Coeur De Noir

Suffice to say this fragrance is not charming as much as it is intoxicating—it has the same sort of immediate allure, but far from being surface level, it draws you in—intriguing—unfolding darkly. Oddly enough the first note I get from this is very distinctly the paper. It’s actually rather remarkable how utterly distinct it is, imbuing the scent with a pleasant sort of dryness at first, before enveloping you in its darker notes. But under that there’s a sort of sweetness—rich, lovely, not cloying at all, almost choclatey. And yet this is not a gourmand sweetness, regardless of the vanilla note—even as someone who doesn’t lean toward vanilla scents, this is a pleasant richness, I think in part due to the leather. And through it all, a solemn undercurrent, pervaded by the darkness of the ink. I wouldn’t be able to describe it but this too is oddly distinguishable. I think of a gloomy boudoir, or a secluded cabinet in the back of a study, well-used. I eagerly anticipate the turn in the weather for this fragrance. I think this would wear excellently with an autumn chill, or on a brisk winter’s night. It doesn’t have the brightness that I seem to lean toward when looking for a signature scent—it’s almost purely dark—and I do wish I was getting a little more from the rum/ginger/woody base notes to warm it up a little, but that certainly does not make it any less enjoyable. It’s an academic fragrance, with an antique sort of intrigue. I know this is meant to evoke nautical illustrations—I wonder about pairing it with something with a strong yet simple marine note. I’m surprised at the gendered reviews on this fragrance. I think this is perfectly androgynous—refreshing in the midst of other Beauforts.

Another incredible fragrance from the house of BeauFort. I knew Coeur de Noir would be one of my favorite fragrances from the house because it bears some resemblance with another fragrance I adore (or fragrance line I suppose, since there's three flankers), this being Interlude Man from Amouage. Now granted, they're not identical fragrances or generally too similar to one another, but they share a commonality in their "labdanum" centers. I'll admit I'm still not entirely sure if it is labdanum but I get this specific, almost candied sweetness out of this, the Interlude line and Le Labo's Labdanum 18, so it's my assumption labdanum is the culprit. Surrounding this light sweetness are robust woody notes, an incredible leather note and an almost too strong inky ginger, which has a pungent green facet to it similar in style to Vi Et Armis's green accord, but considerably less offensive. Smokey, as many BeauForts tend to be, and eventually light vanilla and a rum-like fruitiness come forward to become the figurative "cherry on top". Coeur de Noir is an absolute stunner and it will make deciding for a BeauFort fragrance to add to my collection a pretty difficult decision. Performance is quite decent and I assume it would only be better if sprayed off a bottle, and I've heard this can be quite a powerful fragrance. Projection was moderate with a dense sillage that lasted for a couple of hours. Longevity is really good, as this has lasted 9 hours on my skin and it's still easily detectable.

#1317 in my "Tour de Fragrance" The annoying thing about BeauFort London is their apparent inability to meet the demand for their amazing fragrances as the retailers are always out of stock. So you'll have to hunt around. Their scents run $120-150 typically, but they are unique and unexpected. This scent really reminds me of the in-house barbershop in the old Elks Club in Tacoma. The smell of old wood paneling, the accretion of decades of pipe tobacco smoke, mixed with the scent of shaving cream and hair tonic. I was not a member, but was occasionally invited there for lunch by members, one of whom was a former pro baseball player, local sports team owner, and reputed retired Mafia Don whose son worked for me, another a retired Air Force general whose daughter I briefly dated. I was invited to join, but had no interest in joining. The lunch was great, the atmosphere fascinating, and one visit I got talked into sitting down for a straight razor shave while "Big Frank" got one (hadn't had one of those since I'd left Korea). That barbershop smelled just like this. For me it's a "must have" fragrance. Solid performance. Go easy on this in the close spaces. Definitely gets noticed, but of course, comes off dated, as all barbershop fragrances do. On the other hand, at least around here, barbershops have made a comeback, especially with the younger guys. I'll leave explaining that one to the cultural anthropologists.

