Black Afgano by Nasomatto

This is the hardest review I’ve ever had. Black Afgano is something else: irreverent design, bad behaviour, dark, earthy, smoky and extremely particular. The opening is green, quite herbal, cannabis that makes you dare to go to the airport with dogs. Then the resin appears, the wood, and a very particular smell of burnt plastic. There are perfumes to enjoy and others for you to dislike; don’t expect compliments, it’s a fragrance born to break the mould and go against the grain. It has a dark personality, be careful with the sprays; in my opinion, it smells better on the skin than on clothes. Remember that perfumery is art; if this were a painting, it would be a Miró, you wouldn’t understand it and they wouldn’t explain it to you.

As soon as I heard it, I said: this is Terroni by Orto Parisi, but less sweet and musky. It has a greener and earthier opening. It’s a good fragrance, it came out before Terroni and, being an extract, it has more longevity. It’s a good option if you don’t have the previous one, but I wouldn’t buy it.

I jumped into this without knowing what to expect. They told me it carries cannabis, incense and wood, and I thought: well, it smells like my cousin’s house when he divorced. The first hit is as if they invited you to a barbecue in Afghanistan without knowing if it’s a party or a kidnapping. It smells of smoke, but of a smoke that has already made a career; a smoke with studies, with its own office, that talks to you face to face. If you wear it in the morning, people look at you strangely at work, but at night it opens portals. It has something dark but elegant, like a heavy priest. And then, after you’ve been wearing it for a while, you notice the sweet finish, as if hell had dessert. They say it was created by an Italian who wanted to capture “the essence of the forbidden”. It reminds me of when my uncle smoked in the bathroom and sprayed air freshener: a duel between sin and wild pine. It’s not a perfume, it’s more a life decision. You put it on and you can no longer watch cartoons with the same innocence.

This is something from another world, perfect and sexy. To my nose, it smells very masculine and lasts an eternity. It is slightly expensive for 30ml, but with two sprays you have enough to fill a room.

The first time I tried it, I loved it, it seemed a sublime and dark smell like Darth Vader; it had a faecal part, but it was minimal and the cannabis and saffron were felt much more, the oud with the incense and vanilla touches: damn dark the fragrance, imposing but pleasant. I tried it again today, this time on my skin, and what a surprise it was that what predominated most was that faecal smell with bursts of putrefaction. It was horrible to be honest, all the other notes were overshadowed by that stinky smell. Although it is hot, in my other hand I had another perfume (Red Tobacco) ultra heavy and yet it maintained its richness. I honestly don’t know how it settles on the skin in cold temperatures, but by itself it seems a fragrance that is not from another world (except in replicating faecal aromas), and it is a mockery that for 30ml they charge you whatever they charge, because outside the artistic there are many fragrances that are worth more than acquiring this.

Several magic wands have been tested and fired, some are a disaster, others simply don’t work. It has to do with whether you like their look and texture, but it’s not just that. There are wands you adore but that never manifest, never work for you. This Nasomatto is a wand without compromise. It’s for yourself, not to please everyone. It’s fantastic, dense, dark, smoky, oud, with a sweet counterpoint of resins. The opening is very Arab, marijuana, and animalic. If you’re expecting to smell like a joint, this isn’t what you’re looking for; it’s more complex and has other things. That hint of hemp is blended, diffuses, and by half an hour it becomes quite muted. It shares many notes with Interlude Man by Amouage, especially the resinous amber; that sweet counterpoint is very similar in both; they take different paths but share the same route. How difficult to decide between the two because owning both is redundant. The sweet twist is less accentuated in this Afgano, which I think is better. The Amouage is the better fragrance overall, but that sweet top note gives me fatigue. On my skin and style, the Interlude just doesn’t work. In both, the dry-down is superior, with extreme longevity and stain on clothes. Perfect for fresh weather. I’ve also alternated it with Oud Wood by Tom Ford; this one is sweeter though its smoky touch is unparalleled. Both have oud, but in the Tom Ford it’s more tamed, less dirty. Three sprays of this Afgano and simply the darkness deepened, the light flickered, and the echo of the scent found its place. It was my magic, it resonated with me and I couldn’t do anything to avoid it.

