Black Orchid Tom Ford for women

Sorry to people who thinks J.Del Pozo in Black is similar to Tom Ford Black Orchid, but Del Pozo in Black which is cherry & licorice bomb and has no connection and similarity to Black Orchid. Don't let bottle colors / names confuse you, this is misleading for the people who didn't smell those scents too.

All the way i feel plum... First, it plum in chocolate, then arises tobacco+vanile, but then i find plum again, so strange... In the end i feel a little bit of vetiver, and... candied plum!!!
I can't find there any patchouli or incense(((
Anyway it's beautifull, powerfull, warm and feminine, very comfortable, especially in winter. And it's so sexy!! hereupon, i feel shy, when someone stand's too close and feel the black orchid on my skin - it's too intimate, like someone can see you nude.
I think that BO can wear any woman, younger or older, but BO woman should have one important characteristic - she must to know herself cost... must to know that she beautifull and inimitable, unique and charming.

extraordinary fragrance, made me feel sensual, relaxed and edgy. had a similar effect on me as does incense which i smelled very strongly in the perfume mixed with the spicy dark chocolate with a waft of murkiness- what a combination!!

What a rich unique fragrance that is, but what a headache! Adds status and age in my opinion.

Purchased this several years back when it was first launched and ended up returning it to the store. I just did NOT get this fragrance. I was sent a sample last week, and now I love it. It smells like something an adult vamp would wear;dark, cold, slightly sweet but in an ethereal way. Nothing like the real me, but I love this when Im in the mood for it.

این بو خود شیرینیست و خود گرماست ، البته زیبا ام است
استفاده از آن در تابستان خطر مرگ را میتواند به همراه داشته باشد!!!! ولی به شخصه این بو را اصلا نمیپسندم
خوب سلیقه ها هم متفاوت هستند ;)

hmmm...interesting fragrance, I love the dark, rich, chocolately aspect, BUT I think the truffle just ruins it. It adds this weird smell to it, actually it smells just like an actual truffle mushroom might smell....weird...it's not for me...too bad

Black Orchid requires the attitude! The scent is rich and oriental.

For sure, Black Orchid is not suitable for teens wearing jeans and tee-shirt.

By the brave can be treated as a unisex scent...

So, if you are a man, if you wear crisp white shirts and well tailored suit - you should try!

Having sampled and sported various perfumes which have gotten the truffle accord just right... this is not one of them! I got the chocolate, floral, vanilla and resinous notes, but that blasted truffle walked right up and kicked me right where it counts!

Two things come to mind... 1: a stinking Rafflesia growing on top of a putrid garbage heap in the middle of a hot, dank and sticky forrest. 2: my huge Aunt Mary squishing me between her ample bosoms in a gargantuan hug as I desperately try to claw my way out!

I guess it just doesn't agree with my skin chemistry. It comes across as the wrong kind of stink and flowers only a certain few could pull off. Interesting for sure, just not something I'd ever go out of my way to encounter on purpose.

this smells very sweet and woody but very masculine.. i would picture a male wearing this

I wanted to love this...really. But a complete disappointment....cost a fortune and do not last longer than an hour or so...and the smell was to funky after 20 min. Not good at all...

Oh how I wanted to Love this .. At first spray I gasped "Oh My God this is really weird" I tried really hard to wait for the dry down .. so hard. I lasted about 20 minutes and had to scrub it off. Maybe I will try another day (when I have a cold or something)

This is one of those perfumes you absolutely have to try to understand. Looking that the notes, I had no idea how they would work together (or how so many people could love it).

I tried this today, and I'm very impressed. This is a dark floral. Deep, sexy, a little bit sharp. The opening is odd on me at first; the only way I could possibly describe it is fresh coconut flesh. After I got used to the idea of that I realized it wasn't unpleasant at all, just not what I expected.

After that it settles into the flowers nicely, and the chocolate and vanilla make it a little bit sweet. There's also a sharp earthy note that must be the truffle. It's earthy in the same way a walk in the woods after rain is earthy; not quite dirty, but not quite fresh, either. The spices on me are very soft, and the overall effect is beautiful and mysterious.

Unfortunately, while I love this one, I don't think anyone else in my house could tolerate it for very long. The sillage is huge. Perhaps I'll wait and get this gem another time.

Black Orchid has become my everyday smell as I got fed up with sticking to lighter fragrances which never lasted throughout the day. Black Orchid only has to be reapplied once through the day for me, and I work in a busy store where we sell fragrances, yet despite this I am still asked which fragrance I am wearing as it lingers beautifully.

It's a deep, rich fragrance, sweet yet not sickly, warm yet not smothering. It may be too much for some people but there is not a better smell than a spray of black orchid after a hot shower.

My absolute favourite fragrance, a classic in it's own right. Well done Mr. Ford.

Smelled a sample of this and now I want a full sized bottle. Tom Ford Black Orchid is dirty and delicious, like you combined dessert ingredients such as deep dark chocolate, rich vanilla, some syrup, caramel, milk, clotted cream and confectioner's sugar with spices, mud, dirt and a little sweat. Not a pretty picture when you imagine it, but hey, Tom Ford Black Orchid surprisingly works and it smells undeniably good when worn during cool evenings.
The fragrance can make a woman feel dirty and expensive, slutty and sophisticated all at once. Strong and not to be missed, mysterious yet outgoing, this contradiction of a fragrance should be used sparingly, or you can end up with too much of everything.

Black Orchid is heavy, rich and dramatic.
Normally I wouldn't enjoy those characteristics but in Black Orchid they work so well on me. I'm so glad I tested this, I nearly didn't as I'm usually not keen on patchouli as a dominant note.
I have a little decant and I'll make it last, as it is quite pricey, and hard to find on a good discount. Luckily a little goes a long way.

I love it! It is heavy, gorgeous, rich, warm winter fragrance. It is very sexy and it has a strong character. For the days when i want to rock somebody's world.

Must say that when i tried it on I was like..hmmm not good...but after an hour or so when i smelled it again I fell in love!!

For the ladies: I'm not a big fan of Tom Ford. I was, when he was still art dirctor at YSL where he launched the amazing M7 frag for men and created the beautiful bottle. In 2005 he left and created his own brand (what else of a self proclaimed egomaniac) called: 'Tom Ford'. Cashing in on his supposed 'sex symbol' status for the ladies, he posed sedutively on a cover of Vanity Fair, where he sat clothed between an totally naked Scarlett Johansen and Keira Knightly. Although he is 100% and now openly gay. Sorry ladies.
That misleading of people, I don't like with TF. I also don't like the excruciatingly overrated and overpriced 'Private Blends' by the man and his bigger than big ego. Those private blends are medicore frags dressed up in ridiculous expensive prices, so that when you bought one, you have to find it great or you would die of embarassement that you let yourself be fooled byt the TF marketing bulldozer. But I must confess, I find some of the first frags of his own house like 'Black Orchid' (2006) an unabasehdly and shmeless masterpiece on the same level as 'Opium', 'Chanel Coco' the first 'Lolita Lempicka'... I think he is a blown up poser who is capable of making the occasional great frag. 'Genius' I guess. And 'Black Orchid' is fabulous and gorgeous, make no mistake. As is the bottle. Praise where rightfully praise is due.
How does 'Black Orhcid' tick and smell? It is a complex frag in the 'old school' style of the 'classics' mentioned here. Not 'Less is more', like the minimalist Bernard Ellena's for Hermès like 'Jardin après le Mousson', 'Toit', 'Nil'... but 'More is more'! Black Orchid is also like the Guerlains, the Diors... an intricate work with a symphony of notes. Top: jasmine, gardenia, ylang-ylang, bergamot, lemon, mandarin, blackcurrant, tuber; Middle: Spices, fruity notes, lotus, orchid; a very powerful base: vetiver, sandalwood, patchouli, incense, vanilla, dark chocolate, amber. With that much notes it can go two ways: a cacaphonous mess where all these strong notes fight each other to death or a soul caressing harmony, outerworld beauty and olfactory bliss where all those notes pull together to play a team match and score. To make the symphony sound better and more than all seperate notes together. The sign of a True Great. Black Orchid scores big time.
You can maybe in the long and lively development sometimes detect some separate notes for a short time like the dark chocolate, the incense, the orchid, the vanilla, the amber... But you are literarlly blown away by this concentrated mass attact of awesome perfume power. Smell and awe. Incense, dark chocolate, orchid, vanilla, amber and gardenia are the most pronounced notes for me.
This is an gorgeous tsunami of fragrance brilliancy. This fragrances rocks, like 'Chanel 5' rocks and 'Jicky' rocks and 'Joy' rocks. And will always be rocking. This is Timeless Quality. Here not the top notes lead the dance but the formidable base. They let the middle and top exist, but as a compliment to the power of that exceptional strong base. The middle of orchid, spices, and fruity notes, plus the top of flowers enforce and interact with each other and with the base. They deepen the scent and make it more intricate. The result is one of the most intoxicating frags I know. 'Le Baiser du Dragon' by Cartier is the one that really resemble it the most IMHO. If you think 'Hypnotic Poison' makes you dizzy and giddy with pure delirious pleasure, try this magic potion. It is that magic of your first full blown good wet kiss. It is deep, dark, mysterious, earthy, sex in a bottle, unashamedly powerful strong and sensual. I'm a man, but I can imagine this being a 'man magnet'. It is without a doubt a masterpiece. The only masterpiece perfume of his own house to date sadly, apart perhaps from 'Tobacco Vanilla'. When you put this on you feel like Christine Lagarde of the IMF, Scarlett Johanssen, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Jake and Mary Gyllenhall, Uma Thurman, Penelope Cruz all rolled into one. Glamourous, ageless, unisex, beautiful, eternal beauty. A fragrance for strong personalities, but also a fragrance that in applying makes you feel stronger. And let there be not doubt: totally unisex!
After a period I didn't use that bottle, I spritzed again a few weeks ago and now I am lost and addicted, hopelessly in love like an alcoholic who starts to drink after a 10 year dry spell. The power of 'Black Orchid' is that awesome. I quiver, I shiver, I sigh, I sniff myself like crazy. Put me for 24 hours in an isolation cell without food and drink, but give me a bottle of 'Black Orchid', I won't hesitate.
Black Orchid is a masterpiece. Despite the ballooned ego of TF anno 2011.
So if you like the clasics 'Opium', 'Coco', 'Arpège'... but you also like more modern 'big personality' frags like Narciso, Addict, Midnight and Hypnotic Poison, YSL Cinema, Gaultiers Classique, you'll love 'Black Orchid'. Don't let yourself be persuaded by reviews like mine and other less favorable. Try it and you'll surrender to the magic of Black Orchid. It is a one of a kind tour de force. I don't like Tom Ford since his 'Private Blends', but I love Black Orchid.' To death.

amazing !!!

A very masculine fragrance, over powering for women unless worn in the evening and even then a single spray. Far too much amber for my taste it almost knocks your head off!! YUK!

This was a blind buy for me. But, when I opened it up and smelled it for the first time ever. I fell in love. It's one of my must have scents. It smells like chocolate mixed with flowers and pine needles to me. I love it! :)

hi nafasi,i think you must buy allure sensual,it is just more bearable than tom ford,i like two of them but black orchid is heavy and not good for day time.

hi every body
i need an urgent help.i want to buy a perfume.and i am confused between alluresensuelle and tomford black orchid.i love both.but i can not choose between them.i am 23 years old.can any body help me...

I had a very strange experience with this. I bought a decant and I applied liberally and I smelled absolutely nothing! I thought maybe my sinuses are messed up and my sense of smell is compromised. But later I tried a different perfume and that was totally detectable. I don't know whether my sample is just faulty/inferior or what. Just wondering if anyone else has had this experience?

It may be expensive but it worths. Thrust me its such a lovely scent i've ever smelled.

Initially, I was hesitant to purchase this fragrance. Not because I didn't love or understand the combination of notes or overall feeling. Until this year (2011), I haven't worn any perfume for over 20 years. I spent much of my non-perfume wearing years suffering from headaches by only a spritz or just a walk through a cosmetic department in a store. I thought I couldn't wear perfumes, didn't want the risk of migraine strength headaches to test them, and overall just avoided the whole thing.

Ironically, it was my boyfriend who suggested I wear fragrance again, and I turn to the one of the strongest, non-traditional feminine fragrances out there. (He would hate this fragrance on me since he prefers straight up floral without a touch of "masculine" read: wood, spice, or citrus).

I love it. I love that the bottle reminds me of a classic Madame Gres dress. I love the dark, earthy, floral, jammy, truffle quality. It reminds me of a film noir where the heroine is beautiful, yet tragically troubled. I love the overt sexiness of this fragrance. The fragrance makes no apology for its strength and sexiness.

So, I wear this for me. I wear this at home, in my satin pjs, with a glass of red wine and toast myself that I can wear fragrance again.

It took me a while to like this scent. It's very heavy and strong but those are characters in a scent that I like.

Over the last couple of years, I've come to enjoy it. It's not something I reach for everyday.

I can see why this scent crosses the gender barrier - it has a ton of the citrus-woods aromachemicals that are common in sporty men's fragrance. However here they're layered with syrupy and dark fruity notes. This is an interesting contrast while it lasts, unfortunately for me, a lot of these Tom Fords don't hold together well on my skin. When I smell a blotter, or the sillage on someone else, this is intriguing, juicy and fun.

First two hours
PINE NEEDLES
& very strongly too
To me, that was unpleasant.

However, when it dries down it is no longer unpleasant.
It is softer, very very slight powderyness
very spicy! burn your nose kind of spicy but I like it
and the pine needle scent had eventually faded

It's a mashup of feminine masculine so it is unisex in that sense.

I would love to wear this if it weren't for the two hours of pine needle.

I seem to be the only person who gets pine needle anyway though. I think it's the chocolate + patchouli combo. That never works with my skin

Sniffing Black Orchid calls to mind four things: lipstick, makeup powder, bubblegum, and grape candy. Much has been made of "rotten fruit" notes in this scent, but I get none of them. The fruits are loud, and paired with cold orchid, milky ylang, and indolic jasmine notes, but they don't smell overripe. Everything is rich, smooth, sweet, and dramatic, with emphasis on the darker side of what is represented. Still, I'm not compelled by Black Orchid, see very little unisex potential in it, and would rather be smelling something else.

A dark and delicious masterpiece by Tom Ford. I smell more gardenia than anything else in this composition, but there is so much more than Gardenia! A strong and heady concoction with so many notes I can't pick all of them out. Silage and longevity are amazing. A top 5 scent for me. A woman's parfum? OK, but ladies, step aside, this man is wearing your scent! Very suitable for a man, or a woman.

I do not understand why it is so encomiastic?????. It's boring smell, no mystery. It can?t be compared with Guelrain or with Dior's creations as well.

