Valentino Uomo Noir Absolu

Having & loving Uomo Inense I took the blind buy risk & purchased this..found it on Fragrancenet for cheap right now with one of their specials! (took the risk there too) all the more positive then negative reviews peaked my interest & I really love that bottle & fact it's hard to find made me have to have it (also getting colder here so it'll make a nice new fall/winter smell). Like I said I love the intense, so hopefully this will be another love, will update with review later once it arrives & I test it out! :D Updte (9/25): Well it finally arrived today & it was legit! VUNA is beautifully blended sophistication & sex in a bottle. I'm so glad I took the risk of a blind buy. Agreed what you have here is Uomo Intense DNA with an added creamy sandalwood. However this is totally different enough to still make it it's own unique scent & it find it to be more might I say slightly more comforting than the Intense. Yes the iconic iris powder lipstick note is still present even though it's not listed I find in Noir Absolu the overall blend is surprisingly smoother I'm guessing from there being no leather & having that nice creamy sandalwood Noir Absolu agreed has a definite gourmand-ness to it (easily unisex), the more it dried down I got an almost spiced cookie vibe on my skin. Sillage is moderate but performance is beast..lasting through even a shower scrub..& the bottle is just even more stunning in person, this is the epitome of luxe quality, very happy the risk paid off & even happier of the steal I got it for & to have a bottle in my collection now. :D Side Note: I do get the comparisons to TF BOrchid (w/o the florals) it also reminds me a little of Noir extreme it's like If BOrchid Extreme & Uomo Intense thruppled..lol also find this works best in small doses (3-4 max) & deff. a better in colder weather scent.

What a stunning fragrance! I own the Donna Noir Absolu and they do definitely share similarities, but this one doesn’t have such prominent fruity and leather notes, although the base is definitely there. If I didn’t have a bottle of both to compare, I probably wouldn’t be able to tell them apart though. It makes sense this one to be the male version, as it is slightly spicier and woodier, but I do still find it unisex, so ladies, if you’re looking for Donna Noir Absolu substitute (as it is unfortunately discontinued), do not hesitate to grab this one. Needless to say I would love this on a man too... I saw the Valentino website still offers it, and IMO the price is more than worth it. I hope they do not discontinue at least this one. The bottle is stunning, as it is the whole line, and performance is great too. It is a sexy cold weather scent, but it can be also worn in summer nights as far as I’m concerned. Love it and recommend it! Valentino fragrances deserve more recognition. PS: I see where people are coming from with the TF Black Orchid comparison, which, for reference, I do not like. I would’ve never thought of that if I hadn’t seen the comments here though. However, to me, Noir Absolu (both the male and female version) is on a whole another level, much smoother, much more elegant, even more seductive if you will, and there is no truffle-patch-coca-cola headache inducing type of thing going on like in Black Orchid.

Valentino Uomo Noir Absolu is a smooth, spicy, and high quality sandalwood fragrance, especially for the price you pay on the grey market. It opens with a peppery incense with the subtle sweetness of cinnamon and although vanilla is not listed a note, nor Iris, the Valentino Uomo and Valentino Uomo intense DNA serves the base. Where this differs is that the smooth, very natural, and creamy sandalwood note lingers after the combination of incense and warm, sweet spices in the top and mid dissipates. In comparison, I would say this is more similar to Tam Dao EDP by Diptyque in terms of the sandalwood note. Where that goes green this goes spicy sweet but is still a natural smelling, wonderful woody base. I think this is an excellent entry level fragrance for those who want to get into modern orientals and sandalwood fragrances. It is pleasing, a joy to wear, and just creates a wonderful scent bubble of woody, smokey, sweet spiciness. Longevity is 8-12 hours as the base notes keep pushing. Sillage is wonderful first 2-3 hours and then creates a nice "scent bubble" for the life of the fragrance. Def. Fall/Winter though I could see it working for cool summer nights around a bonfire. Excellent value for the price though admittedly it is getting harder to find. 8/10 for me. I wish it had a bit more spiciness in the base and the incense pushed a bit more, but, the sandalwood note is wonderful and smooth.

