The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Ebano & Forza arrived in 2015 from fragrance house Olivares & Ribero, composed by perfumer Carlo Ribero. Its composition pairs Bulgarian rose and Moroccan rose absolute with incense, Indonesian oud, and patchouli. Bulgarian rose brings brightness, while Moroccan rose absolute adds depth. Incense introduces smoke and resin, and Indonesian oud gives the composition a dark wood anchor. The materials create a fragrance built around contrast, placing living floral brightness beside dense woody notes. Rose keeps it graceful. Oud and patchouli give it gravity. As the fragrance settles, it feels less bright and more enveloping, with the floral character tempered by wood, resin, and earth.
The striking part is how rose behaves across the composition rather than simply sitting beside oud. Bulgarian rose brings a crisp floral opening, while Moroccan rose absolute makes the heart more tactile and concentrated. Incense then changes the temperature, lending smoke and resin to the rose accord. At the base, Indonesian oud and patchouli pull everything downward into a dark, earthy base. The result is a rose fragrance with structural weight, less like a bouquet and more like a polished piece of furniture with a floral heart.
The evolution
The first impression is luminous and assured, with Bulgarian rose lifting the composition into fresh air. Moroccan rose follows, deepening the bloom into something velvety rather than airy. As incense takes over, the floral character becomes more resinous, and the composition seems to move indoors after dark. Then Indonesian oud and patchouli anchor everything with dry wood, earth, and a subtle smoky edge. The composition develops through distinct layers: bright rose at first, a denser floral heart, then resin, smoke, wood, and earth. As it dries down, the rose remains part of the impression, running through the darker materials like a thread. The final impression is close and dark floral, softened by incense and patchouli.
Cultural impact
Ebano & Forza was released in 2015 by Olivares & Ribero, with a fragrance composed by perfumer Carlo Ribero. Its combination of Bulgarian rose, Moroccan rose absolute, incense, Indonesian oud, and patchouli creates a distinctive floral-and-woody profile. The rose notes offer brightness and elegance, while incense, oud, and patchouli introduce smoke, resin, wood, and earth. For wearers, the fragrance presents an evening-friendly impression through this balance of fresh floral accents and dark, natural materials, offering an invitation to explore the contrast between rose and its darker base.
The House
Olivares & RiberoOlivares & Ribero is an Italian fragrance house shaped by two distinct creative worlds. Perfumer Carlo Ribero brings his experience composing scent, while furniture designer Corrado Olivares contributes a sensitivity to form, material, and interior atmosphere. The house is known for Italian fragrances built around Italian references, including Ciliegio & Passione, Palissandro & Nobiltà, Bois de Rose & Grazia, Acacia & Unicità, and Ebano & Forza. These titles, several of which were released in 2015, point to a catalogue interested in wood, cherry, rose, acacia, and other natural motifs. Its bottles share the same restrained sensibility found in Olivares's furniture work, turning fragrance into an object with presence and proportion.
The Creator
Carlo RiberoCarlo favors a layered architecture that begins with a clear opening, builds through a rich heart, and settles into a lingering base. He often anchors his formulas with rare woods such as oud, cedar, and guaiac, then brightens them with aldehydic sparks or citrus zest.