The pursuit of the perfect masculine leather fragrance continues apace. Ford's gorgeous Tuscan Leather, easily the best of this over-rated collection, because it actually delivers on its promise of being uber sexy, and Dior's Leather Oud, with it's heavenly, addictive drydown notwithstanding, we arrive at Couer De Noir. Calling a fragrance 'black leather' is a bold and dicey endeavour, especially if you seek to win over those of us who wear a lot of black leather, and have found that most don't delver... so I was not expecting too much. But it was love at first squirt for me and my partner on a cold January day. This is a bit of a beast, in the best way, because it hits you with an elemental force that speaks of the dirt and salt of the Earth and Sea. It conjures the smell of a campfire on the edge of a beach backed by woodland, probably as night falls. It suits men who like to rough it, to bivouac under the stars in whatever the weather brings. It IS a gentleman's fragrance, but this is not for the fey gent, the be-suited dandy, who doesn't like getting his hands dirty. This is far too rugged for that. Of course there is no such thing as the perfect leather, so that goal is destined to always be out of reach. But Beaufort have achieved that rare thing and come closer than any I've encountered before.

Fragance of the Night: Do you want to feel a men's perfume? Coeur de Noir from the London niche house Beaufort London is spectacular, and excellent cost benefit fragance. Top notes are nanquin ink, rum and ginger; middle notes are leather and vanilla; base notes are birch, tobacco and cedar. Tonight is raining and cold, I wear it and two things come to me very strongly, the smell of forest and burning wood. When you wear this perfume you project yourself in the middle of a rainy forest, wet soil and then you put yourself in a tavern where there are people with leather clothes and next to you a stove with firewood burning all this mixture aroma and you feel super comfortable, perhaps it is the vanilla that gives this feeling of comfort. It also seems that this tavern has old books, this feeling comes from the ink ink note. It is not a perfume for anyone, it is for those already initiated in niche but if you allow yourself to see that it is a wonderful fragrance. Claps to the house and its perfumers Julie Dunkley and Julie Marlowe. Grades: 10/10 fixation (15h + easy) 10/10 Projection (2 meters +) Aroma 10/10 Versatility 5/10 (cold nights) Trail: 9/10 Final technical note 9/10 My personal note: 12/10

I never pay attention to the already labeled reviews of perfumes but for Coeur de Noir I make an exception reporting what is written: "In this fragrance we refer to the poems on art and the sea. Crabtree uses his grandfather's drawings as inspiration, a lover of luxury yachts, his father's nautical novel collection, his tattoos and travels. Black ink dominates this composition along with a spicy note of Western Indian rum; sheets lost and found, dry accords of books bound in leather find the right balance with the warm enigmatic notes of pipe tobacco with vanilla. All elegantly resting on a mysterious background of birch tar and labdanum. " There is nothing to add because it's all true! Books bound and full of dust, Tattoos, rums, woods. It reminds me of "Notturno" by Meo Fusciuni but this is more elaborate, more woody and if in ink the ink dominates everything, in Coeur de Noir it is assimilated by the birch. Have you ever been in an old library full of dust? In an artist's studio? In an ancient tattoo shop? Posters, scrolls, candles ... That's what Coer De Noir is. WONDER. Fragrance: 10/10 Persistence: 10/10

I typically wear a different fragrance every day. It is rare that I ware the same scent 2 days in a row, but I have to admit that i have worn this one 2 days in a row. Why? Because I both hate and love this one and had to ware it once again to make sure. . Why do I hate it? The Opening is very off putting to me. I get a strong furniture polish vibe. Industrial cleaner with a bit of ginger to hide the harshness. Each scent is silo-ed, fighting for dominance. At this phase, it is a jumbled mess looking for a home. An hour later the scents begin to merge, tearing down the walls and playing together. But this is just the beginning. A "Mea Culpa" trying to find common ground, Better that the opening, but it has not yet found it's harmony. Why do I love it? Four hours in, the compromise has been found. the leather shines on my skin. Other notes play a supporting role to elevate the leather. Bottom line, this is a great scent. but it can be a bit shy and takes takes awhile before it shows it true nature and potential. If you like leather scents, this one is worth a try. But you will need a bit of patients.

