Black Vanilla Absolute

Black Vanilla Absolute by Perry Ellis is one of three releases from their Oud collection. It was released in 2015 and has been putting the frag community in a headlock ever since. U know how like good frags get broken down names...like La nuit, Lidge, DHI, TDH, Well guys make room for BVA. I really like masculine vanilla scents and after I learned about the new line of Perry Ellis fragrances and realized one was a boozy Vanilla/Amber scent, I had to blind buy it immediately and hope for the best. I mean after all I was buying a perry ellis frag and only liked One frag the ever made which was Red... Boy has my faith been rewarded. I've been wearing Black Vanilla Absolute for a couple weeks str8 and it is an amazingly beautiful scent. You know its great when a reviewer uses the words "Amazing" and "Beautiful" back to back...lmao. But seriously this is one of my favorite scents in my collection and I've only had it for a few days. I have many scents that are arguably better but there is just something about this that just blows my mind. Maybe its the fact that I just still can't believe PERRY ELLIS made this... The vanilla in this is smooooooooooooth and the amber has a resinous character to it. Im also a huge fan of resinous scents. Combined, vanilla and resinous Amber have a deep sweet character that I love and this is no exception. Normally Vanilla based scents are more feminine to my nose but this is not. This is no Eau Duelle by Diptyque ...Women can wear it if they choose but this scent, regardless of its sweetness, the booziness makes it lean more masculine to me. It makes me think of a rich man reading an old book in the library of his mansion while sipping rum on a leather Chesterfield. It has a rich and sophisticated vibe that persists throughout the entire life of the fragrance and is seductive. Women will appreciate this on a man. Speaking of the "life of the fragrance" this one is very interesting. It lasts for about 8 hours on my skin but it projects mildly. I didn't get enveloped by a scent cloud that followed me everywhere I went. I'm shocked by so many saying they get Heavy Sillage (maybe olfactory fatigue sets in on this) because to me its more moderate. People noticed me but I didn't drown them in boozy vanilla...And I'm glad of this. I'd not want this scent to be too loud even though I do enjoy loud scents but this smells waaaaaaaaay to good to be at a high school level loudness. Besides a vanilla that is toooo loud verges on the fem side of the tracks and I'm glad the perfumer of this scent held back. As with all boozy or vanilla scents this would work best in the fall or winter. But I dig this smell so much and since its not a going to suffocate, I'm eager to try this during Spring and summer nights. I received 3 unsolicited compliments while wearing it before I walked out of my apartment building. No exaggeration. The elevator stopped on two floors and both times a female neighbor walked on and asked what I was wearing. And as I was walking out the building I passed a neighbor who was walking in and she said "wow...U smell great". That was all I needed to know...Who said a scent has to smell generic to be a crowd pleaser? I won't lie though...I'm almost embarrassed to tell people I'm wearing Perry Ellis...lol...and when I do, I wonder if they feel embarrassed that they wanted to know about a Perry Ellis scent. lmao...First Dunhill Icon and Now Perry Ellis...I wonder when Liz Claiborne will be dropping a Gem. lol...I hope these amazing releases from once overlooked brands pushes the creativity of more respectable houses that have gone the generic route. Simply Put...A brilliant fragrance from a surprising source... 10/10- I'm biased because I love scents like this...But I highly recommend trying. 9/10- If I were being unbiased.... YouTube Channel- Simply Put Scents

