Bvlgari Man Black Cologne EDT

Bvlgari has released a bunch of its Black flanker scents. Man Black Cologne was one that they put out back in 2016, that I never got around to. However, I recently grabbed a sample online to finally give a review. How does it smell? When should it be worn? Is it worth a try?

What does Bvlgari Man Black Cologne Smell Like?

Notes include: rum, citrus, orange blossom, tuberose, amber, sandalwood, musk

Click here to try: Bvlgari Man Black Cologne 3.4 oz Eau de Toilette Spray

My Full Review

“A fragrance like burning hot water”. That is the description of Man Black Cologne that is printed on the sample card, I bought. Sure, whatever. 

Really, I wanted to try this one out because I loved wearing Man in Black and this one is a spring/summer version of that cologne from Bvlgari. 

Man Black opens up with sharp citrus, heavy rum, and a greenish aroma. It’s quite a pungent kick to opening things and has some of the floral notes already wafting up. Honestly, I’m not a fan of the beginning. 

It’s sharp and almost comes across like body odor. That’s short-lived and Man Black will become more tolerable, as it moves along. I don’t enjoy the citrus notes here for whatever reason.

Once the citrus note fade, there is a white floral blend of tuberose and some remaining orange blossom. All of this will be wrapped up in an amber/benzoin blanket, that has been splashed with rum.

This is probably the highlight of the fragrance for me. I like that it adds some sweetness to the composition. Amber, white floral notes, with some woody/musk, and that signature rum note. 

The problem is, Man Black Cologne loses much of its power by the time the best of the fragrance rolls around. It’s still detectable and sticks around, but that initial burst of strength, isn’t there.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The sillage here, much like Man in Black, isn’t all that powerful. Much more of a moderate aroma, with some decent projection for a time, but not going to blow the doors off. Still, it’s good for what you’ll need in the warmer months of the year.

The longevity is about 6.5-7 hours, on my skin. A bit better than Man in Black, maybe an extra hour or so of wear. Not a huge improvement, but it at least has an edge versus that version, in terms of performance. 

Seasonally, this is a spring and summertime wear. I do like the concept of giving us a Man in Black for these seasons, since that was limited to the colder months. 

Man Black Cologne is best used for casual outings or an evening on the town. It’s probably going to appeal most to guys in their 20s through early 30s. This isn’t an office wear or something formal, but you can pretty much wear it out to wherever else during summer.

Overall Impressions of Man Black Cologne

Overall, do I like Man Black Cologne? It’s fine, but it didn’t have the same appeal to me as Man in Black. That one was great, just middling performance. This Bvlgari is pretty good with middling performance. 

The citrus, amber, and floral notes don’t particularly sit well on me. It’s got a harshness in the early stages, that made this one lose some of its appeal for me. 

The floral stage is nice. I don’t love it either, though with the rum and softened citrus notes, the amber and white floral notes. It’s softer, smoother, and still has that boozy spice. 

I don’t hate any of this. It’s just nothing all that amazing, either. The performance is decent, the smell is decent, and that’s about all. There are better summer citruses, boozy summer wears, etc. This isn’t a terrible investment, but Man Black EDT isn’t something I’d really ever reach for. 

Best Men's Colognes

Best Men’s Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with different fragrances, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, I have written hundreds of reviews and other pages about perfumes and colognes.