Bobbyaroma

Some fragrances have a unique way of lingering in your memory, and no matter how long it takes, they eventually find their way into your collection. Black Tar by Parfumerie Particulière is one of those perfumes. I first acquired a sample in July 2023 and, over time, found myself repeatedly testing and revisiting it. Initially, I was unsure if it was worth adding to my collection, but the more I wore it, the more it started to captivate me. Black Tar reveals a new facet with each wear, slowly unfurling its complexity and charm.

The name "Black Tar" may raise some eyebrows, as it evokes images of something dark and intense, potentially even dangerous. While the term might suggest a narcotic, the only "addiction" this fragrance offers is its infinite layers, constantly evolving and surprising with each wear. For a scent with such bold, heavy notes—like smoky tar—Black Tar is surprisingly gentle. Though powerful, it never feels overwhelming. In fact, I was even tempted to wear it during the summer. Initially, the smoke was a bit intense, but as it settled, the floral notes began to emerge, making the fragrance feel lighter and more balanced.

One of the most remarkable aspects of Black Tar is how it handles tuberose. For those who find this note difficult to wear, Black Tar presents a more restrained, calming version of it, allowing its beauty to shine without overwhelming the wearer. The faint presence of tuberose lingers in the background, perfectly complementing the other notes.

The perfumers behind Black Tar—Amélie Bourgeois and Anne-Sophie Behaghel—are the same talented duo responsible for the exquisite fragrances Talento and Let Mat by Mendittorosa. Their craftsmanship is evident in Black Tar, which I can only describe as a masterpiece.

If you’ve been following this year’s Pitti in Florence, you may have noticed that Parfumerie Particulière re-launched their collection in transparent bottles, adding two new fragrances while surprisingly discontinuing Black Tar. It’s unclear why this fragrance was removed from the line, but I am grateful to have secured what may very well be one of the last bottles available, thanks to Nose Paris Boutique.

The composition of Black Tar includes notes of concrete, cade essence, tuberose from India, gaiac wood, and vetiver. Remarkably, I can pick up every single note, whether it’s a distant waft or up close to my skin. The fragrance is said to evoke the essence of Mexico at 10:00 PM, with the box bearing the phrase, "Poisons have many faces. But as fast as they disappear, they linger." In the context of the fragrance, this sentiment makes perfect sense. Black Tar lingers for over 12 hours, leaving a trail of its presence without being overpowering. While not exactly "beast mode," the scent is enduring and thoroughly enjoyable throughout the day.

Owning Black Tar feels like possessing a truly exceptional work of art. It’s unlike anything else in my collection, and I’m thrilled to have it in my possession. I sincerely hope Parfumerie Particulière considers re-releasing this fragrance in the future. Some perfumes take time to be fully appreciated, and Black Tar is a prime example. Once you’ve experienced its full depth, you realize you’ve discovered a fragrance that’s worth its weight in gold. Simply put, it’s art in a bottle.

There are fragrances that tell a story, and there are fragrances that become part of your own. Æ QUOR is firmly in the latter category for me. I purchased it exclusively from Boutique d’Essence during a visit to Ferrara, and while its inspiration is rooted in the seas and landscapes of Puglia, my own memory of this fragrance will always be tied to Ferrara.
Filippo Sorcinelli is known for his avant-garde, often spiritual creations, but Æ QUOR marks a striking departure. It is, at its heart, a marine fragrance—but nothing like the conventional aquatics most of us know. It feels bold, uncompromising, and refreshingly original. On first encounter, I’ll admit, I didn’t like it. It’s not a fragrance that flatters immediately, and a blind buy would be unwise. Yet something about it lingered in my mind. I found myself returning to the scent, curious and compelled, until I realized that its very distinctiveness was what made it unforgettable.
The fragrance is described as an evocation of the Ionian Sea meeting the Mediterranean, set against the parched earth of Puglia. To me, it speaks of the “infinite sea”—a landscape where saltwater breezes mingle with the stony architecture of the region and the dark, resinous scent of black olive trees. Though I have yet to visit Puglia (a trip postponed for two years now), Æ QUOR offers me a glimpse of it, wrapped at the same time in my memories of Ferrara. It is both a preview of a place I long to see, and a reminder of a place I’ve already lived.
Technically, Æ QUOR is superb. The longevity and sillage are exceptional, lasting more than 12 hours with ease. As an extrait, it commands presence without overstatement—two sprays are more than enough. The journey it takes is captivating: it opens metallic and mineralic, almost like the scent of coins in hand, before evolving into a marine fougère with depth and texture. The constant shifting layers ensure it never grows monotonous.
For my collection, Æ QUOR is exactly the kind of fragrance I hoped to discover: an exclusive piece with a clear artistic identity, something I could only have found at Boutique d’Essence. It is versatile enough to wear all year, yet complex enough to feel special every time. For me, this is one of the most unique and inspired works in Sorcinelli’s portfolio.

