Black Saffron by Byredo
Men Women 2012
Main accords
Description
Black Saffron by Byredo is a spicy oriental fragrance for men and women. Launched in 2012, this composition features top notes of saffron, juniper berries, and Chinese mandarin; a heart of leather and black violet; and a base blending raspberry, cashmere wood, and vetiver. The creation is signed by perfumer Christian Astier de Villatte.
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The olfactory pyramid
A guide to the opening, heart and lasting trail of the fragrance.
The community speaks
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In the collection
Leading answer I own it
12,041 votes
What do you think?
Leading answer Like it
4,174 votes
Season
Choose severalLeading answer Autumn
3,659 votes
Time of day
Choose severalLeading answer Day
2,031 votes
Each question has its own vote count. You can choose several seasons.
Fragrance profile
About Black Saffron
Black Saffron by Byredo is a spicy oriental fragrance for men and women. Launched in 2012, this composition features top notes of saffron, juniper berries, and Chinese mandarin; a heart of leather and black violet; and a base blending raspberry, cashmere wood, and vetiver. The creation is signed by perfumer Christian Astier de Villatte.
Spices Green, herbal and fougère Musk, amber and animalic Fruits, vegetables and nuts Woods and mosses
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Ranked by what the community voted.
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How it wears
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Longevity
Leading answer Moderate
1,710 votes
Sillage
Leading answer Moderate
1,881 votes
Character
Leading answer Balanced
1,417 votes
Value perception
Leading answer A little expensive
1,167 votes
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Community reviews
10 reviews
Share what you noticed: opening, drydown, sillage and the moments when it works for you.
It’s a leather scent with sparks of fruity sweetness, very original. The intensity of the leather blends with those little sparks you feel when biting into a berry, adding a freshness that oxygenates and brings joy. Over time, these two distinct worlds merge into a warm, cheerful, and elegant aroma. It’s a blend that creates its own thread, like Chanel’s egoïste, where disparate notes generate something new. That darkness of the leather combined with the luminous red fruit gives it versatility. Pure unisex.
It’s a leather perfume with flashes of fruity sweetness, very original. The intensity of the leather is complemented by those little sparks you feel when biting into a berry. Suddenly, there’s a fresh sweetness that oxygenates and brings joy briefly. Over time, those two distinct worlds mix, and a warm, cheerful, and elegant aroma emerges. It’s an original blend that creates its own thread, like Chanel’s egoïste, where notes that seem very different at first created a new scent. The dark mix of leather and luminous red fruit adds originality and versatility. Absolute unisex.
The jewel of my collection 🤘🏽
I don’t smell any raspberry at all, just saffron and leather, so it smells like cardboard. Honestly, everything smells like cardboard to me, lol. It’s masculine. Update 2025: I lent it to my boyfriend and on him, it smells brutal, delicious—now I finally smell the raspberry. A mix of raspberry and leather, very masculine and sweet, quite fresh. Nothing heavy but definitely noticeable.
I don’t smell the raspberry at all, just saffron and leather that give me a cardboard sensation, although honestly, everything smells like cardboard to me, hahaha. It’s masculine. Update 2025: I lent it to my boyfriend and on him, it smells brutal, delicious—now I finally smell the raspberry. It’s a mix of raspberry and leather, very masculine and sweet, quite fresh. Nothing heavy but very noticeable.
What a disappointment! On my skin, it was linear, smelling of wet cardboard with a tiny hint of raspberry. It resembles the same brand’s Bibliothèque, but instead of plum, it uses raspberry. I see it as unisex for spring or mild autumns. It doesn’t smell bad, but I don’t like it or find it interesting. It projects nothing with 5 sprays and lasted only 3 hours on skin before disappearing without a trace. Next! Pleasant: 4/10 Interesting: 6/10 Versatile: 7/10 Original: 7/10
What a disappointment! On my skin, it was linear, smelling of wet cardboard with a faint trace of raspberry. It resembles the same brand’s Bibliothèque, but instead of plum, it uses raspberry. I see it as unisex for spring or mild autumns. It doesn’t smell bad, but I don’t like it or find it interesting. It projects nothing with 5 sprays, and on top of that, it lasted only 3 hours on skin before disappearing without a trace. Next! Pleasant: 4/10 Interesting: 6/10 Versatile: 7/10 Original: 7/10
When I first tried it, I thought of La Yuqawam Pour Homme for the leather-raspberry combo. But Black Saffron feels more feminine due to the violet, grapefruit, and persistent raspberry. It gives me the sensation of a Victoria’s Secret splash with suede added to give it body and eccentricity, blending tanned notes with youthful, cheerful fruits. To be frank, the experiment doesn’t fascinate me and didn’t have the impact that Rasasi did. It’s a very linear Byredo that fades slowly without surprises, smelling almost the same at the start as at the end: a splash for young girls ‘enriched’ with suede. Average quality, feels like an olfactory accident, as if someone spilled two substances and created a chaotic mix. Not everything niche is prodigious. Rating: Meh!
From the start, it smells of raspberry, and on the dry down the berries add a bitter touch with saffron; I don’t smell any grapefruit. The leather appears later, but it’s not leather—it’s very soft suede. The raspberry never goes away, and at the end, there’s a woody base mixed with it that sounds too feminine. It’s like Tuscan Leather or Oud Saphir, but without the oud of the latter; what reminds me most is Josier’s Cuero de la Toscana. Performance is moderate in projection but long-lasting. Due to the star note, the raspberry, I see it as more feminine than masculine. It works for any season, though I think it’s better for cold weather. I haven’t liked it much; I think there are better fragrances of this style. I find it bland, with little evolution, and although it’s not bad, it’s not good.
From the start, it smells of raspberry, with a bitter berry and saffron touch at the end. I don’t smell any grapefruit at all. The leather appears late and sounds more like soft suede than real leather. The raspberry never goes away. At the end, there’s a woody base with raspberry that sounds very feminine, style Tuscan Leather or Oud Saphir but without the oud of the latter; the one that reminds me most is Josier’s Cuero de la Toscana. Performance is moderate but lasts a long time. Because of that star note, the raspberry, I see it as more for her than for him, ideal for cold weather. Seriously, it hasn’t convinced me; I find it bland, without evolution, and although it’s not bad, it’s not good. There are better options of this style.