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A more versatile&lighter Black Orchid
Seems like toned downed mix of black orchid parfum&edp. Less intense, less performant but also more versatile : might appeal to the ones wishing of making of black orchid a daily fragrance/signature (the other flankers might not be suitable for every occasions being too strong). I wonder if « reserve » word here stands for « a more reserved » fragrance for that matter, would totally make sense. Earthiness through patchouli and boozines are plumped up compared to « parfum », truffle is still there. Less earthy than edp, and more feminine. While the previous flankers keep their BO dna during the dry down, here the base notes are more pushed forward to a more basic vanilla - tonka. It’s like a better alternative to the edt : i know many people out there were hoping to meet a more versatile black orchid, that still keeps the edp/parfum dna.
To be honest, i will still get it while having others ; sometimes BO might feel a little too heavy or inappropriate for some occasions but I would still be craving for that smell. That’s when Reserve plays its role to perfection
My ratings of the flankers :
1) - Black orchid « parfum » : 9.5/10 perfectly executed, lacking perhaps a little bit of profoundness. Nuclear performance.
2) - Black orchid « reserve » : 9.25/10 signature worthy, a lighter fragrance, reuniting best aspects of all black orchid flankers.
3)- Black orchid edp : 8.5 harsh opening, too heavy, dry down is where it happens. Good performance, but doesn’t overperform « parfum ».
While you could substitute edp version by the « parfum », getting yourself a better one. You can’t substitute « reserve » with the « parfum », because they both play different roles while delivering best aspects of what black orchid has to offer
To be honest, i will still get it while having others ; sometimes BO might feel a little too heavy or inappropriate for some occasions but I would still be craving for that smell. That’s when Reserve plays its role to perfection
My ratings of the flankers :
1) - Black orchid « parfum » : 9.5/10 perfectly executed, lacking perhaps a little bit of profoundness. Nuclear performance.
2) - Black orchid « reserve » : 9.25/10 signature worthy, a lighter fragrance, reuniting best aspects of all black orchid flankers.
3)- Black orchid edp : 8.5 harsh opening, too heavy, dry down is where it happens. Good performance, but doesn’t overperform « parfum ».
While you could substitute edp version by the « parfum », getting yourself a better one. You can’t substitute « reserve » with the « parfum », because they both play different roles while delivering best aspects of what black orchid has to offer
Updated on 12/11/2025