Black Bold

Simply one of the most overlooked and unappreciated "cheapies" out there... The original KC Black is a decent cheapie, but understandable to a degree why it doesn't get much attention. However, it is still good. Even the KC Blue is nice... Very synthetic fresh/fruity aquatic, but damned if it doesn't smell good. Vintage Black is... meh... But passable for sure. Haven't got my nose on KC Black Copper yet... But would have to assume that smells pleasant as well. Anyway... Back to Black Bold. This is a fantastic year-round fragrance, fresh-green-woody style scent, with some great added nuances that set it a part a bit. The Incense, Lotus and Suede are really nice touches and I believe they are amped up from the original Black. It's great for Spring and Fall, but easily something that could be pulled off all year. While it is very fresh and easy to wear, there is something about it that feels just a touch mature... As in, teens and 20's might not like it as much as the Blue or original / other similar fragrances. That could also just be me... This is a "cheapie for life" in my collection... And out of almost 400 fragrances, my 100ml bottle of Black Bold has one of the biggest "dents" in it for sure... Office, casual, could easily dress it up if needed, year round and easily found on discounters and rack stores for very cheap.

Absolutely love this one. In short Black Bold is a more refined and better performing version of the original Kenneth Cole Black from the early 2000's, and I only wish I had picked this up sooner! It definitely lasts a lot longer than the original (even from how I remember it back in the day) especially on clothes. The vibe, the smell and the nostalgia are all intact here, but just brilliantly enhanced, almost as if a niche house like Creed did their own version of it. If you like fresh green easy to wear scent profiles like Green Irish Tweed then definitely check out this little gem. This punches well above its price point and I can also say that this is MUCH better than Vintage Black which I just didn't like. But this right here though, bravo indeed Harry Fremont. Now if they would just do something similar for Kenneth Cole Reaction (another old favorite from the same era) and give that one the same treatment.

This is by far my most complimented scent- it's kind of silly. Past girlfriends call it their favorite. Two nurses at the dentist both wanted it for their husbands. Gifted Black Bold to a friend for his birthday- it's now his wife's favorite. Black Bold is the inspector gadget of layering- it goes with everything. BB + your favorite Aventus-like fragrance is the cheat code (I've been told). Easy to use Spray this like ten-twelve times and chill for 30 before going out. Memeblast it all you like. People have said it's the perfect amount- didn't overdo it at all. Black Bold's spicy fresh florals are uplifting while the incense and leather is sophisticated yet approachable.

This is an Eau De Parfum version for Kenneth Cole Black and this performs like one. I get an easy 8 hours longevity which I appreciate with this. To me this smells a little more feminine than the original and I think it's because of the Lotus note. Bold smells alot like Black but the difference is this Lotus note and the longevity is better. That woody and inky feel is all over in this like with Black. For me I enjoy owning both and I also own Vintage Black as well but Vintage smells way different than the other two. For the price this is great, it's very versatile and It's a unique smelling fragrance that will get you recognized. My rating- 88/100

This stuff is good! Kenneth Cole brings it with this citrus, herbal, woody fragrance. The first note that hit me was the ginger. It is very well blended with the other floral and woody notes. The lotus and orange notes, along with the other fabulous woody and cedar notes, make for a very well produced fragrance in the scent department. I picked up on the suede during the drydown with the lingering smell of the orange note hanging on with a blend of nutmeg. It is soft and does not last very long as far as sillage and longevity. However, I love the scent very well and you will too. :) Scent: 8/10 Longevity: 5.5/10 Sillage: 5/10

Wore the OG back in '03/'04 quite a bit. Maybe went through a bottle and a half. Loved it. Fast forward to a cart-filler, Black Bold, as a trip down memory lane. And it is a good one. Took out one of my older bottles that made its way into my son's collection, and compared the two. The leather is much more noticeable here. A bit less citrus, and the woody notes are jacked up in their intensity. This one is genuinely a bolder, darker take with a bit more intensity than the OG. However, it doesn't quite project as much as the OG bottle we own. Having said that, this is still a fantastic value in modern masculine fragrance.