I see that there are tons of reviews listing tons of notes, but I can't really pin down what's going on when I spray Black Orchid. I smell orchid and gardenia with a slight hint of something green, like maybe just a few stems and leaves combined with a dark creamy scent that blends everything together. Smooth is the word that comes to mind. This scent is sexy and powerful, and incredibly smooth. Nothing stands out awkward on the corner. Everything is blended in a sultry rich way. The first time I smelled it I asked the sales lady if milk was one of the notes. She said no and seemed puzzled that I would ask, but sometimes I feel like this smells like rich flowers floating in warm milk with boozy candied fruits. I suppose there is a hint of spice, but I would not call this a spicy scent. To me spicy is L'Artisan Al Oudh or Serge Lutens Jeux de Peau.

I don't find this to be overtly masculine. Keep in mind that I tend to lean toward more masculine scents, but still. I sprayed it on my husband out of curiosity and periodically smelled him throughout the night. He smelled good, I mean, he smelled like Black Orchid, but on him it didn't do anything for me. That is not to say that men can't wear this. I wear men's perfume, so they have all the rights to wear mine! ;)

The only chocolate I smell would be deep down in the base notes. Definitely more of a supporting role than a lead. Haters of chocolate and strong gourmands shouldn't worry too much. I probably detect more of a white chocolate than anything else. See? I keep going back to some sort of creamy scent.

This scent is so wonderful that it almost made it to my signature scent. This is definitely my first "sophisticated woman scent." I just couldn't do it... It's really too hard to say that one scent can capture my everything. That's okay though because the fun is in the searching!

This is so beautiful and hateful, I don't know where to start. I both love it and resent it.

This is, in essence, a perfume for perfume lovers only.

At first spray its very much a unisex kind of scent, very herbal and masculine. You can tell that the prominent chocolate note here is not of the sweet variety, more of the earthy richness of a deep dark chocolate. Then as it settles down something lovely happens. A softness is introduced, gardenia and orchid florals that lend the scent a similar feel to the freshness found in floral aquatics. It gives this a new dimension in what could have been a rather masculine scent (though it would not take much to tip it that way for the men who like to wear this.) Of course this is tempered with an earthy background so as to avoid becoming too fresh or floral.

The smokey notes in the base notes really come out in the dry down, giving it that sensual close to the skin type of smell, and because of that distinct scent I can understand why some say its sex in a bottle; it just is.

If it were a woman, I would picture her as a dark haired beauty with a sultry laugh and bewitching eyes. She would wear gowns without the jewels (and not much else) and get away with pretty much anything. She would stroll through lush gardens at night, her laughter trailing in her wake and leaving her lover bewitched and picturing their bodies entwined as he trails after her.

There is something utterly captivating about this perfume. That being said I really just don't like it. It is very masculine (something I'm beginning to associate with this house) and just not something I can see people smelling on me and complimenting. On the contrary I'm sure the stench would scare them all away. There are just some perfumes that really take a person who can appreciate the nuances of perfumes to enjoy, and this is one of them.

It could be beautiful, should be beautiful, but I just would never ever wear it. So, sadly, not for me.

I am rather enchanted by the utter sensuality of this perfume. It is rather strong and so it would take an equally strong woman to wear this.

Black Orchid...for women?

Months ago, when I first came across this, I was not sure about this fragrance. But there is something about it that I keep finding myself keep coming for more.

It wasn't long ago when I stumbled on an opportunity on a few samples. At first impression, it is definitely not something I would wear, but there is something mysterious about the Black Orchid that I find myself secretly yearning for more. I would go back to it time & time again, dabbing on my wrist, immersing my olfactory cravings on the Black Orchid like an addict. The dark elegance it exudes is very intriguing, the mixture of sweetness & the pungent touch of citrus emerge as a complex fragrance. Every now & then, I would catch myself time & time again yearning for the Black Orchid as if it was calling me at the back of my mind, even though I was resisting it.I was resisting it simply because I wasn't sure if I could pull it off.

The Black Orchid, the dark charismatic complex layers exudes as an evening scent, elegant & sensual, feminine yet masculine, combination of sweetness & woody scents. The Black Orchid grew on me over time & revealed itself to me in succession. I succumbed to its allure & temptation and I'm glad I made this purchase.

It may not be the One. But it would one that I treasure. For women? The lines have blurred, I am not as hesitant now as I was before in putting this fragrance on. In fact, I would gladly put it on as I suit up on my favourite Tom Ford gear.

با سلام
قبلا هـم نوشته ام کاری است بسیار بسیار گرم و شیرین و اورینتال و پر دوام و با پخش بوی بسیار بالا
کسانی که از این گونه روایح خوششان می آید مسلما هـیچگونه عطری هـمانند تام فورد بلک ارکید و تام فورد تنباکو وانیل و تام فورد توسکان لدر آنهـا را اقناع نماید اگر رایحه اش را دوست دارید قوی تر از این عطر پیدا نخواهـید کرد مگر آنکه بتوانید مشک و یا عنبر اصل و درجه یک پیدا نموده و استفاده کنید
این عطر آنقدر قوی از رایحه هـای اصلی و نت هـای مهـم ساخته شده است که هـیچ عطری در کنارش نمیتواند عرض اندام نماید
مخصوص این فصل و هـوای سرد و زمستان و در فصول دیگر باید در کمدتان قرار بگیرد و استفاده نشود چون در هـوای گرم هـمه را خواهـد سوزاند
با احترام
مهـرداد

As many positive reviews about this master work of Tom ford, I don't think I can add much thoughts on what already said.


Powerful Synergy between the components "chocolate, fruits, and flowers"

It is very hard to distinguish them separately, due to the harmony and perfect mix and ratio.

You may or may not like the smell. But this is one of the very few perfumes that has amazing longevity, projection, and silage.

When you walk down the corridor, you spread the smell in every direction, and the puzzle is that it doest loose it's power and the smell remains luxurious till the end.

The only draw back is that few people may not enjoy the smell of chocolate in perfumes.

I believe it is a unisex scent, in fact I've surprisingly seen it on the shelf of top 10 fragrance for men in one of the mega stores !!!!

possibly the only perfume on the earth making my head ache... it is really a mystery for me how did it become so popular...

Black Orchid is thick, deep, dark and everlasting. I don't smell much chocolate. The main note is flowery, but mixed with an intensely oriental vibe. It's not the orient of the flower power generation, nor a sultan style one. It recalls a mysterious rendez-vous between east and west, in a night full of stars.
I consider it a unisex fragrance, really. It's beautiful on a woman, but it gives a different and interesting feel on a man, given that he's not an endorser of the typical (and boring) male stereotype.
Black Orchid smells like a classic fragrance, it's so anti-modern, in the sense of being rich and complex and sophisticated. It could be a recipe found in one of Guerlain's drawers. The long lost masterpiece.

I tested it today for the first time, and i had mixed feelings. At the beginning it makes me dizzy, because it has a strong coconut scent, mixed with a very strong pineapple scent...oh my god, it was hard to take, even for me, a sillage monsters lover. However, the drydown is simply amazing and mouth wathering, a kind of chocolate bomb. B. O. is incredibly long lasting, and it also has a strong sillage, so we only need to spray it once in a day. I became a huge fan of it!!!!

AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!

Well I just HAD to try this one out. I went with a friend to do some perfume shopping, so I knew it was my chance.

OMG. two sprays and you couldn't smell anything within a 1 foot radius of me for HOURS! and on the ride home, I totally smelled up her car! I am in LUV with this stuff.

But first thing first, the initial spray. Wood wood and more wood. I got a burst of patchouli and fruit that wanted to beat the hell out of each other, it was a bit scary. I really didn't want to be left with that all evening.

As it dried I got something that smelled like cough syrup, like the Vintage Robitussin LOL

Took about 30 minutes to calm down to where I could smell other things notes though, and it got to be something really amazing. I didn't get chocolate but I got something more milky. There's an orchid in here but it ain't black! The florals pop in here and there but they're not very consistently there.

The sillage...man its something else.

In all I really do like the fragrance but one spray is more than enough, two and more is asking for serious trouble! Its so super big though, that you have to really be ready to be noticed wearing it because its plain unavoidable!

Extreme, that's what you can call this fragrance. I am a fanatic for heavy orientals/fragrances and this one is amazing but I'm not sure if I would spend so much money on it. The first sniff brought me back to an esoteric shop I went to that smelled just the same as this perfume. It's very spicy, very heavy and dark. Very seductive and not for shy people. You will get noticed. I get a mixture of fruity notes, heavy incense and patchouli. Weird combination. This stays on forever!

This scent is misterious, deep and very seductive.
Black currant,chocholate truffles melting with the accords of wild forest with all his fruits and the rivers full of toffe and dark chocholate. Note of liquor is warming up a jar of all ingridients giving very warm floral ending ..... still feeling sth misterious behind this .....
I would covered in this fragrance the Nan's from Dune film by David Lynch, strong, misterious, inteligent and dangerouse wearing black .......doesnt matter if its man or woman who is wearing this......
U can like it or not ........ But hit your head if u think its not well done and balanced fragrance !!!!

With just one spritz (one is enough with this baby!)
I was intoxicated. Couldn't stop smelling my wrist, and it just kept on going, smelling it on my t-shirt the next day...
Luxurious to the extreme, a head-turning, rich, shameless fragrance. Talk about a heady experience!

I absolutely love this scent!! So yummy. Dark and sexy.

A killer. Too much or chochlate and Vanila. I waited long to test it, good that I didn´t buy it blind. This is not for me.

Whooah, what to say? Waited sooo long to test it. Today arrived a decant and this frag is a disgusting leather weapon stink. I´m so so happy I didn´t buy it blind.

This is a not just a perfume, it is a statement! Very alluring night time scent. If you're wearing this, you want to be noticed. Besides the chocolate, the orchids and the spices I smell a lot of truffles. Where are they though? They don't appear in the list, yet they balance the spicy chocolate and the tropical orchid perfectly by adding a distinctly woody earthy note. Very well rounded.

Its so funny to me that since i was wearing black today i instantly reached for this. I dont think its dark in a bad way... as in it's not gloomy. Its dark, rich and audacious. I like fragrances that catch you off guard and make you a force to be reckoned with so to speak. Bystanders cant lethargically watch. they have to pick a side.

I have to say though that i even find 1 squirt enough on this. If you are doing multiple, you are probably killiing someone at work.

I just dont get how this one was not labeled unisex. the ones that ARE unisex to me are typically not. This one is way masculine for a woman. Although, i could see Diane from the Good Wife wearing this lol.

Anyway, i bought it and i think its incredible.

Black Orchid by Tom Ford is quite possibly one of the most recognised niche fragrances on the market today. It took me so long to get around to trying it, but now that I've been there and done that, I am ever so slightly confused.

I expected Black Orchid to be quite a dark smelling fragrance. So I was surprised to find a sweet, caramel based scent wafting up to greet my nose upon first application. It's not really a gourmand despite it's candied and syrupy opening, it has some texture to it as well.

I kind of enjoyed its crudeness on my skin, even the sickly sweet toffee aroma. It was the array of fruity notes in the heart that unfortunately broke the deal for me. I can only liken this fragrance to a box of assorted chocolates. You enjoy the dark chocolate, the creamy nougat, the hazelnuts, but then you're left with pineapple filled chocolate. You can stomach it, however it's an odd taste sensation, something so fruity and acidic blended with something so rich, smooth and addictive.

The fruits do give off a sweaty smell which is unfortunate for those, like myself, that don't do fruity scents justice. The patchouli only makes the jammy fruits stronger and more concentrated, which is a shame. In this retrospect, I do admire Black Orchid for being so complex and confusing, but in my opinion it is also its downfall.

Black Orchid is not a sexy fragrance for me personally. I think it really boils down to skin chemistry and personal preferences. Controversial it most definitely is, being the most talked about fragrance since Thierry Mugler's gourmand-bomb, Angel. I can understand its appeal, but I'm going to gladly pass this one on.

My son brought home a sample from Saks 5th Avenue and I really don't get what all the hype is about. I was expecting something dark, brooding and totally different from anything else, but how disappointed I was. To me, it's one of those over the top, soOOo sweet fragrances - totally cloying. Young women would probably love it, but I certainly wouldn't spend the huge $$s that this perfume commands. I guess variety is the spice of life, and how boring it would be if we all liked the same thing. To those who really love this one - enjoy!!

The moment I got a sniff of this I loved it,and had many comments on it.
Unfortunately when I read what Tom Ford had requested when he commissioned it I went off it immediately,what a turn off.

Beautifull,dark and deep perfume,lovely bottle design,and georgous name Tom Ford,excellent...This beauty should be in all perfume lovers collection,but maybe not a big bottle,a small bottle would be ok,the scent is timeless and notforgettable,i want get one as soon as possible.

I left the Cowboys game during halftime to run to Neiman Marcus to buy this perfume....if that tells you anything. I think it had been out for a day, if that. It's a gorgeous, intoxicating scent. I always get compliments. It is heavy, so I wear it in the winter, or when I REALLY need to make a statement. Also, it wears for a long time, so I'll wore it alot when I was in trial and needed a scent for all day...and also one that lingers. I think this is a must have in any fashionistas perfumistas collection.

Any one else get scented baby doll? i think this would be really hot on a woman who's already a mother, but man, it has SO MUCH PROJECTION, you have to love it to be able to handle it. i cant, not for very long.

I love Prada, and my friend loves Gaultier and we both love this one. It sneaks up on you, makes you want to roll in it.

When I first smelt Black Orchid, I was repulsed. It did nothing for me but it sat on my shelf, sad and lonely for two months so I gave in. I started to ease myself into its heaviness and now I am hook, line and sinker in love with this perfume! It's sultry, heavy, dark, smoky and oh-so-sexy. It has become one of, if not my one and only signature scent that my loved ones recognise me by. Well worth the rather hefty price tag in my opinion.

So excited to get my lil hands on this.
First smell lovely rich,then it turned into somthing that smelt like dry musty old roses with a strong salty aftertaste (for want of a better discription)
So very dissapointed was looking for a new sig fragrance and hoping this might be it.

I love this sent! It has this great sharpness that catches your attention.

A strong black currant and vanilla after 5 minutes. Heavy, full and simple. Lasts the whole day.

A grown up chocolate scent with exceptional projection...

0-15 Mins- My wife thought it smelt like Thierry Mugler Angel.

15 Mins - 7 Hours - Projection massive, approx 3- 4 foot around. Has a chocolate smell with a twist, the twist bit being not so nice, but once it settles down it is very comforting, I felt like my nice auntie was with me and I felt like I was being supported, perhaps this may become a smell which could be applied in times of need and grief

Not sexy for me, but warm and caring, and not a "pretty" scent but what counts is that one could fall in love with this and the super strong projection makes it a cut above the rest

Quality

i tried it in amsterdam! i had high hopes for it since i read this is a strong orientalfloral, when i sprayed it on my skin it turn out to be bitter chocolate with flowers -_- not that provocative imo.. idk how to explain but this was not what i would imagine Bo to smell :-(
pity!

