Eau Parfumee au The Noir

NB FRAGRANTICA STAFF: The main picture for this perfume is actually for the Eau de Cologne Intense formula (Frag perfume #52922) with the GOLD label. The perfume on this page Eau Parfumee au The Noir actually has a WHITE LABEL with gold writing; it is pictured in Picture No.1 to the right of main bottle entry picture. I received this on Christmas Eve this year (2018), along with SIX other Bvlgari perfumes/colognes from four of their collections. I almost had my Dear One order me the Extreme version (literally twice as much for the same mL's) but after smelling this cologne am grateful I opted for the lower concentration. I have yet to do a full wearing (once sniffed on mouillette strip and once walking through a mist) but this is NOT what I expected or osmagined. It's unlike the other tea scents in the novel (for this genre, anyway) addition of 2/3 of a Mukhallat formula-oud & rose in addition to tobacco and patchouli! I want to say these overpower the smoky Lapsang Suchong black tea but instead they are blended in such a masterful way as to create something breathtaking and bold yet still chic calm and collected. Each of these ingredients in Maitre Cavallier's "the noir" recipe bring out some other inherently interesting facet of each other while still maintaining an overall harmony that's utterly graceful while emanating a shadowy exotic mystique. Nowhere near "watery" or tea-like this is an inky infusion of warmth blended with a decoction of aquilaria some honeyed rose petals before being stirred by a black vanilla bean-which was not included. I do not know what type of agarwood was used here but it's fruitier and smokier not barnyard or medicinal. I believe a similar note was used in whole or part by CREED in their Royal Oud. So yes, it's designer-but it's pretty damn good. No, it's not your typical tea-centric fragrance (this House has enough of those already)-it is however a delightful dark and devilish brew. To me it almost comes across as Gothic with the seductive rose and smoky sweet oud cradled by tobacco (light Turkish or blossom I'd wager) and more green than woody patchouli leaves. One sniff it's a mukhallat chiffon...the next sniff its a gentlemanly woody aromatic...next it has become this softly smoke-infused leather and tea accord that still wafts an oriental mélange fading softly in the background. This is superb! Sillage: very good Longevity: excellent Overall: 4.25/5 Despite the fact I acquired this from an online discount retailer (who has flashing ads at the bottom of perfume pages) for a quite reasonable price of $42 US; it is something I would pay retail price for-it's that god. If, like myself, you dig perfumes that are: dark, flowery, bold, smoky, exotic and well done you should do yourself a favor and test this. It surprised the hell out of me... I was so "over" the whole saffron-rose-oud thing from the last few years. This did that in a completely groovy way while incorporating the tea theme, another craze I mistakenly thought was never going to produce anything new or exciting. Without giving up one iota of quality this delivers a Middle Eastern/Oriental vibe while being neither heavy handed nor too minimalist. This is a rich and vibrant tapestry woven flawlessly; but, then again it IS a Cavallier-Belletrud. I figured I would respect this for its craftsmanship and move onto the next wan vapid perfume-by-numbers the mass markets clamor for so vehemently. SO far beyond that, The Noir lends both translucent warmth and intense aromas as it steams and steeps. I osmagine this is much more versatile than most tea scents as it can be worn in the winter (day) or spring and summer (evening). It's a refreshingly light take on an often aromatic and dense dark genre making it a great choice for warmer spring days and cool summer nights. I can't wait to rock this on a melancholy cool damp spring day... smell swell & be well, GP xox

Personally I love this. I too received the Emirates business class Bvlgari wash kit. Unfortunately I wasn't on the flight but when my parents flew the cabin crew were kind enough to give them a spare for me on the return leg. Anyway - Tea? Maybe not. I detect mostly light leather with some tobacco and perhaps soap. It reminds me of a classic dusty barber shop scent. It sits close to the skin and smells very clean (old school clean). The difference being the leathery scent is pronounced. It's not just a desirable dry down after the main scent fades, it is the showpiece. It's how I want all classic barber shop scents to sit. The clean scent is utterly addictive, I just can't stop sniffing my wrist. Perhaps because it is so light. Sometimes I just want leather but I don't want the heavy overbearing scent. This is the answer. You can wear this with the confidence that it's not going to get up anybody's nose. A great all rounder. It does work in the winter but I much prefer it as a daytime scent in warmer (but not baking hot) weather. Just to add - something many may raise an eyebrow at - the scent reminds me of a dried down Dior Fahrenheit, just weaker and far less sweet. I imagine if you took the petrol out of Fahrenheit you'd end up with something like this. The body lotion is also excellent. Almost as strong as the cologne. In fact after the cologne has dried down, it does have the subtleness of a body lotion scent. Perhaps that is why the lotion also works very well.