I found it very interesting, charming in some ways. Black, but floral. Floral, yet masculine. To me, the prominent notes are lotus, mandarin orange, and mint. Violet in the base reminds me in some ways to Black Edition by Bentley. Yes, same: BLACK, BUT FLORAL. Also, a bit soapy-lavenderish-barber shopish in the base.....?? Longevity is satisfying, above 7 hours on my skin. Surely easily 9+ on shirt. Wife likes it so much. Best for spring summer fall imo. Day / night. Semi-Casual / formal / in between. A gem. Yes.

This is easily one of the strongest citrus scents I own and is perfect for high heat and warm weather. The opening blast is fresh orange zest, with a touch of woods. It’s a bit synthetic at first, possibly harsh. Once it calms down, it develops into a very good summery fresh and clean scent, very heavy on the citrus. Drydown is woody vetiver but not a dirty vetiver. This is a steal for the price and the performance is excellent. Sillage is heavy for the first few hours and projection is great.

At first I was a little disappointed that this wasn't more like Starwalker, because I LOVE that scent. Turns out, I actually love this one even more than Starwalker. The citrus and floral notes in Black Bold are definitely reminiscent of the bergamot and bamboo combo in Starwalker, but this one has an underlying masculinity from the woodiness and incense that is just so inviting and pleasing in combination with the freshness of the citrus. Longevity and sillage are quite good.

The original Black is a terrific, multi-layered fragrance with a lot going on, but blended expertly so it never feels busy. The drydown also lasts a really long time. With Black Bold, however, although the scene is nearly identical to the original, longevity is severely lacking. Within an hour, it becomes a skin scent, despite being EDP concentration. Not sure how that's even possible, but there you have it. Black: 8.5/10 Black Bold: 6/10

Black Bold is practically unknown, super inexpensive, projects nicely for at least 2-3 hours, easily has 8 hour longevity, is an absolute champion for layering, and the ladies really dig the fresh spicys 👌 Just wore this to the Dentist. An assistant walked in, left the room, but came back just to say, "It smells good over here," and to ask the name for her husband.

Redefining “bold.” Bold contrast between the fresh, green, watery feel of this and the smoky, spicy, leathery vibe. Spicy and warm and cool and clean all at once. I find it to be an accessible/pleasing fragrance that manages to also be intriguing. Becoming an easy go-to in my collection. An inexpensive freshie with some depth that’s fun to wear.

Kenneth Cole black is a sexy fragrance.... BOLD just blew me away! It's def similar (obviously) but they made it even sexier bringing it out in an EDP. Spraying either one on paper really doesnt do em justice. Also, so many people talk about lasting power, is it you who can't smell it, or others? I'm thinking most cases are just nose blind.

Doesn’t have the same projection as EDP normally does. to me smells like paper, leather, grass, and a nice woody note. lasted me through an 8 hour kitchen shift in a four course kitchen on new years, with compliments on how i smelled. excellent layered with montblanc explorer and/or kenneth cole copper black.

I have a 30 ml mini bottle from 2022 - very very dense,long lasting and saturated fragrance.- lasts on me 12 hours easy with 5/6 spritz. Now I just bougth 100 ml produced 2026 and it is terribly watered down,threse is no projection and body here..WTF ??!! Why these brands lying us so bad?!

This went from a like to a love for me. I always spray a fragrance as I work at my desk, and today this Black Bold totally grew on me as I take whiffs of it. I do see the comparison to Starwalker, but in BB the lotus and orange come thru and make it more interesting. This stuff is GOOD!!

!!!!! Yo,.. great vibrant citrusy fragrance reasonable price, All 4 seasons wearable ,.. what’s not to love. .. except maybe the person or persons in charge of running these advertisements on this web site,... That person or persons should probly be fired. GotDayuM SERIOUSLY GotDayuM

Better than the modern staples. Excites the youth long thought lost with green-sweet-infused pepper and a seductivive dry down of amber. This scent compliments the worst personality and ascends the best to god-hood at a price that the current houses can't understand.

Love the scent it’s fresh and clean just like the original, but much more longer lasting and excellent silage improvement from the original. If you like out of the shower fresh, clear clean with a slightest touch of incense and leather, this is it!

It is very fresh and long lasting, green, and citrusy , a bit unisex on me. Sometimes I wish it wasn't so non descriptive. But the texture and consistency is there. Great for the spring shiny days. Cheap too.

