Noir Exquis

Where I live, in the Great Lakes region of the United States, Autumn is the most naturally fragrant season to my nose. While Spring has it’s florals, fresh cut grass, and the smell of evening thunderstorms, each instance is situational and therefore fleeting. Summer is the smell of smoked meats from charcoal grills, but also just as fleeting. In Autumn, however, the smell of the leaves seems to permeate the air as soon as I open my door. Most of the time, there is a pleasant faint smokiness - the smell of a bonfire a few blocks away. Or a major brush burn from the edge of the city. I never know where exactly it comes from, but the smell lingers throughout the season and feels like home to me. So it’s late October. The leaves have changed color and began to fall about a week ago, though many will still cling to the trees for a couple more weeks. I’m walking to a certain corner cafe, a longstanding local institution that fits right into the setting - historic brick streets, uneven sidewalks, old growth trees and craftsman and foursquare houses. I leash up my dog, bundle in my Fall best, my favorite boots and jacket that have spent months seasonally neglected and packed away, and begin my stroll through the crisp, dry morning air - through mottled amber and fire red tunnels of maple, ash and oak trees - taking in the warm hues and smoldering redolence of this morning’s golden hour. At the cafe, I’m greeted by the same friendly staff I see every time, the same warm environment, but this time I want something different than usual - something slightly sweeter, slightly more extravagant. I indulge in a touch of Hazelnut, two ristretto shots of a medium roast espresso, and top it with a little steamed whole milk. I take my lidless drink in one hand along with a small waxed paper bag containing a butter croissant, tip generously with the other, say my goodbyes, and head out to the sidewalk patio, and shortly after to the park across the street to finish my morning walk through the fragrant, somewhat smoky Autumn air. This narrative is the essence of L’Artisan Parfumeur’s Noir Exquis. And in my mind, it’s not far off from their French pâtisserie marketing spiel, so I think they hit their mark. The chestnut, vanilla, and deep woody notes combine to pay tribute to the vaguely smoky sweet idealized Fall experience I speak of, while remaining somewhat airy and transient at the same time. It’s this airiness that gives Noir Exquis the kind of restraint that demonstrates experience worn maturity, thus making it very wearable and downright classy. If you’re looking for an ideal autumn scent, seriously forget all of the pumpkin spice nonsense - Noir Exquis will set you apart from everyone else who has bought into the insipid Starbucks variety of autumnal cafe inspired travesties. And it will do so with undeniable style. It is somehow understated and humble while simultaneously seeming luxurious and intoxicating, the perfect juxtaposition of which makes it an anomaly - a single sparkling gem in a world of underwhelming costume jewelry. Noir Exquis could be considered the definitive outlier of an often disappointing sea of countless mediocre “almost, but not quite” fall fragrances. And thank god we have one - there is nothing basic about it at all. To me, this is also a somewhat rare case of the presentation perfectly doing the product justice in that L’Artisan Parfumeur’s bottle design accurately signifies and reinforces the idea of the high quality of the contents within. If, for some reason, I get through this life not having used my entire bottle, I could see Noir Exquis being a treasured heirloom. The whole package epitomizes classic maturity and timelessness. The same could be said for the other selections I’ve tried from the brand. The cynic in me knows that I am just falling for the image, but my god - their marketing team deserves all the credit in the world for tricking me into thinking I’m getting something more unique and special than the more mass appealing, pop culture endorsed products manufactured by the same parent company. I clearly take no issue with knowingly buying into the gorgeous bottles paired with an antique botanical print aesthetic, a contrived stab at the impression of a long established reputation and rock solid authenticity. I’m so very in - they got me. Frankly put, this is “simple pleasure” defined. I hope that it endures forever.

