Potion Royal Black Dsquared² 2013

Due to the good reviews here and a great little bargain in the souk, I ordered the fragrance blind, something I haven't done in a long time. When it first came out, it completely passed me by without much notice and didn't stick in my memory for long.
And yet, I am quite surprised now because I really like the scent. Of course, in hindsight, I saw that there is rose in it, which is almost always a safe bet for me;-)! Royal Black features a 2-minute fresh opening, no citrus explosion, rather a companion for bright red roses, spicy woods, mild incense, and hearty spices. Despite its slightly synthetic touch, it is a very successful blend that smells more than pleasant! Oud is also present, mild and soft, but it stays discreetly in the background. Real oud is just as unlikely to be in Aigner's No1 as it is here, but it is comparable in its softness, and it's nice that the hairspray note like in Aigner has been avoided. I would rate the spicy-woody component significantly higher than the little oud;-)! The entire fragrance is very rounded, doesn't clash anywhere, but is not overly demanding and thus quickly boring. A rather quieter representative with very good longevity, 6-7 hours on the skin, 2 days on clothes. Due to the slightly more discreet sillage after 90 minutes, it is quite suitable for the office in autumn, winter, and spring.
What I really like about this fragrance is that despite the slight synthetic touch, it smells very high-quality, and you wouldn't necessarily categorize it in the mainstream area. Therefore, I give it a very solid 80%.