BLV Notte Pour Homme is an oriental amber woody fragrance launched in 2004, and Alberto Morillas is the nose. No surprise, then, that it’s a good quality concoction, as Morillas is the great master behind some fantastic smells from the likes of YSL, Carolina Herrera, Kilian, and more. Sadly, I think this one has been discontinued, but fragrance discounters may still have some bottles around, likely for a good price.
I love ambery, woody and oriental scents so it’s no surprise that I’d be a fan of this. I actually owned a larger bottle of this years ago, so when I came across this, I just had to get it to enjoy a dose of nostalgia. And there’s a subtle dark chocolate accord in the base that I enjoy too, although it is soft and lives close to the skin. Apparently, this is an elegant lady-killer scent, but I’ve only ever smelled it on myself. Perhaps I’m versed in self-seduction, then.
- galangal, tobacco blossom, dark chocolate, ginger
- spices, woody notes
I think this fragrance is an understated, gentle, and quiet gem. It’s unobtrusive – good for the office as well as a date. It’s comforting and soothingly sweet and clean, but although it’s powdery clean, it’s also stimulating due to the anise, the pepper, and the cardamom (unlisted, but in there?). Tobacco flower and chocolate give it a smooth and creamy texture at the same time, too. There is no citrus in here, which is interesting as so many pour homme fragrances tend to favour that kind of freshness. It’s not barber-shoppy at all, and yet it’s a little older and refined, but doesn’t smell dated. When I think of Bvlgari, I usually think of fragrances with tea and/or pepper. This one is slightly outside the typical profile, then – heavier and darker.
The last part of the dry down, I have to say, is not really as exciting as the top, although the middle is linear for the most part. It’s tame and lives close to the skin for most of its life, but the longevity is above average. On some people this might last way above average, in fact. If you find it for a good buy, which you might be able to do, I wouldn’t say no to picking up a blind buy of this to switch up your fragrance wardrobe a little. Then again, as this one is a bit floral, a bit spicy, and a bit soapy at the same time, the scent is perhaps also a bit weird, and therefore also a bit polarizing.
The spice, lavender, and woods in here are probably what give it a “masculine” profile, and if that’s not your vibe, apparently the “for women” version of this scent, BLV Notte Pour Femme, also has galangal, tobacco blossom, and dark chocolate. I wonder if it’s as good as this, though. If you know, do comment!