I'm new to modern cologne but my collection is expanding quickly. I started with Axe Gold Oud and dark vanilla deodorant and really liked it so I figured I'd try to find a cologne that sort of smelled like it. I cook a lot and really love the smell of vanilla. This was my first cologne since wearing Drakkar Noir in college around the turn of the century. So this is a review from a relative newby. I absolutely love this scent! It is most definitely vanilla but not an overwhelmingly sweet, feminine, sugary vanilla. It really smells like high quality real (versus cheap synthetic) cooking vanilla. Quality cooking vanilla has an almost alcohol smell to it along with the obvious vanilla. This smells the same! It has a boozy quality to it that is far from being a cupcake vanilla (like cheap, synthetic cooking vanilla smells like). Being new to modern cologne, I can't comment on what oud smells like because I just don't know and have nothing to compare it to. Thus, to me it's a vanilla cologne. It does dry down to a kind of powdered scent. I n any case, I love it. So, as someone that is, again, new to cologne, could anyone suggest something else similar to this? I'd just like some variety. This will be heavy in my rotation because who doesn't like vanilla? Thanks in advance to anyone with suggestions and I will look back on this post from time to time. UPDATE: I now own quite a few bottles of fragrances and the majority of them have vanilla as the most prominent note or at least listed as a note. This is because, frankly, I love vanilla. Anyways, this is by far, hands down, my favorite vanilla fragrance and my favorite fragrance period. That boozy vanilla really impressed the girl working at the fragrance counter at my local Peebles (also called Stage or Coach elsewhere; "local" being over an hour away). She sells fragrances, obviously, and said she had never smelled Dark Vanilla Absolute before but that it was the best men's vanilla she has ever smelled on a man. Could it be just me? Absolutely, I'm awesome. Haha! J/K. I'm not that arrogant, it was the BAV. This was my first non Playboy cologne I bought when I started wearing fragrances again after 10 years or so and I really had no idea what a masterpiece my novice rear end had stumbled upon. I bought more bottles in search of something better than this if it existed but haven't found anything that is better at doing vanilla. This is it, the best, and my search has ended. I'll keep purchasing other fragrances because I like all the uniqueness and creativity designers put into their scent but because of Black Vanilla Absolute I don't need to hunt down any more vanilla. To me, it really is just that wonderful. And price! I would honestly pay much more. I'm sure at this point many of you reading this are thinking that it can't be THAT good but I think this is just a fragrance wearer's reaction when you find your signature scent. You know, the ONE. It just fits you. I, personally, am just that overwhelmingly pleased. Eros and Le Male are also both very good and more unique as they are more than just vanilla (citrus vanilla and mint vanilla) but Dark Vanilla Absolute does simply vanilla the best. Just my opinion. I really love this stuff and, as silly as it sounds, I have small regrets on days when I put something else on and wish I had reached for this one. One last note: gourmand and sweet scents tone down significantly on me. No idea why but it's worth mentioning that this could very well be too sweet on other guys. My chemistry works extremely well with this but every scent smells differently from person to person. As I've found out through some horrendous errors (like any lemon dominant fragrance...a big no on me!), try it first!

Black Vanilla Absolute is a great name for this fragrance as it features a dark, booze-laden vanilla extract accord over a smooth, amber-oud base. When it opens there is a distinct and sweet bubblegum note that more or less dominates. It's different than the bubblegum from scents like Invictus and One Million however. I almost want to say that it's sweeter, and definitely airier with a kind of higher frequency. I've never smelled "white tobacco" before, but it's described as a sweet smelling floral similar to jasmine, and over the rum and vanilla it's probably what creates this effect. It smells like a powdery piece of original flavor pink gum and lasts intensely for about 10 minutes before dissipating. It's an interesting start, and somehow manages to avoid smelling synthetic. Understandably, this reminds people of Spiritueuse Double Vanille, and it's certainly the booziest vanilla I've smelled since. If you're averse to rum, you definitely won't like this. There's a prominent rum note--a good one--but it's pretty strong, and hangs around for a while. So if you like rum...you're in luck! It also features a deep style of amber, which actually sits below the vanilla and creates a round, encompassing base working in tandem with the oud. Overall, everything is pretty well-balanced and harmonious. This is a very smooth and well-composed fragrance with average projection and good longevity. The only caveat with stuff like this is that you really need to make sure you like the notes as they are quite distinct--vanilla, rum, amber, oud, and white tobacco--all are very much present in Black Vanilla Absolute. This isn't one of those fragrances where you look at the note pyramid and scoff. Everything that's listed is there. Personally, I think this is an excellent offering from Perry Ellis and possibly the best designer release of 2015. It feels more luxurious than its price would suggest and is more interesting than 90% of the stuff at Macy's. At the same time, it's comfortable and easy to wear. Black Vanilla performs well and is 100% unisex. Guys will enjoy this because there's no frou-frou florals or makeup notes floating around and women may like to wear it because it offers a deeper, darker vanilla alternative. PERRY F***KIN ELLIS! Who'd have thunk it? Thumbs up.