A killer little green scent, a little sweet, slightly soapy, has an aquatic note that reminds me a lot of Boss Bottled Night. For the price, around 20 bucks, it's a no brainer

First of all... the name of the fragrance is completely misleading. There is nothing black, dark, or murky here, and there is no Bold either. I think that the Kenneth Cole fragrances collection is characterized by its light scents and Black Bold is consider one of the concentrated versions of them, hence the name above. Key notes: Lotus flower, mandarin, ginger, and mint, with subtle hints of woods, suede and incense. The fragrance is elegant and considered spring-summer with its dark black bottle color, but the liquid is light, balanced, non-obtrusive, and has a somewhat average performance. The bottle comes in an elegant dark black color and is surrounded by a leather strap. Kenneth Cole has a number of unusual and unmatched fragrances at competitive prices and worth the effort to discover them. The original price of the fragrance on the Kenneth Cole website is $90 for the 100ml / 3.4oz size. But you can get it at a lower price in retail stores and during periodic sales and discounts. Conclusion: If you don't like this fragrance, you won't hate it.

Got a sample of this today at Herbergers. Overheard the SA telling some guys about the new samples. So I asked him and he gave them to me and walked away without a word! At least the fragrance has a bit more class than the SA! Now to the scent. Two sprays to the back of the hand. I find it strange yet refreshing that such a herbal fragrance is released in the autumn. This is quite the fresh blend with the ginger, mint, and basil really setting the tone for me. The drydown takes me to the violet leaf, orange and suede. A touch of nutmeg, but I'm very surprised that note is rated so highly. I really never get the incense, and again, I'm surprised at the high ratings, but I suspect so soon after the release, some reviews are fake. I do get the cedar, which is quite nice. And the lotus is there for me, but will no intensity. More of a bonding agent for the other notes. This is a nice, classy, gentlemanly scent that I would enjoy smelling on a man. But it is not a statement maker, just a quiet, modern, fresh safe scent.

Blind bought this today at Burlington for $20, based upon reviews here. Black Bold may just be the definition of a safe blind buy. This is the love child of MB Starwalker and Clinique Happy for Men, with a markedly dialed up performance. I applied 1 spray to my wrists and 2 to neck and chest. 3 hours in and I'm projecting something close to the initial spray. It is fairly linear, so the initial burst of orange and lotus is still very much in the foreground with a hint pencil shavings lurking in the mix to ground it a bit. So if you like the initial notes, you'll like this all the way through. This is a crowd (and me) pleasing fragrance, perfect for those days when rather than making a statement, you're ok with just smelling really nice.

Starts sour tart & slightly sour-citrus zesty (smells like lime but lime isn't a listed note), then gets juicier as it dries the suede (kind of leathery) is also right there, the violet leaf is fresh & clean & subtle isn't harsh or in your face; the lotus adds a juicy/watery feel to the lime/citric accord and entire fragrance; gets a lot more fresh watery/aquatic & lightly woody/spicy as it dries; good office/casual scent for day or night any age (but i'd classify it as a mature scent but not overly mature) even though bold is in name it's not a projection/sillage beast, it's more of an intimate scent with decent sillage for the 1st 1-2 hr(s) but last hours on clothes (will smell it on clothes next day)

Tengo Black bold de Kenneth Cole, lo compré por la supuesta similitud con Starwalker, honestamente no le hallo mucho parecido, cabe aclarar que me gustan ambos ya que son bastante ricos en aroma. Hay que decirlo eso sí tambie que es un hecho que dura bien unas 5 o 6 horas y ya después se va a raz de piel. Quiero comentarles algo que me ha llamado mucho la atención. Recién pedí unos decants para conocer nuevos aromas, y resulta que noté la gran similitud que tienen Black Bold y Agua de Él de Loewe. Lastimosamente esta última no tiene tanta proyección, pero sí que tiene buena longevidad, lo cual la hace candidata a ser comprada, ya que ambas me gustan mucho. Pero por precio, Kenneth es el ganador.

