Jasmin Noir.

Jasmin Noir arrived in September 2008 as part of Bvlgari's Splendida collection. The brief was specific: jasmine as the central ingredient. Carlos Benaïm and Sophie Labbé, both working through IFF, took on the challenge of recharacterizing one of perfumery's most recognizable notes, wrapping it in woody depths and an almost edible warmth that gave jasmine a different character than it typically projects. The composition built from there, using that warmth to create something that felt rich and enveloping rather than bright or fleeting, with the jasmine staying present throughout as the defining element around which everything else arranged itself.

The structure shows how the almond accord threads through the heart alongside the Sambac absolute, giving the floral a marzipan softness that prevents any sharpness. The licorice root, listed as Glycyrrhiza glabra in the official pyramid, anchors the base with a faint anise edge that catches light against the darker woods and patchouli. It's a composition built on contrast: lactonic creaminess meeting root-vegetal depth, amber warmth hitting green sap at the opening.

Gardenia leads, that green, slightly bitter juice that reads like the stem of a flower just cut. The jasmine then arrives as part of the heart, with the Sambac absolute warmed by the almond accord until the combination reads as a rich, edible floral rather than a sharp one. As the heart develops, the precious woods begin to assert themselves alongside the tonka bean, the green opening giving way to something warmer and more enveloping. The patchouli and amber form the base, with the licorice root adding a faint bitter edge that keeps the sweetness honest. The drydown on skin reads close for the remaining hours, you're wearing it, the room catches traces when you move close, but it never projects aggressively.

Released in September 2008 with Kate Moss as the face, shot on Ibiza, the advertising language and campaign matched the composition's character. The mysterious bottle and nocturnal campaign reflected the fragrance's nature. The dark drydown and the licorice root depth give the composition a complexity that distinguishes it from more straightforward white floral orientals, creating something that rewards attention and closer study rather than making its impression from across a room.