Does anyone else has a bottle without the spikes on the logo, where is written on the bottle Valentino. Or maybe is a bottle after L'Oréal took over the Valentino and they change the still of the bottle before discontinued, does anyone has more knowledge about this? Edit: It does look like L'Oréal change the bottle a bit, I've checked on Valentino batch code and doesn't come up nothing, but when checking on L'Oréal I can see the manufacture date. I have wear it today at work for the first time and guys I honestly never received so many compliments within 2 hours with any of my fragrances I've wear before. People can smell the scent metres away from you and also my colleagues compliment me a lot ''such a beautiful scent'', ''what is the name of the fragrance'' . I will comeback with ratings later one. But at the moment has to be a must have if you are into fragrance. Edit: Longevity: 8 hrs on skin, on cloths 24 hrs or more, 5/5 Projection/Sillage: huge, leaves a very nice trail behind the wearer for about 4 hrs, and fills the room, 5/5 Compliment factor: loads of compliments, is mass pleasing scent, my female colleagues compliment me a lot. 5/5 Price tag: great price, even if is discontinued I will still pay somewhere around 120-140£ to have it on my collection. 4,5/5 I don't see why someone would not like this fragrance.

This is a fragrance I can appreciate and see the quality of it without actually being a super fan of it. I think I prefer uomo intense/dior parfum over this.. However, this one smells more refined than those two. Its hard to explain the scent.. People get different things out of this. This has the iris kind of dna of uomo intense but its definitely different smelling. This one isn't as sweet.. It reminds me of a toned down black orchid with the heavy florals removed and replaced with the uomo intense iris note. If you want a less feminine black orchid with a powdery iris instead of florals... this would be a good one. Even though maybe I'm on the fence if the smell is for me... I gave this a love because I respect the quality and refinement of the scent. To me this is a perfect flanker. It maintains something from the original while going in a different direction enough to differentiate it. This is definitely a different smelling fragrances than Uomo intense.. yet its not like a completely different fragrance.. Whether you like the scent itself... People should at least respect what they were going for... This certainly would be my preferred alternative to black orchid. Scent 4.5/5 My taste - 3.5/5 Performance - 3.5/5

I'm not a huge fan of warm spicy fragrances but this one really stood out. I originally intended on purchasing another bottle of the original Uomo during a lay over in Doha and the sales lady recommended this to me. At first, I didn't like it because it was too spicy and very offensive on the nose especially after spraying it 3 times on my wrist. I also sprayed the Uomo Intense on my other hand and loved it and was more inclined to buy a bottle each of the latter and the Uomo Intense. However after walking around Doha International waiting for this to settle down, I've noticed that its settling into a more pleasant scent. The combination of incense, sandalwood, iris and cinnamon is outstanding. 7 hours later after landing at Heathrow, I could still smell it on my arm and tshirt. This fragrance gets me a lot of compliment everywhere I go. Though I must say, this isn't the best fragrance to wear in hot and humid places but is best when worn in the cooler months. The projection and longevity are both outstanding even with just two sprays. The bottle design is also very appealing. I've always been a fan of Valentino's signature stud designs. Overall, the performance of this fragrance is outstanding.

What an interesting albeit surprisingly satisfying experience with VUNA thus far. Usually, too much of a Black Orchid type blanket of patchouli and dark chocolate notes can be overwhelming on either sex when worn. The trick with the Valentino is keep the blueprint for Black Orchid in mind, maintain the swirling brew of sandalwood, incense and spices while leaving patchouli out to offer some freshness and a less cloying effect. Works remarkably well. After just week of owning VUNA, worn at home and to the office just a couple of times. I now find myself taking the top off the bottle to take a whiff for the sheer joy of inhaling what reminds one of warm butterscotch enjoyed around a wood burning fireplace in the festive season. Also, not just a formal scent as many have described, a spray or two to the chest area while casually enjoying the weekend in cooler weather works a charm. All that being said, be cautious while applying this scent, as the fine line between alluring sillage and overwhelming blanket of perfume in the air can be crossed quite easily with this fragrance. Less is more and looks like the bottle could last forever. 8.5/10

