Black Orchid
Eau de Parfum, Tom Ford (2006)

The first time I smelled this perfume I recoiled in horror. I thought to myself that whoever could wear this was either incredibly brave and bold, or they are generally anosmic to anything unless it hits them square in the face like a brick. After a bit more and very arduous time with it, I get it, but I still don't care for it. In this EdP - and generally speaking all three Black Orchids - you get overdoses of patchouli and chocolate, ylang-ylang, and tuberose. The opening shrieks of thin ylang-ylang and some red fruits, maybe currants, with hints of garlicky truffle. As it dries down the patchouli comes in like a carpet bomb, playing war games with the tuberose and chocolate. This fragrance is everything: sweet and bitter, sour and savory, floral and earthy, acrid and aromatic. It leaves absolutely no room for interpretation, and it takes no quarter. Like a brick to the face, it is anything but light, friendly, breathable, or gentle.

None of this is a criticism, yet. Violence can be beautiful in its own way. Nature is frequently violent, but it is also beautiful and awe-inspiring. Space is full of violent things larger and more powerful than we can fathom that will not hesitate to annihilate anything in their path, but it is also beautiful and awe-inspiring. With Black Orchid EdP, the beauty just simply isn't here. This fragrance is a Karen. A brash, loud, opinionated and frequently wrong, slovenly and fat, short hair at the back and long on the sides bob-haircut with terrible coloring, Karen. Her words are violent, and her company very off-putting. As a creative or technical achievement... well... there is a reason why this remains one of Tom Ford's biggest sellers of all time, and it's very likely because it is unlike anything else and it is a force-to-be-reckoned-with. The performance is grandiose (be modest when applying it, and be careful not to wear it in high-heat weather). Again, I can sort of respect it and appreciate it - just as I do the Karens of the world, even though they don't deserve it - but I have no desire to be around it. Karen needs to see a doctor, and get on some benzos. Maybe after they have kicked in, I can be in her company.

It’s one of the best fragrances Tom Ford has ever made.

The one that started it all. For me, a curio that isn’t so much wearable as it is an interesting technical exercise. Sticky stuff.

The performance of this scent, first of all, is very good. Sillage and projection a cut above the market, although I agree with Darvant's review that the initial notes linger a bit too little. Mellows on the skin to an unmild but yes mellow chocolatey/caramel-y, floral and even slightly woodsy (to my nose) accord that has some of the best gourmand aspects of Mugler's Angel while evading that category with a beating heart of patchouli. These are expensive ingredients which accordingly stand out individually in this well-balanced fragrance, although everything floral about it is hard to place, much like its namesake flower.

The other fragrance that comes to mind with Black Orchid for me is Aramis, which unfortunately, perhaps due to a reformulation, has none of this fragrance's performance and requires frequent reapplication, which is frankly a bit fun in that case due to its monster open, but that's fun for you in private, and one can't imagine carrying around and reapplying Aramis, except maybe as part of some sort of wild psychological golf tactic. Black Orchid has Aramis' particular brand of patchouli worked in beautifully to the overall fragrance such that it reminds you it's there for all phases of the party--and Darvant was right in identifying an evoked tropical/beach party in his review.

This scent stands out in the crowd, with an element of mercurial risk that makes it a tantalizing option for many contexts where one might wear a scent, but will be often passed over because this scent is asking the wearer for some confidence that they can match its presence and panache. If this is you, then sartorial questions are all that's outstanding. I peg this contra-marketing as more masculine than feminine, although I could absolutely see it chosen by women as well. Unisex certainly. The sweet parts of this fragrance are seductive, but the flowers and gourmand elements have a whisky's object of rosening cheeks and stoking the flames of the heart. The fleeting woodsiness i mentioned earlier is of burl wood glowing in firelight.

A zoetropic procession of elemental images are locked in the elegant matte-black bottle, which might go some ways to explaining why this scent seems to lend itself more to dreaming of the future than the past. It's a disarmer, it's a charmer, and it's talismanic the way all my favorite scents are. High/Top Marks

"Chocolate cucumber" is how critic Persolaise describes this perfume and I think it is the best description ive heard to convey the shrill gourmand character. I really disliked this one. That being said, it is a worse thing to be generic. At least this perfume is not afraid to be different or to make strong statement, I just dont care to hear it.

This is my daily fragrance. Im a secretary and I use black orchid every day to the office.

The fragrance is strong, 2 sprays is enough to smell it the entire day.

Black Orchid is suitable for all women. My boyfriend loves it when im wearing it. He finds it the most sexy fragrance on me.

I don’t like the fragrance on my boyfriend beacause it is not for masculine men or bad boys.

Female, 32 years old.