I have been waiting to try this for so long, today my sample finally arrived in the mail.. I had to order this from the US as it is incredibly hard to get hold of here in NZ! So here we are... total LOVE at first sniff... I think this is absolutely my new signature scent. Strong at first, but in such a good way, definitely get the chocolate..dries down into a deep sexy alluring scent. Total sex in a bottle. Yummmm.

let's just say, i have NEVER had a "signature" perfume and never thought possible to have one, as i'm just too crazy for too many perfumes...until i found this one. I will NEVER be w/out it and need it on me, at all times. i'm down right obsessed with its mystery, complexity, and exotically seductive powers, but most importantly, it's ability to keep me faithful. like a soul mate, i have finally found "the one."

in short...perfection, in a little black bottle.

Wow!!!!:)

I love orchid scents...and I love Black Orchid.:)

I have many of perfumes in my collection, and I wear every of each, but Tom Ford Black Orchid is one of those what is truly ME.:)

It's just merges with me, it's a wonderful masterpiece.
It's opens with a hint of bergamott, vanilla and chocolate notes and it's turnes into a creamy orchid accord with praline, vanilla and a touch of jasmine. Smooth, dark, musky infusion, beautiful creation.

Complex, deep, rich, misterious, dark, passionate, feminin, seductive, intoxicating and ultra sexy...

Black orchid marks perfumery’s return to Glamour. It is opulence, decadence, luxury and sex (muskymale’s mans crotch reference is 100% factual!). it’s exciting to see this released in the current market esp since perfumery ‘took a shower’ in the 90’s, and since then such insipid clean, fruity and fresh shower scents have saturated the mainstream, To quote Mr Ford- “In the 1990s, it would have been a transparent bottle with minimalist packaging, transparent juice and a minimalist scent, But we have become so dermatological in our approach to beauty that I wanted to put some glamour back into society with a powerful fragrance.”,-- and yes, Black Orchid embodies such excess of luxury, materialism, elegance and unabashed sexuality that hasn’t been seen on a scale like this since the pre AIDS-era biggies like YSL Opium, Dior Poison etc.

The fragrance is a lush and utterly creamy Oriental Floral, reminiscent of the Far East, a real Hong Kong garden of a fume. There are also gourmand notes of dark chocolate, black truffle and fermenting/overripe berries as well as earthy dark patchouli, there’s so much going on in here that you just need to sniff it yourself and decide! The bottle is a piece of art in itself, a black and gold lacquered beauty that doesn’t look out of place beside your Shalimar.

Tom Ford requested the maker of Black Orchid to make a perfume that smells like a man's crotch, and indeed it does! This is 100% pure sex in a bottle. The bottle itself is porn!

It is dark, sexy, seductive, femme fatale, on the border of being vulgar, overly sweet on top, and loud with capital L! I love this! Make no mistake about it: Black Orchid is a big statement perfume. There is NO way that you would not be noticed if you wore this. It is absolutely VA VA VOOM!!!!

Well, I suppose I must have balls, as I have no difficulty wearing this one...Au contraire, it seems intensely female---not light & frothy, but distinctly feminine. There is a lot going on in this perfume; it could have turned out rather a mess, but it doesn't. A heady, waxy floral note, perhaps tuberose, combined with a subtle incense note somehow hold it all together. At first it's floral, a tiny bit bright or sharp, and there's a (thankfully) transient smell of cherry cough remedy, which immediately smooths out into a sumptuous floral/amber/patchouli/incense/woody symphony. Some perfumes are like a piece of music performed by a quartet...Black Orchid is music rendered by the whole orchestra. Big, velvety, complex, sexy as all get out. I get compliments on it whenever I wear it. It seems to smell quite different on different people, to the point that I can't always identify it on others. It's not commonly worn where I live, in any case, but if it were, I feel it would still vary enough to wear it without smelling like everyone else. Sillage is fairly strong at first, but only moderate at most after full dry-down. Lasts as long as anything ever does on me, a few hours perhaps.

This horror perfume smells intensely of urine. I guess I don't have anything else to say, other than the fact that I didn't catch any notes listed. Only urine.

Got a sample of this. The first smell of it made me want to vomit. Too bad...I wanted to like it.

I received a small sample vial and decided to test it since I've heard very divided opinions on this perfume. I wasn't sure what to expect. Top notes were overpowering and awful: amber/musk/incense/putrid wood all meshed together. My initial thought was "This is revolting!" ...fortunately the top notes evaporated very quickly and the scent started to change. The drydown is alluring and mysterious. A complex blend of dark chocolate (reminds me of velvet), wood, licorice, a little amber with just a dash of vanilla. It is not unpleasant, and on the right person this would smell good. I don't dislike it, but I also find it too dark for my personality. Not a perfume I would wear.

Oh my. After all I'd read about this one, I couldn't wait to try it! It was everything I wanted and it was my destiny. Finally, finally got my hands on a sample the other day. It blew me away!- but in all the wrong ways. It smelled, to me, like someone wore an amazing perfume then hung out in the big cat house at the zoo. Beauty mixed with animal excrement. I was devastated. If it works for you, I am jealous, and enjoy!

I really wanted to love this fragrance. Opening notes on my skin are so promising. The deep earthy undertones in the opening notes never seem to go anywhere for me. I get gardenia after dry down then this morphs into amber. Nothing but amber and slight chocolate. For some reason it is very foody on me. It makes me so very sad.

Black Orchid is part of my personal collection. It can be worn by a male or a female, and I have found that it "adjusts" accordingly. The fact that there is musk in the fragrance, makes it wearable by either gender.

Although "Orchid" is part of the name, it is not as floral as one would think. It is unique, sultry, warm, and classy.

This perfume is one of my top ones. I normally wear it with black clothes and in the evening. Very luxury and unique

-I know this is 'for women' but I like this! I heard Michael Jackson r.i.p wore it and was happy to know I am not the only guy who wears it. The guy had good taste!

For me I would say this is the smell of a passionate love affair between a man and woman. Mysterious and full of Lust. When you wear this you will seduce!

-This perfume is nice on me and its very unisex. Women are attracted like magnet when I wear it to the point that it gets annoying sometimes! I think "voile de fleur" version is even more sexy for women. How about that one for women, so men can steal this? Joke!

A bottle is worth every dime. Top notch quality. Tom Ford is for sure one of top perfume house!

Di questo profumo ho sentito di tutto, dai commenti orribili a quelli smielati.E' un profumo denso e originale, non è così scuro, anzi si sentono note dolci e speziate nel suo sviluppo; ma come tutti i profumi decisi e potenti, o lo ami o lo odi. A me piace moltissimo. Lo dovete provare,solo la vostra pelle e il vostro naso vi possono consigliare...

The first words that come to mind with this, are rich and warm. This is a beautiful fragrance for those who can't decide whether they are a sweet tooth or spices person, a flower or woodsy notes lover. Sounds like me :P It's got everything but you have to love the dense perfumes genre though, and it is definitely in a femme fatale category.
All the notes intertwine and work harmoniously. In general: beautifully executed complex fragrance, sensual, modern vintage class in a beautiful bottle. Modern shalimarishness - more cool?
My only personal complaint is it is a tad heady. Still love it to bits, and thank god most perfumes turn sweeter on me! I would love it less with a bitter dry down. Love, love, love Tom Ford! Have to get…maybe next month.

Edit.
This is not an over exaggeration when I say that the dry down is exceptional in this perfume. Black Orchid is quite a roller coaster ride. Striking, from the beginning to the end.

This perfume is gooood. It smells like a man but it doesnt. Its very interesting, everyone will ask what your wearing. Its a confusing scent, you cant figure it out but thats what makes it so wonderful! It's very Amelia Earhart... beautiful but strong, and quite intriguing. Im not too good with picking out specific notes, but it is masculine. Good!

My first impression was that it was very masculin. When I first sprayed it I wasnt too happy since I expected something sweet and deep, instead it was very sharp and masculin and almost a little bit sour.. But I didnt wash it off, witch was good!

After a while it got deeper and more feminime. It's a very dark, almost smokey very classy scent. Prefect evening perfume! The dry down is a very plesant and genuine vanilla scent.

The ONLY thing I dont like at all, (accept the opening witch I dont like either) is the lasting power. It only last a few hours!! It smells about 2-3 h and after that you can just smell the vanilla dry down if you put your nose on my wrist. Very, very sad since I really liked it. But a perfume without lasting power is pretty useless for me so I think this one have to go...

I really like the opening of this perfume! It is dark and I get something coconutty that makes it smell a bit like suntan lotion. I love the dark red fruits in there, they add some acidity to the chocolate and coconut notes. If only the perfume could stay that way because when the red fruits fade away it becomes really nauseous! I can't stand the dry down on me, it's such a shame! I don't think it is masculine at all.

Black Orchid is all spices/incense/gardenia/overly ripe fruits/amber/patchouli/orchid to my nose. I do smell the chocolate note in there as well, but it's hidden too much by all those other notes I mentioned. This perfume is super heavy duty and means serious business.

To those who like it, one spray is more than enough, & it has massive staying power, so that's always a plus. As for myself, I can't say I'm at the 'like' point as I'm still trying to get myself to appreciate all its heavy combined notes. I have a full 100ml bottle, so for the time being, I smell it when I'm at home every once in a while. I'm hoping this will 'culture' my nose enough to make me want to actually wear it in public someday. I also have the Voile de Fleur version, and while I'm not fond of that one either, I do find it softer and overall more wearable.

its sexually provocative in a distinct way ....its cradling me at times with heat and lust and the next moment with pure innocence and love..its lyk getting wild and passionate with your soulmate ...everything feels just ryt...nothing to hide..just feel it n love it...

**for the ones who like it hot**

The tragedy of Black Orchid is that while the drydown is an exquisitely sensual and opulently orgasmic experience born in the uppermost reaches of heaven, in order to arrive at that point it's necessary to first spend at least two unbearably nauseating hours smelling as if one has been drowned in a vat of horribly rotting fruit. And it just isn't worth it.

The opening is so thoroughly revolting that it's not just a question of sickening everyone within a 50-foot radius-- it's a matter of literally being unable to bear being in a room with oneself!

I've had a large bottle of Black Orchid since the time it first came on the market, and because of the incredible beauty of what it eventually becomes I've tried-- oh, how I've tried!-- to find some way to wear it. But it can't be done.

The suffocating stench of putrefying fruit is overwhelming and inescapable, and it doesn't even begin to dissipate for at least two hours. Four hours after its application Black Orchid begins to develop a few attractive qualities, and eight hours after that initial spray it becomes quite possibly the most beautiful scent ever created.

If it were possible to reach even the hour-four stage without going through the god-awful horror of those first two hours I'd buy every bottle on which I could get my hands. Sadly-- tragically!-- the only way to reach the incomparable Eden of Black Orchid's drydown is via a seemingly-unending, nightmarish slog through an appalling garbage dump of decay.

I did not like! The Black Orchid is a scent that always caught my attention but when I finally bought I found a floral very sweet and very feminine, the fixing and the projection are excellent but is a very sickly sweet smell that honestly I did not like.

It has good quality but I think Chanel is so much quality and the price is better in general because they do not recommend blind to the surprise may not smile as I did ... at least I got to change quickly.

Hated at the first sniff but i found adorable the drydown,i couldnt stop smelling my wristle.it can also be considered as a shared fragrance. The scent is not so feminin but it is subtle and classy. İ am going to give it one more try.

Sexy, rich, dark.
I was not sure if i liked it or not when i tried it on in winter, the first note made me sick and wanna puke especially when i was dumb enough to sniff it having a hangover. But something kept me trying and i started to like it. Then i tried it on again when spring has came, it feel very choccy and sensual.
yet, doesnt worth it. Too expensive.
Would go to Dior' midnight poison.

A very rich and sensuous blend. It has a great aphrodisiac effect. Once you smell it, you want to smell more and more. You just can't get enough of it. Not only the scent, but the bottle design is quite unique too. I also consider Black Orchid to be a unisex fragrance - and own it and wear it proudly.

At Marrionaud in Paris, Champs-Elysees, the salesperson told me that more men buy this perfume, and I can see why: it is rather masculine than feminine( indeed it smells like a softer oud+ vanilla combo to me). I bought today a 30 ml EDP of this, and yes, it rocks. It is one of the few mainstream perfumes I still enjoy: different from the others. If you consider La Nuit de L'Homme( including Le Parfum), 1 Million ( good perfume), Dior Homme Intense or Midnight in Paris masculine, this is definitely more masculine than anyone of those miles away. The lasting power and sillage is excellent: it works in both heat and cold and it gives you an allura of an urban sexy young man that is always fashionable and sensual. I love it.

I think this is a very sophisticated scent .its very strong one spray will do for sure and it lasts for hours and hours

Not for me, very similar to Agent Provocateur which I bought when it came out (thinking it so unusual and loving the bottle) but it never suited my skin. Very strong. I could like this on someone else though.

Sorry, but this just ain't for me.

If someone took one of the Poison flankers by Dior and gave it an obnoxiously sweet, fruity-chocolate note, this is what you'd get. At times it can smell like salmon, at least to my nose.

Don't let my review discourage you. Black Orchid is just the kind of fragrance where you like it, or you hate it. I fall in the latter category.

The gooey opening dries down to a smokey, lush, rich scent that I can only describe as "bohemian." Best when worn sparingly so the perfume can be "discovered" up close rather than "announced." It's the base that gets me. I live for the base of this perfume! Interested in trying Tuscan leather, which sounds right up my alley.

This is such an unusual scent. I'm having a hard time liking it, as much as I want to. There is something about the strong woody-incensey quality that I like, but I also find something about this fragrance very disturbing and strangely nauseating. At some stages, Black Orchid smells kind of like a public bathroom to me. On my skin, it smells of sweat, dirt, mushrooms, and has a very thick, sharp scent of wood shavings. Very damp, musky and earthy.

It's definitely not a sweet or feminine scent, at least not for me; I think a man could easily get away with wearing this. Perhaps it will grow on me, but at this point I think it's a little too much.

LOVE LOVE LOVE Black Orchid, sensual warm, utterly delicious, mysterious dark and intense. I am always complimented when wearing it and I adore the body cream so hard to find it now

Very strong and masculine opening but gets much better as it dries down.

Unique sweetness of floral & spicy notes, that ain't overpowering and confusing like most of heavy sweet scents. It has a sensual impact that would impress both men and women. And its longevity and sillage is noticeable.

A masterpiece. Speechless...
Its works well on my skin (huge long lasting power) and its incredible erotic.
I think its unisex fragrance. On my skin smell a combination of dark-smoked-exotic-fruity-warm notes and not too heavy, very light and aerial.

It isn´t to me...headache for sure!

