Olivier Durbano - Black Tourmaline

Picture: Black Tourmaline by Olivier Durbano
Photo: PR Olivier Durbano (c)
This also applies to the pictures below

Black Tourmaline is another fascinating fragrance from the jewellery/perfumehouse Olivier Durbano. It's one of the earliest releases of the house and a part of the Bijoux de Pierres Pòemes which is fragrances inspired from different semi-precious stones.

Black Tourmaline starts heavy with a very  natural smelling tar-note. Soon Black Tourmaline smells like an Isle whisky, with its notes of tar and turf with a tad of smoke. The incense is interplaying well blended with the other notes. As Black Tourmaline dries down the tarry wood notes are softened by different dry spicy notes. There is also a hint of a quite rough leather but not as rough as in Mona di Orio Les Nombres d'Or Cuir which is the fragrance that I find most similar to Black Tourmaline, Cuir is almost a sort of turned up follower of  Black Tourmaline, even if Cuir also have the original smoky note that resembles grilled meat. Cuir is overall a stronger and heavier perfume. In the basenotes the dark and potent notes of Black Tourmaline are offsetted by an accord similar to the smell of the forest floor which provides the fragrance a sort of aronatic, fresh and clear expression. I guess this is achieved by the mossy and patchoulinotes interacting with the spices. To me Black Tourmaline is totally unsweet, opposed to MdO Cuir which have some resin sweetness. Sometimes I find such total lack of sweetness i a perfume as a relief.

Black Tourmaline is, just as MdO Cuir, a sort of "outdoor perfume" a fragrance which immediately gives me associations to the autumnal hunt in the swedish forests. The woody and damp smells from the forest, the smoke from the campfire when taking the lunchbreak, the smell from the well oiled riefles and smeared leathery guncases, the woolen, moleskin and leathery smells from the clothes. Black Tourmaline is a unisex fragrance not leaning either to the masculine or feminine side as opposite to MdO Cuir which I find very masculine. It's a perfume for daytime casual wear but could be worn to work if very sparingly applied, this is potent stuff. Sillage is medium and longevity for 12h+.

Black Tourmaline could  be appreciated by those who likes Amouage Interlude Man, Carner Barcelona Cuirs and Nasomatto Black Afgano.

Rating: 5

Notes: Cardamom, coriander, cumin, frankincense, pepper, smoked wood, oud, leather, precious woods, musk, amber, moss, patchouli

Thanks to Fragrance & Art for the sample to test