Olivia1985

I admit it: Leather 6 was my entry into the Schwarzlose world. Rough, smoky, slightly animalistic - already a statement. But as much as I like leather as a fragrance note, something about Leather 6 never fully - I mean 100% - grabbed me.

And then came Leather 6.9.
Holy Shit.
Same territory, different level.

The scent takes the foundation of Leather 6 but smooths it out, dresses it in a tailored suit, and hands it a drink - not from a can, but in a tumbler, on the rocks. No sweat, no dirt, no Dominastudio vibes.

Instead: Elegance with backbone.

The leather here is finer, embedded in soft woods, subtle spices, and a hint of balsam. No frills, sweetness rounds it off. Where Leather 6 provokes, 6.9 seduces. The scent comes with attitude, but without being loud. Masculine? Not really.

Leather 6.9 is for the evenings when you smell better than everyone in the room, but no one knows why.
The scent has character - without being showy. It’s grown-up - without being boring.
Leather - without the zoo.

In my world: the better Leather 6. Period.
Less sweat, more style. And still not too watered down.

If Schwarzlose wanted to show Berlin how to refine a fragrance, then they have done just that with 6.9.

I was actually on a little leather trip - and of course, you can't avoid Leather 6 from Schwarzlose Berlin. Then Leather 6.9 drops - what can you do?! So, I diligently tested back and forth. And since I already had half the collection on my skin, I might as well give Treffpunkt 8 Uhr a fair chance.

First impression? I had already sniffed it at the Parfumo meeting in Cologne - a lovely perfumer had it with her, and I had saved it under "like it." The sensory overload that day was quite significant, so it remained a fleeting impression. But now it was time to dive deeper - with my own decant and extensive testing.

And what can I say? Treffpunkt 8 Uhr is spicy without being harsh. The vetiver gives it a slightly(!) masculine edge. Ginger and a hint of mango provide a fruity, almost juicy note - but without coming across as synthetic. No sticky sweetness, no girly nonsense. This is grown-up, but not stuffy. Cool, but not forced. A scent that works just as well on a white T-shirt as it does under a leather coat.

Slight old-school vibes? Yes. But in a modern way (does that make sense?!). Fresh? Absolutely. Addictive? Definitely.
Not your average fruit cocktail
More like: Berlin at dawn, after a night of partying, somewhere between a view of the Spree and a good espresso.

Treffpunkt 8 Uhr is allowed to move in. And with a statement.

I like Byredo. Many of the brand's fragrances appeal to me, and even the makeup has convinced me. Bal d’Afrique was already in my collection, Blanche almost... and La Tulipe? Beautiful, but a bit too much like a flower shop for my taste.
Overall, Byredo manages to create stylish, not overly niche fragrances for a broader audience.

I had noticed Animalique, but - unfortunately - the name put me off. Animalic fragrances are just not my thing. But therein lies the mistake - not mine, but Byredo's. Animalique is not particularly animalic. Or the marketing team at Byredo has a very unique definition of "animalic".

Interestingly, the associations with this fragrance vary widely - both on Parfumo and in my circle, I think. My husband calls it "Ganymede for the young ladies," while others draw parallels to Rosendo Mateu No. 5 or even Iris Pallida Extrait 6.

I understand these comparisons, especially because of the saffron-like leather accord. But for me, Animalique stands on its own. The leather prevents the violet from drifting into a sweet, trivial floral world. Sweet it is, yes - but not sticky-gourmand. The longevity? Quite solid for Byredo standards. Powderiness and creaminess are rather subtle, so it neither smells like body lotion nor comes off as old-fashioned. More modern, with a hint of coolness.

At the moment, I wear it constantly - and my surroundings react to it. Even when I'm not wearing it, the question comes: "Aren't you wearing your fragrance today?"

I love this lovely floral quality that gets a certain edge from the saffron-like leather.

Not really sought after. Just tested for the sake of order.

But then? Quite smitten.

Actually, I had zero expectations for this fragrance. It’s probably because D&G leaves me completely cold when it comes to fashion image, and I hadn’t tried a single scent from the Velvet line before. So I had no idea what the more exclusive fragrances from D&G could do (or not do).

I like tea. I’ve also gone through many crowd-pleasers and a few niche tea fragrances. In the end, surprisingly, I liked Imagination the best. However, I never bought it because, while it comes across as unisex, it somehow works better on my husband. And the mission was clear: a tea scent for me, not for him. ;)

Velvet Infusion is definitely unisex - if that’s still a thing. Still, I feel somehow better dressed with it. The scent is pleasantly subtle, not too loud.

The opening is nicely citrusy, without being sharp in the nose. The tea note comes across as elegant and refined, not sweet or like iced tea. The base is slightly woody, a bit green and spicy.

I think this could be something... Especially in spring or summer, Velvet Infusion fits best.

One more note on the similarity to Wūlóng Chá Extrait de Parfum:

I got another sample of Wūlóng Chá Extrait de Parfum and tested it directly against Velvet Infusion.
It’s true that the tea note here is very similar. However, the citrus opening in Wūlóng Chá Extrait de Parfum is more bitter (sharper) and also more intense.
Velvet Infusion comes across as finer and more reserved here. The fruits are clearly perceptible in Nishane's tea scent; I always associate iced tea with fruitier tea fragrances. The fruitiness is hardly present in Velvet Infusion.
Velvet Infusion is much less spicy. In the drydown, I mainly perceive woodiness and the tea notes. Later, there’s also a slightly creamy-powdery aspect. This is not the case on my skin with Wūlóng Chá Extrait de Parfum. It is more bitter and spicier, and at times I even get very slight aquatic vibes. It’s also greener.
In terms of longevity, Wūlóng Chá Extrait de Parfum performs better... but that’s not surprising since it’s an extrait and not just an EDP.
I’m team Velvet Infusion, although the price once again makes my ears perk up. Both fragrances are definitely unisex, but Velvet Infusion leans more feminine for me (creamy, powdery, reserved), while Wūlóng Chá Extrait de Parfum has more masculine tendencies due to its bitter spice. But hey! Just my association. Everyone should wear what they like - I also wear Imagination and Amyris Homme Extrait de Parfum and identify as a woman.

When I first tested Black Tie, I was somewhat surprised that this fragrance enjoys such great popularity. I immediately did a Corona test, as I seemed to be a bit hyposmic. The test was negative, so let's assume it was some other infection. I hardly perceived anything. There was something woody there.
Initially, I was absolutely unimpressed.
After a few weeks, I tried it again. This time with more success. An earthy, slightly smoky vanilla. Additionally, powdery and spicy.
I must note that I generally like the vanilla from the house of Celine. I find it quite elegant and sophisticated. So, for me, Black Tie is an elegant vanilla scent, slightly edgy, not loud, reserved.
I wouldn't describe the fragrance as particularly gourmand. I generally have issues with gourmands. Rarely do I feel the need to smell edible and/or (very) sweet. I don't feel edible with Black Tie. More très chique, but not too pretentious.
My sample eventually came to an end, and it was clear to me that I couldn't do without Black Tie anymore.
When I'm in a cozy mood, I even wear Black Tie in high temperatures. Not exactly for sports, but dinner and being at home are totally fine.
The sillage, as already mentioned, is not strong, but the longevity is quite good.
In line with the fragrance's subtlety, a non-hysterical love has slowly developed. This kind, based on my experience, also tends to last longer ;)

Love you, Black Tie.