Black No. 05

Initially I was disappointed. I've smelled this before! Wasn't that the Amouage Epic Man Oud I smelled? And this other note, I know that vetiver from someplace... After an hour, my opinion changed, and disappointment was replaced by admiration. Dark, earthy, sweet, clean, and with a sharp note in there that I can't place. This is very masculine according to my girlfriend. Others have described this scent as fitting of it's monicker "black", I'm not sure about that. But it is dark, with vetiver and oud mixing perfectly. Yet to describe this as an oud or vetiver does a disservice to what PD has created. There's so much more going on. Having worn this scent on and off for about a week now, I'm not picking up the oud as much as I did when I first wore it, instead it's that earlier mentioned sweetness with a touch of sour. Seems like a very complex and rich perfume, and immensely enjoyable. When I don't wear it, I want to. When I do wear it, I look forward to the continuous wafts of... whatever note I don't know what it is hitting my nose. Black has gotten into my head, and I'm glad it's there. After the first hour of moderate projection it becomes a skin scent, and from there it lasts all day and all night, with the scent still lingering on my arm after a good nights rest. So far all that I've asked have been very impressed with it's smell, from family and friends, to the SA at Neiman's, everyone likes it. And I do love it. This scent is appropriate for every occasion since I'm the only one likely to enjoy it, along with anyone who happens to hug me. So far no one has noticed the fragrance without me getting in close and pointing it out. I'm a fan of M. If M is the James Bond of perfume, announcing it's presence strongly, then what would Black be? Perhaps Tom Cruise at the masquerade ball in Eyes Wide Shut... Puredistance has combined otherwise familiar scents into something that's wholly new for me. I'm looking forward to other people's reviews to get a better understanding of what the notes are and if this fragrance has been done before since I'm fairly new to the fragrance game. For now, I will do as Puredistance asks and not analyze it any further, and just experience their newest creation with myself and my SO. Overall: 4.5/5 Scent: 4.5/5 Longevity: 5/5 Projection: 2/5

I tend to like my perfume to speak for me -- as volubly as possible, with sillage visible on regional Doppler. This subdued, "whispering" mystery scent represents a significant departure from that ideal. On application, the aptly-named Black is cool, dark, equally piquant and sweet. There's a pinch of oud (to which I'm very sensitive), a curl of incense, a brush of something green and earthy which others have called vetiver but feels to me like an abstract and clean patchouli, a slice of ripe plum, and a sprinkle of cardamom and saffron. All these are miraculously contained by a cordon of 15-denier amber, each note clearly perceptible, none shouldering forward. Its timbre calls to mind Black Afgano, but at late-night-TV volume, down the hall and on the other side of a door. Around the one-hour mark, a sueded leathery vanillic cloud (tolu balsam?) condenses and hovers. At home, I'd grab my MAC MV3 for comparison. The aura clings close, woods and smoke and amber -- and the plum, now dry and lightly spiced -- still in attendance, albeit semi-transparent, mutable. Fashionably late to the party are a boozy bourbon note and a trace of benzoin, further warming and softening the lengthy drydown. My fragrance-devouring skin took the better part of a day to consume Black entirely. True to the marketing, this is a majestic yet intimate scent, with qualities like velvet: rich and subtly lustrous, susceptible to the angle of the light, drawing in rather than projecting. It doesn't come to you; you have to seek it out... let your attention shift, then inhale deeply and realise it's as present as ever. TL;DR: ultra-smooth wood/incense oriental

Released in 2013, this Pure Parfum Extrait, sold in 25% of Perfume Oil concentration, was created by Antoine Lie to suffer mutations on the skin, releasing layers of scent in a sensual form, without much fanfare. It was designed to be shared by both genders, but I believe that men can take better advantage. It symbolizes the unknown, which lurks in the shadows, the timeless concept of elegance and mystery. And for this reason, the company made a great effort by not providing its official composition. It means that each one can feel and interpret the fragrance in a unique way. Challenge accepted! To my nose, the fragrance presents itself as a hybrid of Puredistance M with hints of other feminine creations from the House, such as the vetiver of Puredistance I, the galbanum of Antonia or maybe the jasmine, from Opardu. But the biggest difference relies in 4 notes that presented themselves to me in latent form: frankincense, patchouli, oud and leather. I read numerous comparisons about it: since Epic Man (Amouage) to Tobacco Oud (Tom Ford), among numerous other creations and brands, what really matters is that Puredistance Black has concept, is linear and behaves as follows: it touches the skin incensed, with slightly bitter nuances. Then, a playful oud insists in a hide-and-seek all the time, while the leather keeps the concept together, just like in a bell jar. Time or another my nose implies the presence of the Bulgarian rose, but I think it's another trick from its proposal. Exudes well, without being a bomb, and doesn't disappoint in any way. With Puredistance Black, the mystery is everywhere.

