There’s something comforting about tea in the breadth of its types; its taste; its medicinal values; and its olfactory pleasures. Factored into this is the entire idea encompassing tea: a bit of a ceremony; setting aside the time for tea (and conversation); the additions of pastries and other goodies for high tea; and etc.

Bvlgari has led the field in its presentations of tea as perfume. Each can be worn by men or women; some are marketed as unisex; others as women’s fragrances. Each fragrance includes notes of the tea it represents. Each has a distinct Bvlgari feel to it, as if they riff off each other, somewhat like jazz, coming back to the original idea, but including elements of each other, while being sufficiently different to warrant fragrances of their own.

Bulgari Au Thé Vert was introduced in 1993 with extracts of green tea blended with jasmine, rose and citrus. I became aware of it at that time. Ultimately it began to feel too masculine on me. It is very clean and fresh.

Bvlgari Black was introduced in 1998. It is a powerful Chypre with a burnt rubber note to it which makes it unique in its field. While marketed to women, it is definitely a scent that can be worn by a man. The black bottle itself is very rich and masculine looking. A little goes a long way with this one. It is one that gets stronger on me, instead of softening through the day.

Top Notes: black tea, rosewood, and bergamot
Heart Notes: cedar, oakmoss, and vanilla
Base Notes: amber, sandalwood, and musk

Bvlgari Au Thé Blancwas introduced in 2003, with notes of Artemisia Leaves, Ambrette, White Pepper, White Tea, Musk, and Woody Amber. To me, the pepper is predominant at one point, then the blandness of white tea. It’s not sufficiently different than the Green Tea for me to need two bottles.

Au Thé Rouge is my favorite of the line. It was created by perfumer Olivier Polge.

Top notes: Pink pepper, orange, bergamot
Heart notes: Red tea accord [Roiboos red tea, Yunnan red tea], fig pulp
Base notes: Walnut, musk

If you’ve had Rooibos tea, you know it has a unique flavor and aroma with a deep rich red color. It is sweet and fruity with a bit of a woody or nutty taste. The perfume captures this well. The top notes are so light and fleeting that while they tickle your palate, they are gone before you know it. Perhaps the pink pepper lingers longer. They are like a memory that colors your experience, but you no longer have any precise details.

The predominate note that lingers over all is the middle note of red tea accord. I find it mixed with a black tea feel, though that it not mentioned in the notes. I do not catch the fig, certainly not to the extent it is found in various fig fragrances. The musk is very weak, if at all, which is just as well, as I have to be careful with musk. The walnut is caught up in the tea accord and is not distinct.

I find it lasts very well. I’m ready to add something to it after a few hours, as it is very single minded in its approach. I like that it is a bit spicier and sweeter than the other teas that Bvlgari presents.

It has a beautiful bottle, shaped like the bottle for Green Tea, but it has accents of red that reflect into the juice.

Which is your favorite in the line, if you wear it?

Karin

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Perfume review, Perfumes