Black XS Potion for Him by Rabanne

I love this perfume! The opening is identical to the Woman version, but without that note, it smells like an incredible juicy apple that lasts about 5 minutes. Then, until the very end, it dries down to 100% Virginia juniper and I think rosemary too. I’m obsessed! 10/10!

If you like fruity scents on intense Black XS Potion bases, this is a must-have. I got lucky finding it at an excellent price and bought it blind. There’s nothing like betting and winning; with this XS series flanker from Rabanne, it’s easy, although the Extreme is highly recommended even if it’s hard to find. Black XS Potion is ‘liquorous and alive’; its uniqueness lies in a bright, saturated opening, with a heart and dry-down projecting a beautiful bitter fruity (red) accord. Note: Unlike L’Excess, Potion feels rounder and more accomplished. After 5 minutes, it contracts into a masculine touch that projects class and uniqueness, semi-gourmand but not invasive, more retracted. Here, the mother’s spirit emerges covered by undeclared red fruits and a subtle bitter vegetal touch (maybe juniper with absinthe). It’s perfect for almost everything, but I see it as more usable in temperate to cold climates. In the deep dry-down, it’s intimate and very long-lasting. A creation where Cresp really shines his craft. If you see it for under $50, it’s worth it. P.S.: The bottle projects a lot.

Black XS Potion is currently my favorite from the line. It has a very distinct scent—sweet and to my taste—without losing its mother’s essence but adding its own signature. At first, it smells like those soft candies like Winis or Sugus found in Mexico; it almost certainly features red berries and leans more toward red wine than rum. In the dry down, there’s a subtle herbal-bitter note that must be absinthe. After a few hours, it becomes slightly powdery and vanilla-like, yet the red berries remain. It’s versatile and works year-round, though it suits me best in spring and fall. Despite its youthful vibe, I think everyone would like it. The projection is medium-low, but the longevity is good. It’s a shame it’s a limited edition and getting harder to find.

I bought it a few years ago and I agree it was the darkest and most mysterious of the Black line; very woody and resinous, dry, without the excessive sweetness of the others, but with a fantastic touch of two liquorous notes: Absinthe and Rum. Not as youthful or versatile as the others, but to its favor, it has a spicy, intense woody body that’s quite original (not synthetic). I’d love to see it still on the market… But Paco has the habit of taking the best off his lists: this one, L’Excess, Ultra Red, and Violet. Great memory.

I’ve had this for years and it’s the darkest, most mysterious scent in the Black line. Very woody, resinous, and dry, without the excessive sweetness of the others, but with a fantastic touch of two liquor notes: absinthe and rum. It’s not as youthful or versatile as the rest, but it has an intense, original spicy and woody body (not synthetic). I’d love to see it stay on the market… But Paco has a habit of dropping the best ones: this one, L’Excess, Ultra Red, and Violet. A great memory.

The best of Paco Rabanne for men; I like it from the opening notes to the dry-down. It has good longevity, surpassing 12 hours on me, and projects well for about 4-6 hours. It’s a Vivaldi, suitable for any season and day or night, very versatile although preferably for casual wear. Its notes are very well composed; it’s of very good quality, although hard to get because it’s limited. In my opinion, it’s better than the original XS; they smell similar, but this version is darker and more masculine, and lasts longer on my skin, with a better-defined oriental touch. Highly recommended. Sillage: 7/10, Versatility: 9/10, Longevity: 10/10, Projection: 8/10, Fixation: 10/10, Quality: 8/10, Total: 9/10.

Bought it today and it delivers 100%: smells delicious, projects well, and lasts just right. Being a limited edition, it’s hard to find. Reminds me of Black XS but more polished, with that exquisite rum note kicking in as it dries. On my skin, it lasted about 6 hours, which is acceptable for me.

Smells rich and pleasant, but the trail is short. Longevity is moderate, nothing more. Still, it’s very good and I recommend it.

The opening is delicious, fresh, and sweet, but it changes in minutes. Leaves me with a powdery scent, like makeup, nothing like the iris (which I don’t like anyway). It’s something completely different.

I liked this limited edition perfume. It feels like an alcoholic beverage; they say it has rum, but I noticed more wine or grape. It’s sweet, but not as much as the original Black XS, which is somewhat gourmand.

At first, it seemed super sweet and delicious, ideal for winter and summer as long as it’s at night. The trail is good and the scent is addictive, perfect for attracting someone. That sweetness is probably from the rum, giving it a fruity twist. Very youthful. A good investment since it’s limited. Although the website doesn’t list all the notes, after 30 minutes I sense a citrus base with oranges and a boozy touch, balancing sweet and fresh. Maybe there’s a very slight spicy note, like pink pepper. The woods make it warm, and that fruity base doesn’t disappear; it’s probably the ‘potion’ that makes it irresistible. I must admit, I’ve received many compliments with this one.

A delight. When I tried Black XS, it seemed very sweet, so I wasn’t too hopeful about this limited edition, but it turned out to be right up my alley. I find it very masculine and youthful, ideal for winter. Women really like it.