It was at noon when he arrived back to his cabin. His dark hair looked a bit messy because the wind played with it a bit. He opened the heavy, wooden door and his eyes softly outlined with kohl pierced into the shadows who were filling the room. A few steps and he reached to his favorite place in the house - his ebony desk. Laying there, in complete silence was a leather bound diary, waiting. The man reached for the chair and sit there, reaching for his pen with trembling hands. Oh, yes. It was time to write about her. The ink began to tell a story, as it was greedily absorbed by the paper. It was about a woman with amber eyes and golden skin. Ahhh, her skin, always smelling like agarwood oil. Her presence was enough to make the air around boil. She was a woman of the desert and maybe that is why he feels so much warmth when he remembers her. The man felt the urge to open the window, and as he looked outside, he felt some very familiar smell. Incense maybe? Like a thread of fog, a silver shadow took shape outside. Was it only his imagination? The man could swear she was right there, with him, as her unforgettable perfume filled the room, but in the next minute it was gone only to come back more powerful and sweet, leaving him bewildered. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and let the smell pierce his soul. They were now as one, perfectly blended, inseparable. This is Black, a longlost, bittersweet memory.

I am trying this perfume today. The quality is so good as most of perfumes in the brand have. As the notes are not listed i would try ti explain how It smells for me. In first place what It makes me think of... And when insmell It i imaginé myself SAT on the terrace of a nightclub, having an alcoholic drink mixed with cola while some people are smoking around me... Because the feeling i get is that: alcohol, cola and tobacco. And now dime of the notes i think It could has. The scent shares for me some smoky resinous vibe with perfumes like interlude by amouage ir black afgano by nasomatto, so i am almost sure that It must have some kind of balsámic and smoky resin like incense ir opoponax. Then i am almost sure that It has some sweet resin like amber ir benzoin, because It has some sweetness but balsámic and i think It is not vanilla. In other hand It has also some dark note like cofee ir fresh cocoa and some Woods, but dark Woods like patchouli or a very subtle oud. In adition It has some Green and spicy notes as Well. I think also that It could have some leather and tobacco... The longevity is good, about 8 hours on skin, with a moderate projection, what is normal un a 25% concentration perfume. Unisex and in my opinión better for cold weather. Scent: 9 Longevity: 9 Projection; 7 Quality/price: 5 Versatility: 6 Originality: 8 Global: 9

I actually wanna show you guys what's wrriten on the website. Useful info: PUREDISTANCE BLACK 100ml MYSTERIOUS, WARM & ELEGANT 100ml Puredistance BLACK Perfume Spray in a classic black & blue giftbox, with handmade leather holder. Puredistance BLACK is created in Paris by the famous French Perfumer Antoine Lie. He created a perfume of the highest quality that is close to the wearer and releases sensual and elegant scent layers in a whispering and sophisticated way – without shouting. A warm, mysterious and elegant fragrance, full of charm, that stays in the shadow, giving away – only every now and then – part of its nature. Puredistance BLACK plays hide-and-seek on the skin, appearing, morphing, and reappearing to delight the senses. Perfume Extrait: 25% perfume oil. __________________________________ On the company's websitre you can find good reviews about this product, like: "It is opulent, sensual, warm, intense with an unique scent. It makes you feel special. Lasts all day long. I love it!" Or "Smells smokey and woody and leather with a mox of rose. Very sexy scent for evening. Also reminds me a bit of TF noir de noir except this feels with higher quality ingredients and more masculine overall. I smell spices leather and amber at the base. Amazing scent".

I got a 3ml sample of this in the past and the first time couple of times i tried it in the late spring early fall I was like "ok this is nice" and kept moving, Fast-forward to one chilly night in the depth of winter I was heading out and rummaging through my bag of decants for something to wear and I thought hmm, let me give this baby a full wearing and on first spray it just clicked, and my eyes lit up in amazement, something about the scent in the cool air just made it blow my mind. I went on to finish the sample, that would be the first time I've ever actually sprayed a sample or decant till it was empty. I knew I was in trouble and I would have to shell out some money to get a bottle. Like a review below said It is not the best fragrance ive smelt but it is definitely my sexiest. I get a dark earthy patchouli that has been mixed with a tiny bit of rose and some chocolate sitting on a bed of smokey leather and somewhere in the concoction is a hint of sweetness from a fruit i do not know. Anyways this alongside M are the best offerings from the house from a masculine style fragrance. I absolutely love this stuff and dont regret the money i paid to acquire it

Goodness me - Black is something else, something primal and gripping. It’s an incredible feeling when you know a brand is truly passionate about creating perfume, which is something no one can deny of Puredistance. There are no notes listed for Black, to add to its mystique, but it feels like an impeccable rose-oud to me. It’s very oily and dark, quite earthy too with a sweet and salty rose/saffron effect. There’s a gentle breeze of fecal musk in the distance, yet it never comes across as dirty, it always remains perfectly refined. It’s hard to describe if I’m being honest, this perfume is a wearing experience you will not soon forget. It reminds me of stinkier rose-ouds like Frederic Malle’s The Night, but far more restrained and drawn-back. They’re not directly similar, but they fit the same brief; if one aggressively harasses you, and the other effortlessly seduces you.