Wow...what an exotic scent...very well crafted. Very complex..at first spray it is almost too much to comprehend. The incense comes through very loud in beginning..not a bad thing..very bold and exotic. Try again...it's dark, mysterious, enchanting. It is truly unique and beautiful, especially as it unfolds into the final phase, very rich, sandalwood, dark chocolate come through. Irresistable. Definitely a scent that will be added to my collection and will stay there forever....

this a unique, provocative perfume and there are a few things to consider when trying (and judging) it. first of all, don't sniff and inhale deeply in the first minutes: it's a bit like a punch in the nostrils! be patient and allow a little time to go by and try again: about half an hour later, close your eyes, breathe and take it all in...this creamy, nutty, deep fragrance will transport you into a different state of mind! it possesses a bit of the spirit of YSL's NU EDP (which was created under tom ford's creative direction of the brand), but takes it further into another, more feminine, realm. "black orchid" is sweet and somewhat powdery, softly spicy, dense yet not heavy...complex, like most multi-dimensional human beings are, and it leaves a lingering impression. the drydown develops a bit of interesting citrus in the background, akin to the one present in the base of kelly caleche EDT. another important detail is context (as with anything else in life): i don't consider this fragrance to be night-time only, not at all, but be aware that it is not for riding a hot, crammed subway in the morning and is not recommended for going out to dinner, nor for the gym, but apart from that, if you don't overapply, this scent can go anywhere! i think one spritz below each ear and one on each wrist is enough and it will last all day (probably until the morning after, actually). this is a fragrance i wear for myself but i have noticed that it has an effect on people ;) i absolutely love that this perfume takes a stand, it isn't wishy washy and is not for the tepid, unopinionated individual. all in all, it's hard to define "black orchid": it is intriguing and mysterious...you don't quite know why you are drawn to it again and again, but you are just certain that you are, logic be damned :) i am truly happy that my intuition guided me "blind" to this perfume!

This one feels like a drag queen's just slapped you in the face... And clearly it's one of Tom Ford's usual show offs. And I do agree with Louw, a triumph of marketing over substance.

Take some gardenia, orchids, patchouli leaves and a Godiva dark chocolate bar... leave it in a sauna. Now imagine the wood used for the interior is sandalwood. Leave, and return minutes later to find a warm, musky cloud of Black Orchid. This is a positive review by the way.

I do not like it. Sorry. Just yesterday evening someone was sitting in the theatre infront of me all covered in this and I found it very disturbing.

hello
i'm abbas from sultante of oman
i like to buy tom ford perfumes but it's difficult in my my country to finde it even it's costly
so how can i buy from the website ????
thanks alot

A triumph of marketing over substance, in my opinion, I'm afraid.

I was eager to try this because the marketing was so seductive and made the fragrance sound dark, luxurious, mysterious and sexy. I'm glad I didn't buy it blind because when I tried it I found it absolutely repellant!

To me it was a confusing mess of competing musky woodsy notes that actually made me sneeze. On my skin it dried down to something that was bitter, even sour and unfortunately for me, had great longevity - I couldn't wait for the smell to fade away!

A disappointing experience, but I do intend to try more of the Tom Ford perfumes to see if I have better luck with any of them.

When I first smelled it i thought it was weird and sour, but after a while i began to find it quite fascinating. after getting a sample and wearing it for a few hours, it grew softer and creamier. because it's so strong, i wouldn't wear this too much. but a sniff once in a while just blows me away.

I didn't buy it, it was a present.....and I'm glad! I don't like it at all, I gave it to my grandma (and she doesn't like it!). In my opinion it's quite stifling. Of course it's a question of personal taste.

Black Orchid seems a little weird at first, but at the same time it´s so fascinating. It opens VERY spicy. I can also easily detect incense, jasmine and gardenia.
It remains spicy and noticeable all the time, though after about 30 minutes it becomes lighter and a bit sweeter as vanilla and patchoulli come out. I can´t say which note dominates this scent when it dries down. It´s very well blended indeed, but still wild, warm and dark.

Funky jasmine. That's what I get. I'm repulsed yet strangely drawn to it at the same time. This is a good thing though, because it means it has depth, intrigue and complexity. Just the way I like my perfumes. Bravo!

This perfume is perfect for winter nights. It's so complex. Its not for people who want something light although there is a lighter version which is Black Orchid Voile de Fleur. I personally find this heavier one much sexier. Its one of those attention grabbing fragrances so you'll def be noticed. Very spicy in a sophisticated way.

ETA: I just smell rotten fruits. Try Sensuous Noir, it has some similar characteristics but it is a cut above Black Orchid.

I just smell rotten fruits.

to make it short! this smell is just unbelievable !
I got it as a tester and the lady warned me of its power, strength. I thought this would be a typical headache-perfume, which it certainly is, BUT !!!!!
the dark 99% chocolate i smell in it, is just as temptuos as a piece of a real chocolate that lays next to your hand !
It has some spicy fruits or flowers, i do not exactly know what, but i just smell this strong chocolate!
i would wear it in the evening, maybe for a concert in the opera ;)
men's opinion: WHO IS THIS LADY, AND WHY DOES SHE SMELL SO COURAGOUS, TEMPTING and GLAMOUROUS !? ;)
enjoy !

I have this perfume but I have not had the courage to wear it in public yet. I wish I had dark exotic looks to match the rich exotic fragrances I love- can I wear this as a blond with 'girl next door type' looks? Maybe it will surprise people in a good way when I do?

Anyway, the fragrance is powerful and dramatic. All I smell in the beginning is the dark chocolatey orchid. It has some similarities with Angel, not a snuggly gourmand chocolate, but a dark and bitter one. This is a sillage monster for sure. One spray and I can smell myself for hours! It dries down eventually into a warm sweet vanillary, smokey fragrance which will last on your skin until you shower.

Very complex, strong, sexy, interesting fragrance.If you can find it, I recommend buying the roll-on, (8 ml) which is the best way to apply the tiny amount you need and will still last for a couple of years, it's not an everyday fragrance.

In fact, I would make it a law that all powerful fragrances should come in a roll-on option, whoever is going to use up 100 ml of this one, Shalimar, etc. Then I for one would buy a lot more serious perfumes.

Not only does it have the sweaty note which I despise, the place I sprayed on my arm has a nice cluster of painful, itchy hives. I've never had that happen before with a perfume. The opening was foul too. Fruity and cheap smelling, not at all what I expected from reviews, or the price, or the appearance of the bottle. I've washed my arm three times, it will not budge.

I agree totally with Lady Venomtongue about the "hype" here. I thought this would be an exotic, deeply tropical floral with the added gourmand notes and was terribly excited to get my bottle in the post (an ebay bargain). I was really disappointed with it - incredibly strong though it was. Even in the notes Tom Ford admits that this flower is more imaginary than real. I have not written Tom Ford off and would like to try a couple of his other inventions, but for me this one was never going to be the love affair I had hoped might be a possibility. I'm really happy though that so many people love it.

I bought Black Orchid when it came out and it still baffles me to this day. Its intense, thats the first thing and its a bit of a mix. At times it almost has this urine smell to it which disappeared quickly for me and then it became sweet and a little intense, a little woody and a whole lotta other stuff. I think guys could wear this easily but for the ladies, i think a really sexy confident lady could pull this off- no problems at all. I dont want to sound offensive but to me, this fragrance smells like what I imagine a high class hooker would smell like. It honestly makes me think of sex and the mix of wrong and right scents you get from the sex act. Its an interesting fragrance.

I've been suggested to smell Black Orchid so many times, and when I finally decided it was the right moment to face this composition I got somehow disappointed by it. It opens with an interesting chocolate floral / fruits accord that may be pretty compelling expecially to anyone who is not familiar with the smell of the Oncidium Sherry Baby AKA The Chocolate Orchid (an epiphytic orchid of hybrid origins). After that, the scent turns to a pleasant, but conventional, sweet musky vanilla drydown. A nice fragrance that could have been great if they just have dared a bit more in the drydown. Nothing that I would never buy a full bottle of, but I'd surely appreciate on a person seating next to me for 2 (maximum 3) stops on the subway.

Rating: 6.5-7/10

I received a sample of this fragrance from a shop.It smelled pleasant enough in the vial Then, I put it on my skin. Instantly, I thought, old moldy flowers! With some time it developed a strong scent of incense + moldy flowers. Now after 3 hours, it is mainly incense and chocolate. I found it so offensive initially, I didn't have much to offer in the way of pleasant notes, although they are there: cocoa, incense, chili, cumin, dried spices. The lingering dark chocolate note is the best part of the experience. I love spicy fragrances and the opaque black bottle but this one ultimately is an absolute no. If the fragrance was reinvented without the moldy flowers top note, I think it would be a winner.

I own a couple of mini's of Black Orchid and I still haven't finished either. I wish there was a less strong version of this, you know like a body mist or something. But it is sooooo strong!
While I like the scent, it's really cloying and it makes me dizzy. With such staying power, I'm waiting to find a Tom Ford fragrance I can wear without a headache.

I totally agree with Mushroomfat that men must give this fragrance a try. I was growing tired with this and placed it on my husband's bathroom shelf one day thinking out of sight out of mind. Well, in his haste hubby sprayed this one by mistake and mind you he smelled fantastic...so men out there you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Blue cotton candy
Tropical fruit shaved ice
Deep fried funnel cakes encrusted with cinnamon sugar and drenched in maple syrup
A gypsy caravan
A flower vendor
The county fair berry pie contest

Round and round on the merry-go-round
Every carnival stall keeps spinning around me
Over and over, again and again
Faster and faster yet

Blue cotton candy
Tropical fruit shaved ice
Deep fried funnel cakes encrusted with cinnamon sugar...

Over and over, again and again...
Stop the ride! I want to get off!

I have to do my review of the MEN'S edition on this page in the hope anybody wanting to try the mens edition will be encouraged to do so by my review because it is such a fantasic scent that I want guys everywhere to give it a go!
AWESOME!!! a massive overkill of such a beautiful, soft, invigorating floral note CANNOT be ignored.

Update: so it turns out this is a UNISEX fragrance.

Wow, so many beautiful floral notes have been put into this scent. From start to finish it's a thickening of the obvious Orchard accord, any citrus notes are very light, the fruits do well in sweetening, the chocolate and vanilla work as a solid, also sweet, base.

All guys must try it at least once.

I have a gorgeous scent copy,or you can call it a dupe,or a scent replica. I cannot afford to buy the original Tom Ford scents,which is fine with me dears. This is GORGEOUS! It is very thick,and heady,and rich.

There is a deep and creamy feel,and this is truly a scent you must be open to FEEL,not just smell. It is like a creature which has come to life on the skin of my arm and neck. I smell spicy,exotic flowers,making my head hypnotized. I smell rich earth,that wise soil patchouli. the chocolate,she visits too and dances by,waiting,and making space for her dance partner,the dark gardenia.

I am truly bewitched by this smell. This is for the bold of heart,and open minds. A woman can hold the world in her powerful feminine grip with this scent. A man can be in this scent too,and he will be just as strong,and as suited to it as well. But a man is brave there too wearing this,as he is not afraid to touch the flowers of the earth,and show a more tender side of himself.

I am sorry, I am the kind of person,I always have to say what I feel,and I don't mean anything mean by it. I am hoping that we are looking at fake fur in the above photos.

I think this is another one of those scents that is highly dependent on a persons skin ph/chemistry. If it works on you? It REALLY works. If it doesn't? Well, you're going to need time to shower it off because this eau has SERIOUS staying power. I agree with earlier reviewers and will reiterate that a few well placed small sprays do the trick. Too much more and you'll smell like you're wearing an entire bottle. If you should miss your skin and wind up with it on your clothes they will smell very spicy and musky. INMO almost like a mans cologne. Should that not sound like something you want, I recommend you spritz before you dress.

That being said, on me Tom Fords Black Orchid is absolutely lovely.

Whilst wearing it, everyone I come across is immediately intrigued and DEMANDS to know what I am wearing. They'll often exclaim that it smells wonderful- lovely- rich- extremely posh! To which I respond- TRY BEFORE YOU BUY. It's an absolute must.
With my skin chem- the patchouli is completely undetectable and dissipates before my nose, or anyone else's for that matter, even has a chance to identify an offense. The fruit notes are also barely there but linger delicately. The floral notes are wildly impressive, especially the gardenia and orchid. This lush 'tropical garden' intensifies dramatically and stays strong all day long. The dry down never overpowers it's floral notes and instead adds hints of spice- and rainy deep forest-like woods. In the end all are kissed with a creamy-vanilla almost cashmere like caress.
Tom Ford has created a scent that is beautifully bold. A scent that is at once sexy without being overt or gauche. A parfum that definitely belongs among the high couture elite of the fragrance world. I am certain Black Orchid will remain one of my absolute faves. Indeed a very luxe and highly satisfying addition to my fragrance wardrobe.

The reviewers who have tagged this as overpowering and cloying are right on the money. This stuff stinks..... BAD! It's not cheap, either, or it wasn't when I bought it a few years back. It grabs onto the skin, clothes, even pillow cases and doesn't let go. This is not a good thing. It almost smells like licorice tastes, yet stronger. Yeah..... bad, bad, bad...... Tom Ford is a brilliant designer, but he made a bad decision putting his name to this nauseating serum.

Sellers insist to sell it as unisex stuff. They're right. It's interesting for men as well as for women.
Black Orchid is just a masterpiece with strong quality and projection, so you must be careful, it can gives you headache and blow your temple up.
This scent is dark, waxy, romantic, royal and overpowering. Although there's no hint of cuteness, it's so elegance and classy.
Preferably for cold weather because of its sweet candy pattern of flowers; waxy, deep, dense, smoky and resinous.
Overapply may harm you, so just one or two shuts are OK. Proper for indoor formal occasions.

10/10 for longevity
10/10 for sillage
7/10 for scent

Black Orchid really unfurls on the skin 0-100 in 3 seconds flat. On me, the Ylang has a strong, fruity-floral apricot note that almost makes my mouth water, and almost makes me cringe...but in a good way. Ah, the top notes are very syrupy, very sticky - waves of treacle dripping down into incense. This perfume walks a fine line between luscious and overblown, ripe and spoiled, rumpled and dirty. In the 10 hours that this perfume came unbound on my skin, I was again and again afraid that this or that note would overwhelm, would be too much. It never happened. This is an expertly blended concoction. This is what I wear when I don patent leather, a velvet coat, or want to make an entrance. Deliciously decadent. Enough hooks to keep you on your toes. One spray is all that is needed. Two and you're courting disaster.

You'll either love the intensity of this perfume or run for the hills. If you've decided to run, you'd better hide too, black Orchid travels at the speed of light.

It's powerful,luxurious and full bodied. Its sensuality embraces you with a woodsy, incense haze & caresses you in a way that only patchouli & sandalwood can.

I can't help wishing it had been called Hypnotic poison but I guess Dior got there first.

For me, nothing compairs to this erotic, dark, sexy, seductive perfume! Pass by a man and his head will turn. It's gives off that "I've got to have her" feeling! I love it. It has gotten to where when I reach for a fragrance to put on, and it's not going to be Black Orchid that day....I still have to stop and take a breath of it in.

A little goes a long way, I mean like 1-2 sprays. Sillage....wow 4-ever!! I recommend NOT spraying on clothes. I don't spray on clothes anyway ( oils in fragrances tend to stain my clothes).

Mmmm, I really should get another full bottle, just in case.

