Nuit Noire

This may be a classic example of "what is so right for one person can be incredibly wrong for another"...I adore this perfume. On me, it starts out a sweet and spicy floral, with the orange blossom and tuberose especially noticeable, then the spices begin to warm up. Cardamom and cinnamon come to the front for a bit before settling into the full dry-down with its sandalwood and musk, with perhaps a hint of amber. The florals never fade away; they just get folded into a fabulous, rich, honeyed composition that is seriously sexy. I don't get the dirty or heavily animalic note at all, not even transiently, despite what seems like a good amount of musk going on. I have the type of chemistry that profoundly changes many perfumes, always in the direction of making them sweeter, which is the likely explanation for why this perfume smells lovely to me, completely unlike the experiences reported by other reviewers. This is a rare case where I feel quite happy about my eccentric chemistry; normally I am disappointed when the fragrance that smells so wonderful on others or in the tester ends up smelling like candy-floss on me in 5 minutes. But this time, it enabled me to find one of my all-time favorite fragrances and perhaps, to make it my own in a way. Nuit Noire is all I had hoped that other opulent Orientals would be for me, such as Lutens' Arabie, which I cannot wear as it promptly turns to plum pudding on me. Nuit Noire is, apparently, my jewel hidden in a dung-heap...noxious to some, but amazing if it happens to match your body chemistry.

I'm wearing this with such pleasure today that I'm struck again how inexplicably evil Luca Turin was when he tried to destroy Mona di Orio at the start of her too short career. Like many, I laughed out loud when reading his negative reviews. Back then I'd never smelled a Mona di Orio creation, and the Perfume Guide seemed to want to make sure I never did. But now I'm wearing Nuit Noire, the so-called "civet fart". This is a beautiful, soft orange blossom spicy-soapy perfume which make me (a guy) blush with happiness wearing it. I've also discovered Tubéreuse, Vanille, Eau absolue... I like them all. My respect keeps growing for Mme Di Orio, and keeps shrinking for Luca Turin.

To me this is like an alternate universe "Bal a Versailles" by Jean Desprez, but this one is soapy where Bal a Versailles is not (that one is more kaleidoscopic floral), and this one has even more civet than the Bal a Versailles. Both feature orange blossom and cedar heavily. And I actually like both very, very much. This one is even more sophisticated than the present Bal a Versailles imo. Nuit Noire is sultry and worldly, with for me an exciting somehow synthetic edge that does not detract from the hot heat main event...I don't see civet listed as a note, perhaps it's the leather mixed with sandalwood plus spices that gives the effect?

Oh my God. EXQUISITE , ANIMALIC SHOWSTOPPER ! ...This is a modern Bal A Versailles - a work of perfection ! Mona di Orio was an extremely talented creator but sadly passed away in an accident. This is a permanent item in my collection ! EXQUISITE ! I love you Mona di Orio. This gets compliments from colleagues. Described as : "NUIT NOIRE – The steaming sensuality of a dark, sultry night in North Africa. Notes to Notice: Orange flower, cardamom, ginger, orange, frankincense, cinnamon, tuberose, sandalwood, clove, cedar wood, amber, leather, musk, tonka."

This is an absolute winner and a head turner. Why did they stop producing Mona di Orio ????? I dont understand. I got so many compliments wearing this and I am truly heartbroken that they stopped production.