Citrus Noir

I've been trying out a number of unisex citruses as of late. It's my impression that the vast majority of citrus fragrances fall into only a few sub-types. There's the light and fresh variety that's usually distinctly green and even watery over being deeper, more complex and aromatic. There's the sweet, feminine and summery kind that mostly makes use of orange, mandarin and bergamot and then the kind that's a more masculine fragrance where citrus actually takes a passenger seat behind vetiver and pepper for example. This is not something that fits into those catecories to me. What I love about Citrus Noir is how it defies all the usual tropes while remaining a distinctly citrus fragrance and without being overcomplicated at the same time. To me it's something that won't be out of place in any season and can adapt to a lot of different occasions. It's inoffensive enough to be worn in a work environment, but complex and long lasting enough to be worn out for an occasion. It has a freshness, but in a darker, rather than light and airy way, courtesy of the cypress. I love the pepper in this which becomes more prominent as it warms on the skin. The incence isn't particularly strong, nor the elemi or amber and it's hard to distinguish them, but they transform and elevate the citruses and pepper to something that theoretically isn't unique but that somehow still manages to surprise, because even though citrus fragrances are very common I can't think of a single fragrance that doesn't lean significantly towards any of the sub-types I mentioned. There's only a little bit of sweetness in this and the vetiver doesn't dominate over the cypress, citrus notes or pepper. This is probably one of my most successful blind buys ever, but its supposed neutrality is deceptive because this is not everyone's citrus.

My personal opinion on Molinard is that it is possibly the most underrated fragrance house we have. They get very little love in the community, which I find a real shame but can’t help feeling that they’ve lost their way in the morass of the current market. From this new La Fraîcheur line, I picked up Citrus Noir last week and I’m very happy to report that it is absolutely wonderful! An unusual spicy, dry-peppery citrus that has surprisingly good longevity for the style of fragrance & perfect for summer...... to the point where I immediately ordered two more bottles. In fact, it does remind me of Lalique White in regards of the dry-peppery accord but with a natural amped-up citrus at the opening: it’s more a grated citrus peel than juicy citrus to me but certainly, this suits the overall dryness very well & the Elemi resin supports it wonderfully. The florals are very light in the middle, as are the Vetiver & Amber in the base but they support the lightness beautifully. I can’t say that I find the incense/smoky accord too noticeable but that’s not a bad thing, as it would be too domineering if it were. I’m really looking forward to trying the rest of the line, although with a heavy hit of Calone in a couple of them, I’m a bit wary but certainly worth a test.

Citrus Noir by Molinard is a refined, quietly sophisticated citrus fragrance with a dark twist. Sparkling citruses open bright and crisp, soon joined by subtle spices and a whisper of smoky woods that add depth and intrigue. You can clearly sense the use of high-quality ingredients, which gives the composition a polished, luxurious feel. Thanks to vetiver it manages to stay fresh yet slightly mysterious, perfect for those who enjoy a citrus scent that isn’t just another sunny cologne. Scent: 4/5 Longevity & Projection: 0.5/1 Presentation: 0/0 Quality/Price Ratio: 2/2 Compliment Factor: 0.5/1 Uniqueness: 0.5/1 Overall: 7.5/10 Office-friendly: Yes Blind buy: Yes Recommended age: 30+ Occasion: versatile, semi-formal, casual, leisure Season: Spring, Summer, early Fall

Very unique fragrance. It's citrus, herbal, woody and peppery, giving this citrus freshie some character. I don't think I smelled anything quite like it, it's like a dark citrus that gives me the same type of vibe as eau de citron from hermes, although they don't really smell similar. The incense is the dark horse, not overwhelming the fragrance but certainly peaking out and showing it's presence. Overall this is a nice fragrance that you wear when you are tired of the typical citrus woods combos you see everywhere. Edit: The more I wear this the more I like it, just a unique scent and long lasting especially for a freshie.

I own about 300 fragrances at this point. This gets the most compliments. It’s refreshing, green citrusy, and addictive. If this was made by any other niche house, it would cost $400 for 100 ML.