After reading all the rave reviews on here I became obsessed with this fragrance. I had sniffed it a few times at Saks and carried around a strip of paper with the scent. It does smell very nice on paper but not on my skin. When first sprayed, it hits me like a slap in the face. It is so sharp and green at first. Almost like you had dug up the roots of some plant. I can smell the roots and also the damp earth. I waited patiently for these notes to dissipate but they never did. They just got stronger and stronger. For me, it is a bitter and dirty and unripe scent. Not a hint of anything sweet for me in this one. I tried to scrub it off with soap and water, but it was relentless!!! UGH!! I just wanted to get away from myself. I must say that I paid a pretty penny for it too. I am sooooo disappointed, but the bottle is pretty. So black and slim with the shiny gold metal label. Beautiful in my collection but I will never spray it again. Just thinking of it gives me the creeps.

Good News!! Saks took it back and let me exchange it! I got Jimmy Choo! I'm going to udate my review of that one too because I have grown to LOVE IT!!

I received Black Orchid for Valentines Day and I love it! Its a sexy, passionate perfume made for a beautiful women. I can't say it any better than "BlackAmberMoon" said it! It is the perfume I have been waiting for all my life...thankyou Tom Ford.
Oh and one more thing....I tried dabbing alittle Indonesian patchouli oil on me after the Black Orchid smell calms. If you are a patchouli lover, this combo is incredible.
****but surely, one spritz is all you need!

I tried this perfume and instantly hated it. The opening is cacophonous on me. All the scents scream, "Me first! No me! Smell me first!" It was heady and cloying and confusing. The heart of scent was musky, and not in a good way. It smelled like I really really needed to take a shower. Because it is such a strong perfume, I attempted to wash it off, to no avail. The only good part of this perfume was the dry down, which smelled of vanilla and incense...but the 36 hour wait made it not worth it. In my opinion, this fragrance says "easy". It's like the older woman in the club who is obviously too old to be there, but never grew out of getting bombed and making out with random guys.

On the other hand, the SO couldn't stop sniffing me. Go figure.

When I first sprayed Black Orchid on my wrist I was like wow! This smells really good! It does resemble Escada Sentiment during the opening, only richer. I also get a Flowerparty by Yves Rocher resemblance after couple of minutes, more complex version as well. Black currant, mandarine and citruses with underlying spices and fruity notes; I'm pretty sure there's some lichi here. Love it!

I must admit that I have no idea how the flower black orchid smells like. I have had orchids at home, but I don't have green fingers, which leads the orchids to an early death or not wanting to blossom ever again. So naturally I've forgotten how they smell like.

After a short while the incense and sandalwood blends in. Now I get a So Elixir by Yves Rocher vibe. I'm really enjoying this one so far!

I thought I had found a new love but that was before the drydown came for real (after approx 1 hour) which was a huge disappointment. All I get is incense, patchouli and citruses. Quite harsh to my nose and, yes, a bit masculine. Alas.

The opening and the middle part are fantabulous, not dark, just delicious, but the drydown ends up being too simpel IMO. It's a shame when the drydown doesn't match the rest of the fragrance. *Sigh*

The lasting power however is great, could smell it the day after.

i love dark scents...I both adore Habanita and Jesus del Pozo's In black and I was expecting Black Orchid to light similar facets of being a black lady diamond.
That is about my expectations.

The fragrance starts masculine to my standards. I was struggling myself through the opening phase... then it started to melt a little into flowers pickled in whiskey. I still had high hopes for the drydown.

Then I got the awful slap of patchouli in my face, patchouli at its worst, exuding nothing dark but bitter.
I do not fancy excessive patchouli in fragrances, to me patchouli is meant to give an earthy base and balance to sweeter notes. Not the case this time. It was pushing out all the rest of the base notes which i adored (sandalwood, vanilla, ambergris, incense, chocolate etc.)

Conclusion: there are dark and gothic fragrances which are feminine. Me mostly got masculinity and one of the most abhorring patchouli base. Not a keeper.

Yum I love this scent. It smells very strong at first but then it becomes less sharp and more yummy.

Milk Caramel??

No thanks! I don't want to smell like that..

Anyway.. this has good lasting power..

Way too sweet for me, i get a headache from it.

There really isn't much to compare Black Orchid to- the opening is incredibly heady, sweet and gourmand, slightly grounded by the truffle accord..maybe there are some violets in there but they are drowned by the flood of every note in existence! It would be too much for daywear and overwhelming for some, but I wish the opening would persist here. Black Orchid dissipates rather quickly, prematurely blowing out all of its notes and promptly drifting off to sleep, leaving me a little unsatisfied! The drydown is a very pleasant,slightly floral, gourmand chocolate...in the end B.O. leaves me longing for the olfactory overload of the open, though I am still drawn to it like a spurned lover! It really is a rich and interesting scent overall, definitely sexy!

My signature fragrance. Such an erotic blend of notes...Every evening that I wear Black Orchid, I turn heads as its enchanting aroma fills the space. A bold and daring fragrance, that must be accompanied by a confident swagger and a devilish grin. An Oriental Spicy lover's heaven.

What could be said about Tom Ford Black Orchid that hasn´t been said already? I love it, is powerful, dark, unique, original and bold... a little sweet without reach gourmand territory, and specially appreciate in foggy and moody cold days. Not for everyone and not for everyday, leaves without a doubt a precedent of sophistication. I am sure that those who enjoy Black Orchid should die with TF Noir de Noir. Highly recommended!

absolutely dark and erotic.

nothing for pink girlies.

1st of all , I wanna thank Floof for the 4 ml sample bottle she sent me :) , i was waiting so long to taste this one , and it worth alllll that time , its just Amazing

BLACK ORCHID is a dark , sexy , mature that's was my 1st idea but after few hrs i keep sniffing my hand and its just WOW , there is lots of sugar, there are heady floral notes, there is a fruit note somewhere. Tempering all of that is a strong undertone of something earthy and dark in a very good way.

i just got it today so um not able to review it as it should be , so later I'll post larger review about it !

This is the sexiest perfume for women i have ever smelt. This is not for girls but for a woman who is totally secure in herself. There is a bit of 'skank' in the mix which gives the scent its 'come to mama' feel to it.

I find this fume so damned confusing, having smelt it on numerous occasions, and nearly bought it too.

I find the top notes, loud, tacky and discordant, Blackcurrant/Tobacco and the sweetest possible Gardenia and Ylang Ylang give these opening seconds the impression of the breath of someone who has drunk too much Vodka and Redbull for their own good.

The dry down isn't much better, it's so coconuty and syrupy and floral, and certainly doesn't rise above the crowd of bog standard fruity florals.

It's the base which is compelling. The mix of vanilla/chocolate, incense and creamy sandalwood with the remnant of that berry/tobacco tang is pretty haunting and delightful. Extremely seductive and addictive.

I hate buying expensive perfumes which don't delight me at every stage of their development, I want it to captivate me from the moment it leaves the nozzle.

I shall have to work out if I like the oh-so-shagable base enough to grit my teeth through the rude, brassy opening.


Edit: I bought it in the end, I'll just have to put up with the top and dry down. LOL

I was worried by some of the reviews that this would be overpowering or a let down, but I was completely wrong. This smells amazing. As soon as I sprayed it on I couldn't get enough of its gorgeous smell. On me it doesn't seem very dark or heavy. It definitely has a green streak through it with a lovely floral hint hovering over the warm base, which is vetiver and patchouli to me. I get only a little chocolate and vanilla, just enough to make it delicious, but not gourmande. It is also unisex, which I prefer, could be equally as good on a man I think. Really very unique.

I put this on and thought that I should like it, but ultimately I don't. It smelled of harsh violets and cheap patchouli to me - I love patchouli scents but wonder what the formulation budget was? There's something not quite nice about this one for me.

Black Orchid is a fume that makes me vocal.ohhh,ahhh,loveeeeely.It is thick,dense,syrupy!
The first notes r like an elaborate buffet.a lil of all that is good.Crooking its finger toward u beconing u on.

After a while a GIANT black orchid unfurls.Its petals like silk Bordered in velvet flash irresisdecence toward thedark side of the moon.U feel u r one with that precious flower.The scent carries u on deeper into paradize.

Toward the end u feel and smell the deep,regal forrest.A creamy vanilla waifs through,followed by sheets of exotic woods with spices.

In short,its a masterpiece.Sillage is unreal!!! Last on me 12/14 hrs.

The most expensive smelling fume.I love it!

MMMM, this is probably the most sophisticated sweetness you can buy. This doesn't smell like a man's crotch to me or it at least doesn't smell like mine. (Mine gets cleaned EVERYDAY, mind you!). It smells like marshmellows and fruits and a little bit of gardenia and something else I can't quite place. This is a sillage MONSTER! TWO SPRAYS AT THE MOST, PLEASE! If I ever smelled someone doused in this I would get them the number to the nearest suicide hotline. This will off YOU and everyone around you if not sprayed moderately.

That being said, you won't even NEED more than one spray. I sprayed this once in the morning and the next morning, even after a shower, I could STILL smell it. This is definitely a fragrance where the expensive price tag is justified. Don't pass on this one, y'all. Give it a sniff. Wait, give it more than a sniff! The first time I smelled this I did not like it. I sprayed it on my skin and fell in love :)

Just got a 100ml EDP of this. Tried the tester and was amazed at the compliments a got from just one drop.

i really hope i don't get tired of it though. From your reviews, i'm not sure i will....

I realize that this is a popular fragrance and has a lot of reviews, so i wont repeat what has already been said besides- yes its great, dark, beautiful, comforting, sexy, mysterious, creamy and unisex to an extent. I have had a man buy this after smelling it on me and he told me to never stop wearing it. Most people seem to like it on me and i get many compliments. I also use it as a room spray sometimes and it will cover most smells.
Anyway all I came here to write is that i recently purchased a kit at neiman marcus with a solid wax compact of black orchid, a lipstick in the shade black orchid (too dark for my mother or myself, ideal for darker skintones or halloween) and a nail polish in black orchid (same shade as the lipstick but more wearable on nails- i havent tried this yet). Really, I purchased the set for the BO compact which easily slips into a pocket or purse and is completely transportable. I think the wax is a little softer smelling than the spray, more comforting. It also layers beautifully with the spray for better lasting power. As of now the compact is not sold outside of the kit and it might be a NM exclusive. Highly suggest!

Gorgeous. Black Orchid starts out very sharp, but dries down to a beautiful, spicy scent. It is very potent---I only have a sample, and it has lasted awhile since I literally use one dot at a time. Reminds me (very slightly) of Opium. My sister-in-law wears it often, but I save it for special occasions.

Reminds me of Angel! Although more wearable because the patchouli isn't so harsh. For those looking for an Angel alternative... I would go for this. It's deep, dark and alluring. The middle seems to be the best part for me... floral scented spice. Now, I only tried the EDT and it dried down fairly quickly, leaving behind a powdery ghost of its former self. If I bought this, it would definitely have to be the EDP. My skin just eats perfume up!

BTW, I didn't get any chocolate, which I was REALLY hoping for.

This is 'the one'.
The very first review by BlackAmberMood says it all , very beautifully I might add .
Black Orchid is definitely not for the shy or retiring ,and definitely not if you mind being approached by strangers asking 'What is that gorgeous scent you're wearing '.
I can imagine that on some , this will be the scent that wears them,not the other way round , but my skin loves this dark, exotic juice , so much so that in my own weird world Tom Ford concocted this velvety deep , dark and syrupy, chocolatey heaven masterpiece just for me :)

I finally bought this and I am loving it. It strikes me as some kind of secret elixir or love potion. It's dark and seductive. Fruity yes, but the dark black currants and the astringent type spices along with the incense can cause eyebrows to raise. It's pretty sharp, not mellow at all. I don't smell all that much chocolate. Maybe a tinge. It's very, very strong, and lasts for hours. I sprayed some on one morning, (about 3 sprays), went to the mall and tried on many different perfumes. By the end of the day I could only smell the Black Orchid.

I was very intrigued about this perfume based on the reviews here in Fragrantica and also because of a recommendation from a friend who works for a perfume store. Especially when I heard that there’s a chocolate note in this perfume. I have been looking for the right perfume with a chocolate scent for a long time already and I told myself this could be it!!

So I eagerly went to a perfume store, went straight to the TOMFORD corner, and there it was sitting with its brothers and sisters (with almost similar bottles) with its unique bottle texture and style. I asked the girl at the counter if I can smell it, and she excitedly proceeded with her sales talk saying how unique and exotic this perfume is.

And she is right! This perfume is very unique, BUT (a big BUT) no matter how much I would like to want it, I just couldn’t force myself to! It’s too dark and strong for me, now it’s not anymore a question why this is being used by men too. Yes, I would love to own a perfume with a chocolate note, but this is TOO much. It’s like melting a dark truffle in the microwave and then use it as a lotion all over your body! Maybe others would love that but it’s just not my cup of tea.

And I am not sure if it’s only me but I can slightly smell a tobacco scent from it??? I cannot smell any hint of citrus, floral or fruity notes from it.

So that paperstrip that the lady gave me with 3 sprays of BO on it, as I cannot see a rubbish bin near me, I put it straight in my jeans’ back pocket and continued smelling other scents and forgot about it. And then when I went back to my office, I was wondering why the scent is following me, I thought it was just stuck in my nostrils, but then I remembered it was still in my back pocket and then I quickly threw it to the nearest rubbish bin. But maybe that was not a good idea at all, because it was as if I lit a scented “Black Orchid” candle in my office because the scent won’t go away.

Sorry BO fans, it just didn’t impress me.

YES YES YES! Fruity, dark, exotic, creamy, luxurious, floral, heady. THIS is the perfume I've been searching for! J'adore!

i think black orchid is not so special as some reviews wanna show.i find in the opening to much patchouli that makes the fragrance very masculine, then it warms and i feel gardenia, very deep gardenia thatnks to the basenotes.i do not fit in this scent and i think is good to wear with caution because it's strong and just by weman that love strong petchouli and deep powerful fragrances.

The bottle its amazing, Tom Ford its a really smart man who always knows what sells.
This sells but unfortunatly I hate it. And I really wanted to like it...
In my skin this smells like plastic. Its powdery but sharp at the same time, its really weird.
Its definatly sophisticated, but I dont know why, because I cant imagine no one wearing this with the last fashion clothes on. Reminds me of those old drugstore fragrances or body sprays, probably its my skin that is weird...This give me headaches and make me feel has Im wraped in those bubble bags :(

Hunter Thompson once said "I wouldn't recommend sex, drugs or insanity for everyone, but they've always worked for me." I can say the same about BO. I'm just starting to use it but I love it so far.
It indeed is similar to Angel (base notes).
What I smell most of the time is dark dark chocolate and fruits mixed. That's why I mostly love BO. Sometimes it is a killer-gourmand but sometimes I can smell forest fruits the most.
I like how it changes, brakes and dances around. Very interesting perfume with amazing sillage and lasting power.

edit: my father(57) decided that he will steal BO from me from time to time. He says that his female friends love it. What a punkrocker :)

This is a scent for a sophisticated woman. It is at once sultry and sweet. Black Orchid, for me, started off with the sweet floral smell of gardenia and black currant. On dry down, I smell citrus fruit and spices entering the mix, all tempered with patchouli, sandalwood, and chocolate. It is a warm scent for cool days and nights - heady and sexual, but not too heavy as is often the case with scents that have patchouli and vetiver in the base notes. Sillage is good without being overpowering. Lasting without being cloying or too masculine. Simply lovely.