It smells very luxurious and opulent. Very appropriate for a gentleman in an evening outing. That being said, it does seem very versatile. You can pull this off formally, or somewhat casually. I'd say the longevity is above average as well as silage. Lasts literally a week on my jumper and this is exactly what I want. One other thing, this is niche quality. I don't wear designer fragrances often because a lot of them have a very typical and tired smell to them (except Tom Ford and several others). Just how Tom Ford lies in a realm between designer and niche (more niche in my opinion), this fragrance is the same. I don't know why, but I understand why this was a Harrod's exclusive. It really does smell luxurious. I do get a lot of Black Orchid vibes in the dry down but I'm not complaining. I love that scent, even as a guy. These are relatively hard to come by these days with L'Oreal buying them up recently. Could be due to change in logistics or whatever. However, you can find them online for around $65, which to me is a steal. I'd say even at full price ($120) the scent is worth it. Highly recommended for a sophisticated man.

I had a bottle years ago, but unfortunately decided to part with it. This is an absolutely stunning fragrance with superb quality. It’s one of the few fragrances where the note breakdown on this site describes exactly how it actually smells. From the opening, you can clearly pick up everything listed above: cinnamon, pepper, incense/olibanum, and sandalwood. These notes merge into a single, cohesive accord that stays consistent throughout its life on the skin. Overall, Uomo Noir Absolu is a spicy sandalwood wrapped in velvety incense. The scent profile is fairly dry, but there’s a subtle sweetness from the sandalwood; combined with the spices, this initially gave me the impression of a woody, spicy cola (not sugary sweet). I understand the comparisons to Black Orchid, but only in the vibe they convey — I’d have no trouble blindly telling them apart. All in all, a fantastic release and far more creative than the most recent flankers in the line (I haven’t smelled Ivory). It’s a shame this one was discontinued.

I'm not too familiar with the Valentino Uomo scents, having smelled the other three but not really having sampled them. Uomo Noir Absolu in particular seemed to be received very warmly, and I picked up a decant. It's as described, a masculine blend centered around iris, modified by sandalwood, incense, pepper, and cinnamon, quite spicy and woody throughout but the incense lends its resinous sweetness, which emerges as the iris fades. The fragrance opens sharp, and dries down sweeter. Its performance is pretty strong throughout, with hours of projection and significant longevity beyond that. I put it roughly in the same category as Bvglari Man in Black, a well-constructed masculine winter blend, not too sweet, not too edgy, a choice that's likely to work for many, even some women, as it lacks an overly dirty side (i.e. leathery, animalic). The retail pricing of $118 for 100ml feels a little high, but it seems to make the rounds on some grey market sites. 8 out of 10

The name of this fragrance should be changed to: "How to Get Hot Women to Give You Long Hot Sex EdP" by Valentino. Aka H2GHW2GULHS for fragheads and reviewers. The container box should be all black with no words except for "Hot Sex by Valentino" on the front in gilt gold lettering. Inside the box, the top flap bottle cover should have a sealed condom ready to go with a mini pack of KY jelly. That, along with a small customer care card offering a full money back guarantee if the male customer wearing this fragrance while dressed in a tailored tuxedo and formal dress kit is unable to get laid on the night of wearing. That's it. That's the entire review. Go get yourself a tailored tuxedo, a formal dress kit (bow tie, studs, cufflinks, high polished black Oxfords, etc) and this fragrance and thank me (and Valentino) later. Be prepared for fatherhood before you spray this. bon chance

Sexy, seductive and sophisticated, this is a delicious scent that sparks the senses. It's a powerhouse that crackles with sweet pepper and rum soaked cinnamon, before shrouding you in a cloak of sultry incense and frankincense. The scent is mature, dark and boozy, it's absolutly intoxicating in an almost religious way, and lasts a long time. The projection of this is incredible as it hangs in the air and always gets compliments. This is alchemy in wearable form. The bottle is beautifully crafted and feels like you're holding a divine object. It is a night fregrance and not a very versatile scent but when you smell this good on the right occasions, you won't care. Umou Noir Absolu is exciting. Its dark robes, blood red candle wax, purple silk, bejweled masks, clandestine meetings in old gothic church grounds, bathed in waxy moon light and clouded in incense.

