Black Pepper & Sandalwood Acca Kappa 2014

Just got a sample of this with another purchase last month and finally got to test it for two nights in a row.

I've never heard of the AK brand, but let me tell you : if you are a sucker for sandalwood as I am, this will be very interesting to you. I don't get any cedar or oud as mentioned in the pyramid above.
What I get is a great black pepper and saffron blast that within an hour transforms into one of the creamiest sandalwoods I've tried along with patchouli and hints of vetiver.
Just gorgeous and very relaxing, I could imagine wearing this scent with a glass of whisky in front of the fireplace - if I had one.

I just checked the pricerange and it seems to be around US$ 90 for 100 ml, which is quite pricey - but if you love a creamy sandalwood/patchouli combo, I'd say go for it!

This Fragrance initially arrived at my doorstep feeling kind off warm, the courier lay the fragrance under scorching sun and the color are slightly different than what I've from the store. When I test it on paper and skin it smells weird, I only got the smell of blackpeper and woods.

I decided to let it cooldown for a couple of day first then retest it again, still got this weird hint of black pepper and a really really dry drydown.

I decided to let it sit in my shelves inside the box and forget about it, i reached for it after a month or so jut to remember the dryness of the fragrance.

To my suprise the fragrance becomes sweeter and creamier with a hint of aa lovely black pepper, this is the exact one i smelt in the store, somehow the maceration restored the fragrance composition and makes it lovely again.

The fragrance first hits you with this somehow sweet black pepper accord then proceed to transition onto this creamy sandal wood that is tad bit powdery. This is a lovely Barbershop esc or style of a fragrance. Might reminds you of some temple or any asian store market that sells spices, a gentlemanly fragrance if you are looking for a masculine scents and if you love sandal woods do check it out.

This doesnt reminds me of any particular fragrances, but it does this somehow creamy spices like V&R Spice bomb extreme BUT it is not similar or brings any similarity onto the fragrance itself.

NOT BLIND BUY SAFE, so do buy samples and check it in stores to see wether it suits your style or not.

... likes to say to his partner Holmes in acknowledgment when he has caught the villains.

And I would like to pass on this compliment to this fragrance by Acca, as this pepper - sandal combination is also successful.

The pepper is smooth and doesn't sting the nose.
Sandal makes it beautifully creamy, and the cinnamon joins in softly.
The oud is also transparent, and the balsam fir is supple.
Woody notes support the fragrance without weighing it down.
Despite its spiciness, it doesn't explode into a spice bomb but remains subtly suspended.
The velvety rose can also be seen through it.

A true unisex fragrance that also makes a great gift, as it doesn't overwhelm the nose.

For my first comment in this wonderful community, I looked for something that I could describe. Something that wasn't too complex for my still "untrained" nose.
Nevertheless, it should be something "worthy." And so I ended up with "Black Pepper & Sandalwood" by Acca Kappa, after all, a winner of the "Art and Olfaction Award" in the "Independent Category" in 2015 (a year after its release).
Acca Kappa is a traditional Italian family business with German roots. Since 1869, the Krüll family has been running the business and has brought all sorts of beautiful products to the market.

About the fragrance:

Right from the start, I can partially agree with the chosen name. Pepper. Directly a bit intrusive and piercing, but that settles down in the first few minutes. It becomes a bit calmer, rather fresh, and also a little sweet. Delighted with my ability to identify a note right at the beginning, I take a look at the pyramid. Top note: Clove. Damn. While I ponder whether I perceived the clove or the pepper, the fragrance becomes more cuddly and friendly. I have now definitively left the piercing start behind me, and I try to focus on what else I can recognize.
During the first hour, I wonder what the pleasant sweetness might be when it suddenly happens: I have to sneeze. (No joke). Well, it must have been pepper after all... or does the fragrance signal the transition from head to heart? Either way, my nose is now free again, and I can continue sniffing.
Black Pepper & Sandalwood now becomes softer and creamier, which I attribute to the sandalwood as another name giver. Very subtly, there are also floral accords to be heard, probably the rose. Cinnamon and pepper together create a fine freshness that completely avoids citrus influences, which makes me very happy.
Thus, the fragrance remains until the end, although the freshness gradually recedes to eventually give way entirely to the warm and creamy notes.
For me, the fragrance does not have a particularly complex development, which definitely does not have to be a bad thing and is not here! It goes from fresh and piercing without much detour to creamy and warm. Nevertheless, one should like pepper, as it plays a significant role in the freshness of the fragrance.
I was (and still am) very satisfied with the longevity of the fragrance. I applied it in the afternoon and can still enjoy it on the couch in the evening. Here I would give 8/10 points.
I would rate the fragrance itself with 7/10 points. It is not necessarily my cup of tea, but it seems to me to be crafted and executed well.
I would also rate the sillage with 7/10 points, which is actually a top score in my opinion. Not everyone within a 10-meter radius needs to know that I was there 20 minutes ago ;)
With the bottle, Acca Kappa did not lean too far out of the window and remained true to the simple, straightforward design. The black lettering on the red background of the label, in my opinion, fits very well with the fragrance. 7/10.

Larry takes a job as a night watchman in the museum, unaware of the magic that the old building holds... for every night, all the exhibits come to life! There, Romans, Attila the Hun, dinosaurs, and Theodore Roosevelt engage in a somewhat dangerous gathering in the vast halls of the museum.

Acca Kappa creates wonderful fragrances. Simple, clear designs, natural processing of raw materials, and environmentally friendly practices are things I truly appreciate.

When my husband ordered the Vaniglia Fior di Mandorlo from Acca Kappa for me as a Christmas gift in my favorite shop, he received a sample of Black Pepper & Sandalwood. And both of us were a bit blown away!
BP & S is an incredibly beautiful warm perfume.
It starts spicy (not too sharp) with a fresh, not overpowering bergamot. I can smell the clove (since my trip to TF Tobacco Vanille, I can now identify it), the other top notes elude me (there's something lightly sweet in there), but the opening is a successful little magical composition. Davana (wormwood) is included, which is said to smell different on the wearer's skin, and that is true.
The heart note doesn't take long to reveal itself and comes with a very gentle rose and pepper, all still harmonious, not screaming, not loud, but pleasantly warm and sensual for me.
Sandalwood and patchouli come into play and give the whole thing a soft, rounded (masculine) beautiful depth.

BP & S smells almost venerably old yet new, creamy warm, calming, and natural.
Looking at the list of ingredients, it's no surprise that wearing this fragrance radiates harmony and tranquility. There is nothing medicinal, prickly, or scratchy.
On my skin, it smells a tad different than on my husband's. Nevertheless, it is very wearable for women. For me, it is not a room filler, but it stays close to the skin and gives the wearer, depending on their skin type, a beautiful aura.

Of course, it is not a scent meant only for the nighttime awakening, but it certainly has its place during the day as well.
If it smells like this at night in the museum, I would love to spend a night there, watching all the activity and letting my senses be enchanted. I would take a detour to the Indians and want to learn about their natural remedies, observe the cavemen from a distance, have a drink with Teddy Roosevelt, and engage in a lively discussion about their extravagant festivals with the Romans.
I wouldn't stand out there with BP & S; it would harmoniously blend in and surely guide me through the night AND the day. I would be a small part of the wonderful magic of BP & S.

Now comes the bittersweet note.
On my skin, it doesn't last long. On clothing, it's wonderfully perceptible for 4 hours.
My husband seems to have a different wonderful skin composition, as he still smells good a few hours later after a few sprays (yeah, that works well and isn't too much) until it finally disappears like the night.

I am seriously considering treating myself/us to this beautiful fragrance. (Even though the longevity makes me sob deeply)
It's true, you don't stand out with this scent once it has been on the skin for a while. But sometimes you don't want that at all. Sometimes you simply need the body-close feeling of warm depth.