Puredistance Black – Fragrance Review

Puredistance Black will release in November or December 2013 (press materials I received say November, other blogs say December), just in time for the long winter night’s inky blackness.  Puredistance is one of the few luxury brands that I feel comes close to earning their premium price tag, though the price on their perfumes still makes me a little squeamish and light-headed.

Does Puredistance Black hit another home run with this release?

It is oudy, inky, velvety blackness.  I always get a bit miffed when they refuse to release notes, but I can live with it this time.  Oud is clearly present or at least I get the sensation of oud, incense, patchouli. It opens with a cracky sharpness, slightly medicinal.  There are some spices that pepper it up a bit shortly after it goes on.  The open is as loud as Puredistance Black gets.  Within about 20-30 minutes it has smoothed out to inky velvet. I use those two words to describe it because it is so smooooooth. It reminds me a little in the drydown of By Kilian’s Pure Oud. It has that same rich, honeyed smell texture. This is darker, and it’s a scent that deserves the word “black” in its name.

puredistance black perfume

The marketing material notes that this stays close to the body, it is a dark, personal scent.  Yup, exactly.  It doesn’t strip naked for attention, it just sits on my skin and smokes a bit, then smooths into a rolling field of shadows.  There are few scents that keep changing hours in, but Puredistance Black does.  Like some enchanted perfume cauldron, it blows apart in airy puffs and reforms as something the same but new.  I think they could have called this one Shadow.  It shifts and moves and never really comes into sharp view. It’s the night we all wish for – one not that scary, not that dark and not that lonely.

Like all Puredistance fragrances, this thing has some outstanding longevity. The first time I wore it, it was happily percolating along a day later.  They seem to classify this as more masculine, but, hey, I’m sorry, totally claiming this as unisex and definitely chick-wearable.

So if you love dark fragrances or are a fan of Puredistance, your wallet will take a beating on this.  It’s moved up to share my favorite Puredistance perfume with No. 1, which is saying a LOT because I adore, adore adore No. 1  It’s darn near perfection as far as holding my interest and love.

This is gonna smart, but I will give away two small samples of this from my already teeny sample. :::: cries ::::  Just drop a comment to be entered in the drawing.  Have you tried a Puredistance scent, and do you have a favorite?

  • Mary P. says:

    I’d love to try this, sounds fantastic!

  • preeti33 says:

    I have never tried this brand but would love to 🙂

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  • Jan Last says:

    Mine are Opardu and Antonia, one for its ability to help a big flower live on my skin (normally they attack) and Antonia for its pure beauty.

  • I ve never tried any of Puredistance scents but I ve read few reviews about them and I am interested in trying them Please, enter me , thanks!

    • well, this is funny — I dont know why my twitter name is associated with Sierra Leone national flag!!! I live in EU, in Slovakia… how does this software guess that I am writing from Africa?

  • waftbycarol says:

    sorry but I hated this…the opening was promising with spicy patchouli , but the drydown has a ton of ambroxan/karanal that is like a spike in my forehead . And it is tenacious , could not scrub it off . many thanks to Puredistance for sending me the lovely sample though .

  • I have not tried ant of the Puredistance scents yet. Please enter me.

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  • Sarah says:

    I *love* Antonia. I like M, but only once the cumin note disappears. 1 and Opardu I don’t think I’ve really understood yet. They both come across as too smooth and muted for my taste so far.

  • Barbara says:

    Have not tried any Puredistance fragrances, but this one sounds right up my alley! Would love to win a sample. I am in the US.

  • Juno says:

    I want to smell like inky velvet. I think that might be a new life goal. I’d love to try it.

  • I want to try this!—–pure distance black!

  • alexander says:

    Thank you for that review but I’m almost certain that I will love this one and my wallet want be that happy.I have tested only Puredistance M and I’m Loving it.It’s exceptional in every aspect.I suspect Black will be my favourite Puredistance perfume.

  • Darryl says:

    Goddammit, a new lemming is the LAST thing I needed. This sounds utterly divine, and interesting to boot. I’d like to be entered into the draw, unless it’s for U.S. residents only (I’m in Canada).