Well, I have to say that this one surprised me. I thought this would be a very easy to wear with no Oud in here but, surprisingly, this has a little bit of a skanky Oud in the back of it, which is quite good to be honest. When you spray this you'll be able to smell the rose with some bergamot and a shy tea note. Love this unisex fresh opening! 10min later the tea will dominate the fragrance and the leather accord appears. There's a good accord here. Like the one you'll find in Black from the same brand or even Midnight in Paris but without the rubber note. Excellent! The Oud is there basically since the tea starts to shine. Is giving a skanky yet sexy vibe from this and later on, the fragrance turns a little bit yummy. It's complex and has all the three stages very well achieved! The Oud isn't potent but isn't that synthetic so I really appreciate it. Bravo Mr. Jacques Cavallier! Heavenly! The performance is not great. It's suave but I love it that way. It's comforting and I love to wear it on a breezy spring/summer night. The price is very adequate and you can find a 75ml bottle for less than 50€. The quality is great too! I recommend it to everyone that likes Tea, rose and a tiny touch of Oud.

This is the best leather and tobacco perfume I have smelled, and it is the one I have been looking for. This perfume brings back memories of my childhood. The leather accord is so well done, it truly smells like an untreated hide of leather. My Mother was a leather craftsperson and we had leather hides all over the house, she made beautiful things w/ them until arthritis claimed her hands. Believe me this is the best leather accord in perfume I have smelled. The tobacco in here is just as true and rich as the finest pipe tobacco and I was surrounded as a child by hard working men who loved to smoke a pipe in the evening to relax. I miss that smell. The rose in here adds a bit of softness and keeps the perfume from becoming too overwhelming from the richness of the leather and tobacco. The oud, and patchouli round out the perfume in the base and keep it going strong. I love this one and will be ordering a full bottle right away. Oh, medicinal oud in the dry down. This is just a stunner. Big Love! My husband wants to share the bottle w/ me and that will be fine.

Nobody does abstract, contemplative fragrances better than Jacques Cavallier. His early work, from M7 and Rive Gauche pour Homme to Feu d'Issey stands alongside the giants of 20th century perfumery. Eau Parfumee au The Noir (EPaTN) may be his greatest achievement. This is a flawlessly executed olfactory sculpture. The medium, of course, is wood. And Cavallier's genius here is to make the entire composition so polished, so clean, and yet also so challenging. More than any fragrance I can remember, I find myself obsessively the mysteries and contradictions in EPaTN. It is deeply bitter, yet honeyed. Totally masculine, yet unlike any other masculine fragrance on the market today. It is mainstream, but more daring than 99.9% of the niche offerings. Wow. This is the scent of a clean woodshop, the private domain of a master artist and craftsman. Thank you, Monsieur Cavallier for bringing EPaTN into the world.

A blind buy after I read a review on Basenotes or...here. Can’t remember, nor can I remember what complex spiderweb of google searching got me to that page, as I don’t even think I was searching for scents at all! Clearly this was meant to be... This one is very far out of my usual lane (citrus) and I am a little obsessed. I find it strong and long-lasting, but of course with COVID I am not going out among people very often, so I am enjoying it privately at home, regularly smelling my wrist and taking deep appreciative whiffs in a way that would look absolutely insane to anyone watching. The intro is very brief, as though tea has only a cameo role as someone who ushers you into a stable full of well-maintained horse tack. This is so smoky and deep and leathery and I never thought those would be my jam. But here we are. Thanks, random google search gremlins.

Stepped out of my comfort zone with this one, because I wanted more tea scents, and I'm so glad I did. It leans quite masculine in my opinion (I would LOVE to smell this on a man). When I first sprayed it I got a lot of leather and kind of a motor oil/garage smell and I was worried I'd made a mistake but now that I'm wearing it, I love it! The deep dry down especially is just gorgeous! Just the slightest hint of sweetness, a whisper of rose, a touch of smokiness and tobacco against a beautiful blend of black tea and woods. Do give it a chance to settle into your skin before you judge. I don't think you'll be disappointed! This regular version I have is rather light, which is fine by me. I'm going to use this as a palate cleanser between fruity floral days. It's beautiful!

I have just received my bottle and it's love at first sniff! I have blind bought this one a bit affraid because of the price and the weakness of the line. None of that is important once you smell this. It's definitely more masculine than unisex. I'm a woman who has been using men's fragrances for a while so this is not a problem for me, but i believe it is important to know this if you are going to blind buy it. The rose is very shy. I get mostly woods (the best quality ones) and a transparency not often found in this type of perfumes. The fact that it's not stong makes it wearable in more occasions and seasons. It's a lot stonger than the Blanc flanker. Monsieur Cavallier, Chapeau! Once again he brought to the world an exquisite smelling criature.

Update: Loving this rich tea scent more and more on my skin (still not the best on my clothes). It's like the deepest earl grey tea and also soft. I am about to order a back up. Leather (smells like a purse), rose, all in a watery black tea, but also more interesting and nuanced than I just described. When people say it is both heavy and light, I understand exactly what they mean. I really like it on my skin, smells sublime and the tea dominates, and one of the few tea scents that you could even wear at night in the right context, but somehow it is a bit too heavy or masculine, when I spray directly on my clothes. Perhaps then the leather becomes more prominent. I am not sure. Lasts 6+ hours with moderate projection.

