Black Vines

Kerosene's tagline is, "Smell unique." This fragrance definitely fits that profile (in the best way). I wasn't sure about this scent when I ordered a sample, and I thought I might dislike it, but... actually... my reaction was quite the opposite. I love it. Wow! The first thing I experience is a slap of multiple black licorice sticks across my face! It's so realistic! However, that's not a negative experience at all. The opening shows me how unusual and unconventional this fragrance is. (For, indeed, I've never smelled *anything* like it, on myself or anyone else. Ever. How many people do you know who choose to smell like black licorice? Not many, I'd guess! If you want to stand out, this is the way to go.) The black licorice has an almost effervescent vibe to it in the opening -- it feels sparkly, as if it's *almost* a licorice-flavored cola, but not quite. Are there hints of root beer soda? Yes, from time to time, that notion pops into my mind... yet, it never quite reaches root beer territory. It remains grounded in licorice and anise notes. Are there memories of spiced gumdrops (red and green and white and sugar-coated, piled high in a crystal bowl) in this fragrance? Sure, if you've encountered these things... I can see where the association might be made. "Craft store?" Yes, I can see that, too, but I *love* the spicy, cinnamon-laden smell of a craft store during the holidays, so it's not a negative association for me -- take that for whatever it's worth. However, it's not quite the same smell as a "typical craft store." There's more to this perfume. It's deeper than that. I definitely detect the cinnamon in this composition (also, the house of Kerosene gives you a heads-up about this on their website -- test it on your own skin prior to purchase, because some people may be sensitive to cinnamon oils... I am, and I know that because I've made my own essential oil blends with cinnamon oil in the mix, but I'm willing to endure the brief, occasional discomfort to experience the beauty of this scent unfolding on my skin... to me, it is 100% worth it). I feel like there are other "winter spice" notes accompanying this (like clove and allspice, which are not listed), but either way, it's a beautiful sleigh ride. On me, this calms down after about an hour or so... it becomes a softer, milkier, cozier version of its earlier self. The spices are still there, and so is the licorice if you inhale deeply, but the composition blends together as if it were stirred into a chai latte. It also projects less, becoming a skin scent after about 2 hours on me. I haven't tried this in the warmer months, but... if I had to guess... I'd say it's best-suited for cold temperatures. Could it be polarizing? Yes, because licorice is usually a take-it-or-leave-it scent... in most cases, you love it or you don't, and that's just the way it is. Is it worth checking out? To me, yes... absolutely!

I remember visiting a market where a spice vendor had massive containers of all types of Eastern seed and root spices - licorice root, cinnamon, anise, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom, coriander, etc. - in their store that was long but only a little wider than the average walk-in closet, and many of the spices were whole in their unadulterated form. The purveyor would grind the spices for you upon request and he was extremely busy with about seven grinders constantly whirring away. The aromas released into the air were noxiously potent to the point I couldn’t stay in the store because my throat and nasal cavities felt like they were collapsing. As wonderful and evocative as that little shop was, it was meant for people far more used to those spices as real and fresh than I was. The opening of Black Vines reminds me a lot of that experience, save for the sudden and anxious worry that I was going to suffocate. The anise, licorice, and cinnamon top needs to be experienced while braced because its pungent photorealism will shock and awe. Dry to the point of sucking moisture from its surroundings, cold, spicy, woody, and earthy. To make sure it doesn’t completely feel like you’re snorting lines out of your kitchen pantry containers, sticky and resinous conifer sap adds a bright green and sylvan lift, and a fruity currant type note adds the slightest touch of moisture and sugar needed to give it a softer and more human touch. The inspiration for this perfume are the green vines of black licorice, hence the name Black Vines, but for a perfume using a lot of naturalistic and botanical materials I feel like I’m walking through an enchanted forest, or the forest on some alien planet. Everything is correct but nothing feels right. It’s a stirring experience. The dry down to the final skin scent brings you safely home with well-sanded and smooth balsams, and a gorgeously dry and earthy tonka bean - a vanillic zapped of all sugar - wrapped in the gentlest of smoky incense. It’s a really good winter holiday potpourri, basically. I know that sounds insulting but it really isn’t, not when you realize that you wished your potpourri smelled a lot more like this. I see this being in heavy rotation for my fall scents, especially when I’m in a mood to warp my mind and senses. Great stuff.