There is just no stopping Zara fragrances. There is a huge market now for these fragrances and people seem to be very happy with the quality and price point so they just keep coming up with brand new releases.

(Flower Please) Is a Summer stunner.
I honestly just read the notes on the box before I even sprayed the bottle and knew that this was the best from the new 'Vibe Variations' releases.

Jasmine, Fresh Aldehydes and White Musk.

The fragrance delivers exactly what it says on the box and on the Zara website. This is a beautiful white linen fragrance designed specifically for Spring and Summer.
Throw on a white t-shirt or white shirt and let this gem shine like the sun on your skin.

This is one of those fragrances you would take on a holiday with you and people will be turning their heads to see who's smelling so fresh and clean in the room. The performance is top notch, not too loud but long lasting on skin. In the warm heat it blossoms even more. I'm not much of a fan of jasmine notes but it's a clean fresh note here and so beautifully balanced.

If you love clean musk fragrances like Silver Musk by Nasomatto then this is one to try.
It's nothing like Silver Musk I am just mentioning it because of the clean musk.

This fragrance is being marketed for men but in my opinion this is a completely unisex fragrance. Women are definitely going to love this one equally as much as men.

One last thing I really love the bottle design and also the cool name and label. For Euro 17.95c this is simply an amazing Zara release. Sadly there's no name who made the fragrance but whoever did this fragrance did a fantastic job .

Eau De Vertu (Water of Virtue) created by Aggelos Balamis just could not have been better named. In Christian angelology virtue means the seventh-highest order of the ninefold celestial hierarchy. I imagine that this could be a fragrance of virtue in Heaven for a Seraphim. It just simply smells heavenly and divine.

Eau De Vertu transported me back to my childhood and connected my soul with my late father. It’s difficult to explain the emotions and memories this fragrance managed to evoke on instantly smelling it. What a joy it is to find a fragrance that takes you back to your wonderful childhood days. The emotion was so strong that I felt an inner calmness that brought a tear to my eye.

Don’t get the wrong impression that it’s a sad a fragrance, it’s actually the opposite of that, well at least for me it is. In a world currently filled with so much noise of disruption in our lives it’s a relief that a fragrance can instantly place you in such a peaceful and meditative place you thought had gone in such a noisy world.

Eau De Vert simply washes your soul with it’s beautiful Russian clary sage and oak-moss absolute. These two notes took me to my Saturday and Sunday rainy and sunny afternoons doing errands with my dad in his Datsun Sunny car. My father was not much into fragrances except the occasional after shaves that were popular in the 80s and late 90s but Eau De Vert strikes a strong cord with something he used for sure.

But Eau De Vert isn’t just a ‘memory’ fragrance, it’s actually such a special fragrance that It makes you feel like wearing the most beautiful fougere chypre combo ever created. It’s a unisex fragrance even though it might make people think it leans slightly more on the masculine side due to it’s fougere smell. However thanks to it’s touch of jasmine, muguet and mimosa it definitely makes it a unisex fragrance. It’s also a fragrance that I personally wear for any occasion and season as it feels so comfortable to wear and versatile at the same time. This could easily be my new signature fragrance.

I really cannot thank Aggelos Balamis enough for creating this amazing artful fragrance. For all those disappointed with the year 2020, let this fragrance fill you with hope to look into the future and fill your days with memories of peace and happiness. This is a fragrance of the Seraphim's. 10/10.

So, yes I am like 15 years late from actually owning a full bottle of this fragrance but i am so glad that i finally have it. It’s official that China White has been discontinued and I am honestly bloody shocked at the decision Nasomatto has taken!