Noir Exquis absolutely a gourmand fragrance, but it never forgets that it’s a perfume, not a holiday candle. The gourmand elements, such as coffee, chestnut, vanilla, and maple syrup, are front-and-center in the blend, but they’re cocooned with florals and woods and employed in such a way that they’re never too much – never too sweet, never too vanillic, never too juvenile or crass. In line with L’Artisan’s long history, this is an exquisitely blended perfume created with a sense of elegance, sophistication, and care. The opening is a broadside of juicy orange, powdery heliotrope and orange blossom, chestnut, and a deep, rich, almost boozy vanilla, reminiscent of real vanilla extract. Soon, though, everything starts to come into focus. The orange fades, and the coffee starts to bubble up from beneath a golden haze of maple. This is not a harsh, bitter coffee like in By Kilian’s Intoxicated or Sebastiane’s Espresso Royale, but more like the pleasing wafts you might get when you come down for breakfast and a fresh pot of coffee has just been brewed. This coffee blends seamlessly with the chestnut and the thick, boozy, and slightly smoky vanilla. As time goes on, the ebony wood comes more to the fore, and overall the fragrance becomes drier and less sweet. The heliotrope and orange blossom provide a lush, velveteen texture. Where other gourmand fragrances might eschew floral notes altogether, these flowers are used skillfully to add a suppleness to the fragrance that elevates it from a simple vanilla to something more complex and balanced. What you’re left with for hours and hours after initial application is a warm, sensual vanilla flecked with coffee beans, white flowers, a drizzle (not too much) of maple syrup, and dry woods. Performs exactly like an EDP, so good longevity and not-so-good projection and sillage. But I'm okay with that. 8/10

***Black Bottle Review*** Brief personal story to enhance the review. The performance related info will be towards the bottom if that's all you're interested in. I drove by a very small pâtisserie during winter, not far just outside of San Francisco, and saw a massive line all the way down the sidewalk. I was sharing a vehicle at the time and made a mental note to return on the weekend when I'd have it to myself. Got there an hour early on Saturday, still third in line, realized I forgot my coat :)))))))))) and waited until my turn. I'd never been in a pâtisserie before but the smell was just warm, sweet, buttery bliss. The people running the place were equally warm, sweet, and buttery. I got some stuff I don't remember the name of and it made me cry. Spicy meatball hand kiss. Anyways, that same day I ended up in Bloomingdales and was chatting up the sales associate about Kilian when he suggested me this house. This was the first fragrance he sprayed and before doing that he read the inspiration which was "two lovers rendezvous at a pâtisserie" which to me was like the stars aligning, and smelling it made me feel exactly what I had earlier that day. The accuracy of the smell was flooring so I bought the bottle and now every night I smile at my tiny personal San Fran adventure. Noir Exquis wears close to the skin, but has great longevity. I can smell it on my skin for a good 6-7 hours. The only similarity from By The Fireplace this has is the roasted chestnut at the top. None of the smokiness, though, it's all sweet. This hits its stride once the maple and coffee comes through. Maple is foremost, but it's a pleasant airy maple. Not thick or gooey by any stretch, which is why this has turned into the fragrance I spray before bed.

This is for the gold capped version. Just a couple of things to begin with. There are very few gourmand perfumes I can say I love or even like. This is one I love. Second, with all due respect to it's admirers, MMM BTF doesn't come close to the mastery of this creation in my opinion. Someone far down in the reviews mentioned that BTF reminded her of barbecued sausage, and that is how I experience it as well, making it impossible for me to consider the two similar. What I love about NE is that there seems to be an implied smokiness, something that hints at being is a cozy, warm patisserie where the smell of a distant fireplace adds to the ambiance. Stepping outside after enjoying some type of vanilla and maple confection that is not achingly sweet, I smell chestnuts being roasted by street vendors. It's funny because that particular aroma is very present on the streets of NYC in the cold weather just as it is in Paris, but the street I'm stepping out onto is definitely Parisian. I definitely have a scent memory from time spent in Paris in late autumn, and the nostalgia for that time and place makes the experience of wearing NE all the more heartwarming. I've already hit on what most every favorable review has mentioned, though I did forget to mention the rich coffee I was enjoying with my little treat! Beyond that, I'll just add that on my skin I get about 4 hours with projection less than a foot away. ThoughbIve owned this for quite a while, I'm reviewing it today, because as we perfumistas tend to do, I'm thinking ahead to what I will be wearing for the upcoming holidays, and Noir Exquis is definitely on the menu for Thanksgiving!