This is really lovely. Emt1986 nailed it with the Jagermeister opening, it's a bit of an aggressive start but a smooth trip if you ride it out. A great balance of sweet spice and herbal notes that blend beautifully all the way through. As the heavy hitters fade out so does the syrupy sweetness so it balances itself as it changes into a rich, creamy dream. The dry down is a delightfully delicious masterpiece that is like TF TOBACCO VANILLE's gothic sibling, slightly more fresh/herbal with a strong black licorice backbone instead of tabacco. Both are smooth and sexy, just one giving off a darker vibe. The wonderful silky spice with creamy base is what makes them so similar on my skin. Love them both but I find BLACK VINES more rebelious with an outsider feel. Classic cool. Perfectly unisex. P.S. I think Kerosene is an underrated house because people do not expect fragrances to transform throughout the wear. Mass produced, generic scents that remain "stable" with only a brief hint of top notes that quickly burn off, have conditioned consumers to have a short attention span and limited understanding of how a carefully crafted fragrance can perform. Kerosene brings an entire scent story in a bottle. Each one is a journey that lasts hours. Just as you can't accurately judge a book by its cover, you can't judge a Kerosene scent in a few moments by spritzing on a card. You must spray on skin and give them at least 4 hours to fully develop.

Black Vines is one of those “you either get it or you don’t” fragrances and to be totally honest, you will be the only one in the room who truly gets it. Everyone else will be politely sipping their mocktail seltzers, wearing safe “vanilla, but make it beige” scents, and then you walk in smelling like a demonic Australian apothecary who moonlights at a Nambucca Valley licorice factory. The air will change and heads will turn. Someone will cough because they’re weak and wearing Jo Malone. Another person squints through their Frédéric Malle sillage, trying to place the aroma of black licorice, tarred wood, and darkened sugar that Kerosene cooked together like a weyward witch with a background in industrial molecular gastronomy. But you? You’re thriving. You’re grinning like, “yes, that’s funky-fennel sultry-smoke and candy-coated weyward-wickedness. You’re welcome Bernadette, or should I say Ralph.” Black Vines is polarizing because it’s loud, unapologetic, herbal-sweet, and just a touch villainous. It’s the scent equivalent of bringing absinthe to a Rotary Club potluck. Not everyone will love it, but the ones who do are a rare breed, and congratulations, raise a glass of Jägermeister, you’re officially their Ricola king.

Aniseed and licorice dominate this one in the opening, like other reviewers have said. If you don't like that vibe, this is not for you--Black Vines is not coy with the licorice. The opening is so staggering it raised my heart rate. However, about 90 minutes into wearing, and this has mellowed into a warm glow of sweet cinnamon, fig, tonka, and what smells to me like a somewhat smoky vanilla tincture, with the licorice and anise fading to ornamentation. Even as I write this, the cinnamon seems to be fading, as well, and the fig is taking center stage. Black Vines is a fun ride. I would absolutely describe this as a gourmand fragrance, as the ivy, balsam, fir, and incense listed don't announce themselves to me, unless it's the incense that I'm associating with the smokiness of some natural vanillas. Overall, BV somewhat resembles a fig and cinnamon cake served after several shots of an anise-forward aperitif like ouzo or raki (without the booziness). In any case, this feels like a high quality, bespoke fragrance tailored for licorice obsessives; others may find the first hour or so too challenging. Smelled from the Kerosene sample pack.

