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..

This is a great great smelling fragrance. It`s very light and it opens with a floral almost fruity nuance. I get the tangerine mixed with the watermellon at first but in a matter of minutes it opens up the true heart of floral notes. Be not fooled for this is a pretty complex juice. It`s a very nose-friendly perfume but the biggest problem is the longevity and sillage which are BOTTOM LOW (noticeable for around 30 minutes on my skin). Too bad John Varvatos, too bad ! :(

I've never smelled the original artisan (I do own pure though), so I can't compare but this smells unique to me. It's a play of dark, fresh and woody. It's very intriguing to my nose, the only thing It reminds me of a little is armani attitude. They arent the same profile or anything but the same type of fragrance and same use cases. This is a love for me and it was a blind buy from burlington.

What a disappointment this turned out to be. I purchased a 4.2 bottle after trying a sample and loving it. The patchouli note really spoke to me. Unfortunately this doesn’t last more than an hour or two at most. The longevity is so bad that I’m actually wondering if I got a faulty bottle. FragranceNet doesn’t sell fakes do they? I wish I could return it I’m so disappointed.

In South Texas it's hot today, high 90s-100+. 8pm, opened a new box, sprayed 5-6 times and wow, great opening. If the dry down is as good, this is a winner IMO. If it ends up with low projection time, don't care. The scent is great and if it lasts at least 4-5 hours on my skin, I'll be happy. Right now about a 2-3 ft bubble around me. Nice juice.

I love the scent. Deep, dark, smooth citrus. Maybe it does cause nose fatigue IDK but it does seem to have poor longevity. But the 3 hrs it lasts are pretty wonderful. For me it is a year round scent. A great spring summer citrus but also rich and dark enough to cut through the cold of winter and not seem out of place.

This stuff is a complete waste of money! I cannot believe that after 20 minutes on the skin and clothing that there is absolutely nothing. Now I love the smell of this fragrance and that is why this is so displacing. The company needs to go back to the lab on this one.

I'm a heavy sprayer but even that did not help with longevity and projection. Artisan Black could very well be one of the first fragrances, with a leather note, that I enjoy but it will leave no reminder that you're wearing it. This juice is just that transitory!

Artisan Black is my go to fragrance at the moment and I KNOW THAT I AM BEING GYPPED. I have a love/hate relationship with this stuff, because it smells fantastic, but if you don't soak your clothes in it even you would never know what juice you wore.

Took me many trials to love this. To my nose comes across clearly metallic because of the acrid cirtrus (one of the strongest I have ever smelled). Reminds me of some of the old 80s vibe citruses. Anyone else think so? or maybe it is just me.

To the person below that replied to my original review. You sound bothered by what I said. I never said the fragrance was cloying. I love the scent it just doesn’t last. It’s just a fact, many here have mentioned it. So...

Just found one as an old stock. Great smell. Similar to artisan classic, just darker and bitter. Really nice and subtle, however not easily available. If anyone has any alternative to suggest, it would be nice to know.

very nice, very intriguing. the scent develops after some time, and changes on different parts of the body. both for a day and for night. definitely stronger than Artisan! another great composition by Varvatos <3

This is my absolute TOP FAVORTIE summer scent. Doesn't make sense to me how this was discontinued and the original artisan is somehow still in production..the original sucks in comparison to this.

A masterpiece — a more colorful and more intense version of the classic Artisan, with a very unique scent profile. A perfect fragrance.10/10

Love the smell and the bottle too, but as mentioned it does not last very long, and thats a pity as i find it very plesant on my skin.

People are going to hate me for this. It last 8 hours on my skin. And it projects till 2-4 hours.

take artisan and add blood orange to it. that is what you will smell. love it.