Perry Ellis Oud Black Vanilla Absolute Review: This scent opens up with a very nice rum note. This note is sweet and maintains the perfect level of booziness. It certainly does not come off as sharp or abrasive. I was worried that this note would just be present in the first few minutes and then disappear for the rest of the fragrance. I was pleasantly surprised. The rum note does take a backseat to the vanilla after the opening, but it doesn't go away completely. Instead, it mixes in with the vanilla to make a wonderful boozy scent. The amber in the dry down holds this fragrance together beautifully. Even though this fragrance has Oud in it's title, it certainly isn't one of the key players in this fragrance. It's only ever in the background of the boozy vanilla smell. The only problem I have with this smell is that, very rarely, it can come off as just a little too sweet. I would check this one out if you like vanilla or boozy fragrances. This would be a perfect choice for the colder months. That being said, I have worn this in the hotter weather and it worked perfectly fine. I also think this is a great unisex fragrance. While I do love wearing this one, I would certainly be happy if I went on a date with a woman who was wearing this. The biggest problem with this fragrance is it's availability and prices online. For some unknown reason, Perry Ellis has only put a limited amount of these bottles out on the market. I luckily paid only $40 for my bottle. Do I think the smell and quality of this fragrance is worth $100? I do. That being said, I think one of the biggest benefits of Perry Ellis is that you're spending less money for a quality smell. People selling bottles of this for $200 seems like such a cheat. Here's to hoping Perry Ellis listens to the consumer and produces more of this gem. Best Age Group- 20+ Best Season(s)- Fall/Winter Occasions- Dates, Casual, Formal, Work Projection/Sillage- Moderate Longevity- 11 Hours Smell- 9/10 Overall- 9/10 YouTube Channel: theaveragecologneguy

Excellent! Perry Ellis makes a few really nice fragrances that are just as good, if not better, than the original designer's they copy. And I enjoy having them around because they are inexpensive and a great value. However, they make a bunch of...well, let's just say lackluster fragrances. So it's hard to image Perry Ellis making something original and of niche-like quality. I took at a chance and a did a blind-buy of a bottle of Oud Black Vanilla Absolute after reading the positive comments and reviewing the notes pyramid. It was reasonably priced so I could give it a relative if I didn't like it. Let me just say that I will be keeping this one. The opening was nice and I remember thinking to myself that it was a pretty good scent, but nothing that was noteworthy or grabbed my attention. But as the fragrance started to develop, I was loving it a 20-minutes later and for the next 8+ hours it remained on my skin. I found Oud Black Vanilla Absolute to be a terrific boozy-vanilla fragrance with a niche-like quality and excellent performance...8+ hours on my skin and above average projection. Moreover, the bottle was solid and well presented. Definitely one of the best releases ever from Perry Ellis. I wore this fragrance out this evening and received several compliments. The only drawback is that it's not a unique scent since it smells similar to SDV, Cologne of the Missions and a couple of my Middle Easter oriental-vanilla fragrances. However, it is a bargain at $50 per 100ml. Moreover, I don't feel it's redundant having this one in my collection because it does have it's own unique character and charm. Someone mentioned that it reminded them of SDV mixed with a just a touch of M7. At least that's the feeling it evoked when I wore it. Finally, I have to say that I will no longer be recommended Cologne of the Missions to anyone looking for a less-expensive alternative to SDV...I will now refer them to take a close look at Perry Ellis Oud Black Vanilla Absolute. A really great fragrance.