Starts off scary but then you realize the notes are all familiar and comforting: rose, amber, oud, incense, caramel?, berries, leather, the list goes on. Black is definitely sexy and for evening wear. It's slightly more masculine than unisex, but a confident woman could pull it off. One would place this among Tom Fords. This is some of the best sillage I've experienced in a while, and it sends out a beautiful cloud that gets better and better. It's like meeting an intimidating but gorgeous stranger and finding out they were also nervous around you; once you get past the first impression you end up feeling more comfortable with each other than you ever thought possible.

This is a genuinely sexy and very sensual fragrance. The first thing that comes to mind is leather and a hint of incense and some smoked wood notes. After a few hours of wear it settles down quite nicely and on my skin it seems to take on a bit of a sweaty..almost musky quality but not in a dirty way, more in a sexual and carnal sort of manner. I adore this and I'm glad to have this in my collection, it's definitely a head turner and conversation starter. The lasting power is excellent, i probably get around 12+ hours of it this and the projection is quite loud so spritz with caution.

Black is my Al-time favorite fragrance. I could speak for hours about the details or sum it up personally as my inner spirit liquefied and bottled. Everything about it and its presentation are undeniably top shelf. The smoothest citrus laced incense, that radiates a mysterious yet comforting vibe, I have come across on my journey. Its an added bonus that every time I wear it, its almost a given it will garner compliments and attention from multiple people in my immediate vicinity. It wears close but at 25% perfume oil, Black will stay until you wash it off. Masterpiece fragrance!

The scent of this fragrance is difficult to pin, because it morphs and changes throughout the day. Although, it is at all times sexy and alluring; if one gets close enough to become entangled. On the top note, I get a hit of marshmallow followed by a mix of oriental wood and vanilla for a long lasting heart. The slightly spicy wood bass notes remain until they slowly fade away. Wear this when you'll be in a semi-crowded place and you want to turn prey into the hunter. After smelling this in close proximity, the trap will be sprung.

While there is no mentioned notes, I suppose that I clearly can smell agarwood and leather as main notes and some smokiness, maybe incense or a little birch tar, and perhaps a little patchouli in the dry down... But anyway, this is a wonderful, dark, mysterious scent. So to knowing the exact notes really does not matter. Because, we can enjoy this authentic fragrance more then 8 hours. Because the longevity is great, the sillage is just how it should be, just like the other Puredistance perfumes.

In my opinion It smells fantastic and last for an estimated 10 hours, It also depends on someone skin type , Wether it is dry or oily , My skin is oily and I have no complaints . It does fetches a high price tag , But its a niche perfume and what you pay for is what you usualy get . Some wear perfume to be recognize and expects compliments , Others like my self wear a fragrance because we like it , Try multiple times before buy , Overall rating 10/10. Thank,

Oh my goodness! 🥰 On my skin, this fragrance leans distinctly masculine. It has a deep, elegant, quietly powerful presence — the kind of scent that doesn’t shout, but draws you in without effort. I realized that I don’t want to smell like this myself... but I would absolutely love this on a man. It has that magnetic, confident, slightly mysterious aura that feels incredibly attractive. If a man walked past me wearing this, I would remember him.😍

Something of a masterpiece for me. It never fails to amaze me. Can be a little strong and shocking to those around you (and yourself) if over-sprayed, so use minimal amounts. Sometimes one spray is good enough. Either way, this scent is absolutely stunning and is drop dead *gorgeous* in cold, winter weather. It's priced incredibly high - but for myself, the satisfaction is worth the sale. If you can, be sure to try this.

Unrivaled luxury, identity-uniqueness, classic manufactoriness, black magic... I can write many more epithets for this masterpiece. No matter how you perceive this fragrance, it is definitely worth getting to know it at least once. How much time has passed since the creation of this masterpiece, and I still have not found anyone who could compare with it and convey the mood, the luxury that this beauty conveys.

Wow! Such a smoky scent. Gorgeous. Sadly it only makes the pain of 4160 Tuesday's a kiss beside the fireplace being discontinued even worse. They are both intensely smoky, with Black perhaps a little richer. Black also reminds me of an Amouage I love but I cant remember the name off hand. A pretty linear scent. Both scents that are perfect for cold weather wear. Good longevity and sillage. Bang on unisex.