This elegant fragrance is a combination of Uomo and Uomo Intense, with the addition of incense and cinnamon. Other notes, not listed, but clearly present, are iris, and candle wax. The scent evokes memories of wandering through the local import store as a child.... seeing the rows of incense packets hanging on the walls and the boxes of colorful votive candles in neat rows. You reach into one marked "Sandalwood", and bring the fragrant wax to your nose. This is what Noir Absolu smells like, but on a far richer and more refined scale. The bottle is beautiful, although the half-cap seems to be more of an afterthought than an element of design. Sillage is moderate, but longevity is good. The fragrance can still be detected on skin up to 24 hours later. All in all, this is a fabulous fragrance that should be in any gourmand lover's collection.

This fragrance is a WOW for me. Sure this fragrance is a bit linear in its development, and the opening is a touch sweet, however, this fragrance comes across as niche quality for me. Iris, which played a starring role in the other Uomo iterations, takes a back seat in this sandalwood and cinnamon based fragrance. Expect a unisex opening of sweet, creamy sandalwood and Iris with a light, smoky incense. As the fragrance dries down, it becomes significantly less sweet. The cinnamon and pepper come out to play, accentuating the woodiness, giving it a classy and masculine edge. VUI is a solid performing fragrance but VUNA takes it to the next level - 2 to 3 sprays and I'm good for the day. This fragrance is likely best suited for formal occasions. Not much more to say about an uncomplicated fragrance . Sample this beauty if you get a chance.

In my honest opinion this is an absolutely amazing fragrance. I get incredible longevity, especially when sprayed on the inside collar of a shirt, I can still smell it 3 or 4 days later. Although to me it does not smell that much like valentino uomo or noir, this is 2 or 3 levels classier and more versatile than those. Surprisingly this has been one of my most complimented fragrances out of 80 plus bottles. It is just an all around classy and sexy fragrance. I think this one does not get the recognition it deserves in my honest opinion. Really a shame that they discontinued it and kept it such a limited release. I wouldn't be surprised if valentino launched it again in the next few years with a different name and slightly different variation. 9 out of 10 in my book!!!

im so glad this doesnt have oud in it because WOW! this an absolute sleeper of a fragrance. it is so well blended and the perfect balance of smoky, creamy, and fresh. its incredibly masculine with that incense note. i can see how this can be construed as a "middle eastern" fragrance because of the incense note, but this is in the realm of penhaligon's halfeti imo. it smells like it could be a halfeti flanker. i bought this for collection purposes and i was genuinely not expecting to like this as much as i do. the creaminess of the sandalwood really pulls it all together. and im SO glad they didnt put oud in this because oud would ruin this fragrance. i cant believe how much i love this scent.

Doesn’t smell like Black orchid at all, which i have and enjoy quite a bit. Black Orchid is deep and dark with truffle, chocolate, and patchouli, and this is nowhere near that deep or dark. Dont be convinced there is any incense or really anything other than sandalwood and some supporting notes that give it that iris-y feel from the other versions. Although I have started to enjoy this more now that I have the original Uomo and this is pleasant and very smooth, its not as interesting as the original, This is not an incense or spice bomb, as those notes dont exist on their own. Dont take my word for it, or everyone else’s, try it yourself and give your honest opinion.

