No.03 L'Etang Noir

I know that this dna is very prevalent these days (not a bad thing as fragrance-wearing should always be egalitarian) but I much prefer this to TF tobacco vanille and Al Haramain amber oud tobacco edition. It’s in between those two, without the cloying sweetness or general loudness. This is spicier, smokier and more refined in how it wears and in the drydown. I just love everything about it including the size of the rollerball bottle, which is perfect for carrying in a handbag without the bulk. Seriously tempted to buy the discovery kit to sample their other fragrance oils. I also have Le Themis and it’s a stunning green and minty fragrance. Just joyful stuff.

Really develops on the skin - the dry down is pretty heavenly. I rotate this with Angel's Share, Herod, By the Fireplace, and Jazz Club for winter fragrances. My wife does not tend to like tobacco scents (dislikes Tobacco Vanille and Al Haramain Amber Oud Tobacco--which is basically a clone of the former), but she enjoys this. She tolerates Herod, but prefers this, as it's lighter on the tobacco. Though this appears here as "leaning feminine," I think it's quite unisex myself--not unlike the Maison Margiela Replica scents I mention above. A nice balance of gourmand notes and spiciness.

This is the perfect fall/winter spicy fragrance. It has similarities to Tobacco Vanille except it's spicier + less sweet, which I prefer. Being an oil concentration, it lasted over 8 hours on skin and I smelled wafts of it all day. This is my favorite of the ones I've tried from this house, also A+ for packaging. I'm not a gourmand lover and honestly loathe comparing fragrance to food however the spice is reminiscent to chai but doesn't teeter over to the gourmand side.

I LOVE this. Others are right that it's not a sub for TF TV, which to me, smells like a dirty ashtray with vanilla perfume sprayed into it. The tobacco flower in L'Etang Noir is so much softer and more feminine. The tobacco and tons of sweet vanilla hit you at the same time, followed by spices like clove. anise, and ginger. I consider it TV perfected. Or rather lightened, sweetened, and feminized.

warm spices blended with sultry rich vanilla, creating one of my personal all time favourite perfumes! it lasts all day, especially if i put it under clothes. it’s not too sweet where it’s off putting in anyway, but it is sweetened which leaves the skin smelling irresistible! love love love it!! definitely needs more attention

This scent has been a surprising 'grower' for me, with tobacco flowers prominently wrapping around the spices. The drydown is a beautiful soft natural vanilla - gorgeous! Distinctive + intriguing...

Totally agree with the comparison to chai tea! Its delicious. I really love this scent :) I hope they make an EDP of this as well. Once I finish the travel size oil, I may have to buy full size :)

A heart of ginger dusted in nutmeg, wrapped in tobacco, with wisps of vanilla. Yes.

I like this a lot. I haven’t tried Tom Ford’s Tobacco Vanille and haven’t wanted to because I don’t like dark or dried fruit notes in fragrances, especially when paired with tobacco as I find it becomes too syrupy sweet. This satisfies my desire for a vanilla tobacco while still being light enough to wear in the spring or summer and isn’t in any way cloying. It starts a bit floral and straw-like from the tobacco flower then builds up to a nice vanilla cigarillo smell but without the smoke. As though you’ve just unwrapped it for a peaceful smoke outdoors on a pleasant day but belatedly realized you don’t have a lighter. I also get the ginger note, which reminds me of candied ginger pieces more than fresh ginger. Upon further wearing. The first hour or more does smell like an apple pie.

+ I'm stoked to be the first person to write a Fragrantica review for this scent! It smells like a rich, sweet, spicy, gingery gourmand dessert. This perfume house is founded on natural scents made sustainably with high quality ingredients. In my opinion, the house has delivered on every promise. This perfume smells beautiful, well-blended and natural. It smells like a lot of time and care was spent creating such a masterpiece. L'Etang Noir reminds of me Tom Ford's Noir Pour Femme but LN is more sophisticated and refined if you can imagine that. Projection: Good. Arms length for the first hour. Skin scent for >3 h more. Longevity: about 4 to 6 hours on skin, but >12h on clothing. I sprayed my skin one night and put on a robe and I could smell this fragrance on it for the next 2 days.

This is a really beautiful fragrance. The tobacco flower is front and center, and it's ensconced in a rich blend of warm, sweet spices. This takes me to an imaginary cabin, sipping a hot toddy by the fire while a spice cake - an old family recipe with freshly ground spices - is baking in the oven, while someone is smoking a fine cigar on the porch. It's familiar and comforting but also sophisticated. As is generally the case with this house in my experience, the projection to be impressive for a perfume oil. If anything, I think this might be overwhelming if it were any stronger because the composition itself is so dense and rich. Bois de Balincourt seems to be their most popular fragrance, but I'm impressed by the consistent quality of this brand.