This is one of the many fragrances I'd get compliments whenever I wear this. darky woody and spicy...I rarely use this in the evening, as I wear this fragrance to my workplace, or just anywhere, fulltime. سمپل ارجینال جهت تست موجود است Scent: 9/10 Longevity: 8/10 Projection: 8/10

One of the best fragrances ever made. Elegant and classy, you can enjoy the depth of the fragrance because of the high end perfumery. This is not for people who don’t know how to appreciate masterpieces.

What a great perfume. Masculine, leathery, high quality, complimentgetter. Don’t understand why nobody talks about this fragrance. Its soooo good. Its expensive but worth every penny.

I guess my first reaction is that it smells similar to a few Etat Libre d'Orange scents, but without the weird imitation raspberry thing you always get in ELdO.

Mysterious perfume. Every time I smell it, a new smell comes up. I can smell spices, leather, amber. I still find more every time I spray it.

This one is worth the hype! Knock out home run. I can’t stop sniffing my wrist. Perfectly balanced spicy and smooth. Definitely masculine.

My favourite of the puredistance line. That said, it smells very familiar and nothing particularly soothing to my olfactiory system. 7/10

Puredistance Black is the sexiest fragrance I own. It's not my favorite but it's the sexiest.

A cross between Green Sapphire and Black Afgano. A woody centric scent. Loving it immensely.

Goes on black and dries down purple

This is quite interesting. I will do two reviews...one from me and one from my beloved husband :) On me (female, dry skin, central heating environment) this opens with soft dry black pepper, ozone and cedar. After about 10 or 15 minutes I start smelling floral water, paper and maybe a hint of fresh leather, like a love note in a leather satchel. It's blended very well, the scents that are more forward peep out rather than jump out. This also, however, makes this fragrance very soft. I'm sure it will stay quite a while given the concentration, it will just stay at a moderate whisper (skin scent). Overall, I like it. It makes me feel dreamy and nostalgic. On my husband (male, normal to oily skin, central heating environment) this opens with pepper, vinyl, old leather (think classic car), metallic and ozonic (lightening). After 30 minutes it becomes a little sweet with a bit of powder (softening). He says (emphatically) that he had found no sweetness in the beginning. This fragrance makes him think of working on a classic car in a garage with a storm gusting just outside. In short, he loves it.

Warm, dark and classy, but a little too understated for its own good - and not quite distinctive enough to justify Puredistance's horrifying prices. An intriguing and quirky take on your woody-spicy-amber quadrant and definitely wearable by any gender in any circumstance, but just so diffident and "yeah, that'll do" to make any sort of strong impression. Kind of coasts on its good qualities - which are considerable: welcoming, un-obnoxious, un-screechy, mellow and upscale - but feels a little like fragrance designed by committee, than a deliberate statement in any direction. Longevity ain't bad (up to 11h as the faintest most diplomatic trace on skin, but only really up close - its bubble is small.) One for the very rich, very tactful, and very discreet. Scent of the undercover 1% maybe.

So familiar yet definitely new. It has Amouage’s grandiose symphony-like structure, blend in with some Tom-Ford-esque hedonistic vibe. I'd say a medium-weight oud (or at least something resembles oud) is a major player, one can sense it from 5 miles away. Also on top is a rich spice scent, possibly cardamon, but it soon blends in with leather. A subdued smokey incense also appears at some point. The body notes are divine: a oud-y/patchouli-like accord with slight chocolate edge, perhaps softened by rose and benzoin. Solid, sweet and warm, at this stage there is something sensual reminiscent of Tom Ford's offering.

Sensual sophisticated woody aromatic scent that is reflective, somber and somewhat mediative. The perfume opens with aromatic notes of slight ginger, cardamom and saffron. The heart is oppponax, rose and patchouli. The perfume settles on a powdery bed of myrrh, sandalwood, wormwood and benzoin. The unisex scent has moderate sillage, projection and good longevity. Overall it is nice and somewhat unique, but falls a bit short of being truly extraordinary. It is a very pleasant and classy ride throughout. Enjoy!

You gotta lay this one on thick. Shower in it. This stuff is subtle to a fault. Ghostly even 👻. Whenever I come across fragrances like this, I assume they have something to hide. They're compensating for a lack of quality. I don't think that's the case here. Puredistance is going for a quality, refined, quiet musk. So, what's in this concoction? Definitely some sweet vanilla, woods and florals. Very neat blend. Nothing really stands out and it does shapeshift a bit. Needs a few more wearings

A nice scent with a beautiful opening, This is my favorite from the house unfortunately it doesn't perform well on my skin. The dry down reminds me of Gucci intense oud (70% similar). Scent & quality: 8.5/10 Longevity: 6.5/10 Silage: 3/10 Uniqness: 8/10 Price: 1/10 ---------------- Overall: 5.4 /10

I get sophisticated smooth leather with spices and citruses here, its masculine, yet very elegant and intelligent perfume. It only slightly reminds me of Amouage Journey Man, but this one is smoother and it takes off in a different direction completely.

