Artisan Black

I've been using this for the last month so I will try to give an idea of the feeling. First: I have never tried the original one so I can't compare. For me, this has been a strange experience, full of great moments and some weird ones. I thought it was a bit weak and unnoticeable at first, very nice though, full of citrus but not in the sporty lemonish way. Different, fruitier and definitely not in the fresh way one could have expected from the notes. It is very well done in terms of quality, you can say you have splashed the brand new mandarine oranges of your garden on you and people would believe it. The vetiver, patchouli and leather are subtle but give it a masculin side. It's sweet but not too much, just the right amount. However, sometimes this nice perfume can become a bit hard to take when the sweet new tangerines become the too ripe and even rotten ones you were late to pick up from the tree. That happened to me once I applied a bit more of it for a night out. Bad joke, I ended up smelling dirty and bitter-sour, and I hadn't even danced yet! All the magic had vanished and I felt betrayed. The next days I applied it for casual wear and the result was again great... and even superb. The weakness of the beginning suddenly becomes a sensual aura around you that stays for long time. That ethereal vibe Ryldyl mentions, perhaps. It becomes indeed noticeable, so don't worry for sillage and longevity. I wouldn't use this in hot summer. I fear the monster may appear again lol. I still like it a lot but think there are some other perfumes close in notes (Fleur du Male, even if it's soapy and creamy, which this isn't at all) that don't have a b side... safer if you want. You should try it yourself and I hope you won't mention the rotten part too. PS: reading my review again makes me think I gave some sort of negative idea about it... well well... I like it a lot but can't say it ain't risky... like picking up any mandarin... you never know how it'll taste until you peel it and bite.

First I heard of the original Artisan. The bottle is a beauty. Its what first got my attention. The burst of the orange scent was very refreshing. Had to buy it. Was the cleanest pleasant scent on a man fragrance i have ever smelled. even more then lemon. possibly because lemon scents are to recognizable. i purchased the fragrance and i wore it the first night. was happy but than i didnt smell it on me. im used to constant compliments by ppl with all my fragrances. i wondered if ppl didnt care for this or if it had no longevity. second time i wore it, i was right, has absolutely no longevity :( i had to keep spraying it on me then it quickly disappeared. Then i learned something in the world of fragrances. Citrus notes have no longevity and any fragrances that contain it is a possibility that it wont last much due to citrus being fresh and toning down other scents. Im still in love with it for some reason but i NEVER choose it to wear anymore :( i used to drench myself with it in stores before i owned it. Now I dont even go to it. BUT NOW... ALAS...They released an intense version of it. Varvatos must have heard me calling. Artisan BLACK!!! you must get it folks. forget the orignal one. Even though this bottle is attractive, Artisan black is the same in a black rattan bottle and the notes are the same with added woods, lavender and leather. but most importantly, it receives compliments, its stronger, and lasts all day and night! :) Im happy again.

This by far is one of the best summer fragrances. I love John Varvatos fragrances and have had many. Pure was very very good but performance was terrible. So I got this one for a bargain second hand to try it since it's a bit hard to find and can be very expensive since it's discontinued. Performance is decent and definitely better then pure. This smells like a sexy watermelon/melon scent. I literately cannot explain how good it smells. It's not overwhelming fruity despite the gorgeous melon scent and definitely is masculine too. Girlfriend LOVES this one. Instant compliments from women too. This one is a solid winner and higher recommended. Beautiful bottle too. Color doesn't match the scent at all but definitely a lovely bottle.

This is one of my all-time favorites. It's a wonderful, warm, dark, rich citrusy scent with a balanced ruggedness that I find very charming. The original Artisan did nothing for me; to me, it smelled like a Glade air-freshener one might use in the restroom. Artisan Black, in the other hand, is a classic fragrance that I want to wear all time time, day or night. Maybe I'm a sucker for "black" versions of fragrances, or double-black in the case of Polo, but the sensual, mysterious nature of this scent creates what I believe is a more lasting impression.

a very nice fragrance, that I wish had better longevity , but while it is in swing smells darn good.. artisan with some body to it.. I would consider a purchase on this one, probably one that a small atomizer you could keep close by for a refresher spritz every so often, lots of compliments on this one so far.. I like it but wish for better longevity.. but I would wear this.. and I am thinking about a bottle purchase, not too bad from some the prices I have seen on the web..