Only Black

Bottom Line

Only Black is best suited for spring or autumn days when you're outdoors for a brief period. It’s too heavy for summer heat and lacks the depth and complexity for formal evenings. Daytime casual is where it might shine, but only if you overspray and refresh throughout the day.

How it Smells

Only Black launches with a surprisingly sharp rosemary and pink peppercorn blast, a little too insistent and with a medicinal edge that the original avoids. The petitgrain is detectable, adding a green, grassy note, but it’s not seamlessly blended. The heart attempts to capture the original’s floral elegance with jasmine and neroli. However, the jasmine is indolic and bordering on fecal, and the neroli has a soapy, almost dish-detergent quality. The orris root contributes a powdery effect, but it leans toward a chalky dryness rather than the smooth, buttery feel of the inspiration. The drydown is where the largest divergence occurs. The sandalwood is synthetic and smells like pencil shavings, the vetiver has a harsh, grassy bitterness, and the cedar contributes a papery note, culminating in a bland woody accord.

Wear time & Sillage

On my skin, Only Black lasts about 5-6 hours. Projection is moderate for the first hour, extending to maybe an arm's length. After that, it quickly retreats to a skin scent. I tested it in a climate-controlled office and found it cloying after a few hours. It fares better in open-air settings, but the poor longevity becomes an issue.