This is one of the most beautiful male designer fragrances that has ever been sniffed by my nostrils, it definitely does remind of a more masculine version of Tom Ford Black Orchid EDP without the overwhelming and nauseating aspects of Black Orchid. I can't believe that Valentino would discontinue such a masterpiece, it's warm, inviting and sexy as heck, too bad I had to pay resale for it. Tom Ford Black Orchid is one of my winter signatures but this is even better just upset I have to be so careful of when I use my 100mL bottle since it's discontinued. If anyone at Valentino is reading this, PLEASE BRING BACK UOMO NOIR ABSOLU!!!! 10/10

@GoldIris05 I think your review is really off base and likely based on trying with one or two times use. I own three bottles which i acquired at under $200, and would gladly lay $400 for new if i were to run out This is miles apart and million miles better than the original and uomo noir. This is a masterpiece. Sexy stuff. I suspect you don't own a bottle. For those comparing to Black Orchid, TF Noir Extreme ... these are not at all comparable. Totally different notes and entirely incorrect interpretation to compare these three masterpieces. Likely the black and gold bottle is forming a mental bias

I am cherishing little bit over 15mL leftover for this one. I know that some fragrance can be hyped after discontinuation, but I do think this is worth the hype. This I don't find any resemblance to Black Orchid, which I also like; This is a creamy sandalwood, and for me does not resemble the original Uomo or Uomo intense which I prefer over Dior Homme original line for their versatility. This I feel is much classier than the aforementioned Black Orchid, Uomo and Uomo Intense. Sad it was discontinued, and it's too pricey now.

Holy crap I did not realize this was discontinued and so highly coveted! I bought this a couple years ago, a 3.4oz bottle, fragrancenet I think? Anyway, I just sprayed some on tonight because I haven’t worn it in ages. This stuff is smooth as silk and very classy. It’s almost hard for me to find an occasion to wear this scent. I feel pretty guilty casually wearing this at home right now when I could probably sell it on eBay for $500 LOL. I suppose then I would feel guilty for price gouging...I think I’ll just hang on to it!

It's very pleasant ! in the depth you can smell warmth from cinnamon, there is a creaminess from sandalwood but I don't get that much incense and especially not Gucci pour homme incense vibe. Maybe it's a little bit balmy. Overall new Valentino smells like cooked carrot BUT it's nice, there is also some sweetness like in Dior homme :) This is not dark scent, I think that Intense may be even darker than this :D If you compare it to Tom Ford Noir than his Noir is dark like s**t !!

This fragrance smells very good, and has very acceptable performance. It smells like Uomo Intense, but with an added warmth and incense undertone. The cinnamon doesn't stand out, but you can tell its there by the warmth and depth within the iris notes during the top and mid. Dries down to kind of like an incense / amber / sandalwood. Definitely my favorite Valentino Uomo release, glad to own a bottle. I have no idea why this is rated so low.

Extremely sophisticated and beautiful. It’s a dark and brooding kind of fragrance, yet not quite antisocial. To say that it’s well blended would be an understatement. It doesn’t have the same vibe as Uomo or the Intense version. This has more depth and a somewhat melancholy wonder to it. Like watching palm trees sway under a grey sky full of clouds as the sky flashes with lightning and burns. Def a masterpiece.

Elegant summer nights in all black. I always thought this Noir Absolu gave off purple/black florals, with a slightly boozy, pulpy coconut you can almost chew. None of which I see in the notes. If someone told me this was a TF Black Orchid summer flanker, I would never question it. Sad day today as I just finished the last sprays of my six-year-old bottle. Thanks for the memories. Rating: 8.25/10

This is basically an oriental woody scent.. Although iris is not listed in the notes breakdown, you’d get this rich and creamy “lipstick” accord that I assume is coming from the combination of sandalwood, cinnamon and incense.. It’s noticeably spicy as well because of the pepper.. Overall, it’s a nice scent and I believe you would enjoy it if you’re into kinda dark or mysterious fragrances..

Seems like this is back, now that L'Oreal has taking over Valentino. It's on Valentino Beauty website. I have received today and it has slightly different packaging and bottle. Smells great to me and longevity is good but I don't have the original Puig formulation to compare. Has anybody heard about this? Would be interested to know how it compares to the original formulation.

Glad I stocked up on some bottles of this! I got two bottles and now seeing people selling it for 600$ is crazy! But you are missing out if you do not have this fragrance! I wore it and have gotten quite a few compliments! One girl in a store I went to was dying to know what I was wearing and was in love lol. Two sprays and you will leave a trail of this gorgeous scent.

