Magnificent Black

There is a particular time of day when the dying light has not yet given way to darkness, or the dawn has not yet pierced the veil of night. It is a magical moment in which the landscape seems enveloped in a muffled atmosphere and suspended in an unreal dimension, and everything, everything, is tinged with blue. When the sun is below the horizon, before dawn, which heralds the passage from darkness to light, or after sunset, in the twilight which precedes darkness, then the blue hour occurs. It is an evocative and exciting chromatic phenomenon: everything is enveloped in soft light, in shades of blue and purple. It lasts a few minutes, half an hour at the most, but it represents a show of rare beauty. The blue hour is the idea that everything is about to end or, conversely, that everything is about to start over. Magnificent Black is comparable to the blue hour, disarming and enchanting fragrance, a superimposition of two masterpieces, one from the last millennium and the other from recent production. Imagine spraying Baccarat Rouge 540 EAU DE PARFUM and then over this original M7 (2011). Well, the major accords of these two perfumes, M7 at the opening and BR540 at the end, are the ones I find in this creation by Hamid Merati-Kashani. M7 was my first experience with the oud, sweet, warm, and sensual. And this specimen reminds me so, so, so much. Amber, mineral, leathery, with that complicated oud smell-feeling that comes to life after about two hours. Please, don’t get me wrong, this is not a replacement for M7 original or BR540, yet it shares many vibes with them. Magnificent Black is an exploration of amber wood with a beautifully subtle opening of spicy and semi-bitter orange peel. Underneath, something liquorice-like darkens the concoction and smells like Konfekt gummies by Haribo, chewy, soft, creamy, and flavoured candy surrounding a liquorice centre. There is an energetic affinity between amber and orange that is softly explored in the opening spray, which remains slightly sweet and vaporous while in the background circulates a tone made of smoky agarwood, noble vetiver, and wisps of leather. It takes a few minutes to settle, and the warmth of the skin helps give off a semi-caramelized amber tone reminiscent of BR540. The heart is many things: sandblasted, soft, woody suede, fine-grained, a little fleshy, steaming, brushed. A cocoa-like patchouli takes the stage, along with a burnt sugar tinge. It is balsamic and floral. But not sweet floral with a too-feminine slant. Instead, violet brings a water facet, a dewy, mineral, while jasmine subdues it with a creamy nuance. That sense of burnt amber and warm wood is always there. The more it grows, the more it gets akin to BR540 while keeping a distance from M7. It’s slightly medicinal, with a cherry cough syrup nuance. Woody scent with strong oud and vetiver note. A little sweet and powdery. In the end, the scent turns a tad woody, earthy, and slightly leathery and resinous. A lot is going on there, while drydown, so from time to time, you can hardly differentiate which of the components you hear at this moment. At first, it is very medicinal but turns into a natural and very sensual vetiver and wood scent. Over time, the perfume becomes sweeter, amber, salty, and dark, it gently settles on the skin while remaining slightly powdery, deep, soft, stimulates the senses, and above all, elegant, virile, oriental, dense and damn sexy and long-lasting. The ultimate combination is an amber musk haze, a sweet, creamy, even slightly powdery scent that continuously caresses your nose in a very warm, friendly way. Also, I feel some hints of vanilla. What it left on the blotter after many hours, and even days after, is a sweet oudy accord with semi-medicinal cherry cough syrup nuance. Besides, the M7 shadow is still lingering. Last night I put a couple of squirts on my neck before dinner with friends I had invited to my house. During dinner, everyone wondered who was wearing that perfume that they sometimes felt spinning in the air. It turned out to be mine, and I got a ton of compliments. They said it was so manly as if some natural BO was among the notes. Hence, pay attention to the number of sprays since all room smells Magnificent Black if somebody wears it, surely dominant. Longevity and projection are all great on my skin. Definitely, this is the best performer of the SERIES N° 01 collection. It is a cold-weather scent, for fall and winter late-evening intimate events. I would refrain from wearing it at work, it projects too much and not everyone enjoys oud-like perfumes. Thank you Hamid Merati-Kashani for bringing this magnificent creation to us among ZARA's infinite collection. I'm basing my sensations on a bottle I've owned since April 2023 (BC 30240).