Never before has a fragrance made me feel absolutely intoxicated. This is amazing stuff. My mind was blown when I smelled it and I honestly felt drunk, like I was going to fall over on the shop floor. A very creative and brave perfume! Would I wear it regularly? Well, I don't know. It would be too much. Just like so much of "high fashion" may look like art on a runway or in a photo, but you couldn't exactly walk down the street wearing it, this perfume is perhaps something to be appreciated for what it is on its own rather than worn every day. It's a special occasion scene - you wouldn't want to have it every day. (And for that, I couldn't justify dropping down $140 at the moment, but maybe that's just me.) Motor oil is the very first thing I thought of, followed by liquorice. It is a cold, dark, foreboding, industrial scent. Sexy in a dangerous way. A femme fatale for an industrial wasteland. If I was going to a very avant-garde event, I would definitely spray this on. The office, not so much. "Kerosene" is a very appropriate name. I'm impressed. Black Vines is what Bulgari Black wants to be when it's old enough to drink.

First blast of licorice, black and sweet, intense, a really strong punch to to the face; luckily, I adore licorice. Very faintly underneath, I get a vague stirring of something purple.. blackcurrant? It feels overripe, almost wine like. Ah, oops, it's fig. I really love this scent but I'm not sure I want to walk around smelling like this. I feel gourmands shouldn't cross the line and be too photorealstic; as in robotics or animation, when the effect approaches the uncanny valley and is a touch too real then it just comes off as weird. I'll keep my nose on this and see if it changes. Very strong projection. Unisex but leans masculine and best for cool weather. 2 hours later: The intense licorice/anise punch settled down a fair bit and has allowed a sweet spicy woody cinnamon to come forward. Much more wearable than the first phase. 6+ hours later: The scent stayed linear on sweet spicy after the licorice faded. Overall it's long lasting, still getting moderate whiffs now.

Black Vines by Kerosene certainly isn’t the first fragrance featuring licorice/anise blended with something else; there is licorice with lavender (Hermèssence Brin de Réglisse), licorice with rose and amber (Aoud Black Candy by Mancera), licorice with mint (Reglisse Noire by 1000 Flowers), and licorice with lemon (Caron Eau de Reglisse), to name a few. But this licorice with fir/balsam/cypress blend is, by far, the most intriguing and powerful of them all. (The drydown reminds me very much of Eau des Baux by L’Occitane, but Black Vines is much deeper, and richer, than Eau des Baux.) Black Vines is licorice and wintergreen on steroids! But of course, most people don’t like the smell of wintergreen, that familiar medicinal scent from muscle rub creams and Pepto Bismal, but this is exactly the reason I find it therapeutic.

This is starting to be my new favorite Brand. For those of you who wrote a review before you let it sit for a while... shame on you. The beauty of this fragrance comes right when the fig starts to bloom. Perfectly jammy like it's right off of the stove. You can smell the freshness of the fruit but intermingled is the star anise and licorice. It is really quite stunning which is something I never say. For those of you who are collectors and really enjoy the smell of fig you have to get your hands on this. This house is really underrated. Certainly not for the new comer, but that's a good thing in my opinion. This fragrance is something you want to set down and contemplate. The more I talk about it, the more I want it. Sexiest fruit fragrance I have. It's not dark but it is sultry and intoxicating.

This has an extraordinary black licorice opening. Believe all the reviews that say it's pure licorice. It's cold and sweet and photorealistic. I enjoy it, though I know it's not for everyone. Seems like something you'd wear for Halloween or maybe a punk concert. Where this perfume REALLY shines, though, is in its transition to a figgy, jammy, cinnamon-heavy scent that keeps me sniffing my elbow. The coldness becomes warm and cozy, bringing to mind making jam on the stove. I went from, "this is a cool licorice candy perfume" to "oh, wow, this is something special." Considering a full bottle because it's just so fun and unique. Edit: Definitely buying the full body. This is just too delicious to resist!

Wow! Ok, so I LOVE aniseed, licorice, cinnamon so I thought the odds were in my favour. It's nice when you hit lucky. There is a nice background of green and fig notes. Balsam helps the longevity. I like the bit of kick from the incense. I can see why there is a reference to the gum. It has the cooling effect. A freshness. I don't get any tyres. I love it. It's licorice heaven and quite edible on my skin. This is what Charlie would have had made if he had wanted to sell scent as well as confectionary heaven. Yes, it's sweet enough I think to go in the gourmand category. I'm a little disappointed it doesnt evolve much and take you on an olfactory journey. Reasonable longevity and sillage.