Beautifully blended and sophisticated fragrance. This is great for people who think TF Black Orchid or other popular leather/tobacco fragrances are too beastly and powerful, this is a nice alternative that is lighter, more user friendly, and slightly leaning feminine. I get an initial anise note when first sprayed which dissipates rather quickly. It settles to a smooth leader, light tobacco, and just a bit of dry rose in the background. You definitely get a tea note, that's infused into the fragrance, and it doesn't stick out like a distinctive note. Warm patchouli but not overbearing. It's sophisticated yet at the same time, a very empowering "don't mess with me" type of vibe.

My favorite black teas are Earl Grey and Lapsang Souchong, and Eau Parfumee au The Noir somehow evokes both. It opens with pronounced oud and tobacco, that eventually mellows to a somewhat green, aromatic tea, still shrouded by smoke. There is a also a dark, dry, plaintive rose in the heart that provides the shadows to any semblance of brightness, while the base is mercurial, with all aforementioned elements appearing ghostly and uncertain, a bittersweet skin scent that haunts. A 5 oz bottle is perfect for generous application, as I find that several sprays help you reach that sweet spot where the fragrance carries with you for a decent amount of time.

I received this from a friend last Christmas. It came in a lovely gift box with two soaps, two mini lotions and shower gels, and the perfume. This is definitely a "me" scent. I like the other scents in the Eau Parfumee line from Bvlgari, but this is most like my personality and what I enjoy. It has a slight edge to it, enough to make it unique from the others in the line which are lighter in comparison. This isn't a heavy fragrance though, it is smoky and deep with tobacco, patchouli, oud, black tea, leather. Those are the notes I pick up most. Definitely worth checking out for something that is different and not in your face.

Like a bruised dark cloud passing in front of the sun Eau Parfumee au The Noir casts a slowly moving shadow on the rolling hills below. It sits close to the skin; a masterful blend of smoky black tea, rose and soft leather. A hint of aromatic tobacco and a well calibrated woody coda, demonstrate the work of an inspired creator (Jacques Cavallier Belletrud) totally absorbed and at one with his materials. The result is a quietly magical; somnolent and curiously affecting reverie on the nature of light and shade in perfumery. I love it!

The combination of notes are well balanced. This must be on the best leather & oud scent out there. The leather here is very proper and the oud rhymes with it perfectly. The black tea adds a feel of lightness and transparency to it. Definitely unisex and versatile. Can be worn all day, but best on night time. Also the price point is very nice. A lot cheaper than niche fragrances that offer the same effect but on a much higher price. One of Bvlgari's best imho. I will be definitely including this in my all time favorites.

Is it a oud scent? A tea one? A leather one? It's all of these things, smoothly combined so no edges show. Nothing "jumps out" at you, so at first I was a bit puzzled by this one, but now I'm addicted. It's deep and serious but at the same time very wearable and fresh, a rare combination. Sometimes it's very tea like and astringent, sometimes rosey-lemony, sometimes leather, other times its almost like a straightforward oud scent. Fantastic!

Really excellent. It is definitely a tea scent, but it is blended to the point where I don't get the individual leather or oud or tobacco notes. I just get this dark, herbal, sweet, brooding tea scent that lasts close to the skin for a good 6+ hours. This is my kind of cologne! Edit: I am shocked by how long this lasts. I can still smell a hint of it 24+ hours after my last application. Something in this just sticks to my skin.

On a pure value scale of quality/price this might be the best rose-oud out there imho. The use of that (obviously not real, but typical) oud combo with rose is great, but rounded out nicely with a smoky tea and leather mix. I wouldn't necessarily recommend a blind buy, it's still a strong and bold presence but if you like this darker style of fragrance this is a great pickup for the price you can get it at.

Somehow this reminded me of a less macho version of Bvlgari Black- the tea note was much more noticeable, the rose added a faint powdery touch, and the woody and leather notes together made the dry down very cozy. I will note that the rose, patchouli, and tea notes project more in warmer weather or if the wearer warms up. This lasts about five hours on skin but it lingers on clothes for at least nine hours.

A deep and elegant oriental scent which focuses on black tea and accentuated with tobacco, rose and oud giving it a Middle Eastern vibe.. It is a well-balanced concoction and although it comes in cologne intense concentration, the performance is satisfactory.. I would indulge myself of this scent at any given time.. Please do yourself a favor and try it if you get the chance..

On first sniff, it smells heavily of wood and chypre, but it really develops and evolves over a few hours on the skin. The dry down is hard to pin down: it continually shifts from black tea, to oud, to rose, back to tea again. I agree with Tiwalii's description - it's sexy and warm, like being wrapped up in a cashmere throw sitting on a leather couch in front of a fire.