Cozy warm spiciness - a warming and therapeutic tonic for cold bleak days. This perfume oil works its charm like the amber glow of candlelight, baking gingerbread cookies or lussekatter rolls and the enveloping plushness of sheepskin slippers. I detect the cloves and nutmeg more than the other notes. I don't detect the vanilla or tonka, but definitely recommend layering l'etang noir with vanilla or tonka scents. I'm enjoying this on Lucia day (December 13) , a part of the yuletide celebration of the rebirth of light. A spicy seasonal scent. Good yule!

I love this. I roll it on and am immediately transported to a harsh and beautiful winter. The spices are cozy, and the tobacco is not too overbearing. Lots of anise in my opinion. In terms of winter fragrances, it rates (for me) equal with By the fireplace in terms of coziness. Wear this under sweaters and in the snow for extra warmth. Side note: people either love or hate this. I've had two people smell this from the bottle and they winced.

Liked it in candle form, on skin I went from unsure to not in love (I think something was a little off with the clove, the overarching scent was like a very cloying cherry to me). But I let it sit for another 1-2hr and now I kinda like it? The drydown is an very nice warm vanilla, not too strong or saccharine which I'm very picky about

One of my favorite fall and winter fragrances. Warm, spicy, slightly sweet with a hint of smokiness. I can see the similarities to Tobacco Vanilla but on me it smells much more similar to MAC Shadescents Velvet Teddy. I like layering this with Velvet Teddy. It's so cozy and comforting to me.

I really like this oil. It's spicy. Super spicy. On me it's cloves with a hint of vanilla and some tobacco flower. Spicy cloves and smokey sweetness. It's really good for cold weather. Longevity is about 5-6 hours.

Kinda smells like chai tea. There’s a weird funk in the dry down and it comes off as dirty.

Kinda just giving me soapy tobacco vibes. It's very spicy and sharp/bitter, I unfortunately don't get any vanilla or sweetness y'all are talking about. I feel like I need to layer it with something sweet because it's hard for me to tolerate. It's also not a dupe for TF Tobacco Vanille whatsoever. I get the resemblance but it's literally just the fact it has tobacco. To me, this scent is exclusively fall.

This smelled different than what I expected based on the listed notes or description. I couldn’t detect the spices hardly at all and no tobacco or tonka. It smells sweet & fruity like apple pie or fruitcake, as a few others here have noted, with the faintest hint of sweet vanilla and candied ginger.

Similar to "Tobacco Vanille" by Tom Ford. Their only difference lies in the fact that this "Étang Noir" is devoid of sugar. "Tobacco Vanille" precisely has an overdose of honey, thick and potentially sickening. "Étang Noir" is drier and fuller-bodied. Spicy Cocoa, Coffee, creamy Cinnamon, Tobacco and Cloves. After 30 minutes it reminds me of "Vanilla Diorama" by Dior and "Angel's Share" by Kilian. Both of which have a spirituous liquor. And if you like "Grand Soir" by Kurkdjian, you'll also like this one which becomes almost fruity (black plum) on the dry down. Overall, a dark and tragic Vanilla. Strong performance as well. 👍 Too bad it's so expensive...

This is a rich deep warm and spicy fragrance with a delicate sweetness added to it. I have been using it for a year and is here to stay. Even tho the deepness of the tobacco, vanilla, and spices come through, the scent remains sophisticated yet present but subtle, modest, and cozy, this is what makes this fragrance like any other I ever had. Do its moderate projection it can be used at the beginning of spring but I will totally recommend it for windy or cold seasons...

This is identical to the Tazo’s chai tea... and I friggin love it. Cloves and cinnamon come out strong on my skin...very sweet. My husband loves this on me. And it layers very well when I want to add sweetness and depth to another fragrance. This sweetness comes from the cloves and nothing artificial. Lasts days on my clothing. I am currently pairing it with Spicebomb and it is literal magic... projects and is super long lasting.

A strong like for me. Smells like spiced christmas fruit cakes. Low-medium projection (oils dont project much in my experience), but this lasts 5-6 hours on me, but the vanillic drydown i can still smell after 8+ hrs. Somehow this is what I expected Tobacco Vanille to smell like- but this is so much more palatable. Not sure what the hype for TV comes from. This is rich and spicy, perfect for colder weather.

My ex wore Tobacco Vanille throughout our entire 6-year relationship. L'Etang Noir resembles but does not reproduce. Ultimately, the difference between the two means I can wear No.03 without experiencing Slumdog Millionaire flashbacks.

don’t let the spicy note fool ya- she’s a sweet one, if a tad shallow. good one to throw in the bag for reapplications on the go.