Lovely sophisticated gourmand comfort scent with strong vanilla honey (without the pissy note). While it may not be groundbreaking now, it is quite well done, if you like gourmands. I'm not a true gourmand lover of perfume, but every now and then.... for some reason I like to wear them to bed, and I suspect this one will be the same. The orange that everyone is complaining about is not really all that present to my nose, nor is the coffee or the hazlenut, alas. But the heliotrope, vanilla and tonka are considerably amplified on me so this is very sweet indeed. I blind bought this based on someone's review and one that I admire, not something I would normally do, but I'm very happy with this, even if it is a warm fall and winter scent. It's not doing too badly in the heat this spring. I plan on wearing it again tomorrow when the weather cools up (we're having some weird weather in Cali). I think this is unisex while skewing a bit feminine, and, for some may even be sensual and sexy, though I eschew sweets for civets with respect to seduction scents. This is warmly, comfortingly seductive. Edit: two-three months later, now October. I bought a FB. Now I can smell the coffee and the hazelnut, but it’s not as strong as the opening of the new Atelier Cafe Tuberosa. Noir Exquis is more expertly blended, and just beautiful—lovely silage, and lasts all day, and as an added plus: I get compliments on this one (a rare thing!). I’m very happy and even with my truckload of ‘fumes—this one is getting some wear and I’m already looking at close to the half-bottle mark...

This is now my favorite release by L'Artisan, and definitely the best thing they've done recently. You're going to get a lot of vanilla and sweet tonka bean in this one, a kind of rich, undoubtedly buttery vanilla but it's accented by many nice and interesting gourmand nuances so that it never gets boring. I wasn't sure how roasted chestnuts would translate here but they smell great, with their own unique flavor. They match up well with the coffee note, continuing a sort of roasted/toasted quality that runs throughout the scent. This roasted side of the fragrance is nicely balanced with the sweet side, so it doesn't become cloying or sickly sweet. Maple syrup leaves a bit of a crystallized burnt sugar impression, and finally there's a nice solid woody structure in the base. I guess it could be described as sandalwood, or maybe cashmeran wood, a sort of dry but solid backbone for the base. If you like New Haarlem but always wished it wasn't as big and sloppy and in your face as it is, this is a great option. If you're looking for a gourmand that has some nice nutty and woody characteristics to it as well this is also a good choice. It reminds me most of Aoud Vanille by Mancera, however Aoud Vanille is drier and lacks the quirky little detail of Noir Exquis. Thumbs up for sure. This was a pleasant surprise that almost slipped by me, and it probably deserves more attention than it's received.

Vanilla flavored coffee, that's the main accord of this fragrance, smells similar to the k-cup coffee I have at work every morning, it has a light-roasted coffee bean aroma, not the bold and dark type. The Opening is a little minty, I didn't detect any citrus or orange blossom at all. After 10min the Tonka and Maple sap came in, with a hint of chestnut as a supporting role in the background. After an hour or so, there's some smokey burnt-wood reared its head, which i presume to be the ebony? reminded me of a fireplace, the dry down is quite dry. At 2hr mark, the Vanilla coffee bailed out and disappeared. None of the notes are in-your-face though, they seem a bit like an illusion. Projection and Sillage are moderate for about 2hr, with an average longevity of about 6hr. The sprayer is like firehose, a massive amount of distribution so 2 to 3 sprays should do. This fragrance project an aura type scent bubble, you know it's there but it's not dense or heavy, wouldn't be offensive or cloying if you overspray. I would wear this anytime in any season, whenever i feel like having a darker gourmand scent. Though, I'll reach for Al Contrario from Terenzi when i want a lighter and more uplifting gourmand scent.