F-N fantastic scent. My favorite Valentino fragrance. It should never have been discontinued. It has super high quality oils. The incense and sandalwood work perfectly in harmony to create a stupid smooth, seductive, dark, rich, stunning fragrance. It's an honor to own the 1oz I still have. Hurts to see it go with every spray. Very special occasion fragrance

One of my favourites this winter and so glad I finally bought this. Great longevity on my skin 10+ hours, with projection and sillage in the 5+ hours. Makes it perfect for nights out. I find it similarish to TF Black Orchid but definitely less opulent, which is perfectly understandable. Thank you Valentino.

This right here is fragrance heaven. I have 2 bottles and want more. Just a gorgeous scent from start to finish, nothing but quality.. Just an absolute masterpiece. One of my all time favorites. This will make your fall and winters that much better... I'm so pumped to wear it come first chill.

Unfortunately I had to pay 170$ for a bottle. But this stuff is amazing. That smoky smooth sandalwood with cinnamon is beautiful. I see a few people mention coconut, I do not smell that at all, I get like big red gum vibes from it. But I do believe it was worth the price I bought it at.

Blast of powdery & peppery cinnamon leads to a spicy and dark chocolatey sandalwood. There's a distinctly Black Orchid effect on the drydown, with a dark coconutty whisper that lingers too. Perfect for cold months, long-lasting with a solid sillage. Definitely leans unisex to my nose.

So to me, this is a cross between TF Noir Extreme and TF Black Orchid. I know that sounds crazy but that's what I'm getting. However, I do love this immensely and am happy to have gotten recently. It really does smell great and last a long time as well. Easy 9/10

i love the transition from the opening to the drydown. For me the opening, cinnamon n pepper gave me a headache but then the dark smoky vibe comes out its sophisticated and beautiful. Last the sandalwood in the heart note is so classy and elegance. love it!

I can’t tell if it’s discontinued. Lucky enough to have gotten two bottles. One with spikes on the logo which is from 2017, and one with the flat faceplate from 2020. Both same great smell. Need to buy more!

I don't usually write a review but this got me so much compliment and attention that i had to come here and recommend it to others. It has a very good projection P.s: cold weather only

A stunning composition with one of the best drydowns in the modern designer fragrance game—creamy, sweet sandalwood. I get 10+ hours longevity, it really lingers on skin and clothing.

People on here saying they prefer the original to this, do yourself a favor, delete your account, and never comment on Fragrantica again. You’re welcome.

For a moment at the start, I detect a hint of Iris peeking through, revealing its relationship as a flanker. After that, it's all meditative sandalwood.

Dont let the notes fool you, all I get is a sandalwood bomb with a touch of cinnamon. Personally expected more spice and incense, as in any.

"The Italian elegance of Iris is transformed through sandalwood..." I just ordered a bottle of this; I really have big hopes on this one.

Absolutely love this, gutted its now discontinued, get compliments every time I wear this!one of the best fragrances in my collection

It's a dark, warm, dry smoky and spicy sandalwood with good performance on my skin. Too bad that its discontinued.

One of the best fragrances I’ve ever smelled. It somehow smells like TF black orchid but for it’s more masculine.

Valentino’s love letter to sandalwood. It’s so beautiful it almost makes me angry.

Anyone else getting coconut, especially at the beginning?

Dries down to a sweet leathery almost chocolate Iris

The 2018 Noir Absolu Musc is amazing with it!

So, I just got this in from Bloomingdales and I still smell iris although not listed, sandalwood and cinnamon. When I smelled it in the mall a year ago (fall 2017) I picked up alot of incense and pepper. Although I like the aroma, I am confused. I am wondering if the different temps have anything to do with that. I kept looking at the bottle like did they send me the right bottle? Either way I like what I smell but I was hoping for the incense to come thru a lil bit. Glad to have it, a full wearing is pending but it's still going noticeable from 8pm til 4 this morning. For what you are paying for they could have put this in a box like the noire edition and not been so cheap about the overall presentation. Yes the bottle is nice but a better box is needed. I hope this one remains limited where as it won't hit discounters. Glad to have this line up minus the Aqua. Recommended.