Let me start by mentioning that I am quite a fan of the Byredo line. The line has some very unique, interesting niche fragrances, relatively hard to find and complex in their composition. Not to forget their beautiful bottles - see uploaded stock picture - that are just a joy to look at and use. Furthermore, I would like to disclose that I really enjoy most anything "saffron" - it is simply a delectable note to my nose. So I had high expectations for Byredo's Black Saffron. This fragrance was introduced in 2012.
Notes: Grapefruit, juniper berry, raspberry, violet, rose, saffron, leathery notes.
Impression of the fragrance: I would describe Black Saffron as a spicy fragrance with a leathery background. It reminded me a lot of Tom Ford's (now discontinued) White Suede. I can detect mostly rose and leather, but, surprisingly, and sadly, no saffron to speak of! Just a faint hint in all the leather and overall I find Black Saffron quite masculine and not in a good way. I tried to love this and used a generous sample of Black Saffron, but this is not for me. Which is good for my wallet, because the Byredo line is expensive, but my search for a saffron fragrance continues. L'Artisan's Safran Troublant is nice but disappointingly fleeting on me, it lasts barely a few hours.
Price: $220 for 3.4 oz/100ml.