First, let’s say the ingredients feel of excellent quality. Then, let’s say it’s a very interesting olfactory experience, as it’s a perfume composed of many ingredients and aromas, very well combined, since no contrasting notes are perceived, but rather they form a harmonious unity. Then, describing specifically the scent applied on my skin, and after 20 minutes, what I perceive most is smoky (slightly burnt) oud wood and cherries, and that’s how I would summarise its aroma. It reminds me a bit of Bentley for Men Intense, but the smoky-burnt oud gives it a more distinctive touch. The cherry (or berry) scent is what softens that burnt oud aroma, but then it’s in that fragile balance between the pleasantness of the cherry and the rough-rustic nature of the burnt oud mixed with subtle herbal touches. It seems a very interesting, pleasant, masculine, rough, and sexy aroma. Of course, I recommend trying before buying.

I’ve just stepped into the world of niche with Black Afgano and what a kick it’s given me: it stole my breath, my senses, and even a piece of my heart. After trying several things from Nasomatto, I realised Alessandro Gualtieri doesn’t just make perfumes; he seeks emotions and sensations. This scent doesn’t limit itself to the olfactory; it traps you in all five senses progressively, sparkling and increasingly exciting, dangerous, and aggressive. For me, it smells of power, authority, darkness, mystery, and wickedness. It’s a heavy blow, a slap to any other essence that crosses its path, like saying ‘I’ve arrived, and here I am’ so everyone rises in respect. It may not please everyone, but it has me with an intense love that burns with the heat of a thousand suns. It opens with dominant cannabis, hidden but present green notes, like bitter old cedar leaves. In the heart, aged resins resurrected by fire, tree wood, and a very hidden coffee, sweet to the nose though bitter to the taste, recalling rested and toasted Turkish tobacco. In the base, the oud shines with all its splendour, giving mystery and a cosy warmth, along with an incense that brings peace, but a dark and sinister peace of one who has control. 10/10 Thank you.

Wow! It’s more than a scent; it’s an experience. The opening is green and dry, with that raw hemp note that then gives way to resinous woods, oud, and a sweetness of coffee or dark chocolate. The hemp wraps everything, ending in a mix of woods with a sweet touch. It lasts 10-12 hours on skin; don’t use it on clothes. It projects a lot so your presence is felt. Ideal for daily wear in open spaces (max 3 sprays) or for cold nights. Try it on a date. It’s a good perfume; the opening might scare you at first, but it gives time. If you love woody scents, you must try it.

I still remember when I first tried it: the opening scared me, but by half an hour that resin seemed rich to me. I never felt hashish, nor plant nor product; it’s 80% resins, oud, and smoky woods. It doesn’t smell like Bad Boy with a hemp note; nothing to do with it. It lasts and projects, but if you go over 4 sprays it loses charm. With 3 I’m noticed and people ask what I’m using, but they don’t say it smells good, only that it reaches far. I have two anecdotes: one said it smells like ‘an octogenarian working out’ and another (already an adult) said ‘tonsil stones’, which confused me because I’m an ENT, haha.

A very potent perfume for the cold. Brutal longevity. Resin amber and oud. Incredible.

One afternoon a friend surprised me with his scent. I thought of Byredo’s Bal d’Afrique but upon asking it was Black Afgano. It impacted me (I didn’t know the house). On my nose it’s a total bomb: buttery heavier and more edible than Byredo’s with insane projection and longevity. Just walking and a hug the perfume followed me for hours. A marvel.

Another masterpiece by Gaultieri with all his signature.

Black Afgano opens resinous green and cloyingly sweet with a herbal accord that vaguely recalls marijuana buds. It quickly becomes more smoky and shines with that sweet herbal smell of smoked resins that most like original and pleasant despite not attracting the masses. Unfortunately the smokiness swallows the rest and leaves me with a burnt gunpowder scent that gives me a headache. Fortunately the dry-down at two hours is burnt straw which I love. Strong projection at the start calms with time. Potent longevity: days on clothes 10 hours on skin. Unisex leaning masculine solemn dancing between resin density and the lightness of smoke. I see it more for personal enjoyment than daily use due to the depth of the incense. Used this winter it sits well in the cold ideal for night informal outings. Less disruptive than I read in forums. Pleasant: 7/10. Interesting: 7/10. Versatile: 4/10. Original: 8/10.

As a devotee of dark scents this legendary fragrance was a love at first sniff. Black Afgano is strange; I haven’t heard anything similar. It evokes oriental resins but not the scent itself. It is peculiar: it smells of coffee liqueur tobacco and woods. A nocturnal and deep scent. I perceive some marijuana that herbal touch everyone mentions. Undoubtedly a niche that marked a milestone by incorporating marijuana. It admits no middle ground; my mother tolerates it poorly saying it smells of ‘saliva’ but to me it is a hit. To each their own. Ideal for cold and rainy days. The performance is ten. If you are looking for something different this is the option.