I bought this as a 10 ml travel size, and fell soooooo in love!!! This is the most quintessential autumnal scent to me, alongside ELDO's Like This, in my collection. Bertrand Duchaufour, master that he is, created the perfect balance of nuttiness, with a hint of coffee and a gorgeous, perfect amount of maple syrup giving this a delightful gourmand quality that smells very refined, comforting and delicious!!! I've read some people consider this a skin scent and while it does sit a bit close to the skin, it has some seriously impressive lasting power - I'd applied this in the afternoon yesterday, then later sprayed some of my remaining L'Artisan Nuit de Tuberose on before going to bed. I woke up in the middle of the night, trying to remember what else I'd applied that day as my wrist smelled so wonderful but it was not the tuberose. Ah, yes -- it was Noir Exquis! Really impressive performance here, and a truly exQUISite creation from one of my favorite perfumers! And funnily, L'Artisan has this listed under 'men's fragrances' on their site, yet it is absolutely unisex, as I think pretty much all of their fragrances are, so I'm frankly surprised they even bother separating them by gender?

my mom gave this to me because she said she hated it. I'd never heard of or seen it. I sprayed it and I got this glorious wuff of woodsy vanilla.....sweet woodsy vanilla. It took me about 30 seconds to realize that it smelled VERY similar to by the fire place.....yes....just like everyone says but maybe a little sweeter. And it....was....glorious. After 5 minutes some spicy notes seep through. Still pretty good. The vanilla is strong and pairs so well with the woodsy notes. After about 30-60 minutes it looses it's woodsy vanillery goodness and smells like really strong spice....like sweet spicy mens cologne. I didn't like it much at that point. but to me this was STRONG. like REALLY strong. I don't get why people say it's light and week. I totes disagree. But I've just started smelling niche frags so maybe compared to others it is. I don't get coffee but I'm also not an expert at frags so I probably wouldn't know anyway. long story short.....I was in love for the first 30-45 minutes but after 1 hour this is very much a dudes scent. sweet spicy cologne which I wouldn't mind smelling on a dude for maybe a formal occasion but I'm not into smelling that way.

I have a sample. (thanks SailorV!) ---- Summary: sweet gourmand, but elegant and refined. This is really really good. Smells of dark old wood (like those old offices with high ceilings and dark wood bookcases that reach the ceiling), of candied boiled chestnuts, of the smoky vanilla that old pipe tobacco used to smell like, of something sweet and smoky but not heavy nor sticky, more atmospheric and undulating instead. That is the most unusual part of this, that it manages to be clearly sweet and smoky but keeps its lightness. I don't get the coffee, but I get all other notes. The orange and orange flower notes come and go, the heliotrope is more permanent. The vanilla and tonka are there but are elegant, not screechy as they sometimes are in other fragrances, and the sandalwood may be there (I detect a warm creaminess that is usually, for my nose, associated with sandalwood) but is not prominent. I would love to have this one. I will have to test it on winter as well. Even on warm weather, I find it lovely, but I suspect it will shine on cooler air which will lend it even more airiness and brightness, which is not usual on sweet gourmands like this one.

Oh, dear god. This is first perfume I have ever blind bought. And probably the best perfume I have ever bought. I am so in love with it. According to the notes listed here and the fact that I love L'Artisan vibe, I assumed I would like this one. Damn, I am good. This is good. I got it yesterday and couldn't imagine a better new year's gift. This is really warm and sweet (high quality sweet) blend of something yummy, but not edible yummy. And for me, so unique. Five of my favourite scents are blended together in a way I personally would mix them. Like there is someone working for L'Artisan that can read my dreams. Chestnut, maple sap, orange, coffee and tonka bean are equally strong on my skin, they are very authentic and you can detect each one separately, although in a perfect mix. The ebony and sandalwood basis make the whole thing a bit woody and sacral. Sillage and projection are perfect (maybe a bit strong for the first 20mins). I cannot stop smelling myself and congratulating myself for such a good blind buy. It actually makes me happy. I will wear it for some time and see, but I think this could be my (winter) signature scent.

