F by Ferragamo Black for Men (2009)

Summary

The latest men’s release from the Italian leather goods house, Ferragamo, is an oriental lavender that although late to the trend of Armani Code sniffalikes is one of the best of its kind.
Pros: Overall it is incredibly easy to wear in both warm and cool weather; easy to find and affordable.
Cons: At first sniff, there is absolutely nothing original about F Black…yet give it a few minutes on the skin and it might pleasantly surprise you.

Reminds me of: Another in a long line of “black” themed fragrances, a trend that emerged with Armani [Black] Code not only in name, but overall composition, F Black brings to mind fragrances like John Varvatos, Davidoff Silver Shadow Private, Annayake Undo, and even Chanel Allure Homme. Some reviewers also note that the scent reminds them of Terre d’Hermes, but I don’t get it.

I’ve tried numerous times to make friends with Ferragamo fragrances but have never had much luck. F by Ferragamo was nice but I got caught up in more exciting releases at the time. So imagine my surprise when after being given a mini of F Black by my favorite Nordstrom salesperson, I put it on and absolutely fell in love. To me, this one is all about the marriage of lavender and labdanum.

Let’s begin with labdanum, a waxy tree resin with woody, ambery nuances, and the perfect note to temper lavender’s herbal nature. Can’t quite picture the aroma? Think the warm drydown of scents like Intense Euphoria for Men, or Prada Man. Now imagine the lavender of Gaultier’s Le Male —loud, proud, and sweet!—being rounded, softened, and tempered slightly by that woody resin. Can you picture…er, smell it?

The black pepper and tonka are supporting basenotes here adding a slightly fizzy edge to the sweetness, neither all that discernable, while the coriander adds a slightly citric lift to the topnotes. The overall effect is deceptively simple, yet considering all of the fragrances I test on a weekly basis, the effect is also surprisingly addictive.

Of all the scents noted in this review for comparison, F Black is the one I’ve been returning most often to. If you’re drawn to the darker, sweeter scents or a lover of lavender, spray this on your skin and test it out. And ladies, you might be pleasantly surprised to find this one smelling just as sexy on your skin as on his.

Fragrance Strength: Eau de Toilette
Number of Times Tested: Four, from a mini bottle gifted to me at a department store.
 

Development: (Linear / Average / Complex): I can’t say that this one has different “facets” throughout the development. Pretty much stays the same throughout.
Longevity: (Short / Average / Long-lasting): 6-8 hrs in cold weather.
Sillage: (A Little / Average / A Lot): I think this one must project rather well as after using only 3 or 4 dabs on my skin from a mini I actually received a few compliments.