SOTD for me - I am a big John Varvatos fan and this bottle doesn't disappoint! Okay, the remarks of being synthetic - to a fair degree, yes. However, a lot is extraction (by various interesting methods) of essential oils and also compounds that are rather unique in fragrance. The question that I try to answer about scent, first & foremost...do I like how it smells? The issues of longevity and projection are always relevant as to how one wears a certain fragrance, but to me, secondary. The notes make it seem very fruity and floral with some darker base notes. I have the regular Artisan bottling and while there are some similarities - this is a true "Black" version of a very bright and beautiful Orange Blossom/Mandarin/Clementine that the original is. The original stays there while this really transcends into darker territory of rich, suede leather, warm patchouli and exotic shades of "night". The original Artisan bottling is a day-time scent, and perhaps evening on a patio in summer (warm weather necessary). This black bottle evokes great top and middle notes, like all the Varvatos bottles I have and the blend is very rich and harmonious. My only complaint is that while the scent is wonderful, sensual and provocative (8/10 for me on scent alone). Initially, it is sharp and the ingredients are deep and penetrating while being very natural. The Italian Red Orange with the other citrus, ginger, and spices (coriandor and cardamom) blend very well with the florals - Tunisian neroli, Sambac Jasmine Absolute and Moroccan Orange Flower. The base notes that show key to me are the vetiver (Vetyvert CO2 extract, leather and Singapore Orpur patchouli). This is not an overly-synthetic fragrance, although it does contain synthesized, aromatic compounds such as Kephalis in the base that offers a warm amber/tobacco accord (which really shows). It turns into a skin scent with moderate (~ 4 hours) longevity and slightly above average sillage earlier in the wear. For the first couple of hours - this is an attention-getter but it becomes an intimate skin scent after that, which might be what you want for a night-time scent any way...after all, you don't want your lover to suffocate and get nostril burn while you are in the heat of passion. ;-) Keep this bottle for cooler weather and summer evenings (and be ready for compliments). I find this to be a scent that people always are attracted to...it does leave an aura about you. Kudos to John Varvatos! I would rather have a shorter longevity, high-quality ingredients and a wonderful scent than 12 hours of horrible, synthetic crap that you can't wait to scrub off. This is very fine indeed - final score 7.5/10. I recommend on scent alone. Also, apply on your shirt to add both longevity and projection and don't be shy on application (as well as layering it over the After Shave Balm). Update: Warm (almost 70 degrees) and sunny in California today...layered Artisan Black (moderate application) with a few shots of John Varvatos Artisan EDT and After Shave Balm to enrichen the wonderful blood orange/mandarin/clementine fruit notes along with the nice subtle (but essential) orange blossom. Base notes emerge and breathe through, although this is really about the citrus aromas and various "shades or orange aromas". This is definitely alive and breathing very well on me - never too strong, but I love how the two play so well together. One can easily transition a daytime wearing of Artisan to Artisan Black as the late afternoon sun fades, or even blend together from the beginning. Very good stuff from John Varvatos! Ahhh....breathe deep and enjoy. Cheers.

As bored as I am with the 'black' flanker gimmick, I must confess that I can't dismiss Artisan Black out of hand. It's just too pleasant to write off. It's buoyant, luscious, pert, and perky. In a word, it's spirited. I rolled my eyes at this when it first came out, but I started some time ago to revisit my earlier rejects to test the sensitivity and intelligence of my sense of smell. Like many others here on Fragrantica, I was smell-blind to so many notes and accords because I didn't know *how* to smell. Age, experience, and information have combined to make, and continue to make, of me a discerning nez. I'm so glad I came back to Artisan Black, as I am with so many I've salvaged from my bin. As I've said of other department store designer frags, this one bears no trace of auteur idiosyncrasy; it's designed to have wide appeal, which it does. But this category of fragrance can, I'm convinced, still surprise and delight even the most jaded of noses. I think that the line thought to exist between mass market fragrances and niche fragrances is, in many instances, a false division that does a disservice to the interactions and continuities that exist between these two categories. There are many criteria other than novelty or complexity through which we can make sense of olfactory experience. There are striking failures and coups de foudre in both the niche and designer categories. Artisan Black is one of those designer scents that is attractive for reasons that could be easily explained with the usual litany of descriptors (e.g., fresh, green, etc.). But this impulse should be resisted. If we eschew easy description and instead look for combinations, nuances, and shades that don't readily fit into what we know or expect, we might open up possibilities for hearing anew what scent is trying to communicate. If perfume is a message, how do we listen?