At first it smells like something is burning,very odd and like fire. Then it devellops to something spicy, Anyway, this is a little review, a first impression, I tested a little spritz to the department store. And to me is more of a spicy rather than a vanilla perfume. Absolutely unisex, at first it smells more masculin and then becomes more unisex. I have to say this is the most longlasting perfume I ve ever smelled.And I was not expecting this bc I own a perfume from this house and I know the longevity is not their thing. Anyway, I have to say, i spritz once on my hand, on the upper side, I am sorry I don t speak english well, not on the palm points and I smelled it for 2 days non stop! And I have washed my hands, of course, several times. I am speechless.... I don;t know how it is in terms of sillage, but oh... it is a mysterious and hypnotizing smell that lasts forever. I like that it is not sickly sweet but more like aegyptian, eastern,really sensual and erotic smell. It is not caramelised,it s not juvenile sweet or vanillary. It reminds me of good old opium very much. Oh I forot how I loved opium...I love it and I want it

Breakfast by the fireplace! This is a lovely gourmand scent, very well blended with a smokey vanilla aspect. I used to own this and MMM By the fireplace but to my nose this was by far the most well crafted and unique scent. It has the smokey-vanilla-chestnut accord that Btf is well known for but this is more. To me Btf is just that and a bit too smokey that some times it's like you smell like ashes or just smoke. This has a beautiful coffee and maple sirup accord, the smoke is toned down, it's a bit woody and the chestnut, vanilla combo give this amazing gourmand-nutty feeling. It's like having pancakes and coffee for breakfast by the fireplace! Performance is the biggest drawback of this scent compared to Btf, it lasts 6-7 hours on my skin with moderate to soft projection. I think that this is a cozy/lay back/movie night with your partner scent and you don't need huge performance. It can be a date scent and you need this person to come closer to smell you. A beautiful gourmand that lacks in performane in comparison to it's biggest rival but wins in smell!

Noir Exquis is a delicious enigma—a nocturnal sonnet where shadow and light perform an intimate pas de deux. The first breath is glazed chestnuts, their candied richness lacquered in the sticky sheen of maple syrup, a benzoin-kissed sweetness that glows like amber in the late afternoon sun. Sweet orange flits through, bright, almost crystalline, lifting the syrup’s weight before the composition sinks into something darker, deeper, more hypnotic. Brazilian coffee unfurls in the heart, not fresh and steaming as I had expected but thick, roasted, almost burnt, its bitterness wrapping around the chalky edges of a warm chestnut paste. A warm fall pie, enveloped in vanillic bakery smoke. Tonka hums beneath it all, lending a familiar, earthy softness, stretched across the polished depth of dark ebony wood. Like a tempered, mont blanc indulgence spun, layered, set with sophistication. An alchemical tapestry that invites a cascade of cozy salivation, a gourmand less explicit and more ghostly, like pumpkin latte-stained fingertips.

The essence of autumn. I imagine this is what the atmosphere of “You’ve Got Mail” would smell like bottled up. It smells of falling autumn leaves, cozy coffee shops, book pages, caressed skin, a warm home, dark sweaters, hugs and falling in love. Stunning concept scent. The bottle is heavy glass and feels of premium quality. It plays with the light beautifully and reflects a different color at the bottom. I love everything about this. I was afraid this would be overly smoky but it’s not. It’s not a true gourmand either. It’s a scent with some gourmand aspects that present themselves in a very light and smooth way (vanilla flavored coffee, toasted chestnuts and marshmallows, warm cacao with orange zest & maple sap) and at the same time, it never forgets it is a perfume and it’s done in a very elegant, refined and atmospheric way. The drydown is heavenly, the longevity pretty decent (will last for most of the day) and the sillage is moderate to intimate...just what you need to make someone lean in closer.

