Black Saffron

One of my favourite fragrances all time with an addictive allure this is one of those wow factor fagrances that just smells incredible. Jammy raspberry, violet, saffron and leather is the core of the fragrances with touches of juniper and grapefruit to add freshness producing a very powerful unique aroma that still has some verstaility. Many compare this to Tom Ford Tuscan Leather and Clive Christian C and whilst all these fragrances are similar with difference approaches to the same DNA I believe Byredo does it the best out of the three. Has the same bold unique character of Tuscan Leather whilst being more mass appealing and higher quality it’s like a fresher Tuscan leather with a slight soapy touch and I think the violet really sets this apart adding that unique effervescent floral touch giving this fragrance complexity and just smells amazing to me more so than Tuscan leather so much more pleasing to me more complex and not as harsh due to the nice airy charactistic whilst still being very strong. Despite being a challenging scent DNA to some Byredo does it the most approachable way that is very refined and smells classy and elegant definitely making it a more dressed up scent. Saffron is definitely present but is not the main note here despite being in the name, the warm spicy fuzzy feel that saffron provides is very pleasant here and slightly reminds me of the luxurious saffron within baccarat rouge extrait but dialled back a bit that floral spicy saffron resonating is very addictive without being cloying complimenting the raspberry very well with a nice punchiness and sweetness which gives the fragrance a lot of robust character and warmth making it perfectly suited to winter and night times. High quality ingredients and being packed with naturals gives this fragrance that fuller, realistic high quality smelling scent profile really giving the formulation lift and making it smell more finished Compared to many leather fragrances out there with that over harsh new car smell this is more of a dusty premium leather or suede giving this more of a comforting warmth and proving a more opulent well dressed vibe with a subtle cigarette type smell in there as opposed to that overly harsh loud inky like facet which leather is usually paired with in many designer fragrances which is what sets this apart. Deeper and easier to wear whilst still being very dark and mysterious this is the type of fragrance that intrigues people due to the allure it creates around you. The way fragrance is very well put together and cleverly constructed is evidently demonstrating the mastery of this house and skill of the perfumer as the precision give the fragrance and wonderful clean feel that’s very smooth just making this fragrance smell perfect and three dimensional like a finished fragrance rather than being an overbearing mess truly amazing scent. Performance is amazing on my skin 10-12 hours longevity on skin 48 hours on clothes Strong projection that radiates well with a nice lingering sillage trail without being too much. The florals, slight powderiness and the construction that allows for a slight airy quality make this fragrance feel much more unisex aswell as the leather not being too pungent or animalic which makes this scent even more brilliant as I do think women will enjoy wearing this just as much as men whilst it is slightly leaning masculine. Overall I think this fragrance is heavenly and very indulgent and sexier Tom Ford Tuscan leather whilst similar enough also very different. Byredo offer amazing value for money especially compared to other niche brands it’s hard to comprehend how divine this fragrance truly is until you smell it even if you don’t like leather fragrances give this one a try as it is different it’s a true stunner 9.5/10 one of best fragrances out there and the best leather raspberry combo by far that I would argue is unisex leaning slightly masculine.

#619 in my "Tour de Fragrance" This after noon while enjoying a root canal, one of my endodontist's assistants said, "You smell great by the way." "Mancera Instant Crush", I responded. She said, "You're into fragrances?" "More like obsessed," I replied. "What's your favorite Parfums de Marly?" she asked. "Godolphin" I answered. "I don't know that one," She said. "So you're into fragrances?" I asked. "You should see my collection," she said, "I've got like fifty bottles." I resisted the impulse to say, "I'll show you mine, if you show me yours." It's a workplace after all. But I did return with three fragrances for her collection that embody her expressed tastes. She was delighted. Reward enough. Sharing is what makes this all so much fun! Anyway, it's no surprise that since I love the fruitiest PDM frag I love this Byredo raspberry tart of a fragrance. Raspberries and leather. To be more accurate. "RASPBERRIES!!!" and leather. A lot of fragrances claim to be fruity. This is fruity, but it's not overwhelmingly sweet and the combination of florals and leather set it off like a raspberry field in bloom. But it is not unique. Someone mentioned Amouage Black Iris as similar. Not even a little. Atelier Oud Saphir? Please. Ombre Leather? No. Montale Aoud Leather? Also no. I have all but the Atelier which I have sampled, and they are not in the same ballpark. Godolphin is similarly fruity, but the fruits don't make themselves individually known. Tuscan Leather and it's clone La Yuqawam, are both very, very close, but a little less raspberry forward to my nose. Enough that I can tell the difference, but it's a difference without a lot of distinction since the fruitiness has faded away with all three in a hour or so. So if you already have Tuscan Leather or La Yuqawam, this would be redundant. But if I didn't have those already, I probably would prefer this Byredo fragrance to those two. This is certainly fine for any use, any time, anywhere, except I think at the office I probably wouldn't. I tend to stay with fougeres during business hours. My personal bias. I don't think an executive, man or woman, smelling this fruity will get a positive response, at least not in the C suite. This has acceptable longevity and projection. No one is going to be offended by this fragrance. That said. I just don't see the point in spending $200 for this when La Yuqawam is $49. The difference between La Yuqawam and Black Saffron is noticeable to me, but it is rather niggling difference, and there are a several hundred other scents I'd like to try and haven't sampled yet that I could spend that $150 on. So not a bottle buy for me, but if I run out of Tuscan Leather and La Yuqawam before I die of old age, and this Byredo scent is still out there, maybe then.

