Nose: Jacques Flori
Noir by Reminiscence opens with a really powerful and hyper-dark blend, somehow fresh somehow stale and dusty (and also fairly harsh initially), in a way similar both to many niche scents, and several vintage masculine scents (Arrogance, Trussardi Uomo...). Basically it’s a really gloomy concoction comprising bitter-minty herbs (eucalyptus), balsamic woods, patchouli, incense, a shady and sour resinous base with a bold indolic-urinous musky aftertaste, softened by a subtle ambery-resinous accord and brightened by a light citrus-floral accord which is barely perceivable initially. I think I also get something salty (vetiver?), and perhaps something like leather too. Basically Noir can be roughly defined in my opinion as a really dark herbal-woody-resinous Oriental fragrance mostly tending to mossy-earthy-incense territories, and for a while with quite a bold indolic-roasted note underneath, well contrasted by a refreshing quite bitter citrus-minty head accord. It reminds me of several fougères as I said, but with a decidedly contemporary texture – so shortly, don’t worry about smelling “outdated”: this is a modern, sharp, polished scent. The drydown is really pleasant, more tending towards soft, velvety notes of smoke, incense, resins, sandalwood, still dark overall but less raw. It also emerges better the soapy-dusty accord of violet and rose. All smells solid, rich, and also quite unique in a way: I named a couple of scents as a rough reference, but actually Noir smells much “new” to me to many extents – new, yet nostalgic in some way. It’s interesting because it can easily be pulled off by fougères nostalgics as much as “niche-heads”, which I guess makes it a particularly solid scent. Surprisingly creative, although a bit linear once it enters the (endless) drydown. Another cheapo (I forgot to mention that; 35 eur/100 ml here) easily surpassing so many expensive scents quality & creativity-wise. Addictive!
8-8,5/10
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