Bvlgari Black is one of the few fragrances that I bought without testing first. I knew Bvlgari was a reputable brand, and I was curious as to what their fragrances were like. I had recently tried Bvlgari Aqva and was pleasantly surprised that, despite its name, it wasn’t the common oceanic fragrance that I had assumed it would be, but it was still an interesting scent, so I decided to take a chance and order a bottle of Black, hoping it would be full of unpredictability just like Aqva. I wasn’t disappointed, and actually quite amazed at how unique it was, reminding me of black leather and fresh rubber tires. Extremely industrial and urban, evoking life in a bustling city or an exciting motorcycle ride. It was this “burnt rubber” nuance that made this scent both famous and polarizing. Very much part of the late 90’s era of fragrances, when experimentation with boldness became mainstream and the strict pyramid that most scents are built on was replaced by a single evolving accord. Possessing a smoky collection of notes such as Bergamot, Sandalwood, Cedar, Amber, Musk, and Oakmoss, Black invokes the feel of a leather jacket warmed by the city’s asphalt, very masculine despite being designed for both men and women. Originally released in 1998, it had a rather popular run before becoming harder and harder to find and by 2020, Bvlgari had stopped producing it, making it a bit of a cult classic among fragrance enthusiasts. I’m so very grateful that I managed to acquire my bottle before it was discontinued.