Genny Noir

In one word, SUPERB ! Genny Noir is Italian perfumery at its finest. A dark, bewitching concoction of patchouli, geranium, marigold, cistus, and rose, with an illegal dose of oakmoss (in the vintage) that takes no prisoners. Not for the meek, and definitely not for anyone who's got anything negative to say about Clinique's Aromatics Elixir. They're sisters who share the same DNA, just that, in my opinion, Genny happens to be the more beautiful of these two, not so identical twins. I have both the current version (In the cylindrical bottle above), and the hard to find 1987 vintage formula (in the gorgeous, triangular shaped bottle). They're both fantastic and obviously related, but as with all reformulations, slightly different. The current version features more cardamom, and is rounder, less edgy. The vintage is earthier, mossier, much more opulent and daring, and so masterfully crafted that it's simply breathtaking. The original 1980s formula is simply called "Genny by Genny", minus the Noir, and differed slightly in composition. The following were its listed notes: bergamot, aldehydes, petit grain, marigold, rose, jasmine, ylang ylang, geranium, Iris, orange blossom, olive blossom, lilly of the valley, cardamom, coriander, cistus, patchouli, sandalwood, oakmoss, vetiver, ambergris, civet and musk. PS. There is a listing here on Fragrantica for "Genny by Genny" that is ALL WRONG. "Genny by Genny" and "Genny Noir" are in actuality a continuation of the very same fragrance, just slightly tweaked (modernized), and repackaged with "Noir" added to the name. The main accords listed on that page for the vintage 1987 "Genny by Genny" are incorrect, and are not the actual accords for that fragrance (I have no idea what fragrance they're actually for). The accords for both the vintage Genny and the new "Noir" are in fact, with some minor exceptions, almost identical.

Oh my God, I have a migraine...no no because of the perfume because it's beautiful. Ladies this in the purest form of a feminist perfume. It is a more airy and earthy version of Knowing by Estée Lauder. It's the perfume I love, it's a bitter cold it is very suitable for work, if you are a career woman because nobody is expecting to wear Mon Guerlain, La Vie e belle or another sweetie candy perfumes. If you know the already feminist cliche perfume Arrogance well this is a multiple floral version not just white like Arrogance. Nothing bad about this fragrance, au contraire. It is a perfume inspired by a strong, powerful woman Donatella Girombelli, can't smell of caramel and chocolate. The smell is a very pleasant one that can beautifully complement a woman dressed in a suit, it gives an aristocratic coldness and somehow accentuates a sense of submission to those around her, it's very hard to explain. All that comes to my mind when I smell this perfume are the images of Sandra Bullock in Proposal when she enter in the building and everyone is running from her way.

Gianfranco Ferre may have created this scent as an alternative to or in league with Aramis 900, Clinique Aromatics Elixir and Estee Lauder Knowing. All are unisex today. This is nice. As a man l wear Knowing and most of my friends thought l had Aramis Classic '64 or Cabochard '59 on. This is a good chypre with a great price for a 100ml bottle. With an unknown year of creation, perhaps this is a 70's or 80's fragrance. Quite masculine in the 2000's. I will definitely repurchase since it is uncommon nowadays and unique for me to wear. My choice. The millenials will be puzzled and surprised.

This is like a perfume tattoo. This lasts and it projects and it’s a slightly dirty chypre. What’s not to love. My son (he’s 6 and a budding fraghead) told me I smelled like “that place where we go pet all those goats.” So, it’s definitely an acquired taste. Yes, this reminds me of Aromatics Elixir but a bit rougher. Interestingly, sometimes I wear this and I absolutely smell Mitsouko’s peachy heft. But not every time. This is for chypre-lovers only. And it’s completely unisex, as if you needed my permission. If you are reading this, just get it if you can.

Woaaa. What a punch! Heady, dense, smoky, nocturnal, powerful fragrance. Not suitable for all, you need to be like this perfume to carry it around, or you'll end up embarrassed on a corner! (like me, first time using it) And it lasts forever. This patchouli is a killer! I love love this! It is a mix of Estée Lauder *Knowing* and Clinique's *Aromatics Elixir*. The dry down has something that reminds me of a masculine fragrance, Zino Davidoff - which I love too. It's the patchouli. This is way too good to be this cheap and unnoticed by the frag community.

This is like furyo but fresh by the virtue of added oakmoss. But one of the best scents if you like moss, patchouli and incensed musk. Total enjoyment.