After trying 1805 Tonnerre, I didn't really have high hopes for this fragrance. 1805 Tonnerre is a loud, bang in your face smoky bonfire that you can only wear a few times a year and if you do, make sure you're outside so you don't annoy everyone with the very loud, linear scent. Surprisingly Coeur De Noir is a beautiful classy scent but it is in your face loud so you have to give it a chance. The first wear I got the gunpowder smokiness of Tonnerre and thought I made a mistake on buying it but then the charmingly smooth vanilla notes started drifting between the smoky, sweet and spicy notes and all was forgotten. The scent flits between sweet, loud, crazy and unusual whilst at the same time being quite carefree and easy to wear. Another surprise is the dry down resembles L'air du Desert Morocain, which is an absolute favourite of mine. This fragrance is not for everyone so definitely try a sample before buying. I on the other hand have found a new favourite fragrance! Longevity is also good (10+ hours).

This is a good place to start with Beaufort. This and Vi Et Armis are probably the most emblematic scents of the line that aren't overkill. It's got a nautical lean, and the ink note reads as "cold" especially with the ginger helping it out. This, Zoologist's Squid, and Asleep in the Deep by Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab are my go-to's if I'm looking for a murky-ocean-depths vibe. I've seen some comparisons to Squid, and I can definitely see it, but where I think of Squid as an impression of the deep sea itself, this feels much more like an old sunken ship within the deep sea, what with all the charred woody aspects and whatnot. And it definitely opens with Beaufort's signature puff of smoke, so if that's not your thing, congrats on making it this far, but you might want to keep browsing. That said, it's not their most audacious opening. I'm a fan of this one. For me, one of the brand's higher-tier fragrances, and crucially, one I'll actually reach for.

There used to be a game show in which contestants would be asked to identify a song in a certain amount of notes. I feel that all the Beaufort scents I own or have sampled (like this one) I can identify as part of this house in about 1 second after one spray. Each Beaufort scent (with the exception of Full Fathom V, has the tonnage, so to speak, of smoke or smoky ink. The fragrances invoke tattoos, nothing to be taken lightly. This one with its leather, vanilla, birch notes has similarities with other Beauforts. This one does not have the silage of Rake &. Ruin, 1805 Tonnere, or Vi et Armis. All, including this one, make bold statements so it is rare that someone could "meh" about this house. I love what they are doing and they can be described as a true niche, that doesn't imitate others. I would encourage people to sample. I might break down and get a full bottle but I am not there yet.

This perfume immediately transports me into an old library, it smells like old books, old paper, and a fireplace. It's warm, comforting, and somehow mysterious and badass. Just the perfect mix for me. this is definitely my winter signature scent; it's a mix of spicy itchyness in the nose (ginger, vetiver) and creaminess of the sweetness coming from the vanilla and rum, all of this wrapped around a mysterious smokiness that is just magical. Would love if Beaufort made 100ml versions of their perfumes. Def one of the most wearables from the house - the rest that I tried from them was too challenging for me, but this was love at first sight. It's very long lasting and I love feeling surrounded by a cloud of creamy smokiness all day. It'd be great if it projected slightly more but the lasting power is amazing. Elegant, dark, mysterious, yet soothing and comforting.

Smoky, inky black depths of the sea! The ocean bottom, where even gravity is altered and silence fills perception. I adore smoky accords, have recently developed an obsession with ink as a note, and am always on the lookout for anything that reminds me of the sea. This one hits all 3, and does it in a fantastical scent that takes me to an eerie lightless world of strange beauty. The combination of notes - leather, tobacco, rum, ginger, cedar - transforms into a new accord, one that has an ocean spirit. As a diver, I love going beyond the limits of darkness, floating in an alien dimension of unseen splendor. This is the perfume of that experience. The 'black heart' of fathomless waters. BeauFort London has captured the essence of the deep, where mysteries dwell and laws of nature are shifted. Out of this world scent of the abyss. For ocean lovers!

