About this item
Yves Saint Laurent built a category-defining structure here, one now so recognized that its dark, bittersweet signature has been copied across dozens of cheaper fragrances since release. Pear, pink pepper and orange blossom open with a soft, fruity brightness that gives little indication of the darkness building underneath. Coffee, jasmine, bitter almond and licorice crowd the center into an intensely dark, bittersweet stage that shifts the fragrance dramatically from its fruity start. Vanilla, patchouli, cashmere wood and cedar wrap things up warm and smooth, giving Black Opium Eau de Parfum its addictive, gourmand-leaning finish. Oriental gourmand is the fitting classification, dense enough for evening wear while remaining workable on a cooler afternoon. It suits dinners, nights out and any cool-weather occasion calling for a fragrance with serious presence. Fall and winter favor the vanilla and cashmere close most, once that darkness has had time to settle. Few fragrances have built as devoted a following around a single coffee note as this one has since its release.