From the moment you spray it on, Zara Magnificient Black pulls you in with a smell that’s both comforting and exotic — imagine a blend of spicy cookies with a twist. The opening notes are a hook but they're just the beginning; this fragrance has a lot more to offer. This fragrance stands out with its unique mineral note, an uncommon component in perfumes. This intriguing feature seamlessly blends with the subsequent earthy, woody notes, revealing meticulous craftsmanship from top to bottom. The fragrance truly shines in its complex yet harmonious blend of elements. Imagine being in an Arabian marketplace, enveloped by various exotic scents; this fragrance captures that in a single, well-balanced experience. Each note is distinct but works in harmony with the others, avoiding any sense of disarray. As you wear it, the scent evolves. The mineral note, for instance, becomes more pronounced over time without overwhelming the other elements. It keeps you interested, from the first spray to the last lingering note. The fragrance is tagged as unisex and rightly so. It’s versatile, not just in who can wear it but also when it can be worn. You might think this is a cold-weather scent, but don’t be boxed in — it's versatile enough to wear all year round, be it day or night. Now, Zara scents have a bit of a reputation for not lasting very long, but Magnificient Black goes against the grain. It's got a longer lifespan than you might expect and the reach of the scent is also better than most in the Zara lineup. Considering the affordable price, particularly if you find it on sale, it offers excellent value for money. In conclusion, if you're looking to expand your fragrance collection, Magnificient Black should be at the top of your list. This is particularly true if you can snag it during a sale. It’s a fragrance that keeps you guessing but never disappoints, a rare find that’s worth every penny. The real kicker? It smells very niche, but it's from a mall clothes store. Opening note: 9 Sillage/Projection: 7+ Dry down: 9 Longevity: 7 Blend/Composition: 9 Versatility: 9 Uniqueness: 9 Value for money: 9+ Bottle design/Aesthetics: 6 Overall experience: 9- Blind-buy rating: 4

I consider Magnificent Black to be the best of Zara's 2023 collection. The fragrance opens with a clean oud-like smokiness and a cold inorganic quality that is said to be orange, mineral, and violet. The duality of stillness and movement is very balanced and noble. Yet there is a calm energy, not an old man vibe. The drydown has a slowly shifting beauty with the sweetness of vetiver and amber and the smokiness that continues from the opening. The sweetness is definitely there, but I think it can be worn all year round, except for mid-summer afternoon. I had hoped this fragrance was some kind of clone, but this is truly a Zara original. The only reason I wish it was a clone is because the performance is not very good, and I would even buy a full bottle right now if there were other perfumes of higher quality. Magnificent Black does not last unless you reapply it every hour. The only disappointment is the performance, the scent is really great.

On the first spray and sniff it really reminds me of M7 but that’s just in the opening of this perfume , that reminiscence does not linger very long . It quickly evolves into its own character and scent profile which is luxurious and smooth . The mineral/watery notes give this perfume a metallic scented vibe, mixed in with a sweetness of I think the amber and violet mixed with the patchouli. The leather in it is not the putrid one of goat-leather, the ones you can smell on Marrocan leather wallets and such, but more the buttery one of suede, so not so detectable , at least not in the beginning. Will continue this review when it has had time to really evolve but I’m already very happy to have found a bottle of this just recently. Édit : 21/12/2023. Getting lots of compliments when I wear it out , even got asked what I was wearing. It does stay long on clothes.

IMPORTANT: if you buy this or any of Zara refillable bottles please adjust them tight to avoid leakage. Do this and there will be no problem! This is so good for the price. And truly unisex on me. It is woody, sweet and ambery. It has a dna similar to Baccarat Rouge 540 in the middle stage, but it is more incensy (no incense in the note but I can feel it), also fresh in a way. It's smoky and mysterious but at the same time the violette gives a clean and louminous vibe, a little soapy even! It is the one that impressed me the most from this line. Elagant and niche smelling, I strongly suggest you sniff it! Edit: a salty layer can be appreciated if used during a very warm day, but more in the dry down. Like a salty soapiness, very peculiar. And that bit of licorice undertone and woody suede? Unique for sure! And it is now on sale for only 17,00€.

From the 01 collection, this is my favorite. It’s complex. Don’t get fooled that is a flat boring fragrance. It has a reasonable projection, and a great longevity. On skin lasts easily 10-12 hours. On clothes, 2 days. It’s well balanced. It’s different. The mineral note is cold but the Amber and jasmine gives it a soft/delicate scent. The leather blended with cedar, Vetiver and patchouli, gives it body and makes it robust. I think it can be worn all year around, as long as you don’t go nuts with the trigger, particularly in the summer when it can be cloying in the heat, but can be a seductive summer evening fragrance when the temperature is not too hot. Backup bottle purchased on 6/21 during Zara’s summer sale. Good signature scent, for sure. The more I wear it, the more I love it. Hamid Merati-Kashani did a phenomenal job.