Smells smokey wood , leather and some patchouli in base with rose . It’s for evening wear. Silage ok not to much not heavy .i think it’s overpriced . As this smell reminds me something.... just need to remember ... I like it but not love it .

Reminds me of Amouage Journey man

Black goes on with amber and a hint of dark chocolate, and thereafter becomes a fruity, berry-jam rose. The effect is royal purple, with some black tendrils of smoke. It’s definitely a quiet skin scent, which is good because I’m not crazy about this style of perfume. A few minutes in, I get a dry, dark smoky wood with a distinctive fragrance – maybe oudh. There might be some natural wood in here, or at least a high-quality recreation. It’s definitely not just cypriol (the cheap smoky-smelling compound that most “oud” actually is these days.) It completely replaces the jammy rose for a few minutes, but then the purple is back with a vengeance, bigger than ever. Then we get a pink fluffy cotton-candy rose, very sweet...which quickly gives way to a rather medicinal amber note. The amber base is a bit musky, a bit smoky, enriched with the oudh. And the purple jammy rose comes out for another encore, this time blended with the amber. It’s not bad, at this point: the effect is pleasantly dissolute, like a speakeasy. Overall, “Black” probably qualifies as a rose-oudh in a neo-Arabian style: jammy, super-sweet, rather vulgar purple and pink roses, against a smoky black backdrop. There’s more going on here than in, say, the much cheaper Montale Black Oud, but I’m not sure I see much point in going upscale for what’s fundamentally a goofy, cartoony olfactory effect.

The dry-down of this is strongly reminiscent of Cuir Garamante by MDCI. Ok, but hardly the seismic perfume event the hype would have you believe.

Again, I tried to give this brand a chance, and this is the second one I tried from the (first was "M"). First of all, no perfume should cost this much – that's just arrogant. Secondly, I haven't found even ONE that I like. All of them are OILY, and GROSS. I don't understand the hype at all. Big thumbs down. AVOID – unless you want to smell like your grandmother (and even then she probably has a way better perfume than whatever ghastly abomination this is).

This is an unusual one—one that I wanted to spend some time with before formulating some concrete thoughts that I could stand behind. In brief, PD Black is far from a bad scent; the components work well to produce something that’s intricately textured and granular. But while I genuinely appreciate the use of restraint, I don’t find it to be nearly as accomplished as Lie’s other deliveries, and it feels a bit out of place in the Puredistance range in relation to both aesthetics and pricing. With that said, this is a slippery composition whose complexity makes it difficult to nail down, and I also find that it transitions into its main and most continuous phase at an alarming speed. The main players that I’ve been somewhat able to identify are tobacco, castoreum, suede, resins, tuberose, and some fruit notes that are somewhat plummy verging on tropical. On top of this are some spices that are nicely restrained—one of which I think is cinnamon—and there seems to be a notable juniper and incense combo at work here also. The fruity notes are really only perceptible at the beginning, falling into the blend almost immediately. In fact, it appears that perceptible notes in general aren’t the goal here in lieu of a swirl built around the most recognizable note—tobacco. Oddly, I don’t much vetiver at all given that others have emphasized it. There’s nothing striking going on, nor is there anything that immediately grabs your attention, but I don’t think it can be quite so easily dismissed as mundane in that the composition is warmly nuanced and speaks in spacious whispers. When you first put it on, there's a lot to take in with the fruity chord being the most obvious, appearing as a plummy wine that has a slight tropical edge to it. But I’d say that within ten minutes, the scent has largely unpacked itself, and what you smell here is pretty much what you get for the whole ride. It doesn’t develop or change at all, but it doesn’t really need to either as there are a number of interlocking layers at work that necessitate individual focus. In addition, this scent’s playing subtle sillage tricks that I suspect are the result of a sea of chemical fixatives undergirding the whole thing. Before I tried this, I’d envisioned it as “purple” smelling—rich, deep, wine-like fruits—probably because I couldn’t really imagine what “black” would smell like without any color tinting to it. This was somewhat validated by the opening, but if I were to describe the total composition in terms of color, it’d be grey. In fact, what this makes me think of is charcoal—as though someone took a canvas and rapidly filled in the whole surface, caring not for accuracy of coverage or consistency of tone. This scent feels monochromatic, textured, and ashy. The key player to my nose is the tobacco note, which is suspiciously similar to the tobacco note used in Tom Ford’s recent Tobacco Oud (stripped away from the Sahara Noir accord that TO pilfers from). It’s not particularly smoky, nor is it distinctly "tobacco" in the way many other scents are—it’s just a mere strum of a chord, but it’s the one that the whole composition is structured upon. When sniffed up close, the tobacco reveals a coniferous tint, but one that’s barely perceptible as more than a touch. There’s also a slight juniper in this chord, too, but not so much as to be totally recognizable as juniper is generally a deal breaker for me. Without the use of resins to smooth these components out, I think there might have been some infighting between them, but it works well here to produce a unique but not overly adventurous harmony. Other contemporary associations that I make from it are L’Occitane’s Cade (the dry, slightly scratchy effect) and Andrea Maack’s Coal (more for the papyrus than the charcoal association I’ve already outlined). This central chord is played up against what appears to be a refined suede note that, alongside some of the balmy resins, produces, yes, a watery effect that’s somewhere between bilge, bleach, and fatty, but in no way is it gross or off-putting—it’s intriguing. It lends the composition a slight powdery effect without any sweetness or coloration, maintaining the charcoal gray wash that the scent seems to be aiming for. However, what troubles me about the scent is that it reminds me of a number of different things, but I’m finding it hard to pinpoint exactly what they are. The tobacco note is very much the same as the Tom Ford (it must be a new chemical or something as I don't think it's tabanol), but the overall composition is reminding me of a slew of products that are scented, but aren’t designed as perfume per se (shower gels, deodorants etc.) I don’t see this as a major problem, but it just feels awkward—as though what we expect as perfume has been nudged into a different category. In this sense, PD Black *is* new, although its subdued nature and somewhat opaque notes make it hard to recognize and appreciate it as such. If I were to boil this down into a terse description, I’d say that it’s a clean tobacco scent with some creamy, slightly spicy resins that produce an ashy and watery effect. It’s not bad at all, but I’d never pay what they ask for something so subdued and restrained—even if I genuinely appreciate the direction they were heading with it.

