Black Walnut
American Perfumer (2022)

Black Walnut is a limited edition perfume created by John Biebel from January Scent Project for American Perfumer.

When I first read the blurb for this fragrance in 2022 and saw the perfumer behind it, I entered the lottery, as I knew it would turn out to be something unique. I think John does some of the most unique perfumes out there. Moreover, as a child, I loved eating walnuts fresh from the three or after they'd fall off.

I was lucky enough to win and amazed at how accurately the perfume fit the brief. It instantly transported me back to my childhood. I used to eat dozens of these, maybe hundreds. Gathered them, peeled off the husk, cracked them open, and ate the kernels. My hands would stain pitch black in the process as they contain this natural pigment called juglone. It was a pain washing it out of the skin. But man, they sure did taste good. That whole memory gets back to me every single time I spray this perfume. The whole process, the places, the flavors, all captured and unfolded so vividly. So if you ever went through the process of eating walnuts fresh, from the husk, that's exactly what this perfume smells like, 100%. If you haven't, first, you missed out. But no worries. You can still do it. Or sample this perfume.
It really is amazing how John captured all the flavors and delicate nuances in this composition. In the opening, you definitely get the green, slightly citrus-like smell which resembles the husk of the fruit. Once you're done with the husk, you get to the shell, and then, the fruit. Here, you get some soft woody facets, a nutty, milky, slightly vanilla flavor, and a noticeable bitterness. The woody smell hints at the shell, while the nutty-milky-vanillic accord to the kernel, the edible part. The kernels are naturally lined with a thin skin, which tastes really bitter. And that's what the bitter smell in here wants to evoke. The perfume also features some other subtle notes and accords, after all, it is a fragrance, and therefore it is shaped as one. Some soft floral accords as well as soothing cashmeran accord. In the base, it gets slightly more earthy and woody, as the vetiver and the sandalwood make themselves more assertive. But overall, it feels quite linear, and the subtle transitions could easily go unnoticed. A very comforting scent. Woody, nutty, a tad sweet, and a tad bitter as well. To me, it also has a nostalgic feel, making it that much special.

Hands-down one of my best purchases in 2022, and one of the most unique perfumes I have ever smelled. If you are looking for unique compositions, then keep an eye on anything John has to offer, you will not be disappointed.

IG:@memory.of.scents

Black Walnut is the exclusive release for American Perfumer by John Biebel of January Scent Project. I’m not intimately with the black walnut trees (or their fruits) that are the main inspiration from the fragrance, but I get a rich, woody, nutty, syrupy (but not sweetly so) blend that’s quite unlike any fragrance I’ve ever smelled before, but clearly has an evocative power for both John and also Dave Kern of the American Perfumer boutique. It seems a fitting conjuring of dark fruits and nuts under tree, as there’s something vaguely outdoorsy about the blend with its retrained sweetness, but I frankly like that it doesn’t collectively remind me of something specific, adding to the fantasy aspect for me even though it’s perhaps uncannily on-the-nose for John and Dave. Unsurprisingly, like the January Scent Project releases, Black Walnut performs very well, a rich elixir that I only needed a few sprays of to be pretty darn engulfed for hours.

I’m lucky to have a bottle from this limited run, priced reasonably at $125 for 30ml, similar to the other limited edition releases from American Perfumer, and I’d certainly recommend that others keep their eyes open if they want to have a shot at similar offerings from American Perfumer (i.e. Colorado and Bloodline from Dawn Spencer Hurwitz).

7 out of 10