This wasn't a blind buy as i was able to sample it in a Zara store next to my hotel, i kept sniffing my hand and went back to buy it, it was already discounted but for the price i payed it's totally worth more. The scent itself is very high quality, very well blended, the bottle is simple yet beautiful the sprayer is surprisingly good. Speaking of the scent, the opening is fresh and soapy then it goes immediately to the sweet ambery side backed up by some earthy patchouli vetiver base. I can see the ressemblance with Haltane, because of the sweetness. Surprinsingly the performance is really really good, i can easily get 8 to 9 hours, 2h of good projection then other 2h of moderate projection, but comapred to other Zara's it stays longer. 100% worth every penny

I recently got all these fragrances in this line ( except for the one that’s compared to angels share) and this one was not one of my favorites right off the bat but as I’m testing them one by one on my skin I’m falling in love with all of them. To me this smells like the taste of chowards violet mints. I love it. One reviewer said it’s sweet spicy candy and I couldn’t agree more. I’m not a fan of leather on my skin but this doesn’t bother me at all. Sadly I don’t think it’s suitable for the hotter and humid weather where I’m at but I will definitely be wearing this in the evening and when it starts to cool off again

Very Nice Woody Fragrance Boozy woody spicy opening then comes a mixture of floral notes and a light Oud base note . To make it easy for you , this fragrance fits in the same shelf as M7, cdg 2, cdg wonderoud, jazz club and Bentley intense bsolute. It’s woody spicy with little Booz and hint of Oud . Don’t be mistaken, the Oud is there but not to loud , it lies in the background and gives you a reminder of M7 feeling for hours as a skin scent. It’s not a beast fragrance, not that rich deep either But is is very complex and the notes there play very nice together.

So glad I got a bottle finally and the wait and anticipation was worth it indeed, I am so so happy I got a bottle of this beauty masterpiece any hater who hates on this has his nose broken for sure. Sweet candy spicy and yes there are elements of zara ebony wood in it for sure, I would've been really disappointed if I had missed this one especially since its always sold out in store and online Very classy spicy sweet elegant fragrance Edit yes I get the initio oud for greatness or the lattafa version oud for glory, WOW

I love this. it has become kind of my signature. I find the name to fit it perfectly, gives off a dark mysterious vibe, kinda gothic. strikes a great balance between fresh and sweet while sitting in it's own category. admittedly I'm quite new to fragrances so me saying "it smells very unique" might not mean too much. I like to layer it a lot, to give all my other fragrances that certain special classy dark edge. all black outfits, classic books and candlelight, a thunderstorm at dusk are vibes I'd associate with it.

This stays on clothes for WEEKS. And it's from the accidental residue absorbed while spraying on skin. It still projects mildly from my cotton sweater after days, way more than Imperial Purple or Majestic Green (which are great on their own). I'm keeping the bottle hands down!

It's a lightly sweet fragance, you can definitely smell the leather and amber. The mineral and water notes show up in the opening and then reduce a lot. Overall for the price point it's a really good fragrance, kind of reminds me of Le male.

Magnificent scent but I have one with terrible spray. This is a common fault with several in this Zara men's range. But I can live with as the juice is so rich and unctuous. Worth buying but check the spray if you can!

This has become my favorite fragrance in my collection. I can't fault any single bottle from the No.1 collection that I own. They are all great, but this one is my favorite, Regal White coming in 2nd.

Great Blind buy for me! didn't like liquorice in the opening, but drydown is amazing on this one, a bit soapy, you can still feel Leather and Amber after a while. One of the greatest from the line!

it's smell expensive. good longevity with moderate projection. i feel bad for people who give bad reviews.

Three years on my shelf, in the box, in the dark, and maaaaaaaaaaaaaaan.... This is amazing!

The BEST from the collection! Performance is insane...more than 7 days on clothes!

So tried this today at the Zara store in Edinburgh. Firstly, it does smell mysterious and classy. The opening reminds me a bit of Zara's Ebony wood; you get hit with the same kind of sweetness and woodiness; However Magnificen Black is smoother and more rounded. You do get a mineral vibe after a minute or two, accompanied by florals; the florals are not bright or fresh smelling; Think if flowers that are slowly decaying after being on your window for a week, then imagine the smell; However it's done in a good way; jasmine can be smelt amingst the dark flowery mids. It remains sweet until the base, which sirtbof turns into a dark ambery accord with touch of cedar and what I perceive to be Ebony Wood. Overall I do quite like it; only complaint I have is the longevity. I sprayed twice on both my clothes and arm and the smell dissappeared in 3 hours. I don't think there is any ambroxan in thisbthat I go nose blind; I sprayed my Lattafa Asad heavily i the morning on skin and clothes and I could still smell it at 5pm. I will try and macerate this for a few months and hope performance gets better; knowing this is Zara, they would have rushed the maceration process during production, even if a k owm perfumer is attached to the fragrance, Zara calls the shots, and they tend to focus on putting fragrances on shleves without giving the bottles ample time to macerate. Overall its a dark, sweet, mysterious woody fragrance; perfect for night time, date night. Would work great in Spring, Fall and Winter and even Cool summer nights.