What I get from Black is a beautiful blend of incense, leather or perhaps labdanum (or both?), warm spices such as cinnamon, a hint of nutmeg and pepper, and a warm, soft amber or benzoin deep in the base. What results is a wonderful, warm and spicy yet also fresh and smooth, softly smoldering fragrance for men. It's all about texture and density, and Black has it dialed in to perfection. I am no big fan of incense and I let that be known. I find most incense fragrances heavy-handed and clumsy, clobbering you over the with the overwhelming dose of ash and smoke. Many are unbalanced and when you wear them you smell like someone who spent too much time in church or a temple or a head shop and now have the prayer-incense stuck in your hair and clothes. But Black is very different. It has the perfect, medium-bodied phantom density and smooth texture to appear, disappear and reappear throughout the day in the most pleasant of ways. Don't get me wrong--it has GREAT longevity. And its "disappearance" is only insofar as it seems to project significantly, then reel itself in momentarily, before heading back out to make another appearance. What I enjoy so much about Black, besides the smell, is that it wears elegantly and confidently. It's so nicely balanced, and while it's not exactly reserved, it's never loud either, never heavy-handed or overwhelming in terms of its weight, and because of this, I can wear it very confidently--without becoming self-conscious or distracted by it, or worrying about whether or not it's interfering with another's personal space. But that doesn't mean others won't notice it! It will certainly make its way into their sphere, but it will do so stealthily and gracefully, almost sneaking up upon its audience and gaining favor with them before they even realize that it's there. And just when they realize that they've been enjoying it....*poof*....it disappears again momentarily, as they wait impatiently for its return. Black is not a young man's fragrance. It's not something to be worn with a sweatsuit and baseball hat. It's more sophisticated and dressed up then that, but it's still very comfortable and easy to wear. It just requires a degree of taste and intelligence to be worn correctly. It's a smooth, modern, elegant, warm-spicy incense for men with rare sophistication and balance. Therefore it should be treated as such. So far this is my favorite in the Puredsistance line. Perfectly understated with a black cashmere sweater and favorite pair of chinos, Puredistance Black is a class act through and through. Final rating: 9/10, and I may be tempted to add half a star once I get to know it a little better. Recommended for sampling, and a possible blind buy if you are already a fan of leather and incense and spicy sorts of fragrances, and looking for something with a medium-bodied, mercurial kind of density.