For those who wanted Gucci Guilty Absolute to be even rougher and sharper. It has the same rough dirty leather feeling, just amped up even more. It adds to that a sharp birch wood note as its other core component. It opens up with a fresh ginger note on top, to make it even sharper, almost unbearably, but mercifully it dies of relatively quickly. In the deep drydown vanilla and softer woods start to dominate. Performance is good, but not insane. Overall, it’s a rough but beautiful ride. I say it can be worn any time of year, but it’s best enjoyed while out in nature. It has that same brilliant and clear feeling as most of the Beauforts, where each note stands out clearly on its own, rather than mix together, which makes it smell more like a collection of natural smells than a perfume. I wish I could find more perfumes that were like this.

This is what happens if Zoologist Squid, the original Rhinocerus and Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille all sleep together and have a child. That child is Ceour de Noir. Opens with a blast of rum, ginger, and ink. Sounds thick but actually super transparent and even possibly aquatic. It's simultaneously cooling and scorching. The next phase smells indeed like a leather bound spellbook. The leather is rugged and tough, while the old paper is dampy wet and infused with vanilla and booze. The ginger is very notable on my skin, and the ink accord stays throughout to envelope the whole scent with a mysterious darkness. This is a library on a ship sunk to the deepest depth of the ocean. For me, the best from Beaufort! P/S: on me the silage is pretty close, totally not as aggressive as some other Beaufort seem to be.

I get all the haters, this isn't a easily wearable fragrance. If you're looking for soft leather, kept looking. If you're looking for cedar and soft, polite cigar smoke, keep looking. This fragrance is bold and it is unusual. The first note that arises is the wood. This is the cinder wood of a cold campfire log. It is wood, not ash and not just smoke. This note lingers as the leather and ink rise up. The ink makes this for me. It's a bit tart, but the leather balances it out. Just when you'd expect a soft dry down, the spice notes come out to play. The spices are not gourmand, but slightly raw. The combination of all these notes is distinct, surprising, and mouth wateringly sexy on the right man.

This is one of my favorite fragrances. The scene it evokes for me is a dark candle-lit captain's quarters on a creaking old ship at sea. Bitter smoke, old fleshy leather, mildew, and ice cream. Bitter ink meets sweet vanilla-rum gourmand, and throw some stinky old charred books in there too. There is also something vaguely nostalgic about this smell that I can't put my finger on. It kind of feels like being in a used book store in the 90s. Or maybe you're reading a dusty old copy of Treasure Island while your older sister has opened a bottle of nail polish remover in the same room.

I wasn't a big fan of this one on my first try. It reminded me of poring over the mudstone at Whitby for ammonites as a child. I thought it was stronger and more aggressive than Tonnerre. My partner told me I was being silly and reckoned it was lovely. So I gave it a proper wear-out. Now I'd like a full bottle. Not entirely suited to the cold; more a spring wear for me, since it's not quite as powerful as I was led to believe. I've enjoyed all the house has to offer; this, Iron Duke, Vi et Armis and Rake and Ruin especially.

Opening was a bit challanging at first, but the dry down...oh my...smooth, dark, slightly sweet and cold tobacco. Smells like walking through a cold night in a victorian era english city, while sweet pipe tobacco smoke is coming out of a pub. The woody notes give it a slight old school/dark academia/library/gentlemens club vibe. Smells like from a different age, but definetly wearable I would say. Very intresting! Wouldnt probaly get a full bottle, but cant go wrong with a sample.

Inky papers and tobacco. A Victorian study. A peppery tone but without the smell of pepper. Dusty, maybe ashy. Thoughtful, maybe a little sulky. Masculine (which isn't to say it only suits men). The longer I wear it the more I like it. I'm almost compulsively sniffing my wrists. Damn, this is good. Edit: my spouse wore this for a long family event. It lasted really well on his shirt. I kept telling him how good he smelled. For us, definitely full bottle worthy.

This one took a while to grow on me but now it's the one from Beaufort I actually wear the most. The main thing I smell is ink, which is strange, given that the last time I actually opened a bottle of ink would be around 1982. I love rake and ruin and tonnerre but i usually chicken out and go for something safer if I had planned to wear them. This one is safe, but I fear that only I can smell it. But if someone around me detected it, how would I explain it?