This is the fragrance that Anne Boleyn wore when she seduced Henry VIII. It is dark and rebellious and I suspect could turn a nation upside down. Only a strong, confident, and driven woman can carry this fragrance well. I don't feel at all I am the girl for this part, but my husband likes it! I guess I just better watch my head!

I have finally tried this treasure, and I love it. This is a type of scent that is not for everybody since it is dark, powerful, warm and a kind of sweet. But, it is very sexy and incredibly appealing. I don't get that smoky accord, which seems to bother a lot of people. On my skin, I get a pleasant mixture of warm orchids, fresh citruses, and warm chocolate. The lasting power is not the best, about 4-5 hours. I love Black Orchid!

it is not a bad fragrance but is also not a feminen one.

According to the notes (and with that "dark" image as well!), I was supposed to like this one... However, there's something wrong with it and I can't figure out, what exactly. Maybe it's the chocolate that's too prominent or the feijoa (must the dubious "fruity notes" listed here) or just my body chemistry.

This fragrance is not for the light casual wearer. Expect to be noticed and in my personal case, complimented (always in my rotation). Its rich, sweet, clean, and mysterious. A bit of black magic in a gold plated apothecary bottle. Genius.

After reading all the reviews, I was fiending for a sample of this. Unfortunately for me it has two out of my three deal breakers - sweet & dominant floral.

It starts out as powdery, sweet, and berry. It progesses to chocolate, spice, and deep floral.

Then it goes to chocolate, sweetness from fruit,tartness from citrus and a very heavy floral with sweetness of its own.

It settles with sweet floral chocolate fruit which actually makes my stomach revolt (for lack of a better term).

I couldn't get this one off fast enough, scrubber and a half :(

I think this has a lot to do with the skin chemestry .. either it's a hit or a miss ,, on mine was lucky me a hit , on my friend's skin was horrible i couldnt detect any of the notes listed ,, I LOVE THIS PARFUME , mmmmmmm the scent is overwelming ...You should try this

Oh, God. When I first applied the Black Orchid I wanted to scream out loud: "Oh, f***, what is this?". But please, don't get me wrong, it was meant in a good way.
I could not agree more with the review in which someone said, that the top notes and middle notes could be the 8th wonder, because I haven't seen/smelt anything like this. There is actually no words to describe what kind of sexy orgy is happening at my wrist at this moment. At the beginning I got...wait for it...bubblegum! Really? Yes, really, pure bubblegum for 30 seconds and then, thanks god, it turned to the sexy orgy part, which I'm loving very, very much. The minty note from patchouli lingers now and then, but no too much, I'm frightened that patchouli might ruin this absolutely perfect scent for me, but so far it's under control.


Yeah, it does smell a little bit like man's crotch, lol, well, one particular man's crotch if I remember right, but that would be too much information, lol.

Anyway - this is almost satanic. Porn on my wrist, jesus, I love this.
Ladies - get your high heels and best lingerie, because I can't imagine this with something else. This might be the only thing that woman should wear in bed as well :)

Such a pity, I wanted so much to like this scent! When I read the notes I thought: wow, this will be the perfume equivalent of Thriller by Michael Jackson! I was waiting for orchid and chocolate, maybe a bit of incense... all I get is a vile peppermint note (must be the patchouli, which I hate in Mugler Eau de Star too), and when it dries down the whole thing smells of After Eight chocolates (maybe you know those: bitter chocolate with peppermint cream filling). Yuck! I am very disappointed.

It's dark and sexy and noirish where saint
and sinner collide in one bottle. The opening starts with white gardenia with it's sweet innocent scent represent the saintly part of the fragrance dries to an
tart and succulent of black current, there
is an nuance of tangerine that is juicy
to the core dries to an velvety texture
of bergamot, and ends the top notes with
nocturnal jasmine with it's quieting aspects and ylang ylang that hangs in the dark night.

As we go down to the middle notes we enter a room of fiery spices but it's
not overwhelming and brings exotica to
the senses there is an deep and diluted
note note of fruits that makes it primal, the lotus is the quietest note
in the perfume but it also makes it powdery and the orchid the star of this
fragrance is the most dark quality of
orchid you can ever get dries the middle
down.

Dry sandalwood starts the drydown with a
esoteric fervor then warms with amber
and earthy patchouli then dark chocolate
with deletable tastes makes it sexual
ends with the mysterious note of incense.

When i wear this it conjures me of a late 1920's metropolis where a fashionable women wearing all black with
fur short cut dress and a close fitting
crochet hat walking though the shadowery
streets with streetlights reflecting her
shadow and the steam from the subway
from the asphalt floor and she comes across a man who's dark good looks slowly pulls her in and kisses her deeply and slowly moves her stocking from her garters and rubs his hands
over her flawless legs.

this is truly sex in a bottle.

I bought this on a whim from eBay because I didn't want to pay a high shipping cost for a single small bottle of perfume - and am I ever glad I did! I LOVE this stuff - it's gorgeous, seductive, dark yet enticing not off-putting and the dry-down is amazing (I get black pepper for some reason *shrug*)! Even my husband, who is notoriously picky about fragrances (how he can smell anything as much as he smokes is beyond me!) likes it. I was trying to describe the scent to the person who sold it to me, but I just couldn't - it's something that really must be experienced.

Hi.

Everything about BLACK ORCHID speaks of Seduction.Yes it is definitely a Seductive Perfume that Attracts like Magnets and This is something different That you have never Experienced in Your life. Gorgeous,Luxurious,Heavy,Hot, Classic,Expensive,Rich,Spicy,Unique and quite Feminine.

A Perfect Oriental with mixture Flowery and Fruity That makes the Atmosphere Heavnely in Two Sprays.So Strong opening.Citruses and Jasmine are a perfect blend in the Top notes,While the Heart Encompasses Black Orchid and Lotus and a Weird and Special Base notes.

It has a Perfect Character Then if You are Looking for a Perfume that want Describe Your Personality and Your Emotion This might be Your New Fragrance. Suitable for SPECIAL Occasions in WINTER EVENINGS. I Recommend it to any Lady who just wants to smell Special but Test it first before Buying!

Sillage?Excellent.

Longevity?Good on my skin.

8/10

I'm reviewing this a second time because my nose has "matured" quite a bit since the last time I smelled Black Orchid. The top notes strike me not with citruses like those listed, but with black currant and... licorice? I think that would be it. Ripe, sweet, and deep. It doesn't change a whole lot in the dry down, but the distinct chocolate and vetiver (I adore both!) appear. You end up with a fragrance that is smoky, fruity, dirty, and elegant all at the same time. What an accomplishment! I actually feel a little intimidated by it, haha. Maybe I'll be ready to wear it in due time.

Ok, I tested this perfume and it smells wicked. It's definitely not light or fluffy. I's the most sultry, sexiest, steaming hot perfume I've ever tried. I have to have it!! I don't normally go for this type of perfume, (more of a fruity floral person) but again, I have never, ever smelled one like this before. It'll be my 'going out on the town and smelling damn sexy' perfume.

Well, I'm not sure exactly what a black orchid is supposed to smell like. But, there used to be a nursery in my neighborhood that specialized in orchids. I used to spend hours there, under the humid tents searching for little gems to bring home with me. To my nose, this perfume smells like someone bottled the scent of those tents, condensed it and dipped it in chocolate. I got a sample from a very generous fragrantica member (Thank you very much!) and decided I had to add a bottle of this to my collection. (It's on the way!)

Weird and wonderful. It really is a love it or hate it perfume. I love it. At first it smells dirty, but on my skin it settles down to a smooth vanilla woods scent with a hint of incense.

Lasts forever.

This was the first perfume I scrubbed off my wrist. Maybe the tester was off, maybe my nose hadn't smelled too many wacky things yet to appreciate it, but this smelled like mushrooms rotting in the soil with wilted flowers around it.

Beautiful scent if you like heavy orientals with exotic flowery notes. To my nose, this should not be considered a chypre scent, because the dominant notes are not reminiscent of that general scent group. I suppose some could argue that. But to me, this is definitely a true oriental with floral notes blended with earthy notes- dark chocolate & a truffley edge- the mushroom kind of truffle, NOT the candy kind- Mysterious, alluring & very dark, needless to say. My nose also detects a substantial amount of amber that gives the fume a lot of warmth, which I like, but more so for autumn/winter months.

Sillage is grand, as one might expect from the house and price tag. Lasting power also seems to be fantastic so far.

There is a note that's starting to remind me a little of Donna Karan Gold (original), but I'm not quite sure what it is; may be my skin chemistry.

This scent conjures up an image of wealth & refined taste in my opinion. When I sniff my wrist I can't help but think of an affluent, stylish young woman (with a lot of handsome suitors)who may be particular & very selective. Could easily be a signature fragrance. Highly recommend for gourmand junkies, oriental/floriental lovers & exotic flower gals. Very luxurious & sensuous fragrance!

Like the smell, wish it was stronger or lasted longer

So powerful - dark, spicy, heavy. But gorgeous. It lasts forever and you just need a tiny bit. I suspect it is the kind of supercharged perfume that could knock your neighbour sick if they don't like it. But if they do it is sexy, hypnotic and timeless. It has a lot in common with classics from Estee Lauder and Guerlain but it is modern too and almost unisex despite the liberal floral notes. It is a pity it is so expensive. Definitely on my wish list.

The first fragrance from Tom Ford evokes
timeless luxury and worldly glamour.
Sensual and sophisticated, the alluring
black orchid is blended with rich black
truffle and precious wood notes.

This is amazing. it took a long time to grow on me but now it has i just love it.

And the lasting power? you're talking days not hours.

Worth the money.

Bluntly put, it is sex in a bottle. Melds from lust to passion. Rich, fragrant chocolaty orchid balanced with a dark forest of mushrooms and vetiver topped with a creamy yet carnal vanilla. Impressive sillage, long-lasting, complex top notes with sumptuous dry down.
Sometimes if I leave it on overnight I'll be woken up to the decadent vanilla note in the dry down in the morning.
When wearing Black Orchid, random strangers will compliment me or ask me what I'm wearing. I will be devastated if this is ever discontinued.

Does anyone remember this Andrews Sisters song:
"Drinking rum and Coca-Cola,
Go down Point Koomahnah,
Both mother and daughter
Working for the Yankee dollar"
?
Because this is exactly what Black Orchid evokes to me - it's all there: the rum and Coca-Cola, with a fistful of cocoa added no less (must be the combination of dark berries, chocolate and patchouli), the tropical feeling, tropical flowers, the 'vampy' reference so to speak... It's strong allright, very strong, very heavy, very, very sweet, everything in here is magnified. Imposing. Demanding. Astounding sillage and staying power as well, and oh boy, how it diffuses! I can see how this can cause one to either love it or hate it with a passion, and I truly appreciate it for the grand imagery it creates, in a very loud voice... I admit it is so interesting I could not help sniffing it over and over again (not that I had a choice), even thought it was killing my senses and perhaps somehow harming my internal organs as well, or so it felt. However, having met it once is enough for me for a lifetime and I wouldn't mind staying as far away as possible from it in the future.

I was obsessed to buy this, but as luck had it I sampled it first. Thank goodness I did as it is totally overpriced. Smells nice, but Mauboussin or Kenzo Jungle runs rings around Black Orchid.

Black Orchid reminds me of the most beautiful man I ever saw.

I was in Taos, New Mexico, sitting outside of a Starbucks and enjoying my chai latte after a long drive from Denver. He pulled up on a black Hog (that’s a Harley Davidson for you non-Americans), wearing chaps and black leather boots. His face suggested he was early 60s, but his long hair was still black as night; and he wore it tied at the back of his head.

Now I’ve seen some good looking Native Americans in my life, but this one was exceptional. The desert sun had certainly left its trace; but the resulting wrinkles only added depth to the chiseled canvas.

I came close to approaching him, but wasn’t sure how he would respond to ‘hi, I think you are the most exotic example of art in motion I’ve ever seen, can I take your picture?’

Ah well. At least I have Black Orchid to keep the memory fresh.

I really expected to love this. The scent was so beautiful on paper. Something about my skin chemistry, though, turned it into the smell of a sickly sweet hospital cleaning product. Almost like a combination of coca-cola syrup and camphor. So disappointed.

If you are a lover of deep, dark & rich fruity-floral scents you may enjoy this creative little fragrance.

It is so, so much better than Voile de Fleur to my nose yet somehow I can't ever see myself buying a full bottle. I would enjoy owning a decant - used occasionally as a moody scene-setter scent.

I get incense, earth & mildew first, mixed with still lake water, rich berry compots, black currents complete with their bitter green leaves....then the spice & the orange peel...a hazy floral veil...rich, sticky blackberry liqueur....patchouli & woods....& eventually a smooth, woodsy, ambery chocolate.

It is well-made & different enough to hold your attention, but could become sickly if applied with a heavy hand - suffocating you like a bewitched strangling vine in an enchanted wood.

Dare I say it - I would like a darker version of this scent: more incense! More liqueur-berries! More bitter crushed leaves! More black chocolate! Black Orchid is a Disney enchanted forest...I guess I want the twisted Tim Burton version.

I got a bit of a surprise when I finally got a sample of this the other day. Ive been dying to try it. Thought it would be a bit mysterious and unisex. On me its very light, soft, feminine, and powdery floral. No chocolate, no amber or insence. Just a fresh clean smell. Nothing I would spend big bucks on thats for sure. It does last though. Not what I was expecting at all.

There's flowers and chocolate, there's incense and fruit but this fragrance is not about its individual parts or about showcasing a particular note.

Black Orchid is about how when you're going out at night (wearing your bright red lipstick with your favourite leather jacket) and put it on you feel as if you have just applied liquid sex... Humid, heavy and sweet.

Black Orchid does not whisper, she is not cool and refined. She is over-the-top glamorous and maybe even a little bit dangerous.

i LOVE BLACK ORCHID, THE FRAGRANCE FOR WOMENT...ITS THE BEST

When you are very very sensitive, this perfume obviously is too too much. For everybody else: black orchid makes you face any kind of music:
Swank, uninhibited, no excuses.

A tribute to Les Fleurs du Mal...

I got to try out Black Orchid today, what an experience! The minute I sprayed some on my wrist a horrid odor crept into my nostrils like a combination of tobacco and something terribly bitter. The scent then calmed down into a dark woody scent and slowly transformed into a luscious fragrance. A 50 ml is quite expensive, so I would have to wait until all of my perfumes are gone before purchasing this one since the smell is bound to linger more than the others.
A WOW factor, girls!

im a guy..but i prefer black orchid to extreme for men..im not gay..i like women..is that wrong? when women smell me will they like laugh??

Timeless~Sensual~Luxurious! Right off the back I smell the mandarin and bergamot citrus and a hint of jasmine. The jasmine is so delicious in this fragrance. Then it goes through this rather spicy phase. After that initial shock finally wears down, you're granted with the rich darkness of the black orchids. It warms into a rather mellow sweetness where the incense, patchouli and amber come alive. It's a rather ardent and beautiful meeting of sultry woods and sweet fruit accords that just lingers on into the night. What more can I say? I love this stuff. Timesless~Sensual~Luxurious!