Right off the bat before I say anything, this very much smells similiar to Tuscan Leather but by no means are they a 1:1, they may share notes in common, and even perhaps at their very core they have similiar ideas, but they both go in different directions if that makes sense. Tuscan Leather by Tom Ford is a much bolder, harsher, potent Leather fragrance, that's very unapologetic and is either loved or absolutely despised by people from what I've seen and experienced, it does have some fruitiness and a little spice, but its very minor, more or less being an accessory to the Leather, and in a way feels a little screechy due to its trying to smooth out the Leathers pungency. Black Saffron on the other hand takes a much fruitier approach, with a bigger emphasis on the rasberry note, and some spice from the saffron, with some slight nuances from the Vetiver and Juniper Berry that are in the background, altogether it feels like a much more well rounded Leather fragrance (especially in comparison to Tuscan Leather), and its more wearable due to this fact too. I still believe it's a bit of a polarising DNA, but if you thought Tuscan leather was wayy too abrasive or pungent for you to wear/enjoy, or perhaps you wished the Rasberry played a bigger role, you may find yourself potentially enjoying this more, and as someone who likes both this and Tuscan Leather, I'd say I prefer this as its; 1. Easier to wear, and 2. I prefer the fruitier aspect to TL's pure harshness. Its perfectly Unisex, but whereas TL leans more male despite also being Unisex, Black Saffron leans more feminine for me, in terms of longevity I get around 6-7 hours on my skin but I can detect echoes of it upwards of 9 hours, good for colder and more moderate weather, DEFINITELY not a summer fragrance 😂 but cool summer nights are passable, definitely orients towards a dressed up fragrance but if you're confident it definitely can be dressed down. Overall I'd say this is easily I the top 3 if not top 5 amongst Byredo in my opinion, and as stipulated I highly recommend trying this if you're looking for a more balanced/less abrasive Tuscan leather, and/or looking for a new Leather frag to try in general. Final Verdict is a 8.1/10 for me

I’m in love. I’ve been a longtime fan of TF Ombré Leather, and his hot DILF Tuscan Leather. They’re animalic, leathery and as another commenter mentioned, like an overpowering monologue. Ombré Leather is a 20 something ambitious boy, dressed to the nines, perhaps old money heir or at least walks in those circles, and well on his way to the first taste of wealth and success, while Tuscan Leather is a MAN, with a weight to his personality that announces his presence before he’s even walked in. But they’ve always been too masculine for me to own and wear, until I accidentally sampled Black Saffron. It’s got the same DNA, but now she’s feminine, with a clean, soapy and sweet note that follows the leather, smoke and raspberry. It’s a heady balance that smells clean and dirty at the same time, and SO expensive. It smells like wealth, which is reminiscent of the original TF dna. I’d say a woman of any age can carry this perfume, as long as you’re wearing it with the right outfit and for the appropriate occasion. One of the commenters mentioned it smells like hair after a cheap dye job, and I partially agree - if does smell a bit like after you’ve had your hair freshly bleached and toned, but the kind where you’ve blown 1000€ for the most expensive blonde balayage money can buy. That’s the soapy note that’s shining through with a bit of fruit and leather which can come off chemical-y from the tannin. I love that smell, and I love this perfume. It’s complex, unique, and performs very well. My skin tends to eat up perfumes and this does a solid 12hrs on skin, and 24-48hrs on clothes. Projection is quite decent, just make sure to spritz a bit on clothes and hair. This is with 3-5 spritz Not a safe blind buy unless you love leather notes in perfume.

BLACK SAFFRON, a fresh,sweet , fruity leather ! One of the best fragrances I have tried in some time. This is incredible !!! A very gorgeous take on Leather infused with raspberries , a friendlier take on the famous Tuscan Leather TF , starts out with a fresh smell of junipers like gin ,,,and grapefruit as well as a slight violets note , almost like a sweet cosmetic note , the raspberry and saffron make it borderline edible. All on a bed of soft high quality leather. This fragrance is the best of Byredo , it's exquisite ! It never turns stale or cloying. It's airy and sweet and stunning. A compliment getter !!! White suede was my favourite leather fragrance for years , this is taking its place with its zesty fresh , sweet feel ! Needles to say all Byredo fragrances are packaged in a beautiful minimalistic way, bottles are stunning with a magnetic cap! I also love the fact that Byredos don't necessairly smell like cologne or perfume but realisticly of things , food, spices, plants , fruit or places or an emotion. They capture a Feeling and can be worn at any age to any place ! Update: wearing this almost daily , it has become one of my absolute favourites , it's such a fresh ,sweet ,airy take on leather, completely taken by this fragrance ! A master piece and second bottle worthy ! Update ; This is now my favourite fragrance !!!!