Damn, I blind bought this 100ml for a deal (95% full, no cap from Fragrancenet for $16) because I love vintage smelling, dark earthy mossy green scents (think Bandit, Aliage, Aromatics Elixir, orig Miss Dior, Silences) but this is NASTY. It has promise but a light tissue test has this GAG-worthy diesel fuel/rubber/rancid horror to it. It's sour and actually makes me gag/dry heave. F**K. I'm exactly like the other review. I haven't given up and tossed/sold this, but I'm going to try a light skin application and see how that works. Maybe apply lightly (mist in air, walk thru) and layer with something else? Maybe this will make a better base for my other greens that need more "earth/depth"? UGH! GAG! Stop sniffing this, Mary! I think I'll flush this tissue down the toilet. It can't even be in my garbage can. Quite possibly the worst blind buy of my 400+ bottles.... lol. Wait up.... as the GAG-NASTY stuff wears down in 30-60 minutes, I'm getting a dry bitter/green rose- which actually helps. This is still horrifying smelled up close (the tissue). However, the sillage off this is much nicer. (As the other review said) I think it's the ylang ylang that makes this so rank/rotten. Why do they put such a waxy sweet flower in chypres? Most of the time, it just doesn't work. It's the same gaggy/tummy-turning in Animale Animale- which I suspect is the ylang-ylang too. On the plus side, that tummy turning bit of Animale doesn't appear when worn on skin. So there is hope for this Genny Noir. It's a lot like Animale now. So I didn't flush this... and I'm actually rather excited to try on skin now (my skin tends to suck up perfume, which is a good thing here). It's mellowed to the point of almost disappearing, and while I can still "find" that rank-nasty part, it's much more pleasing. Time will tell on this one! Overall it's a very bitter, earthy-woody rose chypre. Hot dog- the day-later drydown on a tissue is NICE! Only took about 18 hours. ;) It reminds me of the mossy-earthy-old man of Charlie blue. Which... I don't really mind.

This is a love and a hate simultaneously. 'Like' is far too bland an emotion for it to inspire. Genny Noir is so so so strong (in a bad way) and sickeningly harsh that I have concluded I cannot wear it on my skin. I tried spraying in on a cottonball, planning to put it in my pocket, but it was still so rank after 15 minutes that I tossed it in the wastebasket. Four or Five hours later I come back to the house and as I enter I detect elusive wafts of fragrance. Going down the hall, warm mysteriously familiar notes gently infuse the air. Enter the bedroom where a classic and sophisticated chypre envelops me. A little Aromatics Elixir, a little Aliage, a lot wonderful. Enter the bathroom and my eyes start to water, my head to pound-the smell from the wastebasket is still rank and harsh. I don't know if I have a defective bottle; it was purchased used but I don't think it is vintage. I am definitely keeping this one for now, to take out and cautiously sniff when I next feel brave enough.

So much better on skin! Do not test on paper/tissue! LOL! On skin, it's still very earthy-oily-patchouli but in a nice, feminine way- with a touch of floral- but just a touch. I can see this as a nighttime perfume for a hippie gal. Of course, it's also very unisex. And also great for layering. About 3 hours after my application, I put on one spray of vintage Miss Dior for bed, and Genny Noir really made the Miss D GREEN AND STRONG For about 1 hour and I loved it! I guess I'm not so much a fan of patchouli/earth as I am greens/galbanium/oakmoss. While I used to hate patchouli, I've grown to appreciate it, but this is TOO MUCH. If you love patchouli tho-- this is so affordable to try! It's not armpit sweaty, or medicinal. Just very very oily and earthy. Nothing like Angel-patchouli. I also was able to do 3-4 sprays directly on my skin (which doesn't hold perfume well) and enjoy this with above-average sillage/potency. But it was not cloying or rank. ;)

This is heavy earthy scent that would not be appropriate to wear at work so I am always happy to rock this on the weekend when I can. This scent reminds me a lot of Clinique Aromatics Elixir and other powerhouse chypre scents of the 70's and 80's. Which are my favorites. This one is heavy on the oakmoss and patchouli with some heavy rose notes as well. And although it is a really heavy scent, I find it quite relaxing and calming. This is made by an italian design house (Genny) and is not found very often. I purchased this online for quite an affordable price (under $20 for a 3.4oz bottle, I believe) and I should probably snag a back up online before it becomes harder to obtain.

This is my latest discovery and worth mentioning. I am not one to write that many reviews..I like reading them instead, but for this fragrance I make an exception. Not only is this a wonderful chypre at first spray (and comparable to Aromatics Elixer by Clinique, perhaps slightly fresher), but it's dry down is so lovely! And for that price! For those that collect chypres, go and get this one!

Blind buy for me and what a pleasant discovery! I agree, a wonderful interpretation (for the nostalgic) of Aromatics Elisir. At the first spray the exaggerated cloud of perfume envelops. Uhmmmm .... good !!! Let's say that the first hour is heard and you are heard. Then the fragrance evaporates slightly but always stays there .. on the skin. Great! And also the great price.