My Husband and I had quite the haul at Perfumania. This was a managers special for $20! Upon initial spray, you get the citrus and then the ginger right away. The mint and basil really add to the freshness in the initial minutes. Its very fresh, floral, sweet and clean. The nutmeg and suede are really grounding it for me, keeping it in more masculine territory. On my Husbands skin you get a lot more of the spice, on me the floral really shines. Reminds me a lot of the female black on myself, so I might wear this on occasion. Ill have to update my review when my Husband gets a chance to wear it, but so far I really like it!

Not a daily wearer for a guy like me. I feel it's perfect for a suit or a nice light colored button up, really plays into the profile well. I will say it doesn't last as long as I would prefer. But otherwise I really enjoy BB, it's nice and fresh all the while I keep picking up a different twist to it from the lotus. Add all that together with a price tag that screams blind buy and I say you can't go wrong. Worst case scenario your out thirty bucks, best case scenario you have a solid frag for the days you want to mix it up a little while staying office friendly.

Nice fresh cheapie. For an EDP it doesn't perform. It IS an EDP as you get that EDP sheen on the skin for a while after applying. It's a very easy wear, safe blind buy but I don't wear it on it's own. I layer this underneath my Aventus clone for longevity and extra depth. These two together are by far my most most complimented fragrance, it's ridiculous. 2 colleagues have bought the duo after asking me about it.

For as cheap as this is now, it's a no brainer. If you like the original, you'll love this. It's pretty much the original, but with a tad richer smell. The original was my signature scent more than a decade ago, and it's probably been about 10 years since smelling it, but this brought me right back. Kenneth cole never disappoints for the price..............except for vintage black. Never buy vintage black

Got a sample of this with another purchase, and I did like it! I am torn on whether to buy a bottle or not, it didn't blow me away but the price is very reasonable and matches it's performance and uniqueness. Woody, sweet, and a little spicy

Beautiful mandarin orange and ginger opening. Smells amazing, fresh, and great for the warmer time of the year. This is a safe blind buy and insane for the price. Get it.

A more prominent lotus note than KC Black. Bold=Lotus? I'm OK with this. Smells good.

Fresh soapy, i get the coolwater vibes in better performance.

smells like he original black just tad stronger smell

I used to spray this stuff 20 times on clothing and get maybe 2 hours of longevity from it which is such a shame because it's such a unique, beautiful, watery, floral, lotus forward, fresh, nuanced whisper of a fragrance. Just keep it in your pocket and spray your shirt until it's wet every 2 hours and you'll like the way you smell.

I like it. Reminds me of the original, which I also really enjoy, but this one's less fruity and sweet. Green, spicy, a bit soapy, and fresh. Great for warm weather. Makes you feel clean. Super cheap on discounters but doesn't smell cheap. Longevity is above average on my skin.

Very disappointed with this fragrance, unfortunately. I bought it due to the hype regarding its performance. Sad to say this is a very weak fragrance. You get about 45mins to an hour of below average projection with very little sillage. The Longevity is also below average. After 2hrs the scent immediately dies down. I don't know why this is an EDP when it clearly performs very poorly. When I spray this on my skin it's very watery, just like an EDT or even an EDC concentration. Maybe this was a beast during the first years of its release, but unfortunately my 2023 batch that I found at Burlington's is very, very weak. I have an Axe body spray and Rue21 fragrances that are way stronger than this one. The scent is nice, nothing special, but very weak. I could hope that over time maceration makes it stronger, because that has happened with some of my other fragrances, but I doubt it.

I get a big artificial lotus note; a ginger, mint, maybe citrus kind of freshness. Not too sure about the suede or violet but there's a musky, woody feel and I definitely detect the nutmeg. This actually reminds me of Kenzo's Tokyo but more floral. Unisex, leaning masculine, fall or spring scent. Probably fine for work; I don't find it sexy. Sillage and projection were about average. Impressive longevity lasting all day. Black Bold is just okay. The composition is unique enough but it doesn't excite me. The lotus is the most interesting aspect but the whole composition is very artificial. Something, maybe the nutmeg, gives me a headache. While it uses slightly less typical notes there's still some of that generic man cologne vibe. Even at it's dirt cheap price I'm not really enjoying this.

