Balmain
Balmain
103 votes
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
Spearmint and basil explode with herbal clarity, immediately joined by bergamot's bright citrus and artemisia's almost bitter green snap. Juniper adds a peppery spine, creating an opening that feels architectural and deliberate—there's nothing accidental about this fragrance's introduction.
As the herbal sharpness settles, cinnamon and geranium emerge with surprising warmth, the spice mingling with the geranium's peppery rose character to create something savoury and almost carnation-like. Patchouli grounds everything in earthy depth, whilst the leather begins its slow emergence from beneath, gradually asserting its presence on the skin.
The leather becomes the narrative's sole focus, supported by frankincense and labdanum's resinous amber—cool and spiritually inclined rather than comforting. Moss and the fragrance's woody skeleton create a skin scent of impressive dryness, with the spice and florals now mere whispers beneath layers of aged leather and temple incense.
Ébène de Balmain is a fragrance that refuses to whisper. Launched in 1983, it presents as a deliberately austere composition—all sharp angles and dark woods—yet there's an unexpected sensuality lurking beneath its austere presentation. The opening assault of spearmint and basil creates an herbaceous bite that feels almost medicinal, but this greenness serves as a counterpoint to the fragrance's true obsession: the interplay between spiced florals and deep leather.
What makes this scent remarkable is how the heart notes—particularly the marriage of cinnamon with geranium—transform the opening's herbal sharpness into something warmer and more inviting. The geranium doesn't soften here; instead, it takes on a peppery character from the cinnamon, creating an almost savoury rose accord that leans towards carnation's clove-like qualities rather than traditional sweetness. Patchouli adds earthy weight without muddying the composition.
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3.9/5 (313)