This perfume is so beautiful! It starts off as a strong anise that is licorice-y but to me leans more like Bonds cough candy/other anise drops! This didn't last long before it was a spicy almost chai scent which I think someone else mentioned. Eventually, it settles into a warm, sweet, smoky scent which lasts all day. Maybe it's the tonka or vanilla but at certain points I swear I could catch whiffs that were like a root beer float without the high fructose corn syrup (I'm not sure how else to describe it). A warm spicy scent... So lovely <3 I only have a sample but I will likely (shortly) be buying a full bottle!!

This smells lovely. I get enough balsam and tonka to keep it from being linear. I've tested a few licorice frags and many are a bit too soft and muted, this has a boldness. I can see why Chergui is in the "people also like" section because although they don't smell alike, they have a similar unisex appeal. Doesn't lean masculine at all, unless you read spicy = masculine. The longevity is a problem, at least in summer weather. I got a half hour of real projection. It was a skin scent for a couple hours but I wish it had more power, then it would be full bottle worthy. I hope it will wear better in colder weather.

Black Vines is a lovely weirdo - starting out with green, watery, fresh crushed ivy leaves, celery and black licorice. The black licorice note is dominant and sweet. I absolutely love black licorice notes so this scent just jumped straight to my want list! Sweet cinnamon, clove, and a touch of Wintergreen mint gum join the licorice as the scent gets more mellow The late drydown is a cosy scent of rootbeer, vanilla, bubblegum powder and dense chewy tonka. Longevity is good but sillage is strong - spray lightly to avoid dying in a tar pit of sticky black licorice! Overall: like/love

The opening is in your face black licorice with a nice touch of cinnamon. However, the licorice does fade out relatively quickly compared to it's longevity. At this point the cinnamon and tonka shine with nuances of dark fruits. Very well blended and a treat to wear. Unfortunately, discontinued now so grab a sample. Really looking forward to wearing this during the fall months but especially during Halloween. Note: If your sensitive to cinnamon oil beware! Kerosene warns of this on their website.

I don't know how to explain my dilemma. I truly HATE black licorice candy. I mean, hate. But, I truly LOVE Black Vines! It is just an incredibly well-made fragrance. The licorice scent is most definitely there, but it's sweet and so enticing! Projection is impressive! It's a full 6 feet with some of the best sillage I've ever experienced. Long-lasting too. 8 hours plus. This incredible fragrance has been discontinued, so once all the bottles in stock have sold, it's gone forever.

This is the perfect winter and Christmas scent. It dries down into a spicy potpourri aroma that feels warm and nostalgic. The opening is pure licorice and anise, so bold and in your face that every time I spray it, it instantly reminds me of absinthe on the first spritz. At the start, it is botanical, harsh, and intensely herbal. As it develops, it softens and transforms into a comforting blend of molasses and spices. I truly cannot get enough of it.

FOR LICORICE LOVERS ONLY. 🖤 Photorealistic, slick, black and delicious licorice vines. Warm, sweet, and a bit spicy. Going to wear my sample for an entire day before I pull the trigger on a full bottle, but this is wonderful if you're looking for a REAL licorice scent. Lucky for me licorice is a note that really dominates with my skin chemistry and I love it. This would pair nicely with Hexensalbe for added licorice intensity!

Black Vines immediately stuck me as different and appealing. The anise and clove hit first and combined into a fresh, spicy and wearable scent. The licorice is the main base for me but is more complex and interesting by additional ingredients. If this is overdone, it can teeter into potpourri-land. One won't need much of this to be an effective attention grabber. I keep moving my hand to my nose. It's really quite delicious.

This starts as a beautiful natural black licorice & salty anise, with a green ivy hovering in the background. The ivy fades after about an hour, leaving you with an exceptionally spiced and incredibly unique bag of black licorice chews from a health food store. Teeters between a gourmand food scent and an herbal/botanical scent. So intriguing. As with most Kerosene scents, it lasts forever, and projection is moderate.