Having just posted my first impression, I just noticed that after significant drydown, the scent has become much more pleasant. Amber-Vanilla-Patchouli oil scent. Much more natural and less cloying. It is still very sweet but in a much more understated and organic way. I can sense a floral bouquet amidst the warmth of the amber and patchouli. This one may well be one of those scents worth the drydown (like Shalimar, though obviously in a different way) and may be worth hiding yourself (with a clothing pin on your nose) until it settles.
Interesting.

Summary: No Orchid, just chocolate.

My Notes:
Literally, the first thing that I did after sniffing this on my wrists was sneeze.
The first blast is classically oriental.
Then, there is a boozy and almost fruity waft. Dark liquor and over-ripe black currant jam. What follows is a slightly musty but still sweetly rounded scent.
All stages so far are so spicy that it continues to tickle my nose and threaten sneezing.
As it settles down, it becomes primarily spices and oils and is reminiscent of an aromatic tincture. The Bergamot takes over a bit and the chocolate and vanilla become more obvious. It is sweet yet tempered by the smell of incense and spices.
As it dries down, I still haven't noticed much in the way of florals. This scent is highly edible and a bit strange. After the initial dusty sourness, it becomes sweet yet still dark and moody.
This is perfect for a mysterious yet sensual vibe. This isn't sexy in the traditional sense as the darkness hearkens more of Bette Davis than of Marilyn Monroe and the slight bitterness of the sweet notes is not very feminine in a classical sense.
This is an intelligent, crafty, possibly meloncholic lady covered in powder with the aroma of chocolate liquor on her breath.
It is more winter, special occasion to me. Well suited to a sexy librarian or black widow.
Well formulated, classy, dark, good sillage (the sillage is much less overwhelmingly dark and less masculine), and long-lasting.
Having said all of this, I wouldn't buy this as it gives me an allergy headache. Also, it is VERY chocolatey (in a n artificial, waxy way) and it reminds me of the scent of chocolate lip-smackers and that isn't really a good thing. It confuses me a bit as the sweetness is very immature and the spices are more middle-aged. As a twenty-something, I feel this scent is lost to me or, more rightly, that I am lost between demographics.
Chocolate fans will be pleased with this. Not ever having been a fan of either chocolate or chocolate scents, this is not my cup of... chocolate.

smells gorgeous and unique, totally love it's seductive, confident and not easy to get it has a total attitude but the problem is that it's not long lasting i am really disappointed :(

i got a small sample of this today. Oh my gosh it took me by surprise! I was fully expecting not to like this but I love it!! It smells, dark, unique, spicy and alluring. I want a full bottle of this mysterious potion!

Tom Ford's BLACK ORCHID is a thick, ultimately patchouli-rich fragrance with a number of distinct phases according to my nose.

On first spritz, my immediate reaction was that this was a sugar festival. Within less than a minute, however, the sugary opening gave way to a flour-y phase very similar to my memory of BOIS FARINE. But, unlike BF, BLACK ORCHID continues to develop past the pile of flour in a sawmill filled with freshly cut planks of wood.

With time, the patchouli and spices assert themselves, and the drydown is a thick, almost chewy, amber layer that is slightly sweet, quite dark, and rather spicy.

Those who find a bit of ANGEL in this are focusing on the patchouli and the thick drydown, I think. Others are finding much more of a floral focus here than I am able to discern. The flowers really don't play a huge role in this edp, according to my nose, perhaps because the incense and spices--one of which appears to be cardamom--are so very strong, and the vanilla and chocolate add a sweetness that imparts to the flour note a cakey texture.

I like this fragrance, but it definitely builds up with reapplication to create something very different than one might have been expecting--or would have guessed from the opening. BLACK ORCHID seems like a perfume that can be many things to many people, depending upon how much is applied. Apply a lot, and you will begin to approach the drydown of ANGEL. Hold back, and you will have a much milder scent. But there's no getting around the patchouli, which you must not only tolerate but like in order to be able to wear BLACK ORCHID.

So I received my sample today, and almost immediately bathed my arm in it, whoops!
It reminds me of the Beckham Jasmin Noir dry down except it's stronger, also sweeter. While they don't smell exactly the same they have the same feel to them. Dark, sultry, not your light sunny bouncy floral.

The jasmine, incense, amber, and vanilla stand out clearly. Thankfully I prefer Jasmin Noir overall or I'd have to own them both! If you do enjoy Jasmin Noir but would prefer something a bit sweeter and lighter you might consider giving Black Orchid a try.

Thanks kastehelmi for swapping me this sample! I don't know what possessed me to want to sample Black Orchid - it *should* be too oriental, too sweet, too spicy, too heavy, too dirty for me. I *should* be drawn to the lighter flowery Voile de Fleur. But Black Orchid is irresitible, like a drug.

From the opening, you're intoxicated, floored, and way out of your league. Unfurling white petals of gigantic gardenias and jasmines, wreathed with dried berries, swimming through a fog of vanilla and incense. Dark, then light; sharp, then sweet. Definitely a heavy perfume, but instead of repelling, it intrigues. The white florals die off quickly, and the jammy fruits lead you down into a floral accord. Compared to Nuit d'Orchidee, Black Orchid is not so much a solifore as a medley of flowers and fruits. NOT a fruity floral - this fruit/floral bouquet is shrouded in that same fog of vanilla incense. The light-hearted fruits dim more and more throughout Black Orchid's lifetime as the deep gothic base comes to life, with patchouli amber and Chocolate. Overall, Black Orchid is robust and fleshy, but dark. The best word I have for it is INTRIGUING.

I really must disagree with those who say Black Orchid is "not for everyone" or "controversial." Sure, it's dramatic and unique from the light-hearted concoctions that seem ubiquotously popular, but I can't find anything unlikeable about this. Sticky? From a gourmand-hater, NO. Too dark? Balanced with fruits, no. Obnoxiously loud? Maybe, but the difference between this and something like Opium is that it's ENJOYABLE and has you leaning in for more.

I am sitting on the edge of my seat for the Black Orchid VDF sample coming to me soon!!

Can't agree more with dear Kastehelmi member , also when the well-experienced Kittykati member said that its "
heady and incredibly thick; intoxicating, sticky, smoky, woody, chocolatey. there were moments when it reminded me of j'adore, but i see absolutely no similarity to angel
" indeed accurate analysis.
for similarity to J'adore : thats right ! as both scents have huge centripetal orchids in . but where J'adore is lovely & tolerable , black orchid is fumey , cloying & obnoxious ,,, a nightmare to my nose with all those dark chocolate + smouldering incense .
Please test thoroughly before buying & don't believe the Hype ,,,,, indeed its all hype .

Black Orchid edp is super sensual and absolutely delicious. But I have to say that is has soo many similarities with now discontinued Dior Poison esprit de parfum that i love so much. That is similarities in nature though, not in ingredients as BO is built upon a base of heavy patchouli.

Black Orchid is a bit more open, has a greater depth and is less creamy and rich than Poison edp. It's a very interesting, bewitching and sensual fragrance that jumps directly up to my want list.

I'll probably wait to buy it until my stach of Poison edp is running out. I will be using that one more frequent now when I know that the kind of scent I love, but thought maybe would appear a bit dated, is instead a very modern and highly celebrated and admired fragrance today. THANK YOU TOM FORD! And I (almost) forgive you for reformulating Rive Gauche :)

edit: For me, right now when I am retesting it, there is a bit too much offensive patchouli in the base for my liking. But I know this will differ depending where I'm in the month. Hormones seems to influence my sensitivity towards fragrances and certain notes.

And so I have a new least favorite scent. This reminds me of being on a bus suffocating in the company of a dirty angry woman who loves her pungent perfumes to drown out the scent of all of the others. Wow.... maybe it's patchouli and orchid together in such strength, combined with the dangerous dark chocolate that leaves me gasping for air. It's the scent of a villain, a vortex, a weapon flower that destroys the other orchids. Perhaps in a small dose it might be tolerable on somebody, but it's just gross on my skin.

Thank God for Tom Ford . This stands out at a love me or hate me perfume but I'm here to stay! Dark , sweet , terrible but bewitching all at the same time. Enough with the watery fruity aqua nonsense and forward with Black Orchid. Dramatic, over the top but completely romantic . Love it and may it newer be changed nor discontinued.

At the frag counter I eagerly spritzed on the celebrated Black Orchid. On first spritz, I loved the opening. It was wild,wonderful,weird,--bewitching, almost intoxicating. I thought it would be a heavy oriental but it's strangely FRESH/green, or as others have said, aquatic, just hovering above the skin.
I get the impression of something herbal-minty/camphor or menthol quality? It's kind of warbly--it seems to oscillate.

Still, just sniffing the nozzle and/or test strip was a beautiful, admirable scent.

However as the top notes faded, the gourmand accord made itself apparent, and I immediately thought "ANGEL"!!! After that, lovely spices and a woody drydown. But then I got a bit disappointed. It struck me how each transition felt like a derivative of every other commercially successful perfume on the market.

And that's the secret--ok, not-so-secret--success of this perfume: it capitalizes on the buyer to buy into the exclusivity of luxury/prestige which in turn implies a conformity. Let's face it, TF is a marketing maven and he knows this all too well.
tangent>.

Also, BO's wild foray into numerous fragrance families [or "facets" the marketing materials say] is very much in the style of Allure Sensuelle by Chanel.

On my skin, throughout the entire experience I feel I've been laced with oak/treemoss and coumarin. This could prove to be fatal.......

BO is in EdP concentration after all, it is strong and persistent so it needs to be applied with a light hand. Less is more. DO NOT SPRAY MORE THAN ONCE IN ANY ONE AREA. Otherwise, you'll become an instant identifiable smelly object. A bad,toxic headache-inducing one at that. Mouldy cheese. Enough coumarin to burn a hole through anything, burnt plastic. Rotten things, mostly.

I see Black Orchid as a dark haired, strikingly dramatic, Oriental lady with porcelain skin wearing an incredibly loud, statement making multi-layered kimono. As an eccentric, she may seem wild at first, but once she lets her hair down and those layers are shed one by one, you realize underneath it all, she's really quite tame. I personally like her wild exuberance best. I just wish that part of her lasted throughout everything.

Wow what a perfume! The vetiver in here is SO strong in here it's almost drowning everything else out.
This is quite a severe smelling perfume, this perfume makes a statement, this perfume stands up and says... SMELL ME NOW!!
It's the kind of scent that would turn heads if you walked into a party. It would make people whisper hehe.

Ok...enough of the messing around. Like I said...this is an overload of Vetiver and woods to the point of being masculine. It's a dark brooding scent and makes me think of sexy vampires in black velvet dresses. :)

Interesting perfume for sure!!

OK, I must say that I adore, love, admire and appreciate the ORIGINALITY of this one. Its smell is elegant, refined, expensive, unique, BUT: it's baaaaaaaad :((. Bad to the point that it can trigger nausea and/or headaches, that if you're in my shoes. It's bad because it brings out a dark, musty, pungent-to-the-extreme smell. Very bitter dark chocolate and brandy, that's what it evokes to me. I love it and I hate it with the same passion. And like with all things that one SHOULDN'T,I think I'll go and get myself a bottle, sooner rather than later :)

This is definitely a head turner! It intrigues people arround you, keeps them interested... Everytime someone asks me what am i wearing i won't tell them. This is my secret. And it could be your secret...
I am in the process of buying another bottle.
If you decide to go for it, hurry up! Such a massive popularity on this website and the fact that MJ used it doing his electrifying perfomances, drive the prices up!

I can definitely see where problems with this fragrance are coming for.

First of all, it is what you can call a true killer :) Many people say the same thing about Hypnotic Poison or Dior Addict, and although they are strong indeed, Black orchid beats them by far in this field.

It is a magnificent blend, very dark, raw. I dont know it is is sensual, for me it smells really wild, as some people mentioned here it reminds you of thick forest, darkness, something uncontrollable.

The fragrance is so rich that it should be very carefully dosed. It might get very sickening at first when you spray too much. I did that mistake and I have spent the whole evening surrounded by a heavy, thick chocolate-incense cloud, I just hope my friends managed to enjoy it at least a bit.

It's deep, sensual, sexy, luxurious, dark and mysterious....

absolutly love it!!!

I wanna kiss you in Paris
I wanna hold your hand in Rome
I wanna run naked in a rainstorm
Make love in a train cross-country
You put this in me
So now what, so now what?

Wanting, needing, waiting
For you to justify my love

This fragrance confuses me. It is very sensual, no doubt, but I think it is just on the edge between being seductive and just plain vulgar. It won't be an easy decision for me whether I love it or ...well disrespect it.

By the first impression, Black Orchid reminded me Agent Provocateur and Hypnotic Poison - the scents you'll never forget once you tried them; the scents that will get into your head and seduce you, until you just HAVE to try them again. But at the same time, the scents that somehow constantly annoy you like a person who talks too much.

If you can handle it - I’d say go for it and turn not only heads but minds!

Most of the reviews about this perfume is very entertaining and informative. I only tried Black Orchid once and came to a conclusion that this fragrance is not for everyone. A blonde sexbomb (not a cross-dresser) showed it to me and I thought it suited her perfectly. I agree with some of the other perfume-lovers that it's utterly seductive, luscious, gothic, decadent, luxurious, etc. At times, it makes you want to turn into a lesbian..:-)(only joking here) But, it's not for me, thanks. However,if someone is looking for something unique, not a run-of-the mill scent, this is the one to get.

oh my god, i hate this scent, it is so agressive and not seductive at all, it is very acid and smells like dead animal i dont like it, i find it so obnoxious and it is worst on my skin i think im not made for it! i highly prefer "voile de fleur", it s more seductive and kind very sweet oriental wraping scent, but i will not buy it, it is not interresting , its is a good perfum, classical, reminding me of maisons such Dior or Guerlain, nothing special but my mom love it, i think its because it reminds her old perfumes !

Dark, Gothic, Tough, Wild, Sweet, Rich, Barbaric, Violent, Uncivilized, Passionate, Ferocious, Dangerous, Moulin Rouge, it makes me feel all of the above in one second.

Can you say sensual? I feel so SEXY when I wear Tom Fords Black Orchid. I have a highly sensual personality but this just pulls me over! It’s like when you wear it there is no one you can’t have or seduce! It’s hypnotizing and it keeps the wearer and anyone else guessing at just what particular scent that they are smelling, because it gives its particular notes all a chance to shine in one whiff leaving you mesmerized and not overwhelmed!

absolutely love it.was working 2 day and had to ask customer what perfume she was wearing Black Orchid by Tom Ford. definately on my xmas list cant wait 2 smell it again.

I have tried to understand this perfume for a long time now without succes. Everything about it sounds great, interesting, dark, sensual and mysterious. And sure it is, on paper and on a lot of people, but not on me.

The top notes are like ooooooh hmmmm mmmmm ooooh yyyyyesssss mmmm... So incredible yummilicous and dark and kind of bitter and at the same time a little sweet. Transparent but also sensual, heady yes, mouthwatering gorgeus. I can´t get enough.

