Black Tie
by Washington Tremlett

If you find Czech and Speak No.88 or Dark Rose to be too much assertive you should probably give a chance to Black Tie. Rose, galbanum and geranium laying on a solid woody base. Vanilla, tuberose and hints of spices add to this aromatic fragrance, nice refinements. Well crafted and elegant but not incredibly compelling. Slightly decadent.

11th November, 2011.

reading all the reviews here makes me wonder if i really got the sample of black tie... on my skin it becomes a pleasant and very feminine fragrance, in fact too pleasant and too nice, nothing distinct, sharp or really spicy. well, maybe fruity-spicy. it reminded me of my teenage years and bazar femme by lacroix, but that's it.

25th October, 2011.

This is a very classy scent. It has gentlemanly restraint and poise.
The spice notes are light, attractive, interesting... and not the usual clove/barbershop sort of thing. The geranium rose note is simply lovely and quintessentially British. This scent is not as languid as Hammam Bouquet or as assertive as No. 88, but it is is the same camp. It never gets sweet or heavy. The wood and light oud in the dry-down are noteworthy and enjoyable. Complete endorsement.

22nd March, 2011.

Washington Tremlett Black Tie takes its rightful place between the languid, powdery Victorian rose of Hammam Bouquet and the dark and medieval Templar incense of Czech & Speake no. 88. I find Black Tie much more relevant and wearable than the other two. The opening is a debonair citrus with a little spice and rose. The base dries down to a beautiful rose water accord with a natural musk possibly ambrette seed. This one is a winner.

1st January, 2011.

The comparison with Czech & Speake's Dark Rose is inevitable, but I admit I find Dark Rose more daring, more original and a touch sexy, whereas Black Tie is playing it safe. But okay, it is probably supposed to be a gentleman's choice given its name and I realise I am just not gentleman enough to really enjoy it fully. Having said that, it is a very good scent, worth checking out for sure, probably worth the price they ask, but does not sing to me.

24th July, 2010.

Washington Tremlett Black Tie

There are arguably more quality rose scents out there than any other note. Rose has certainly been one of the notes perfumers have used from almost the beginning. The British perfumer Washington Tremlett released Black Tie in 2007 and in many ways it feels like many other rose scents out there but yet somehow manages to feel unique. As I wear Black Tie I am reminded of many other scents I've tried. At the top Black Tie starts with a lovely saffron and sage accord. The saffron is reminiscent of both Czech & Speake Dark Rose and L'Artisan Safran Troublant. As this moves into the heart a rose geranium mix takes over. Again this reminds me of the other Czech & Speake, No. 88 as well as Domenico Caraceni 1913. The base is a mix of sandalwood, vanilla, musk, and patchouli but it comes off with a strong agarwood character to my nose and that makes Black Tie very reminiscent of many of the Montale Aoud scents. When a reviewer is mentioning other scents from other Houses one could take that as a sign that the scent being reviewed is maybe not so good or original. Actually the opposite is true. The fact that Black Tie calls to mind a number of scents that I like is a good thing. Black Tie has taken many of the things that work best in those scents and fused them all here into a beautiful whole. In many ways Black Tie sort of feels like a "greatest hits" musical compilation for my nose. One that I'll enjoy "listening" to over and over.

14th June, 2009.