I'm a big fan of both Antoine Lie and Puredistance but this time, I can't say I'm impressed. Lie is responsible of some of my favorite *contemporary* fragrances. His work for brands such as Comme Des Garcons, Etat Libre D'Orange and, lately, Nu_Be is the most blatant example of his talent and his ability to create subtly twisted fragrances that are wearable and at the same time anything but dull. On the other hand, Puredistance is pretty popular for targeting the upscale audience with their luxurious / plush deliveries. The pairing of these two polar opposites, sounded extremely interesting on paper but, as a matter of fact, Black doesn't convince me one bit. The fragrance opens with a citrusy-peppery-saffrony accord that is definitely well executed and promising. There's a dusty, sort of sharpish vibe that brings to mind of modern masculine fragrances while speaking at the same time of quality and artistry. Unfortunately things fall apart right away with the composition taking a sweetish, red fruity, trajectory during the middle phase. This part is completely boring and, if you want, *cheap* smelling. Overly safe and somewhat generic, even a tad *sporty*. Things get a little better during the drydown when a sweetish oudy-incense base takes over but it's still not enough to save the whole fragrance from precipice. The deja-vu vibe is so strong to drive me mad. It goes from Clive Christian V to something more generically Amouageish (thinking about Epic Man but also Interlude Man and more in general their latest masculines) via Monegal's Agar Musk, Piguet's Casbah and the plethora of other oudy-peppery fragrances released in the past 5 years or so. I think they tried to target the more mainstreamish upmarket crowd here but, as a matter of fact, while not being completely bad, Black is far from justifying the hefty price-tag. For those who care, the fragrance is pretty restrained but with an exceptional longevity. Rating: 5/10

Firstly, the concept is spot on in its application, first time I wore this was 2 mins after it arrived in the morning post, I did one spray on my hand, and for the whole day wafts of scent came and went. 12 hours later, it was still going strong, never invasive but always reminding me of its presence. Scentwise Black to me is more of a dusky lilac in colour, something I wasn't really expecting. Personally I find it shares a few subtle facets with Oud for Love (doesn't smell exactly like it, but more of a reminder, and they diverge farther past the early heart), with oud and sweet spices (predominantly cinnamon) and resins playing a major role, but Black is more transparent, weightless and also has a slightly sharp shimmering freshness running through it enhancing its radiance and dynamism. There's a suedelike slightly plasticy side softening and adding a little transient creamy density and also uplifting lush white florals to brighten. White musks appear during drydown softening things, but they aren't applied with a heavy hand. The drydown also shares a sketchy lower density connection to Enigma pH Parfum, with its dusty amber sandalwood and creamy resin finish. As others have mentioned the overall effect is approachable and may not be ground breaking at first glance, but in parallel it's smooth, elegant, wonderfully executed and an utter pleasure to wear, certainly befitting of the Puredistance name. Saying all that, it hasn’t won me over for a full bottle yet, something about it doesn’t quite satisfy (an unfulfilled romantic tryst if you like), and there plenty others I’d rather buy sooner, even so with each wear it's romancing me a little more as it unfolds its mysteries. Great work in any case.

Finally. in Alfarom (review below) we have somebody not afraid to speak the truth about PD Black. I had waited and waited to hear some modicum of objective evaluation when addressing this scent. Most all of the other bloggers seemed like under an obligation to pay curtsy to Antoine Lie and the PD company. One has the distinct feeling that if plain ole black tea was poured into the admittingly lovely bottle design, then we would be regaled with declarations of pure enigmatic oriental splendour and magestic imperial nectar etc. How much more of this lemming like hyperbole can we really handle before good sense and sensiblity prevails?. Indeed marketing trickery is very much evident in everything to do with PD Black: from the non disclosure of ingredients used in the making to the constant references of whispering not shouting , there but not there and so forth. I am reminded of one of those Victorian sideshows where the art of seduction is enough to lure unsuspecting punters into paying for what can never live up to expectations. Fact is Antoine , to have the courage nay temerity to not list the components of your perfume is putting it on a pedastal higher than most. We all know the rest. The creative direction at PD was admirable up until the release of Black. Let this fragrance be a reminder that we now have higher expectations from PD and need Antoine to up his game again. Nothing next time but trademark pure quality and save us all the gimmickry and smoke and mirrors effects of empty marketing. This perfumer has an innate ability to create a product that can stand on its own merits. Back to basics and what you are good at Mr. Lie.