Let’s take a real good look at what China White is all about. China White first and foremost is right down the middle a unisex fragrance. It most definitely was wrongly marketed for women only. Also get over the gimmick drug related name that caused controversy when it was first released. I remember reading an article about this fragrance to not wear it near airports because sniffer dogs would think you would have narcotics on you. I have no idea if China White has any illegal substance in it but I can vouch that it certainly has an addictive beauty in it that makes it incredibly unique.


If you judge China White on it’s first few minutes you will be like judging a book by it’s cover like I had done 8 years ago when I discovered Nasomatto and bought my first ever niche fragrance Black Afgano. There are so many facets in this fragrance that it feels like a long journey. From the initial spray i am immediately reminded of Silver Musk but this is accompanied by the smooth leather that Alessandro would later use in his Orto Parisi fragrance Cuoium. I am not the biggest fan of that fragrance but the same leather note that is used in Cuoium is to my nose the same one used in China White. A few minutes into the fragrance and I can start smelling a beautiful floral note. The notes begin to flourish and the fragrance becomes airy. It’s not a monster fragrance to suffocate but it’s not a slouch either. In my humble opinion it’s perfection in sillage, projection and longevity. Since i live in a country where humidity is high this fragrance seems to work flawlessly. The more time passes by the more something unique and striking seems to come out of China White. I am probably starting to believe now that it’s name is a reference to ‘addiciton’ because I can tell you that once you try this on skin it becomes seriously addictive.

If not blended professionally a fragrance with floral notes and musk can become offensively cloying and boring. Alessandro expertly makes China White incredibly smooth and almost spiritually calming. Again, i cannot stress enough that those bothered with the name China White keep in mind that it’s a gimmick. Alessandro is a master of advertisement and you really should not be upset by the controversy in his creations. I have yet to smell his new fragrance Sado Naso that is again creating so much discussion and controversy but I am sure that there will be something interesting in it.


I admit, I didn’t take much notice of China White before and once I knew that it became discontinued i remembered that i had a sample of it and tested it out.
I left it on my arm for good duration of 6 hours and i was 101% convinced that what I was experiencing was a piece of art that needed to be in my collection.
You might call this a fomo ( fear of missing out ) phase. But I can assure it’s not the case here because China White is hands down so far along with Nudiflorum my favorite from Nasomatto. Yes I have other fragrance in my collection from Nasomatto which I love. But Nudiflorum and China White have something in them that makes them feel extra special. I do not know how to explain it but they feel like ‘the most prestigious’ from his entire collection. Like an exclusive Guerlain limited edition.

Every single thing about China White feels luxurious. The cap?
Beautiful heavy ceramic cracked cap that is so beautiful to display and hold. Probably the best looking cap from his whole collection.

Back again to the journey of the scent. I feel inspired and when this happens I cannot stop writing, so if you stuck with my review so far I thank you.
China White has one of the most magnificent dry downs and if you are surprised by the beauty of it’s opening powdery notes with a touch of rose too, you will be more surprised how this turns into a beautiful more calming musky incense with earthy and woody notes that makes you want to smell it up close. If i had to find just one minor criticism in China White is that when it reaches the drydown it becomes more of a skin scent, but let’s face it the majority of fragrances become skin scents and this after a good 8 hours of moderate projection.

China White is definitely not a linear fragrance and that is what surprised me the most. It’s a real treat to perfume lovers that love to go on a real fragrance journeys. With a perfumer that never reveals the notes China White has a lot going on. The majority of notes here could probably be synthetic but i cannot confirm as Alessandro never talks about notes. But if they are synthetic boy they are extremely blended to perfection!

i see myself wearing China White in Spring and Summer as it feels incredibly fresh, clean and so polite. It’s not intrusive and as I have already said it makes me personally feel so calm. I am actually wearing it as I write this review and i am enjoying every minute of it. Some fragrances are not always appreciated as much as they should be upon release and are sadly ignored and forgotten. It sometimes takes a heading warning of ‘discontinued’ to get the attention it deservedly needs and i am glad I took notice. I feel like I won a small lottery and found a piece of olfactory art that I had ignored for so many years!

One last note. Alessandro or anybody who works for Nasomatto I honestly wish that you reconsider keeping this masterpiece in production as It’s undoubtedly one of the best creations that has ever been made. For anyone who has yet to experience China White I strongly urge you to run and test it properly on your skin asap. Chances are that after a few hours, you will return back to the shop to add it to your collection and you WILL own a treasure!