Bvlgari
Bvlgari
115 votes
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
The bergamot and rose absolute create an almost bergamot-forward salvo—bright, slightly sharp, with the rose providing a waxy floral anchor rather than softness. There's an unexpected spice lurking beneath, suggesting something more complex than a simple citrus-floral opener.
The black tea emerges with genuine presence, its slightly astringent, herbal character cutting through the magnolia's creamy undertones. This is where the fragrance reveals its true personality: contemplative, slightly smoky, with an earthy spiciness that prevents it from becoming purely botanical or overly polite.
The oud and patchouli establish a warm, woody foundation with subtle smokiness and resinous depth. What remains is quietly textured rather than projecting—intimate, slightly warm, faintly amber-tinged, and genuinely longlasting on skin despite the weak sillage.
Eau Parfumée au Thé Noir is a fragrance that refuses easy categorisation, which is precisely why it demands attention. Jacques Cavallier-Belletrud has constructed something genuinely unusual here: a black tea fragrance that doesn't smell like a beverage, but rather like the meditative space around drinking one. The rose absolute arrives first with a sharp, almost waxy brightness—not the soft petals you might expect, but something with genuine mineral edges that prevents the composition from veering into feminine territory. This immediately encounters the bergamot's citric bite, which feels less about freshness and more about creating atmospheric tension.
What makes this fragrance distinctive is the magnolia's interaction with the black tea accord. Rather than the magnolia softening or sweetening anything, it adds a subtle creamy undertone that lets the tea emerge as something genuinely herbal and slightly bitter. There's an almost green, slightly astringent quality that dominates the heart—this is tea as tannin and leaf, not as comfort. The oud and patchouli in the base provide crucial counterweight; they're woody and slightly smoky, creating a warm, somewhat resinous foundation that prevents the composition from becoming austere or one-dimensional.
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3.8/5 (644)