Modern Classic Noir

If you like the Black Forest cake. Layers of chocolate flavored sponge cake, cherry jam and icing. Classic Modern Noir puts the focus squarely on its hyper sweetened black cherry and almond, which doesn’t smell as bakewell tart-ish as it sounds though. They keep it bitter enough using rose and a pinch of licorice in the heart gives it a subtle spice and the perfume’s base of patchouli, musks and vanilla rounds out the edible aspects nicely.

A sweeter version of Fendi Aqua Dellarossa Elixir. Dark cherries sweetened with licorice in a way that brings to mind the original Lolita Lempicka. Great value but longevity is only four hours or so.

Fragrance in three words: Plastic Cherry Bakewell Modern Classic Noir gives an initial blast of candied cherry similar to the cherry Tunes sweets (for anyone in the UK). Mixed in with this is a jammy sweet rose, like the cherry it is noticeably artificial in a good way. I didn't detect any almond or licorice. Drydown is white musk, similar to most feminine fragrances. Sweetish and not the dead flower smell you get with some perfumes. Not quite as nice as something like Ghost (2000) which has both white musk and vanilla as a base, but is a bit more seductive. After this there is a heavy sweet vanilla. Longevity was around 6 hours, with the top notes lasting 1 - 2 hours. So sort of OK, for a perfume. This isn't an expensive perfume at £45 for 100ml (as of August 2020) and it smells accordingly. It is a very easy going fragrance and a great attempt at a gourmand while remaining top value. Scores 7 out of 10 1ml sample.

Delicious and complex. All the gourmand notes cleverly balanced by musk and patchouli. The patchouli doesn't dominate it just balances but there's enough to take the edge off what could be 'sticky'. The only negative with this and I'm hoping there could be a reformulation (too good to lose a winning formula) is that I don't find any lasting power and have to keep reapplying. It's a reasonable price but on a day out one wants lasting power.

Reminds me of shampoo, and potentially Lady Million. Generally creamy and inoffensive.