Puredistance Black, a fragrance created by Antoine Lie, is quite an interesting and challenging fragrance to review, because the brand does not list any notes so what I will describe below is my personal experience and your experience may differ from mine. To my nose, Black is an spicy oriental leather built on top of a modern fougere skeleton. The fragrance opens to my nose with pink pepper, nutmeg, cardamom and cinnamon followed by prominent medicinal saffron, this part of the fragrance reminds me a bit of the spicy opening of Epic Man (Amouage) but much smoother and without the intense peppery olibanum top note. The fragrance then shifts towards a short-lived modern fougere phase with prominent lavender and its combination with the spices reminds me a bit of the lavender-cardamom combo in Invasion Barbare (MDCI). The fragrance later moves to a smoky incense phase with prominent olibanum and myrrh, a touch of rose, dry spicy sandalwood, hints of chocolatey patchouli and a smooth leather accord, the fragrance at this stage reminds me of the dry spicy leather in Cuir Garamante (MDCI) but with added incense, it also reminds me of the rose/saffron/leather/patchouli combo in heart of PDLN3 (Roja). Finally, the incense accord is joined by prominent vetiver, ambery labdanum/benzoin, and oakmoss. The fragrance at this stage reminds me of certain elements of the late drydown of Anubis (Papillon). I feel that the first 30 minutes are the most interesting part of the fragrance, after that, it moves to familiar amber/vetiver base.

This is very interesting and I'm not yet certain of it. On the opening, I get a real drippy, syrupy, sweetness. It makes me think of possibly benzoin, laced with a good amount of clove. Definitely spicy. I have an tug of war with benzoin so, I kind of felt a little put off by whatever the sweet was, but the spicy is very nice. Next, after a few seconds, I smell a very lovely, woodsy accord which reminds me of very fine sawdust. Sounds weird, I know, but like if you worked in woodworking and everyone is shaving or working on some piece, how that sawdusty smell lingers in the air. It isn't bad at all. Not quite no. 2 pencil woody, nor cedar, but it is something... Lol someone mentioned the possibility of Oud, and that is definitely a maybe but doesn't really show up right away. This is really growing on me... Ooh! ;-) there is something almost candied in this, perhaps even a little caramel. Not much, but in think of candy, like when it is being stirred over a stove. About 20 minutes in, I am getting this wonderful, pine/balsam kick. I love pine and this is like that lovely pine sap that sticks to your fingers after breaking off a few branches. The sweet is mellowing and I can smell leather and something boozy, dried fruit but like raisins or dates and it actually smells like ... Rum Raisin, ice cream!!! Wow... This is definitely growing on me. The initial kind of put me off, it is rather strong but I'm loving this dry down! Nice! :-D so fun to try these kind of fragrances. This is sexy.

Interesting fragrance. The whole sorta idea of just enjoy the fragrance dont worry about the notes and take it for what it is. Is well nice. Because often I think we can overcomplicated things in life and dont enjoy the moment for what it is. But... saying that... Using that gimmick.. Does that make this worth $600 dollars? lol Also looking at the reviews online in general it seems to me people get a lot of different things from this. So it almost makes me scared to think with out listing the notes does it allow the company to get away with like "batch varations" or qaulity control issues. That kinda thing? I just say that because I see some reviews say this is not a sweet or fruity pefume. And wow well I dunno but I can say my sample of it is has a very sweet, fruity vibe with dark undertones. Oh well im gonna stop my review basically there, im sure other people can explain the scent better than me.(or wait can they!? lol)For what its worth I actually like the smell a lot. I think it smelled good when ive tried it. But does it smell $600 dollars good? No lol I guess if your rich or have a more disposable income by all means though worth checking out for sure I think.

Although the notes aren't to my taste; a quick sample just to see what another $500+ release from this Mad House was all about, I was quickly greeted with boring Pepper, lashings of aldegydes (?) and some odd floral. All flat, non-sweet and totally can be had in the sutiable product slot in any Niche line, costing around $100. Just pick a Niche house and click on the 'Pepper' note filer! Leather next, maybe the high class suede type but really, even the most mindblowing concoction shouldn't push this beyond $300 tops for the Extrait. Then, an Ok/nice fruity vibe creeps in (currants?) but it's swamped by spice (more pepper?) and the leathery brashness. It's barely ever sweet, mainly warm and mixed with odd sour vibes too. I admired M, if even that 'pinnacle' of this line falling far below the 'Overall package' of powerhouses like Aventus (just over $200). If you want a top Quality leather, just go with a Mona or Cuir garmante by MDCI (both $300 tops). This is barely Ok, assuming a $150 price tag. So, you can understand my score looking at what PD actually are charging for High Quality Mediocity. My rating: 4/10

Having never been much of a notes analyst and seeing they list none, I am hard pressed to describe this scent... It's wonderful, warm and cozy. Wears somewhat closely. There seems to a lot of familiar elements here and all very high quality for sure. A bit of leather, a hint of spices like cinnamon, some resins. Very slightly similar to M but much more discreet and dialed back. Plus I don't get any dirty out of this one. Not a work scent- far too dark and sensual. Would be a great date scent because people will want to get closer to this one. A lot closer. The kind of scent that once you catch a sniff, you want more- much more. Not among my more practical and easy to classify scents, but I love it for its mystery and warmth. The biggest fragrance novice in the world would know this is high quality juice. Kind of masculine but women could really rock this too. Masterfully unisex.