I know many people love it but it is not for me for me it just smells like dirt

Sex in a bottle

Today was colder than the last days and I can’t wait to get the parfum version in my hands (like Noir Extreme Parfum as well for my husband 🔥 ) so my #sotd was this Polarizing Gorgeous Unisex Mysterious Dark Earthy Complex Potent Gothic 🖤 TOM FORD Black Orchid 🖤 David Apel and Pierre Negrin 2006 Two years ago I wore this always with very formal black clothes if I was in the “boss mood”. Now after wearing and loving many heavy scents this didn’t need black suit anymore but my attitude was “boss mood” anyway. 😅 The in depth review of this later. After almost two years Black Orchid is still a well blended huge mystery to me. Thank you for reading and if you want to follow me on IG: @ninamariah_perfumes

Black Orchid opens with a juicy burst of blackcurrant and orange accompanied by intense florals such as orchid and ylang-ylang. The patchouli and truffle add an almost minty bitterness to the composition which offsets the sweetness. In the dry down the patchouli and orchid continue to dominate the senses as the brighter notes dissipate, with the added smooth darkness coming from the chocolate accord. Incense and spicy notes add to the complexity and darkness of the fragrance, overall leaving the wearer with a mysteriously sweet and alluring scent bubble. The materials used here are of a good quality and the performance is great, however the scent can be challenging and overbearing for some. While personally I find Black Orchid too feminine for my taste, I can appreciate the creativity and uniqueness of this fragrance.

Craaaaaazy performance. One spray, then wash it off a bit, then dominate the air of any space you occupy. The scent is addictively sumptuous, rich and complex. Every note described above is discernable, loud even. Truly gorgeous and for the bold/attention seeker. It's no surprise this is by the nose behind Interlude.

Smelling this having recently bought 100ml of Imitation Woman, I can really link the two. This is like the sketch version, whereas years later the same perfumer realized a magnum opus for Amouage based on the same basic principle. I feel like Tom Ford took this composition to one apex in the form of Noir de Noir, focusing on the chocolate patchouli sumptuousness, and Amouage saw the idea reach a different conclusion, this being a juicy, psychedelic blackcurrant and aldehydes explosion (there are aldehydes in Black Orchid if you look for them). All of the above-mentioned perfumes are great, but my heart stands still for Imitation Woman, and wearing Black Orchid just makes me wish I was wearing that. If I'm gonna wear one of this collection, I'll opt for Black Orchid Parfum, as it's less shouty and further down the truffle road, or Velvet Orchid, which is a crazy fun time in a bottle. Shout out to Orchid Soleil too!

Black Orchid is a helluva ride. Looking at the notes, you see that the kitchen sink is missing, but once again the end result is greater than the sum. If you expect an olfactory shock, well there are other fragrances that are far more shocking. But if you expect a treat, something that shows the best of Tom, and a scent with balls, that's what you get. Black Orchid is a statement fragrance, no doubt about that. It takes a confident man, woman or cat to wear it. It's one of the most deliciously dirty gourmands that will have many running away and many screaming for more. I only wish I had the extrait as well. I was firstly acquainted with BO in 2007. I couldn't get enough of the intoxicating sillage that was left behind by one of the regulars at the cafe I used to work. When I finally tracked it down at Sephora, I just grabbed the biggest bottle and sprayed myself silly just because. As soon as the scent hits my skin there's a very brief citrus/floral opening that is already underscored with the patchouli and the cocoa. But this doesn't last long. Immediately the floral medley in the heart starts the show. But these ain't your innocent flowers. They are dark and yeasty with something strange. The truffle accord is quite well done, as it resembles the earthy/dirty/gasoline like smell of real truffle, which like this scent, is an acquired taste. The chocolate vibe is present all the way to the drydown helped by a not so clean and friendly patchouli, and dark cocoa. The gardenia feels milky and creamy to be a realistic rendition, and the blaccurant adds a weird but delicious slight ammonia (or pissy) undercurrent to the whole orgy that takes place. If there ever was a Black forest with hallucinogenic flowers, fairies that get high and dwarfs that trade rare truffles for other favors, that forest lives inside this gorgeous black flutted bottle. Is this a floral gourmand? Well in an awkward way, yes. This is a gourmand for night people. Dark, milky, smoky and intoxicating. But the fun comes with breaking the rules and wearing it in broad daylight! I find no sugary sweetness and the dreaded fruits and candy of other gourmands. Here, the flowers are narcotic and wilting, the fruit ripe and honeyed, about to rot. The patchouli is dark, and the cocoa powder is the drug of choice of the Black Forest. Wearing it, there are many associations and many nods to past big and loud perfumes. Tom however has managed to create something completely different that screams powerhouse and will one day live along the greats of the 70s and 80s. A personal favorite! Quick notes: My bottle was purchased in 2007. Recent tests with current testers show a diminished sillage/longevity. Not even the fairies inside this bottle can escape IFRA. Also, at least in Spain, Black Orchid is stocked in perfumeries both on the male and female side of fragrance walls. It's considered unisex, righteously and I smell it more on men than on women. But as with all perfumes, it's down to personal preferences, not gender. Wear what you like and forget about stupid distinctions. After all, Black Orchid takes balls to wear, and many women have more than a lot of men!