First Impressions: Smells like the OG except a bit darker woodier and bitter dry. The citrus note (tangerine or blood orange) is basically all you smell mixed with some herbs. Once that phase has passed, the ginger note starts to stand out a bit more. I honestly do not smell the orange flower/neroli/petitgrain at all. Although it is soapy fresh which is similar to that from said plants. I'll give it some time and come back to the review to update if anything changes. So now comes the big stuff right? Its amber woody (kephalis) which is a dry amberwood which to me smells like wicker. The "leather" is very, very, very faint (I'd assume he used suederal LT or a labdanum based leather accord). On skin and on paper I get more herbal aromatics/spices and woods than anything else. Although on skin, the citrus pops a bit more. Good for summer, spring, or any place warmer. Indoor or outdoor use. Light and close to skin fragrance. If you have the og,honestly no point in this. If you find this at a really good price (-$30usd), its worth it. I payed $47 and it wasn't worth it

Pleasant citrus, very little leather to my nose and a dash of spice, not much-- ginger is a nemesis of mine and if it's too strong, it's headache city. But this is a fine, fresh, and fairly unique scent, really only related to JV Artisan as others have noted. But as with so many JV fragrances, longevity is VERY disappointing. I've got the mini bottles of JV, Vintage, Artisan, and Artisan Black, and have sampled Dark Rebel. All are quite nice (Dark Rebel is AMAZING), but none lasts more than about three hours on my skin and projection is maybe six inches an hour after applying a liberal amount. Sad, because these JV scents are fairly distinct. It might be possible to get more life out of this by the standard trick of applying it to a supporting layer of scentless moisturizer or Vaseline, but be prepared for this not to last. At a minimum, play with a sample or a mini before splurging on a full bottle; there are plenty of other options in this price range that will give you much better performance.

It isn't exactly a grapefruit bomb but it does have an overwhelming amount of it compared to the other notes-in a good way. In order here are the notes I get most of: Grapefruit, ginger, cardamom, patchouli, and leather-but just a hint. Its nice, has decent performance and manages to smell clean and rich. Scent: 6.5-7/10 it does change some on the drydown to be a little more ginger and cardamom forward which is a welcome evolution. Longevity: 6/10 I do get 4-6 hours of use out of it but most of that time is spent very close to the body. Projection: 7/10 for the first 30 minutes to an hour then 5/10 for the next 30 minites to an hour, then 2/10 afterwards. Sillage: 6/10 this does leave a nice trail for the first hour after spraying but dies off rapidly therafter. Would I buy it again? Yes if discounted, at full retail, no. YSL La Nuit De L'homme does the "job" this frag does a little better in my opinion-especially an older blend if you can get it.

This scent took me a minute to warm up to but when I finally did I really liked it. Unlike its predecessor, Artisan, this scent does not convey bright sunshine. Both scents are good on warm and hot days but are for totally different moods. Not every mood or scenario calls for a just out of the shower and into a bright sun shiny day setting. This is better suited for the more serious minded or serious settings and evening settings. I know what people mean when they describe a bitter aspect to this scent. At first I too found it off putting, now I view it as an appealing asset. In this way it is similar to wine, not every occasion calls for a sweet Moscato, many call for a dry wine such as a Pinot Grigio. Same with fragrances. I find that Artisan Black has good projection early on and lasts a full work day as a skin scent.

This is a bit of a mish mash of notes... I definitely get the citrus, but it’s distorted by leather and patchouli. It makes for a pungent, dirty citrus. You almost get the feeling that they were really trying to go out on a limb with this one. I don’t find it to be smooth or refined, like many of the other offerings from this house - and that’s okay. While I can’t say that it knocks my socks off - I do think it has a place in this lineup. While all of the other Artisan releases go smooth/citrus, this plays the villain and goes against the grain. It definitely reminds me of Tokyo milk Excess - and not much of a coincidence that it shares the same notes. A nice attempt at going for a homerun contrast between citrus/patchouli, but ultimately, the least pleasing of the line. 5/10

Finished bottle on 25/03/2017 Final summary- The scent is very nice, inoffensive and has a fairly unique take on freshness. After much wearing, i have gathered that it is also unpredictable. 85% of the time, it has extremely soft projection and moderate longevity even with up to 15 sprays. 15% of the time it's projection is actually quite decent and longevity has lasted up to around 9 hours. So it seems that this one has a mind of its own! Compliment wise it didn't do too badly, got a reasonably good amount of compliments but this was on good projection days. Didn't receive any negative feedback so i stand by my earlier review saying that this is a very safe inoffensive scent. Major downside is projection. Overall i would give it a 7/10.