But top notes are after all top notes, lasting for quite a short time and then... there is nothing in Black orchid for me. It become sour, strange, even bland. It´s like the whole super sensual scent have been soaked in to much water. And with something not so fresh in that water. The rest of the time I just want´s it to end.

As all of you know by now, the one´s that not so suitable for you is the one that lasts the longest!

Black orchid is like some kind of making out and when it´s time to move on... yeah I don´t have to go so far. But, sure it´s a dissapointment!

Admit that I´m a bit yellous of the people that this one works on!

Longlasting, strong and excellent top notes.

I think I have to put some on again, those top notes just killing me...
softly.

This is what an expensive sweet fragrance should smell like. It has everything I love in a perfume. Fresh at the beginning and very sweet, dark and mysterious. It's warm sweetness with a touch of smokiness added to it. Spice mixed with chocolate and fruity undertones. The base smells like the fruits have been marinating in a sweet spicy chocolate juice! and the result is a warm deep rich scent that lasts forever. It gets better and better the longer you wear it. It reminds me a bit of Midnight Rain by La Prarie.

Haha, when I went to the mall and wanted to try this the saleslady told me I probably wouldn't like it. Of course that only made me want to try it more. The opening notes were simply fascinating! Unique, but not at all bad. I almost can't even describe it. The dark spices are so intense, but romantic at the same time. When it dries down to the heart notes, it gets even more interesting with deep, rich florals. Not for people who like safe fragrances.

I can't decide whether I love or hate Black Orchid. I own and adore Black Orchid Voile de Fleur, a lighter version of the original, with more white florals and milky notes, and more incense and woods rather than the spiced fruits and gourmand notes of its predecessor.

I'd read somewhere that Tom Ford wanted Black Orchid to smell like a man's crotch. I'm not sure that that was entirely accomplished, but there is a definite B.O. aroma in this scent that reminds me of teenagers after gym class.

It has its moments of beauty, but unfortunately, to my nose, it's just too inconsistent and its B.O. aspect kills the gourmand notes for me.

As with any heady, spicy fragrance (such as TM Angel), this smells best in small doses. One squirt too many and you'll see noses quickly turning away from your direction. Sprayed with a light hand, it definitely has potential. However, I'll be sticking with Voile de Fleur - I don't have to contemplate its loveliness; it's beautiful without trying too hard.

I tried this a few months back and the memory of it stayed with me all this time; something that has only happened twice before.

I have it on now and want to spritz some on my sheets so I can sleep with it and wake with its trace still on my skin....it is lovely, sensual...like a fine wine.

I don't understand the other reviews that call it dirty, or naughty...i feel positively all woman and know that if I walk through a room with it on, it will definitely turn admiring heads!

On the wrong body chemistry it may turn woodsy, but if you are lucky enough to compliment it, you will find a true love!

I smelt this a few years back, it literally amazed me. I've been walking around pondering over this perfume every day for probably the last 2 years, I don't know why I still haven't bought it, it's sexy and creamy and truly like no other.

I tested Black Orchid the other day. I must say i was disappointed. I had anticipated something complex and unusual.

But on me it smelled like Fracas, with just a touch more "green" and a hint of vetiver, patchouli, and chocoate. I have Fracas and was hoping for something different.

I will definitely give it another try, because i've noticed how fragrances smell different on different days.

I managed to get this for a good price on ebay,was very exited to try it out.Its not a bad smell,also masculine.But its nothing i could wear,it just gets to much of everything in one scent(and i usually like strong scents).Its like i have something heavy over me and i just want it off.I think a man could carry this scent much better becuse of the intensity.
But the smell is not bad,lots of chocolat all the way and spicy fruits.

im a straight guy and i use it all the time. they sell it in the mens section at neiman marcus. id have to say its my favorite fragrance because its the most distinctive.

I only have a sample of this and while I would like to hoard it until I can get my hands of a bottle, I can't resist wearing it. Such an enticing scent, deep and opulent! I don't get even a hint of the citrus listed in the notes, but I do get plenty of truffle, Orchid and wisps of dark chocolate. I detect something woody here, too...not exactly sandalwood nor patchouli....maybe both with the vetiver? Whatever it is, I find it Sinfully delicious, from the rich beginning to the sensual drydown.

Ermm..ermm.. Black Orchid ,Black Orchid what a mystic and multifaceted fragrance you are.
This fragrance drives me crazy today and screw my face up and later it surprised me with his changes.
When you look at the notes you might thing how crazy this guy Tom Ford is to make a fragrance as he throw any notes in the pot and see what happend,for me it looks like this. Flowers,Chocolate,Incense,Woody Notes and Citrus/Fruity Notes in a combination it's really strange.
When you put the fragrance on your skin and you take the first sniff it's perverse in my opinion,it's strong and sticky sweet you smell the chocolate it's Oriental and floral and i screw up my face my mother and my sister too.After some hours it becomes softer and you smell the sweetness of the chocolate but it smells also a bit soft and creamy i like the drydown more than the beginning it's like a crawler becomes a butterfly.
And after this you smell some base notes it is a bit masculine in my opinion,i smell the woody notes and the incense and the patchoulie it's warm and it smells pure and confident.
All in all this fragrance is really provocative and takes getting used to.
It's nothing for the daytime and summer!
I think it's nice for a winter evening.
Black Orchid is a fragrance for mature woman nothing for teenagers.
I really like the Bottle looks elegant and charming and the black match also very good to the scent.

The top and middle notes of this might just be the 8th wonder of the world. It's like nothing I've ever smelled before. It's larger than life, lush, decadent, exhuberant, euphoric, two and a half hours of heaven... then the patchouli rears its ugly head and that's when the party's over for me (my skin doesn't take patchouli well). The drydown is rather musky, not very interesting, quite boring in fact, and lasts an icredibly long time. Despite all this, I'm still trying to convince myself that those 2 1/2 hours are worth the purchase, because what I feel during that time is pure euphoria.

Black orchid would have to be my fav at the moment,
I love wearing orientals .
When I wear this fragrance I can't really smell the chocolate .
I smell the beautiful notes of black orrchid,amber and Incense .
I get alot of compliments with this one.
Try the finishing oil spray with the fragrance too .It lasts 3 times longer.
Dark!Sexy!Classic!

I try it on my skin , this fragrance is amazing seems to be unisex. Yeah this is to die for

Luxurious for sure is what you get with Black Orchid. Sweet Black currant and insense, this is to dye for. You must try this, I love it.. Warm and Creamy I get a soft twist of the Blackcurrant and Vanilla dry down and still pick up the gorgeous patchouli, This is so yummy. Many compliments after wearing this from men and women.

I want to like this one so much (it cost me enough!) but I just can't help smelling dirt when i wear it. As in mud and soil ruining what should be an amazing perfume. I smell it on others and its gorgeous. Sorry Black Orchid but to eBay we go, its not you, its me.

at first I hated this fragrance. i never dared to wear it. after a couple of months i decided to try it on and WOW. it is beautiful on the skin. it doesn't smell so bad! it smells creamy and chocolaty and sweet and sexy and dark!!!!!!!

mmmm i love it!

the bottle is AMAZING too. i love the edged feeling and the intensity of the shiny black and gold. :)

It really hurts writing anything bad about this fragrance. I really want to love it and smell the things everyone else is smelling...
Truthfully I do not find it very special. It reminds me of hypnose but sweeter and more chocolaty.
I guess it is just an average comforting scent. I wish I could smell all the other things... the darkness, the sexiness. I do not know why this fragrance is so high rated.

Stunning. Literally. Whenever I where this I get hoards of comments from my friends and especially their boyfriends, like "You smell so good... hmmm.." Naturally I have to blush, wondering if I applied to much (the fragrance is so strong when you first apply it), but everyone reassures me "No. It's really subtle, what is it? What is it?"

There is a process with Black Orchid, but, once done right it smell like sweet bursts of vanilla infused exotic mists. You will wish you could bathe in this fragrance. It's very feminine, with an almost damp sexuality. It's woodsy and sweet.

BUT CAUTION: when you go to test it, make sure you are smelling Black Orchid and not, Black Orchid Voile De Fleur. While there are similarities between them, there is significant divergence between them.

I want to bathe in this. However there is one caveat to this scent: just after application there is a heavy presents of chocolate, which I think does nothing for the fragrance. It fads once the scent has dried, and then it smells wonderful.

Black orchid always strikes me as not so black as i'd like. it's heady and honeyed but as the time flies the lotus note give a watery slightly stewed note that makes it strange and unusual but a bit sweeter than i'd like and it leads in a soft berry vanilla ending.This is a younger and more simple scent that the top notes suggest.A not so dark melodrama characterised by an interesting disparity in styles, acts like a diva and in the same time feels strangely naturalistic. The contrast shouldn'nt work but somehow does. A well-thought out scent.

If you like Angel, male or female version, you'll like this. It has the same patchouli/chocolate feeling, but lacks the persistent body odor note that Angel has. Dries down to a pleasant wood scent.

I got a tiny tester of this last year, and wanted to save it but couldn't stop myself from using it every day - unsuitably perhaps, because it isn't an everyday perfume.

A friend described it as evoking 'beach parties' and I could see why...there's a touch of incense underlying the chocolate/amber/vanilla movement, like smoke; the craft of it lies in the lightness of that touch; I love jasmine so much and really suffer when I see it bunged into alchemical messes that should be consigned to stripping paint. Here, the jasmine is allowed to be itself and yet be new, and the result is a permeating sweetness that beguiles without ever cloying; earthy and yet brightly dry. This is not the signature of your average femme fatale or pink edged sweetheart, or even the dream dryad walking barefoot in the woods. Decadence is not far from the heart of the Black Orchid. It is the one, a rich, sexy worldly fragrance with hidden stories to tell.

Ford's exhibition of a semi-
monochromatic theme is well pronounced in this work of art. With the focus of blackness, a mythical synergy is encountered with his well balanced selection of black flowers and woodsy spices.The darkness of the black currant, black orchid, and black gardenia mixed with the sweetness of black truffle create the mood of darkness in an exotic form.The array of fruity notes in the base are inviting and you can't help anticipating what will evolve in the heart of this scent.You reach the heart with all its spiciness and savor the aroma of the unique rare black orchid. You then reach the finale and embrace the smokiness of burning incense which dissipates quickly but the gourmet chocolate, vanilla and patchouli appear and you feel content and want to shout Bravo! This is not for the faint of heart and somewhat intense for day wear but for those with a confident attitude, go for it!

What a gorgeous scent!
An essence of decadence, art nuveau, the 20-s, Fitzgerald`s novels...Mr Ford, you outdid yourself.Black Orchid is an inviting dish of berries and fruit, succulent and ripe, adorned with exotic flowers.The velvet drapes are opened and the moonlit pond is gleaming under the lemon trees.There is incense burning on the carved wooden table, and a beautiful dark skinned woman with luxirous hair is indulging on chocolate truffles, waiting for her lover...A very sexy fairy tale!!!

Stupefying, dark, rich, floral perfume. Gloomy and sensual, worrying and very elegant. Black Orchid smells luxury and resource. Exotic, tropical white flowers and black orchid smells beautiful , but this fragrance is too af-fected for me.

No other perfume smells like this one. This one talks, writes dark gothic poems, comes with such a power and on the other hand makes you feel warm and sexy in that castle of darkness. I simply couldn't resist to write this comment this way - without talking about components.Some perfumes you can only describe this way.Perfect ones.:)

I was really enchanted trying this frangrance for the first time. It seemed to me very profond, pretty allegorical ;). Real Black Orchid - combination of popular ingredients making some new quality, some new scent. But now all I can smell is a caramel - and I do believe that's my skin's fault.

This is a very strong scent that demands attention. Unlike some others, I am not turned off by the top notes. I smell more citrus and spice than chocolate truffle. I am very impressed with the tom ford frangrances I have tried thus far.

Disagree with Juliebean. Tom Ford -"Black Orchid" is wonderful. The best of best...

UGH.... not sure which version I tried but the top notes are horrendous. They literally turned my stomach. Maybe that was the black truffle.

But then the dry-down is much better. Smooth, slightly sweet, and a bit creamy.

I think this would make a great fall/winter scent. (if you can get past the horrid top notes!)

I can't get over the initial 'off-kilter' notes, since I don't like truffles, or fennel or other overly-aromatic food, not to mention other more indecent things people smell in this perfume.
But I surprisingly like what's left of it when the initial drama is over.
It's dark and sparkling, it has some mistery in it, and it's definitely exciting.
This is why I'm getting Voile de Fleur version, a safe choice for those who are too afraid to be provocative.

Ok Ladies...here's the lowdown on the Black Orchid. I tried it on at Saks and hated it initially. Then suddenly loved it. Then i sprayed the Black Orchid Foile de Fleur on top of the Black Orchid already on my skin. Absolutely beautiful scent. Men ask me all the time "What is that you are wearing". The two combined are awesome. I bought them both and that's how I wear them. I spray the BO then wait 5 minutes and spray the Voile de Fleur.

This was first time when I was little bit of afraid to test perfume. There's so much negative things said about BO, you either love it or really, really hate it (thigs like "The monster won't come of with soap!" and "It's smell like a mans *******" (pardon me)) are not words that make you confident, but they sure make BO very intresting.

So after encouraging my self, I did it.

And what I did have= Sweet, spicy tendernes with whole bunch of stawberries. No monsters, no unclean bodyparts. It's strong like hell, but good. And there's quite much of masculine feeling too, this maybe coud be weared with man too.

this fragrance is extremely sultry, and on my body chemistry it is sweet and sexy...Every time I wear it people ask me what I am wearing. this one is in my TKO list.

"Ever been in one of these old Hollywood palazzos? That's from when they were making eighteen thousand a week, and no taxes."

Everytime I smell BO, it will remind me of these lines of film Sunset Boulevard. Black Orchid is just like the mansion that beyond our imagination, it's an echo of the faded glory which luxury perfume used to own. It's so different from nowadays perfumes which always pretend to be lovely but lack of characters.

If you're tied of those "lovely" heady floral notes, then try this deep sensual sexy creation!

Alright, I had a mix up! I confused this one with Black Orchid Voile de Fleur. This is the one I don't like, so consider my previous review the review for Voile de Fleur.

I smelled this today... wow. It's simply incredible. It's the strong, spicy, darkness in a fragrance I've been looking for! It's decadent, intense, and intriguing. Powerful at first spray. The most I got out of it was the incense, which was very prominent. Smoky. Warm. Perfect! Not for the faint of heart, though :p. It's almost to the point where it's masculine, but the floral middle notes hold it back and keep it feminine. This is a must have!

Imagine a dark forest at night, thick with mist, the moon full and bright. A dark haired beauty wearing a deep red velvet dress awaits her lover in a gossamer tent under the trees. Inside the tent, incense burns while the woman enjoys dark chocolate, slowly allowing the bitter sweetness to melt on her tongue. Her lover finally arrives and they make passionate love, their bodies glistening with sweat as they utter eternal love. This is Black Orchid! It's the perfume I've been waiting for all my life...