The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Black Vines takes its name from the dark tangles of anise that grow wild across Michigan's industrial outskirts, places where factories give way to forests and something unexpected always takes root. John Pegg, the self-taught perfumer behind Kerosene, grew up in St. Clair, a town where the auto industry shaped everything: the air, the people, the pace of life. His fragrances draw from that contrast, raw industrial weight meeting moments of surprising sweetness. Black Vines is the result of that tension: confrontational at first, almost aggressive in its anise bite, then settling into something earned rather than handed over. The name suggests something grown wild in the margins, thriving where it wasn't planted. That's the point.
The licorice-anise combination is unusual in perfumery, and Black Vines puts it front and center, letting the anise do the heavy lifting. The fir and balsam don't just support; they redefine what the sweetness can be. The composition takes gourmand materials, vanilla, tonka, fig, and refuses to let them become soft. Every sweet note has a green or resinous counterweight keeping it honest. The star anise carries the composition from the first spray, its sharp aromatic character dominating the opening phase.
The evolution
The opening lands fast and doesn't apologize. Star anise and cinnamon hit together, a double punch of spice that reads almost sharp before the fir and incense cool it down. The licorice arrives as an atmosphere, filling the space between the top and heart with something aromatic and slightly bitter. The fig shows up quietly, adding a soft fruit undertone that keeps the whole composition from going fully dark. The vanilla and tonka take over, and the fragrance transforms. What started as sharp and confrontational becomes warm, almost creamy. The fir lingers in the drydown like a memory of cold air. Incense settles into the fabric, sweet and resinous, and on clothing the next day, this is what remains. The anise never fully fades. It just learns to share space.
Cultural impact
Black Vines has earned a devoted following among niche fragrance enthusiasts who prize its uncompromising approach to licorice-anise. Black Vines puts them front and center, a bold move that polarizes opinion but rewards those who stick with it. Within the Kerosene catalog, it stands as one of the brand's most divisive releases: the kind of fragrance people either love immediately or find impossible to wear. That tension is part of its appeal. Wearers describe it as the scent of someone who walks into a room and doesn't need to announce themselves, confident enough to be strange, patient enough to wait for you to catch up.