John Varvatos Artisan Black is mainly a citrus scent with some smaller supporting elements. A very pleasant ensemble of orange, lemon, and (seemingly) grapefruit, it's an agreeable warm weather scent. Opening with a mix of citrus and a generic vegetable smell, fading into a musky citrus dry down. The note list is extensive and I admit that I don't get nearly that much out of it, just something more generic and simple. Projection is nice at the opening but it fades quickly to a skin scent, but a pleasant skin scent. $32 for 125ml on FragranceNet isn't a bad deal if you enjoy the scent--it's one I wanted to own, as it feels a generic citrus void that's missing elsewhere. 6 out of 10

Dry down has similarities to Club de Nuit Intense for Men. Thinking of buying this as I love the smell but having second thoughts because of longevity issue that people are saying. Tested a few times on my wrist and it actually lasted 4 hours before it turned into a skin scent. Still deciding if it will be full bottle worthy. [Edit] Finally decided to buy a bottle after finding a good price online. Lasts 5+ hours with the last 2+ hours as a skin scent. Spraying on clothes helps with the longevity issue. I am getting an uplifting 'neroli-fresh with just the right dose of fruity-sweetness' vibe with this juice. Calling Artisan Black Intense/Forte/EDP.

Artisan Black when it's warm and the original Artisan when it's straight-up hot. You could also think of this one as "Artisan Night" after using the original during a summer day. It's a bit thicker (not much) and fuller version of the first Artisan, and it's really nice. Like the original version, the citrus (especially the tangerine and blood orange) pop, while the neroli and orange flower give it a round, soapy shine, and the leather, vetiver, patch, et al give it the additional density. I'm glad this one popped back up on discounters recently as it was one I'd wanted but didn't want to pay Ebay prices. Get it while you can.

I doubt this fragrance will blow you away, but it is very pleasant. I mostly get a watery (watermelon note perhaps)? tangerine in the opening, then 30 mins or so it starts to tone down and the blood orange, along with the mildly sweet florals begin to come in. These notes stick with me through the base, but the leather also comes in. It’s a very pleasant leather but it’s not too present, it also performs pretty weak on my skin. I get about 4 hours then it’s completely gone. Overall it’s a pretty good fragrance. I won’t be re-buying, but it’s nice if you want something inoffensive but a little more unique

Wrist spray test: Got a solid 2 hrs. moderate projection in a mostly air conditioned environment. By 3 hours, scent was barely perceptible. Throughout the evolution, got fruity/leather notes with a hint of woody notes. Scent had a smooth quality to it. As for the strongest JV frag, it's a close call between "Artisan Black", and the original John Varvatos (2004 version.) The black wicker bottle pushes Artisan Black into my 1st JV choice, simply because it enables a more solid grip on the bottle. My preferred 2.5 oz. initial buy choice would be even more so. I'm rating this at least a solid "Try".

I love the smell of this stuff. Dark citrus on top that fades into a masculine patchouli base. This is one that can work as either a day scent, or as a night out fragrance. Very versatile, but definitely targeted toward warmer weather. It loses a lot of its kick within the first hour or two, and is a light skin scent by hour 6. Much longer than that and I'm not sure if you could detect it at all anymore, unfortunately. This is one of those fragrances I could see using 5 or 6 sprays of and not being too pungeant, although, I've only ventured to 4 sprays so far myself.

I blind bought this at the airport, expecting a woodsier, stronger version of Artisan. When I first sniffed this, I was terribly disappointed. To me, it just seemed exactly like the original Artisan, with just a hint of woods. I've been wearing it for over two weeks now, and I'm definitely beginning to appreciate it. It's not too overbearing, and it definitely isn't your typical citrus fragrance. It's not as "fresh" as some others, which gives it an interesting character. Silage and longevity isn't great on this though for me.

