

This happens to be an exceptionally smooth scent. It reminds me of rubber indeed but I like it. And I really like it a lot.

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.

Two words:
Wet cardboard.
I'm not saying that's good or bad, but most people would agree. Wet cardboard.

Although I like it, I think there is too much vanilla (at least it smells like vanilla to me) for Black to be a men's fragrance, although they say it's unisex. Particularly when time passes and the top notes are gone away. The vanilla (?) in the base notes are too strong. (for a man)