Tè Nero / Black Tea
L'Erbolario (2024)

A fragrance with a shadowy resinous charming sensualism in its body. Dark, musky and mysterious with an intriguing black connection of dark roses, elusive bergamot, black tea and amber (the main elements in here). Tè Nero by L'Erbolario is a flori-oriental-musky fragrance definitely unisex, launched by the italian apothecarian house in 2024. I see in it the olfactory resemblance with the more "toasted-chocolatey", floral-alluring and resinous Montale Intense Café (2013) but I detect as well further olfactory connections with Montale Oud Tobacco (2020) and with the equally rosey musky Montale Roses Musk (2013). Something delightful, equally ambery/musky/vanillic/spicy hesperidic and resinous reminds my the great L'erbolario Meharées which is a favorite of mine from this italian brand. The dark tea-vibe is focused on a darkly vanillic and spicy black oriental tea-central element that is the real olfactory backbone with its almost toasted/liquorous/kind of licoricey (gradually fading in intensity and taming away its liquorous spiciness) initial approach. Dry down is mostly musky and ambery with something toasted waving around and a sort of musky rosey spark. Yes, Tè Nero is a relaxing sweet scent perfect for autumn season and recalling the british tea-break-tradition. I detect some sweet spiciness in the dark aromatic tea and a beautifully smooth and soothing vanilla enriching the exotic vibe of black tea. However, performances are barely on the average but this is a fragrance with a good quality price ratio as usual for L'erbolario.