Should have been the original artisan...IMO. This has more of a spicy bite than the original and is simply more masculine. Starts out very citrusy and refreshing, (We're not just talking orange), which warms its way down to a dark spicy woodiness. Very clean scent with an edge. The added leather really does the trick! I hear a lot people not to thrilled with the original. I actually didn't mind it to much but this one is better balanced and not as linear. Not to heavy, not to light. Longevity is also better. Solid scent!

I had this back in 2015 and I loved it. It was a good summer scent with a tidbit of spice on the back end. It was a complex and yet pleasing scent. At first I get the citrus and then it goes into a floral. From there it sits with a mild sweetness for a few hours with a back end of spice. It had to be ginger but I would almost want to say kinda woodsy, but tropical woodsy. This is a good spring and summer scent that works for all times of day. Scent: 9.5/10 Projection: 7/10 Longevity: 8.5/10

I wasn't a fan at first, but after testing the other scents from this line and coming back it was clearly better to nose at least. REquested a sample and tried it again at which point the scent smelled much better and had an ethereal quality. It's faintly reminiscent of the original Artisan, but has a more woody aromatic character and is much less cloying. Lasted pretty long, about 6-8 hours, as I could still smell it the next morning. Got to get it but don't want to get sold a knock-off.

Just tried a sample that I recieved.. First smell I was like this is awesome.. It is a citrus but I swear I get grape also.. No grape in notes.. I have it on my list of future and I mean within 2 weeks from now I will own this.. Not sure about longevity becasue I only have a sample vile and just applied it.. Very fine interesting smell that I can tell the Ladies would dig. Easy 8.9 out of 10 stars.. I'll change that to 10 stars if I can get at least 6 strong hours out of it..

Very good scent that smells citrus and woody and is very catchy. My friend just couldn't stop smelling his wrists when he tried it. The worst thing about it is longevity! it just doesn't last and sillage dies as fast too, sadly. But I still like the scent. One must wear it for candle-light dinner followed by intense love-making but make sure you get done with everything in an hour or so.

Got this from my brother, as his wife rejected the scent so I’m the lucky beneficiary. Lol It’s certainly alright but not my favourite from the Artisan line. I still prefer Artisan and Artisan Pure more than this Black flanker. But seeing as how I have neither, I am still very happy to receive this gift. And to all the married men out there, ‘happy wife, happy life’...

Nice light manly fragrance I'm smelling this scent right now also the original so far the black is better it has a little bit more going on but their both light fresh scents definitely summer spring or office scents non offensive you won't choke people even with a lot of sprays to sum it up their both nice but not amazing but the black is the clear choice for me

This is a pleasant cologne and i have got a few compliments for it. It doesn't last too long so you have to spray quite a bit, but that isn't too much of a problem as it isn't a really offensive scent. It is ideal for wearing to work and although it isn't one to blow you away, it is a decent cologne to have in your collection.

To me, this one is primarily just citrus with some ginger in the background. It's almost like spraying some fruit punch on your skin. The sillage is pretty poor, but I'm still testing the longevity. I don't dislike the scent, but, yeah, performance is weak. By contrast, I get rather good performance from Varvatos Vintage.

I have had this and Creed's Aventus for about a year... I put Aventus on yesterday and then Artisan Black on today and was like a light bulb went of.. Some similarities for sure... Aventus lasts a lmuch longer but Artisan Black has that super quality smell to it... 8-10 stars.. Very versatile in my opinion...

Fresh citrus opening. This is labeled for men but the fragrance is unisex enough for a woman. I happen to like men's colognes and this one's quite nice. There's a hint of spice in Artisan which makes the fragrance more interesting. This should be a good summer scent since it has that strong citrus note.

I was at Ogilvy today and the lady said this is no longer discontinued and that she had ordered some bottles. I may have to buy it. The original Artisan, despite its tiny silage and longevity, is one of my favorite fragrances.

Better than the original artisan. It is more woodier and subdued toward the beginning of the top notes, then turns into the original artisan during the middle and drydown. Overall a solid Spring/Summer fragrance.