★★★★★ I was thinking of giving this a 4 star rating, but I changed my mind and I will explain why: This might not be ultra original and new, but in the sea of smokey/dark/sweet fragrances this is one of the most elegant ones, with great longevity and an acceptable sillage. It's sweet and edible in the beginning, the nuttiness of the chestnut and the sweetness of maple is striking. Coffee is the note that glues everything together. In the drydown, it gets mysterious, smoky and definitely masculine, which I love. At this stage, it stays true to its Noir concept and maintains depth and elegance. Smoke or incense might not be listed as notes but I think that the ebony, sandalwood and heliotrope make this "noir" and smokey aspect shine. It is not challenging, definitely not groundbreaking, but it makes a perfect signature for the winter if you want to walk around with an elegant, alluring and mysterious aura surrounding you. Can you justify the 5 stars now? Well done Mr. Duchaufour!

The was an informed blind buy...recommended to me buy a scent profile computer at the Champs d’Élysées Sephora. It’s a cool machine that simulates notes from various scent profiles and recommends perfumes based on the notes you like. At any rate - I love this. It’s mostly a marshmellowy vanilla on me with a dry, warm, woodiness. A nice intimate skin scent that doesn’t project too much - which is what I like. I look forward to wearing it with a cozy sweater. I don’t get the other notes but that’s fine with me. It will layer nicely too. By the fireplace gives me a headache though I did like it to start. So far so good with this one! No headaches and I’m three sprays in. Curious to see what it does as it macerates... Edit: I’ve noticed this is a scent that stays on my skin for a long time and it does project a bunch if I still have some on when I hit the gym, so I don’t spray a lot. I am also picking up more of the orange and chestnutty-ness now - still very good and I love it!

Reviewing the newer bottle style, I have never smelled the older bottle style so I can't judge that one. This is incredible. This only smells like BTF in the opening, and even then that only lasts about 5 minutes for me. Noir Exquis goes towards a sweet/gourmand route, whereas BTF goes smoky/woody. This isn't overly sweet, though. It's mostly a comforting scent that doesn't project too much, whenever I've gotten compliments on this is when I hug someone or they sit close to me. Because this doesn't project much I've worn this to the office a few times in cold weather and it's great. I can smell this on myself and my clothes the entire day, and sometimes I get a whiff of it in the air after having sprayed it hours earlier. I've had my bottle for a year and a few months now and have worn this so much that my family considers this my signature scent. If I had to get rid of all my bottles and keep just one, it'd be this one.

Dark, rich and exquisite. This is all chestnut, honey, and ebony on me. I have had people say that the room I just left smelled like "lilies," which I suspect is the honeyed edge to it. So rich and powerful it carries the scent of the flowers the nectar came from. Not quite gourmand, it is too well blended. And this is powerful juice, three sprays gives me a cloud of fragrance that lasts me all day (from application at 8am until bed). It is fairly linear, what you get is what you get. But it is so different than anything else I have ever smelled that I never want it to change. Spicy, warm, and yet I can wear it in the summer as well. (It is more of a dark evening fragrance in the summer, sexy and mingled with the smell of warm bodies.) There is something deeply exotic and alluring about this fragrance. I crave it. I do not get vanilla, or coffee though it seems most people do, so your mileage may vary.

While this is solidly a winter-time fragrance, it lacks some of the typical (stereotypical?) notes that would push it into the "Christmas in a Bottle" category we hear so much about this time of year. There are no spices and no tobacco notes. There's nothing here that evokes Christmas trees, or Santa's pipe, or a snowy sleigh ride (whatever snow smells like). What you do get is deep, rich, and sweet chestnuts, maple and vanilla. Maybe a little orange, maybe not. The maple is quite dominant at the start, but develops some complexity after a few minutes. Not too much more, though. This is 100% gourmand - not a holiday fruitcake, or maple syrup, or anything else specifically (maybe a little coffee) - but it smells delicious. Noir Exquis is definitely a solid choice when your usual holiday fragrance starts to smell a little tired, and it might prove to be more versatile, too.