  • Sally M says:

    This sounds divinely dark, just in time for All Hallows’ Eve! The pic with your wonderful review is so evocative too. I would love to be entered for the draw and many thanks for your generosity in sharing from your weenie supply 🙂

  • hajusuuri says:

    Oh yes, I love Puredistance. I got the deal of a lifetime on Opardu so I can bathe in it if I wanted to. I also have decants of M and Antonia. For some weird reason, I had been holding off on I and I have a sample waiting to be sniffed. I am eagerly anticipating the arrival of Black and would be ecstatic if I won the sample! Thanks for the draw. P.S. I know it’s a long shot but if I happen to win this random draw, I will reverse fairy three (3) 0.5 mL samples of Opardu in November.

  • Tara C says:

    I have tried all the Puredistance scents but so far none of them made my credit card levitate out of my wallet… but this one sounds RIGHT up my alley. I love dark, oudy shadowy things. I have a US and a Canadian shipping address, if I win you can send it to the US one. Thanks for the drawing!

  • helical gnome says:

    Sadly I have not yet tried any Puredistance fragrance but this black, inky one seems to be a perfect way to start 🙂

  • NeenaJ says:

    This review has me salivating. Please enter me for the draw.

  • patriciaC says:

    Nice review, i have read several on this fragrance this past week.You are the first i remember to say they liked it. I appreiciate honesty. I haven’t tryed any from this line but heard they are nice group of people that work their.

  • Elia says:

    What is it about Puredistance I you find perfect? I’ll have to smell it again, but I’d like some indication of what to look for, as I found it the most boring aquatic citrus floral ever.
    I’ve found perfection in Puredistance M, I love the way that the jasmine radiates and purrs underneath the rough leather exterior. Whether by design or pure chance the balance struck is as breathtaking as fragrance can get.
    Opardu I really liked at first sniff, but then not as much.
    Ty for the draw.

  • Lucia M. says:

    I’ve never tried anything from this line, but have been looking for a dark, ghostly, moonlit fragrance for a while now. I’d love to be entered in the drawing to try this!

  • LaurenW says:

    I haven’t tried any of the Puredistances, but I have my finger poised over the purchase of an Opardu decant. I’d love to try a tiny bit of Black. Thanks for the draw.

  • Eva S says:

    I really like Puredistance I (own a small FB) and Opardu. Really would like to try this as well!

  • Jennifer Smith says:

    I’ve never tried any Pure Distance fragrance to my knowledge (and to the glee of my wallet -which has been whining since I fell down the rabbithole and yelling at me if I even LOOK at Serge -Amouage priced fragrances.I expect that if I ever sample Black and LOVE it you would probably be able to hear my wallet’s shrieks from Alabama to Denver!)

  • Ryan says:

    I love M and am eagerly anticipating Black! Great review

  • wefadetogray says:

    Yes, I tried Puredistance I but it was, it is, not for me at all. I prefer something darker I guess so this sounds great! Thanks for sharing with us from your tiny sample 🙂

  • Tiara says:

    Love the picture with this post BTW. I haven’t tried anything from Puredistance. I remember wanting to try Antonia but not sure why I never put a sample in my cart. Having fallen for Shangai Lily (on my Christmas list), I’m a bit afraid I’ll fall in love with something this pricey but being a winner wouldn’t stop me from sniffing. 🙂 And now that I think about it, Puredistance makes Tom Ford look affordable!

  • tammy says:

    Ink. Oh, how I hate to get my hopes up about ink… Sarrasins shattered me. I was promised scary indolic jasmine and ink and all I got was….. a very bright jasmine and plenty of it. I thought Encre Noir was supposed to be all inky and I just got a noseful of vetiver.

    I do get ink from Parfum Sacre of all things, though none is listed.

    It’d be just my luck to find my Inky Grail in something that appears to be even more expensive than Amouage….

  • Tatiana says:

    How masculine is this compared to M? M was a tad too masculine for my taste, but I love Antonia and Puredistance I. Keep trying to decide which one to save up my pennies for.

  • susan says:

    Haven’t tried any Puredistance – out of my price range, unfortunately. Thanks for the draw!

  • Edward says:

    It is pretty dark around here and its only getting darker, the winter that is! please count me in.

  • Martin says:

    Your description of Black makes it sound amazing and something that I would enjoy sampling (along with Puredistance M). Thank you for the draw Patty.

