Black Citrus Vilhelm Parfumerie 2015

At the latest since the fragrance, the name of which I have decided not to mention in this post, scents in my fragrance consciousness have taken on a somewhat martial quality. Not all, of course. There are also the cuddly ones among fragrances that just want to play.

The black lemon does not want to play. It does not want to refresh in the slightest. It aims to bring any alpha candidate to their knees over the course of a workday and awaken the winner within you.

But not in a way that it drives every opponent to tears. (By the way: it’s not a good idea to try drying a mountain of fresh chili peppers in the microwave, as I read some time ago)

Much more cunning, by planting virtual stop signs in the olfactory cortex with the sub-message:

"Stop, this is not a good situation, choose your words wisely and keep your distance."

At the same time, the scent evokes associations with aftershave, which one would not want to locate in the depths of the 70s and 80s. It is modern, clear (although smoky), transparent, and cool.

The Byredo alchemist has made a great effort with "Black Citrus" to avoid the typically familiar accords of the Swedish label. Not even the violet is Byredo-like. It merely serves to tame the roughness of the birch tar and does so with a gently aromatic veil that is fixed to the lush body of the birch tar with a non-straining leather seam.

Up front, there is a subtly sour-green note, which, as bergamot, does not give itself away too clearly, countering the monotony. I wouldn’t have thought of tea here on my own, but it still sounds plausible as a replacement for green notes. Cardamom allergy sufferers can also breathe easy; it does not want to stand out.

No one needs to fear patchouli either; it shyly clings to the hem of the birch tar, which is present here in a concentration that I wished for in the fragrance whose name I did not mention at the beginning.

Birch tar is a note that polarizes strongly. For some, even a little is too much, and there is indeed more contained.

"Knize Ten (Toilet Water)" is nevertheless not one of them, and I find that good. Its Achilles' heel will likely be its straightforwardness overall. The transition between top and heart notes is nevertheless wonderfully successful and is worth the test alone. At least for those who would like classic men's fragrance themes interpreted in a modern way; the puck with a handle in the form of this bottle does not need to be presented.

Before I forget:

Thanks to the donor Salmix for his nice addition in the form of this fragrance experience.
A sugar- and flower-free zone, the Haralds can come down from the trees again.
It is not unisex, but perhaps suitable for aspiring winners among the ladies, for whom Woman III (old formula) was still too little masculine.