I bought this based on the reviews on here and it really goes to show you how subjective good smells are. On a 1-10 I would give this probably a 4. Just smells really green and heavy. I can’t imagine how some are saying it smells fresh and is a blind buy.. I can’t return it so I am trying to spray it lightly and then tone it down with something lighter and fresher. But who feels like doing that with a cologne? You just want to smell it and know it smells good. For that, just get Versace Man which is indeed a blind buy, no brainer top 5 cologne ever... But this Black Bold is average and definitely not a sexy smell.

#123 in my "Tour de Fragrance" of 250 scents in 250 days. My low expectations of Kenneth Cole have again been confirmed. This is weak stuff. Zesty, citrusy, mildly floral, with a green scent, like a blast of cucumber, refreshing and likeable, for ten minutes. Performs like a $7 EDT, not an EDP. This I picked up on a whim and I should have saved my cash.

The original is far better to my nose. It's a lot more balanced and better constructed. An under-looked gem honestly and I do need to revisit that one. Bold however, is a little too synthetic for my liking. Theres too much ginger and far too much citrus. Too overpowering and somewhat cloying. Overall too sweet for me, and thus unacceptable.

again some black pepper, and it is an obvious flanker of the first one, but with more depth. If you don’t like getting black, then you won’t like black bold. It is not a significant enough change away from the DNA, and especially the black pepper.

I got a couple of samples of this. Was very intrigued by it in the store since it was was so unique. It is a very distinct unique smell. Not quite my style, but nice.

For an EDP, this is really weak

So this is fresh, green, citrus, ginger, and blended beautifully with the darker notes of woods and incense. It’s an edp and for me, wears like one. Projects very well, longevity is great, and even when I go anosmic to it, other people compliment me on the fragrance. Women in particular seem to be drawn to this fragrance. I don’t necessarily think it’s a sexy fragrance, but I think because it smells uplifting. The sillage on this is where it smells best imo. Smelling it nose to skin for me, a bit sharp. However getting wafts of it in the air I’m always surprised at how good it smells. I was a bit surprised by comments about lack of performance here. Everyone’s skin is different, but I also think some may be going anosmic to it quickly and not realizing it’s still there. This may be one of the best under 30 dollar designer fragrances out there. If you can get a sample from a friend, obviously do that first, but I’ve seen this on discounters for under 30. So at that price, you really can’t go wrong.

Thick, colorful/rainbow lettering with heavy black outlines. The outlining makes the text and colors pop. In fact, take the bar graph of 'like/love/day/night..' stats above, and outline all those colorful bars with thick black lines. The condensed black bottle itself should give you the same energy and effect as a Sharpie pen. Hm, slightly smells like a sharpie pen too, when I think about it. If Nautica Voyage is Bulbasaur/Squirtle, then Black Bold is like Venusaur/Blastoise. Voyage is a glossy magazine page with a stock photo of a lotus field on a sunny day. Black Bold is a wooden temple in the middle of a vast lotus field in full bloom. Offerings of oranges in front of Buddha and bodhisattva statues. Guan Yin smiles down on you with an intense serenity. Your mind's eye finds it self in the watery fields, surrounded by lotus flowers. The yin yang is a balance of feminine soft sweet airy lotus floral and mint with masculine hardness of wood, nutmeg and rugged suede.

I wanted to love this bad. I have had Black as one of my main frags for years now. So when this came out I was quick to grab it. It smells a lot like Black, I get more intense Orange and Ginger off the bat with the first spray than original Black. After about 10 minutes it settles into smelling like regular black. By the time its 30 - 45 mins in its just noticeable on the skin. Finally at the hour to hour 15 mark its gone. Its a nice smell but ill just stick with Black and enjoy the smell longer.

Smells 95% like the original Black as it was released back around 2005-2006, I dont remember exactly when I first got it, maybe Valentines of 2006... But the original Black has been reformulated into dog shit. This Black Bold however, smells almost identical to the original formulation of the original Kenneth Cole Black. I love it. And will immediately order it. Its such an attractive and compliment getting scent. I have missed it.

I first came across the original, Kenneth Cole Black, as a youngin'. It was so wonderfully invigorating, my god! I have thought about it sporadically since, but have never gotten around to buying it myself. Perhaps this new Bold release is just the right level of encouragement I need to finally get my hands on it, if just for nostalgia's sake ;)