Eau Parfumée au Thé Blanc (2003)
by Bulgari

Peppery, white musk, woods, and delicate generic flowers. A fresh, piping cup of gently scented white tea. It is a little sweet, yet also dry. Clean and linear, it is definitely safe for work. Au Thé Vert is more enjoyable, in my opinion.

a girl in a meadow by William Page Atkinson Wells 1905

Thé Blanc is a perfect example of how to make a perfume that won't offend anyone, but that also isn't just boring or too mainstream.

It starts with vetiver and black pepper, quickly joined by green tea extract and a bit of sage. As the pepper fades, it gets a little soapy, but mostly just smells like a perfectly matched combination of vetiver, tea, and sage.

I think it works fine as a proper perfume, but it really shines most in its ancillary products, especially the bar soap. If forced to complain, I generally don't like green tea essence (this is one of the only scents I genuinely enjoy it in), and this may disappoint if you actually want a perfume that smells like tea. But I still say thumbs up, very much so.

Hmmm....compared to Bulgari's Eau Parfumée au Thé Vert, this one strikes me as a bit too sharp and leaning towards being a feminine scent.

The pepper in this one spikes up the white tea mystique in this one. I am also an avid tea drinker, and white tea has always struck me as smelling quite flowery compared to green and black teas.

Eau Parfumée au Thé Blanc does capture the white tea sensation quite nicely, yet I imagine it's up to the wearer if he or she wants to sport this particular smell.

White tea is such a delicate, delectable treat. Drinking a freshly brewed cup can bring a smile to even the grumpiest of faces (mine, for example).

To be sure, Au the Blanc starts off pleasant enough-- slightly sweet/slightly musky. No discernible tea note, but maybe, I thought, it's not a literal interpretation.

Over time, though, a strong metallic/aquatic note began to take over and didn't give up until I washed it off-- 6 hours later. Very 90's unisex. Not for me.