Black Beard

Black Beard is a real male testosterone bomb. It is no coincidence that the history of the fragrance was associated by the creators with pirates. In the meantime they also warn you not to expect sea salt flavored notes of coconut! It’s a stunning fusion of a classically elegant and bold, masculine fragrance, this is the true essence of masculinity. Yellow silk stockings imbued with lemon leaves, decorated with wormwood leaves, absinthe bitterness accompanied by the aroma of petitgrain. Petitgrain is an oil obtained from the young branches and leaves of bitter orange, or Seville orange (which is a hybrid of pomelo and mandarin), by steam distillation. Although this scent is classified as citrus, it also has notes reminiscent of lavender, rose and woody scents. It is used successfully in aromatherapy because of a sedative, stress-relieving and sleep-promoting effects. Behind the initial bitter citrusiness, you can almost immediately feel countless deeper shades and some clove spices as well. Getting closer to the fresh heart of the scent plenty of floral scents become dominant. At first they are just gently sneak, then suddenly with the lavender on the lead, after they will attack us unstoppable with the aroma of rose and geranium. Of course tobacco can also be felt in the background, because how weird a pirate would look like without tobacco. At first tobacco just waits patiently, after suddenly getting stronger to make the chord deeper and darker. As the scent of the flowers fades, the creamy sweetness of the combination of tonka beans and patchouli is especially matching with the tobacco. The earthiness of oak moss and the warmth of ambergris also play an important role in the dry down. Of the four Calaj perfumes this one is perhaps the most complex, a real transformational artist. This beautiful perfume constantly transforming on our skin, keep pushing us deeper and deeper.

Thoughts on a sampling... * Opens like an awesome citrus bomb with the Petitgrain, Orange and Bergamot. * Followed by a pepperiness that is provided by the Basil and Artemisia. It is all deep and in your face potent. * The citrus is not your typical fougere fragrance but more like essential oils kind of like O/E by Bogue. * About 30+ minutes in, the whole thing changes direction as Lavender enters giving it even more spice and eventually (after an hour) takes over the citrus. * Till this point the silage level is through the roof strong. * It blends and transitions quite nicely with peak pungency at each stop. * The base notes are nonexistent for me with the possible exceptions of the Moss and Musk about 4 hours in and the Tobacco after 7 hours. * Unfortunately for me it begins to peter out becoming a skin scent by the 4 hour mark. By hour 5 a very weak skin scent. * However the oils, though weak, stay impregnated and that skin scent is still detectable 10 - 12 hours later and even longer on my shirt. ** Conclusion: If it sold as a 100ml my math says it would go for $340.USD and in my opinion would need to not become a skin scent till at least 6 hours for that price. However it is only offered as a 50ml and so while it is still overpriced it doesn't seem as bad. Since I very much like everything about this Black Beard I'm going “full beard” on it and springing for a bottle. It just smells too good to pass up.

Wow! First FB taste from Calaj. Weird spin on an old school. Sweet musty sweat - in a pleasant way. Oily lemon, Bergamot and petit grain. Accented slightly by a musky dried lavender in the background. And what smells like bird seed or black sesame/sesame in the back ground. Just as if you were Blackbeard basking in the sun, sweating beard with a parrot on your shoulder and a whiff of gunpowder from your flintlock on your waist! A waft makes me flit between thinking it’s old school barbershop (somewhat reminiscent of Houbigant Duc De Vervin Extreme and Tres Bien Institute L’Italien) and then an exotic spice scent the next. It’s enough of a tweak that you’d want it in your collection if you like old school barbershop, spice and talc powdery scents. Also hooked on Love Toxic too!

Black Beard by Calaj. Orange dominates this fragrance from beginning to end. Not the bright crisp fruity scent of orange, no, no, no. It's the musty, sweaty, smoky, swampy, funky, moldy, odor that encapsulates the dried yet still slightly moist orange rind. The same sensory effect is found in other fragrances like, Boucheron, Aqva Amara Bvlgari. Tobacco adds another deeper level to this smoky, testosterone infused, swampy, sweat bomb. Pungent Patchouli adds the woody touch to make up the dominant notes of this very heavy, long lasting, explosive cannon of a fragrance worthy of the name Black Beard. It's pungent, it's musty, it's long lasting. High Roller likes it.

This could not get any better. I didn't look at the notes when I smelt it for the first time. It's zingy, zesty, and spicy. The herbs combine very nicely. Basil adds a unique touch to the scent. I couldn't pick it out at first. To me, the bergamot and herb combination seemed like ginger. It has that same spicy quality. Normally, I don't like Fougere scents, but this is something else. Mossy tobacco gives it a certain depth and darkens the whole composition. Beautifully blended. This will be perfect for spring and summer. What bliss! Miguel's work never ceases to amaze me.