  • Lavanya says:

    I’d love to be entered in the draw. Thanks!
    I’ve tried Antonia and M and adore M. It is probably in my top 10.

  • Irina says:

    I would love to sniff it- it deserves the “black” in the title -that’s something worth…
    I liked very much “M”
    thanks, Patty for shareing

  • fleurdelys says:

    Nope, never tried Puredistance, but your description of Black has me intrigued. I love fragrances from the dark side! Please enter me, and thanks.

  • Portia says:

    DNEM!
    Hey Patty,
    Puredistance scares the bejewelled lashes offa me. Good Luck everyone and Patty and your family I hope all is well,
    Portia xx

  • Connie says:

    I’ve tried Puredistance I and Antonia. I found Puredistance 1 on the unwearable side and Antonia nice and lovely but nothing special. This, however, sounds heavenly and completely up my alley. Please enter me!

    • FeralJasmine says:

      Hi Patty, all the best to you and your family. This does sound lovely. The only thing I’ve tried from this line is Opardu, and while it was lovely, I thought it lacked fullness and oomph for a white floral in that price range. Might sample this one, though.

  • AnnieA says:

    Off to the Perfume Shoppe to have a sniff…

  • Nemo says:

    I have not tried any of their scents, but your review made me curious both about the perfumes and their price tag. They are certainly expensive enough for me to think twice about trying them. That said, I would love to win this draw:) eve though it could be the beginning of the end of my wallet…

  • Martha says:

    I have not tried Pure Distance. Your review was intriguing and has piqued my interest. There is something about the words inky and velvety that draw me in; it sounds like perfect cold weather fragrance. Please enter me in the draw. Thanks!

  • rosarita says:

    The reviews of Black are all very intriguing, inky velvet especially! This line is out of my reach and I haven’t sampled anything.

  • Ann says:

    Hey, Patty! I have loved all the Puredistance scents, save for the M. It was just too masculine for me to pull off. The Black sounds interesting but the oud in there is making me wary. DNEM, of course. BTW, hope your brother is doing well and is now at home.

  • Lotta says:

    I havent tried any of the line, so this would be a safe first , right? Will match My darth vader coat I believe.

  • Insensé says:

    I have not tried yet any, but have been following all reviews about Puredistance. And I’m a fan of oudy perfumes…
    Maybe this time I’ll get the chance? 🙂

  • lucasai says:

    I loved BLACK. Puredistance was so kind to contact me and send a 2ml spray sample my way.
    I found it to be mysterious and seductive. Dark, woody, resinous and spicy.

  • zazie says:

    I was lucky enough to get to try extensively the first puredistance fragrances: I had high expectations for Opardu and Antonia (based on their descriptions) but surprisingly “I” turned out to be my absolute favorite. I even thought of buying the smallest bottle format –
    I liked it that much!
    The other two were really not for me, I don’t know why: we were supposed to “click”!
    I’m curious about black (and a bit scared for the oud): thanks for the review and the draw!!!!

  • Spiker says:

    I have not tried this line, and while it sounds like I’d be better off not falling in love, I’d still like to enter the drawing for a sample. Thank you!

  • merettah says:

    Thank you foe the draw. I am drawn to certain oud perfumes, like By Killian Rose Oud, just a tiny amount dabbed is so alluring and deep. I have tried Opardu, which I liked after the opening, where I found there was too much of something for me. Also tried M, find it too leathery,smoky for me.

  • eldarwen22 says:

    I’ve never tried this line but looking at those prices makes my hair stand on edge. To think that I’ve spent around that ball park on some of those Amouages.

  • Joaquim says:

    My first Puredistance experience was M and I was amazed, but when I smelled Antonia..omg, stuning!
    Thank you for the draw!

  • Maya says:

    I have tried Antonia did not care all that much for it. This new one sounds fascinating. Would love to try it.

  • ncmyers says:

    Gosh, it sounds amazing! I’ve never tried this line but I’d love to. Count me in for the draw–fingers crossed!

  • Caroline says:

    I’ve tried 2 of their scents: Antonia and Opardu. Was impressed by both, but my favorite was Opardu–it has all the components of a BWF, without being very B. Think I need to order a decant so I may give it a good spray–it wasn’t very long-lived when dabbed. Oud isn’t usually my thing, but I guess you never know!